1. Monkeys have been used in derogatory references to black people, Jews, President Bush, anyone considered incompetent or irresponsible, etc. That doesn’t mean we have to be so oversensitive that we banish all monkeys from cartoons. Find me any image that hasn’t been used somewhere, somehow with a negative connotation.

2. I’m not sure what you’re trying to say with #2. Are you blaming the prevalence of that term among black people on the actions of white people? Also, did you know that historically the term has also been used for Irish, Arabs, and Native Americans?

3. No one is treated as an equal in the first place. Research the history of the Irish people in America and elsewhere. Did you know the system of slavery used by Americans for African slaves was based on the system used by the English for Irish slaves? Are you familiar with the 19th c. job discrimination against the Irish? But they rose above it. They overcame, and got over it, and stopped playing the race card.

4. Most white people aren’t nearly as racist as Jeremiah Wright and Al Sharpton. It’s much more PC for a black person to be a racist than a white one. So how are white people negatively influencing you more than Al Sharpton is negatively influencing them? Maybe he’s the one perpetuating this. Maybe if you stopped playing the victim and took charge of your life, you would finally overcome.

5. Obama’s election is the combined result of the decisions of white people, “ignrant” or otherwise, black people, and people of all races. Many intelligent and reasonable people voted for him, and many voted for McCain. There’s much less evidence that racism influenced the “white vote” than certain other demographics… But what does this have to do with the cartoon?

6. Yes, a long time ago racist “black face” humour was mainstream for white people. Are you saying this justifies the continuation of racist humour? Are you saying it’s ok to be racist if someone was racist to you first? If so, all white people now have a reason to be racist (due to the aforementioned anti-white racism). Your eye-for-eye mentality is disheartening.

7. None of the comments preceding yours expressed hatred.

8. Actually, many animals have red blood too (when it’s oxidized). I disagree with intellect as the measure of one’s humanity. Marilyn vos Savant is no more or less human than you or I. The intelligence argument is especially dangerous since it has been used to justify racism. (Underprivileged minorities tend to test worse, on average, in any culture.)

Its a cartoon.

People need to get over theselves.

See response to ai3di…. You people have a real problem, stop making excuses. It was an ugly insensitive, ambiguous cartoon and the author of it knew it or should have know such…unless he is truely ignorant!

1. Monkeys have never been understood to apply to white people in a negative way as blacks–by ignorant white people.

2. True, the “N” world is ugly no matter who uses. Too bad black people are so negatively influenced by white people relative to its use.

3. If blacks were treated equal in the first place, they would not have to take advantage of minority opportunities.

4. Blacks are negatively influenced by whites who enslaved them who were and still are racist, like yourself.

5. So there is a black president, he is a man with red blood like white presidents. His being president is not owing to the mentality of ignrant white people or other racist people of other races, who did not vote for him or who did but not for the right reason (some ignorant white people are like that…).

6. White people put on the black face for years in comedy.

7. Go pray for your sins and hatred of people of color any color.

8. Sorry, I sound like a racist against white people I am working on not be a racist against any race–since all humans have “red blood” and are of a higher intellect than animals.

What’s far more disturbing about the cartoon than some contrived racial overtone is its reference to this poor women who happens to be still fighting for her life. The cartoon is extremely ill-timed in that respect, by making essentially a joke out of her whole situation. Where’s the media lambasting the cartoon for that? Where’s Keith Olberman on his moral pedestal ranting about the real problems? No, no, you get much more attention if you start waiving around the race card. In this way, the cartoon is disrespectful and so is the media for its dismissiveness and lack of judgment.