Singer John Legend blasts NY Post cartoon.
Dear Editor:
I’m trying to understand what possible motivation you
may have had for publishing that vile cartoon depicting
the shooting of the chimpanzee that went crazy. I
guess you thought it would be funny to suggest that
whomever was responsible for writing the Economic
Recovery legislation must have the intelligence and
judgment of a deranged, violent chimpanzee, and should
be shot to protect the larger community. Really? Did
it occur to you that this suggestion would imply a
connection between President Barack Obama and the
deranged chimpanzee? Did it occur to you that our
President has been receiving death threats since early
in his candidacy? Did it occur to you that blacks have
historically been compared to various apes as a way of
racist insult and mockery? Did you intend to invoke
these painful themes when you printed the cartoon?
If that’s not what you intended, then it was stupid and
willfully ignorant of you not to connect these easily
connectable dots. If it is what you intended, then you
obviously wanted to be grossly provocative, racist and
offensive to the sensibilities of most reasonable
Americans. Either way, you should not have printed
this cartoon, and the fact that you did is truly
reprehensible. I can’t imagine what possible
justification you have for this. I’ve read your lame
statement in response to the outrage you provoked.
Shame on you for dodging the real issue and then using
the letter as an opportunity to attack Rev. Sharpton.
This is not about Rev. Sharpton. It’s about the
cartoon being blatantly racist and offensive.
I believe in freedom of speech, and you have every
right to print what you want. But freedom of speech
still comes with responsibilities and consequences.
You are responsible for printing this cartoon, and I
hope you experience some real consequences for it. I’m
personally boycotting your paper and won’t do any
interviews with any of your reporters, and I encourage
all of my colleagues in the entertainment business to
do so as well. I implore your advertisers to seriously
reconsider their business relationships with you as
well.
You should print an apology in your paper acknowledging
that this cartoon was ignorant, offensive and racist
and should not have been printed.
I’m well aware of our country’s history of racism and
violence, but I truly believe we are better than this
filth. As we attempt to rise above our difficult past
and look toward a better future, we don’t need the New
York Post to resurrect the images of Jim Crow to deride
the new administration and put black folks in our
place. Please feel free to criticize and honestly
evaluate our new President, but do so without the
incendiary images and rhetoric.
Sincerely,
John Legend
