John Legend Offended By Comic, Writes Open Letter
February 21st, 2009
John Legend has posted an open letter to the editor of the New York Post, regarding a recent cartoon published by the newspaper, calling it “ignorant, offensive and racist”.
Read his letter and see the cartoon after the jump.
Sean Delonas’ comic has created a stir since its appearance in Wednesday’s Post (Feb 18), with the Rev. Al Sharpton quick to condemn the piece explaining, “The cartoon in today’s New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys.”
The newspaper printed an apology Thursday saying, “To those who were offended by the image, we apologize… Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon – even as the opportunists seek to make it something else.”
Legend wasn’t satisfied with the Post’s response, so he took to his official blog writing the following open letter:
“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”
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February 21st, 2009 at 7:56 am
Gee….. black men can talk about gays, women, jews and asians like the KKK once talked about them and it’s “free speech” yet the moment a black male gets offended? I didn’t notice black men so offended by Farrakhans praising of Hitler
February 22nd, 2009 at 12:30 am
It’s about time someone took on shoddy and provocative journalism. Kudos to John Legend! It doesn’t matter whether John is AFrican-American or Swedish – the NY Post was out of line and the cartoon was disgusting. But then the NY Post does have a reputation for stretching it’s right to freedom of speech to denigrate and humiliate. I, for one, will not be reading their rag anymore and will not patronize their advertisers. Maybe that’s the only way the Fourth Estate will return to honesty and integrity in reporting.
February 24th, 2009 at 7:59 am
I appreciate John Legend for voicing his opinion regarding the tasteless and socially offensive propaganda ad. Had this been an ad that offended any other race or social group press conferences would have been held and job would have been lost, but because it was just against a man of color then it was acceptable. Is because your true fear is upon you? The nation voted into office the 44th President of the United States and he is from Africa decent. This was just a glimpse of our focus as a nation turning away from the position of Willie Lynch and the social Darwinist, and more toward the position the Malcolm X espoused that is not a battle against racial injustice but human inequality. As long as people of color keep their place on the basketball court and in the football fields all is well; but when they use their mind, desire and spirit to want to make a difference then the ridiculed or subjected to buffoonery. I am tired of hearing how non racists are. If a woman can be run over by a car while riding her bike just because she’s a woman of color then we as a nation still have a long way to go.
February 25th, 2009 at 5:33 am
YOU GO JOHN LEGEND
February 25th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Please add my name to John Legends letter.It was well written
and very well presented. I am pleased with his letter.