Obama Cartoon in the Journal

(at least) 4 years of every exaggerated caricature being called a monkey, therefore a result of racist cartooners?

Now I wish I had voted for Ross "huge ears" Perot. If he had been elected, we could have gotten this monkey business over and done with over a decade ago.

His placement of the end of that rope can be reasonably scrutinized.

What you all fail to realize is that depicting a white politician as a monkey and a black politician as a monkey carry two entirely different connotations. ENTIRELY. If a black cartoonist depicted Dubya as a saltine, or perhaps a captain's wafer, rednecks like Hotrod would be the first onesyelling sour grapes at the biased left-wing media.

And the people that think that the cartoonist's depiction of Obama was entirley coincidental are full of shit. And no, Obama is not "immune" from any sort of satire or humor or criticism but for chrissakes, this is ridiculous. I can point out a multitude of flaws by G.W. not even somewhat related to race, but that would be far too easy. What else was Cole trying to say here? Obama has a lot to do to live up to expectations? No shit, that's how "the one" as Hotrod puts it was coined in the first place. What a horribly insensitive cartoon with very non-subtle subtleties.

If they're attempting a monkey, it's the least racist monkey I've ever seen.

that it is somehow "okay" to say a white guy looks like a monkey but it is NOT okay to say a black guy looks like a monkey? Isn't that exhibiting a racial bias, also known as racial discrimination? By even drawing attention to the distinction, aren't you actually saying that black guys look like monkeys and it should not be pointed out? Do you think that we should be blind to racial differences or should we strive to point them out by omission? I think you need to closely examine your own true racial feelings.

Signed, Hotrod, the equal opportunity redneck who thinks EVERYBODY looks like a monkey.

I'm not saying that at all, but when you apply racial insensitivity to something that could be taken the wrong way by a very large number of people, you're asking for trouble. You seem to forget portraying black people as "monkeys" has a little more of a historical significance as far as jokes or stereotypes that occurred so many years ago, it seems a little stale and a bit ridiculous to keep re-hashing these things. Just as I think comparing Obama to Little Sambo or Uncle Tom would be equally insensitive, but making those comparisons to a white person would have an entirely different context. Don't you think we've come a ways since the Minstrel Show?

And I partially agree with you, about not being able to have your cake and eat it too. Should we ignore racial differences/stereotypes completely, or do we pick and choose as per convenience? And there is no easy answer, but it seems this day and age, there still exists a very prevalent layer of thin ice that the unspoken rule is to tread lightly on, and I think this particular cartoon stomped on that ice quite a bit.

I had a very good, and very dear friend who was very big and very black. He actually looked very much like a gorilla and, in fact, he went by the name "Gorilla" although he was one of the sweetest, most genuine, and most gentle men you would ever want to know. I know that he would have been hurt and insulted if some "sensitive" person had insisted on calling him by his given name instead of Gorilla.

My point? In this day and age, get over it. Try to see us all as equals whether in regards to compliments, insults, or whatever. By bending over backwards to be "sensitive" you are actually encouraging and perpetuating racial divisions.

Get over it. Try to see us all as equals whether in regards to compliments, insults, or whatever. By bending over backwards to be "sensitive" you are actually encouraging and perpetuating racial divisions.

That aside, President Obama is not any longer "some random, passerby on the street". He is now a very public figure and therefore, fair game for all sorts of barbs, name calling, and funny pictures so, get used to it. There will be many more to come in the next four years but he's a big boy and I don't think he really needs your protection.

That aside, I don't recall anything in the Constitution or the Bill of rights demanding that we be politically correct or protecting us from insensitive remarks. In fact, quite the opposite, the right to free speech will certainly allow a political cartoonist to draw any President, black or white as a monkey if he so desires. Thank God.

That aside, what's so bad about monkeys? I like monkeys. I had a distant relative who was a monkey.

Since you have everything figured out, I want you to walk down the street and find the first black man you see and call him "gorilla." Let me know what happens to you, if you make it that far. And if you hesitated, or opted not to, why? You should be exercising that free speech as per the Bill of Rights, and he should be respecting the fact that you have that right. Of course, everything would be thrown out the window when you get socked in the face, and I must say if this hypothetically happened, you'd deserve it.

Since you seem to be so outrageously gung-ho about issuing insensitive remarks as you see fit, because it is your Constitutional right, I want you to follow through with this and let me know how successful you are. If your results are unfavorable, I'd hate to say I told you so.

That said, exceptions exist, whether you like it or not. This world is far from perfect. Even you, Hotrod. Which goes back to my previous point. I agree with you on the complexity of the issue, whereas we have that right but then again we don't. So I challenge you to strongly take one path or the other and let me know where it gets you.

The cartoonist might not have been thinking about the racist undertones of drawing our first African American president in a very monkey-ish fashion, but it's a bad mistake to make.

Foxy, I'm not going to do that because I've had many black friends over the years and I have too much respect for blacks but then, neither would I arbitrarily call a white guy "gorilla" either in fact, I wouldn't arbitrarily call anyone "gorilla" either black or white because to me, people are just people, I don't give anyone any special treatment because of his race but you certainly seem to focus on it.

That said, if I should say, pass your good self on the street tomorrow, and I recognize you, I might very well flash you a big smile, a cheery wave, and shout, "Hi Gorilla", which I can do and I don't even know whether you are black or white or orange (like a fox). If you should respond by punching my nose, I will quickly summon the nearest constable when you will be arrested for assault and hauled off in irons to the hoosegow. Hoosegow? Now I wonder where that word came from. Good word isn't it? What would you say if I called you a hoosegow eh, Foxy?

I do enjoy slightly obscure. old-timey sounding words like that and it turns out that hoosegow has a very interesting etymology, it comes from an old gringo mispronunciation of the Spanish word juzgado meaning tribunal or judgement.

To return to the monkey thing, yes, I think that our current President does somewhat physically resemble a monkey but more significantly and more unfortunately, he resembles a trained monkey in the sense that he can dress the part and he can look the part and he can sound the part - but only as long as his tele-prompter doesn't break down and so long as a reporter doesn't ask a question that he hasn't been told the answer to before hand because he has no clue what he is doing on his own. In other words, he does just fine as long as the music is still playing but when the organ grinder stops turning the handle, he is totally lost.

And yes, robertmcat, the first amendment allows me the freedom to compare our President to an organ grinder's monkey and as long as it does, I shall continue to call the shots as I see them and I'll leave the political correctness to you and Miss Manners. That little monkey in the cartoon certainly does have a big mountain to climb. Frankly, I don't think he's up to it and I think he's going to fall right on his face but we'll see.

President Obama attempted to enter the oval office via a window instead of a door today

Now, I could say something about how black guys just feel more comfortable entering a big fancy house through a window but, i won't say that out of respect and political correctness. Okay?

Here's the story... Obama window

I had a very good, and very dear friend who was very big and very black. He actually looked very much like a gorilla and, in fact, he went by the name "Gorilla" although he was one of the sweetest, most genuine, and most gentle men you would ever want to know. I know that he would have been hurt and insulted if some "sensitive" person had insisted on calling him by his given name instead of Gorilla.My point? In this day and age, get over it. Try to see us all as equals whether in regards to compliments, insults, or whatever. By bending over backwards to be "sensitive" you are actually encouraging and perpetuating racial divisions.

Those type of "harmless" nicknames are most often used by those who would bully with words those who by nature are less aggressive and by those who seek affirmation of their own superiority by diminishment of a "friend". I have a beautiful friend who calls himself "Fat Larry". I told him when I first met him I would not feel right calling him anything other than just plain ol' "Larry". Years later, while semi-drunk, he admitted to me how he hated the "Fat" part of his name, and how he had only adopted it in a preemptive way.

There are nicknames that hurt and nicknames that don't, and, as noted above common sense and good manners will always show us the difference.

Maybe you should just stop making assumptions and name-calling, hotrod. Remember what Felix Unger said?

Your kind of provocation may work on talk radio where the host can shout down, talk over, or simply cut off any who would challenge assumptions, fallacies, and generalizations, but it doesn't work so well in this form of written debate.

Even so, I've noticed how you cherry-pick other people's posts, arguing only those statements that appear to fit your aggressive sarcasm and smug didacticism while ignoring well-made points that don't suit your particular style of debate.

I honestly can't believe that you're really defending hurtful name-calling as a Constitutional right. Imagine what unkind assumptions about your character and personality someone could make based on your screen name and icon. Imagine how your friend, one the "sweetest, most genuine, and most gentle" men you knew, may have been tested each time someone insisted on calling him "Gorilla."

I honestly can't believe you're defending hurtful name-calling with a Constitutional argument while ignoring the most basic logic of the Golden Rule.

...that manners, the Golden Rule, and common decency are not legislated and it's a good thing for you, hotrod, because if they were it's likely you'd be going to jail.

I don't know "Gorilla" and I don't know "Fat Larry," but I find that there may be something to be gained from comparing your assertions with those of SpudBudd. I have seen many individuals and even entire ethnic groups take the sting out of hurtful name-calling by appropriating the terminology before it can be used against them. That doesn't mean the words are no longer hurtful; it only means that their use as a weapon is somewhat diminished. Regardless, just because someone hands you a hammer and says "hit me" doesn't mean you have to do it.

And, yes, the Constitution allows us to say almost anything we want. That is a very, very good thing. Left-wingers and right-wingers and in-betweeners are all free to say almost anything they can think no matter how poorly reasoned or ill-advised. However, I will again say that common sense and good manners should regulate our exercising of that privilege. It would make the world a much more pleasant place and would not diminish the public discourse in the least.

when my comments have been honored by red stars on this website, I feel gratified as well as somewhat amused knowing, as I do, that the site is dominated by far left liberals, commie pinkos, lazy welfare recipients, and pie-in-the-sky Socialists and that I am very much the hamhock in the bouillabaisse. Admittedly, a position that I enjoy occupying.Hey, why would anyone call himself SPUDBUDD? Should I assume you resemble a potato or would that make me guilty of "seeking affirmation of my own superiority"?.

Maybe someone w/ an attachment to Idaho?

Why would one self-apply the appellation "hot rod"? Got one? Think you are one? Wish you had one? Is it your porn site screen name? Maybe it's to reference your penchant for flaming?

My original observation stands.

But thanks for the detour.

..someone who is so shy!

The name was hilarious when I was 14 years old, and out of habit my fingers have been typing it at login prompts since then.