John Legend Open Letter To New York Post – Few days ago The New York Post published a cartoon by Sean Delonas that compared President Barack Obama to a chimpanzee.The drawing was composed of two policemen over the body of a chimpanzee they’ve just shot as one officer says, “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”
Eventhought the paper said a half sorry John Legend is still angry and has written an open letter to the NY Post about it:
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
I applaud John Legend and hope his fellow colleagues in the entertainment industry follow suit. when i first seen this “cartoon” words could not describe how disgusted and angry i was at the same time. There’s is no statement that the NY Post can release that can explain such idiocy. I too believe in free-speech but as John stated, there are consequences that follow and that the repsonsible parties should take fault . Kudos again to Mr. John Legend!
peace,
L. Clarke
I am sick and just plain tired of the nonsense called justice. And I applaud all who make an attempt to put a peaceful end to this narrow-minded stupidity.
TO New York Post – While you may be just tickled to pieces at what you did, God does not miss your intentions. No matter what you say in an attempt to “apologize”, the hatred, the racial message you sent was definitely received. You are pathetic to label yourselves humans, you are lower than any animal, even those out of control on a wild rampage. New York Post, you are dangerous and I pray that you feel the impact of this damage that you are responsible. This is unbelievable and since God is my witness, it is unacceptable!
John Legend I am proud to know that you have the guts to stand up to a leading newspaper and say what most people in our societies refuse. I really feel that it is this type of ignorance that certain individuals thrive on and continue to promote in our society.
So not matter how few there are of those souls who fight against change we can go on record and history that we the PEOPLE in AMERICA, did in fact elect a man that so happens to be black, which is of no consequence, but a huge accomplishment to all people of all races, President Obama Barak. He was elected to the highest office in America, so we know now that people are ready for change, and the color of your skin does not mean that you have the inability to make change happen. It was the intelligence, and the humbleness of a mans spirituality that made millions of people stand up take notice and walk to the polls, vote for CHANGE and what it represents to them.
So for a the POST to allow such a publications allows us to see that the editorials, write-ups, articles, etc… that the paper produces, are not on the same page, as the majority of Americans, and are not ready for change, they are stuck on trying to poke fun, as people of old did of men of color, from days of old. I agree we should boycott them for their representation and poor response.
This one is deep and hit me very hard. Man, John Legends wrote a wonderful letter, to explain his frustrations to a very poor representation, on the part of the POST. If most of our black men could stand up for what they really believed we would be less oppressed and more recognized for our intelligence versus, our past views of us being ignorant, uneducated individuals, that certainly had no voice to speak out against such publications.
I thank GOD for allowing me to see the day where strong people of color exist and make their presence known.
May GOD keep and continue to bless those who did this and those who oppose it.
Diana
I was outraged when I received the chimpanzee cartoon via email. I support the letter written to the NY Post Editor. I trust that the NY Post will realize that this type of reporting is not acceptable. The NY Post owes a public apology on the front page of its newspaper.
Peace & Joy,
P. Jackson
John you are more than right. I was very upset when I recieved the disgusting news via e-mail. It’s a shame for what was done and how it was done. NY Post should never allowed that cartoon to be printed. I don’t live in NY but if I did I will never purchase the Post for the rest of my life. I hope that everyone who lives in NY will never buy the NY Post again. We as black people have come a long way and we are tired of people continueing to try to keep us down. Barack is the President of the United States of America and that means he has the power. When he gets this country back where it should be after the last President didn’t give a damn about how people lived because he has his fortune to continue the way he has always lived. Not just black but all Americans felt the down fall of the economy. Now we have a President who is trying his damnest to bring the country out of recession and this is what he has to look forward to. NY Post should be ashame of what they allowed to be printed. God created all the same just different color. If God wanted everyone to be the same He would have created all the same. God wants all to love one another but there is still work to do. God will deal with the person who published the cartoon. We are not chimpanzee’s or any other animal. We are human beings with the same red blood that runs through our veins like everyone else. There should be a billboard with an apology not only to our President but to all American. Whether they are red,black or white and any other orgin of an American. Still that will not be enough. Come out of the old and live for the new America. When this country get out of recession under our new President the person that did this please don’t pat yourself on the back. You should go and apologize to our President for the cartoon. He will bring us through. Not just the blacks but for ALL AMERICANS
Recently, while visiting my daughters in Atlanta. I had to remove myself from a breakfast table as these older caucasians were in a deep discussion as to WHY everyone (we), were up in arms about the “cartoon”. It is amazing to me how this “sickness” permeates all that is AMERICA. HEY!!! We are not slaves, have no tails, and are equal. Not just because of OUR ELECTED (not stolen), African American (Black) President. We serve a new Commander In Chief, and Leader of the Free World. How many programs have we watched over the years proclaiming there is NO RACISM IN AMERICA??? Funny aint it! It really don’t take long to lookat a horseshoe.
Well, you would think that the Editor-in-Chief, would care more about his job than to allow someone else in the company to jeopardize the entire newspaper staff. He too must be a little racially pathetic.
Thank you Mr.Legend for recognizing and speaking against the publication of such a reprehensible cartoon.Being a 70 year old American male,remembering too well,how people harboring prejudicial views the cartoon suggested,are those tantamount to dreaded disease.I resent the slap in the face rendered by that type of publication.I am also a proud American born with attractive BROWN skin.