Rap-Up.com || John Legend Boycotts ‘New York Post’ Over Cartoon

John Legend is calling for a boycott of the New York Post after the newspaper ran a controversial cartoon that has been widely criticized as racist. Read his open letter below.

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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20 Comments

Pam
February 19th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
I can’t believe it, an artist is actually standing up for what they believe is right instead of thinking about their wallet. Way to go John!!!

[Reply]
Edward
February 19th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
The people at the POST planned and put out exactly what they intended, RASCIST PROPOGANDA! How can any newspaper worth it’s salt, not know of American History. Our History is embroiled in HATE, and that is what the POST is Great at. I agree that this paper should be boycotted and companies doing business with The Post should rethink their business dealings. It’s those hate minded people at the top that smear, lie, and distort and The Post is one of them.

[Reply]
willliambanzai7
February 19th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
HEY HEY WE’RE THE NY POST MONKEES
(The Monkeys)
Williambanzai7

Here we come, walkin’
Down the street.
We’re bigots writing jokes on
Ev’ry one we meet.
Hey, hey, we’re the NY Post Monkees
And people say we monkey the news around.
And we’re too busy slinging excrement
As we put everybody down.

We write whatever we want to,
say whatever we like to say
No time to think–we are thoughtless,
There’s always someone new to pick on today.

Hey, hey, we’re the NY Post Monkees
And people say we monkey around.
But we’re too busy slinging excrement
As we put everybody down.

Don’t want to be friendly,
Come and watch us sling
Degenerate news masturbation,
We’ve got nothing of value to sing.

Any time, Or anywhere,
Just look over your shoulder
Guess who’ll be defecating there

Hey, hey, we’re the NY Post Monkees
And people say we monkey the news around.
But we’re too busy slinging excrement
As we put everybody down.

[Reply]
Eric
February 19th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
You,Mr.Legend, have just written a well thought out, well composed response to the horribly ignorant and racist cartoon printed by the NY Post. Until I hear you say otherwise, I will never read their paper or their internet site again. I have not yet read their apology but what is there for them to say?? They did what they did, it is what it is!!

I’ll keep an eye out on your website to see if there is something more I can do. I have such high regard for you! Thanks.

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Dz
February 19th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Wow. He’s cool. Well said Mr. Legend.

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Giselle
February 19th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Good for John. I couldn’t agree more with his letter.

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joe tom pittard, m.d.
February 20th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Open letter to the editor of the New Your Post and others, to whom it may concern:

[I AGREE WITH JOHN LEGENDS EXCELLENT LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW YORK POST NEWSPAPER. THE FOLLOWING IS A VERSION OF ONE I ORIGINALLY WROTE TO A FRIEND WHO ASCRIBED TO THE IDEA THAT THE CARTOON WAS LIKELY NOT INTENDED TO BE RACIST]

Did everyone know that on one page in the New York Post newspaper there is a picture of Obama signing the Economic Recovery bill, and when you turn the page there is the cartoon? the parallelism is rather striking, and it’s hard to avoid thinking that it is arranged that way by design intended to have a racist punch. Even lacking that, I totally agree with the racism charge. Talk about a stretch otherwise! If the cartoon meant to depict by parody the Congress as an organization out of control, and intentionally attempting to egregiously maim and possibly kill American citizens — like the chimp who ate off the nose, jaw and eyes of a woman, before it had to be killed to prevent further damage — that is such a bizarre and morbid connection that even if it was truly what the cartoonist in his/her heart meant, it would still have to be regarded as almost historic in its degree of hostile emesis of vile vituperation. Furthermore, it would be implying that the many ( in this case Democrats), not the one, (Obama) or, the Democrats and Obama in concert, were not just out of control, but were so dangerous that they should be killed.

Reminder: For centuries, blacks as individuals, not any organization, have been derisively depicted in our country especially, but also in many, probably even most non-black societies at one time or another, as “monkeys”. I remember reading an article, probably 20+ years ago about how black students from Africa, attending the University of Moscow by invitation, were experiencing abuse at the hands of Russian students. They were called “monkeys” by mobs of hateful white students and yelled at with “Monkeys! Go back to Africa where you belong!” among other epithets. While it is technically true that any “monkey business” could be attributed to an out of control Congress, it is Obama who, as an individual, is the biggest threat to those who oppose such monkey business as a stimulus bill. He was the point man who asked Congress to craft a bill, the particulars of which he had specifically proposed. He very openly led the charge in promoting it, took much of the credit for its passage, and then as the leader of the Democrats as well as the President, he approved it and made it officially the law with his signature. At least as much as Congress, and in the eyes of most, especially his enemies, the Economic Recovery Bill is his baby. Hence, the easiest and most important envisagement of opposition to such a bill would be one directed against its chief architect and personification, “the one” and only, Barack Obama. As a black man, he, so much easier than Congress, can be “monkeyfied.” And it is he, and not the hated Democrat controlled Congress, who has been threatened with death by shooting, several times already.
I look at the cartoon as a very intentional racist attack on Obama. An appropriate apology in my opinion would not be one addressed only to Obama, or to black people in general, or even only to the larger group of people, (of which I am one) who feel personally offended by such a vile cartoon which, in my opinion, sullies our entire nation. No, an appropriate apology would be one to our entire nation, and actually, even to all mankind. It’s kinda like, what would be an appropriate apology coming from the Nazi promulgators of extreme, lethal anti-Semitism? Just to the Jews as the Pope so apologized? Maybe I’m too harsh and judgmental, but I think that such crimes are against humanity and therefore it is to the Jews and also to all humans that any such apology should be directed. Because the NYP has been, in my mind, inadequately chastened, I hope an expression of revulsion on a massive, nationwide scale will happen. It’s a golden opportunity for a civic lesson, and for a time for folks like you and me who sort of missed out on an opportunity to be activists during the civil rights movement — it’s an opportunity for us to fight back at the bad guys by standing in solidarity with our black brothers who are understandably incensed by this matter. Our nation continues to be in need of further consciousness regarding race issues. I’m proud of how far we have come, but also frightened of the degree of vicious racism that yet remains in our society, at a conscious and unconscious level. I’m not trying to lecture anyone about this; I know that most agree with most of what I’ve articulated here, but I wanted to get it down on “paper”, as I may send the heart of this letter to others. At a minimum I will be sending a version of this to the NYPost.

In solidarity and appreciation for your humanitarian warrior spirit, Joe Tom

PS What do you Obama’s girls would think about the cartoon? Do you think that Michelle and Barack should try to shield them from the worst interpretation of the cartoon by saying that what was meant was not intentionally racist? Should they tell their girls about the white supremist skin heads and similar groups? And when?

[Reply]
Mr Bill
February 20th, 2009 at 5:15 am
If you put 12 monkeys in a room with a typewriter, sooner or later they will write the NY Post.

[Reply]
John
February 20th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Some people are still living the dark ages…
Let the ny post see the strength of the new media, boycott everything related to it, pass the word in the net

[Reply]
Goldie Yorke
February 20th, 2009 at 6:08 am
It was easily 10-15 years ago that I last bought your newspaper and over those years I haven’t seen you improve that much to cause me to pick up your paper until this year, 2009. I would not even accept your paper when it was offered free. The reason for my boycott was that back then(I’m 70 now, so I lose tract) the New York Post depicted black people so blatantly racist that a boycott was called for. Black men were shown only with handcuffs as criminals and in otherwise ragged appearance.When President Obama won the nomination the whole country was so enamored and proud that even the Post made his picture the front page. I let my guard down for that minute and bought the Post for that reason and said to myself does this mean a change has come even to the Post? Alas, no. Your so called cartoon let us know that you are not giving up the racism. Our finest man in the highest office is shown that he ought to be shot.

[Reply]
Okpulot Taha
February 20th, 2009 at 6:53 am
All this ruckus reminds me of Islamic rioting, looting, burning and killing because a handful of artists dared to create cartoons of Mohammad.

Black America is wisely not engaging in rioting, looting, burning and killing because of a cartoon.

However, history reflects this current displayed restraint by Black America has not always been true.

My hope is history will not repeat itself.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

[Reply]
5pillars215
February 20th, 2009 at 6:57 am
I’m so proud of John Legend’s letter and his commitment to boycotting the NY Post. It’s not very often that we see our entertainers take a stand. Good Job!

[Reply]
brett
February 20th, 2009 at 11:40 am
well said john, he is from ohio like me!

[Reply]
ED
February 20th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Okpulot Taha,

How is expressing a distaste for someone’s work in anyway comparable to fundementalist rabble rousing? You are an idiot. Just as the artist of this cartoon had the write to publish it, which even John Legend acknowledges, doesn’t mean we have to twiddle our thumbs and sit here and take it. I say this as someone who wasn’t necessarily offended by the cartoon. What I hate though is these lazy Americans who feel protesting or the collective exercising out RIGHT to peaceful disobedience is akin to militant intimidation. Not once has anyone threatened violence. There are only threats to stop spending our hard earned cash on drivel we wouldn’t use to wipe the back of side of an ass with.

Wake up, idiot and recognize that demonstrating against those who we deem are oppressing us one of the ideals that makes this country great. What dumbass you are… Go to Cuba or better yet the Republic of China and then let us know just how much you like doing what you’re told.

You’re the kind of American I hate!!!!!!!!

[Reply]
Okpulot Taha
February 20th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
Ed comments, “You are an idiot…What I hate is these lazy Americans…Wake up, idiot…What a dumbass you are…You’re the kind of American I hate!”

I am an idiot. You are full of hatred.

I am comfortable with being an idiot.

Okpulot Taha
Choctaw Nation

[Reply]
bass_man
February 20th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Yes.

[Reply]
The Kid
February 20th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Well said.

I will not only boycott the NY Post (not hard, as I wouldn’t use it to line my bird’s cage), but also its advertisers.

[Reply]
Sandi K
February 20th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I too plan to boycott the NY Post. This was an insensitive attack delivered at a time when we are trying to mend past hurts and become the one nation under God that we are supposed to be. Shout out to you Mr. Legend for the well written response to such an undignified cartoon.

[Reply]
jimmy
February 21st, 2009 at 6:16 am
why don’t you boycott:
Ebony, Essence, Jet, XXL, BET, …
and all the blatantly pro-black magazines
FUBU, a blatantly pro-black clothing store…

Whites tolerate such behavior by blacks because everyone knows, blacks can’t be expected to behave responsibly and intelligently.

[Reply]
Darv
February 25th, 2009 at 5:25 am
I’m pleased that the black community is so educated on government.

Oh wait, they aren’t. Obama didn’t write the bill, he just signed it. Pelosi and her minions did. Get a clue before you morons start ranting and raving.

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