Posted on 01/09/2005 7:31:05 AM PST by American Infidel
I know I shouldn't be nearly as angry as I am over this (In fact, I know I shouldn't even care), but I couldn't help but notice that featured prominently on the top of the front page of the comic section of today's Philadelphia Inquirer (big surprise) was today's blatantly racist Boondocks comic strip. The strip in question consisted of one frame in which two young black characters observed a white character jogging in the snow while dressed for warm weather. The line written for the black characters is simply “White People”. The implication was obviously that only white people would do something as stupid as to go jogging in the winter, while being dressed for warmer weather. Imagine for a moment that the strip consisted of two white men waiting for a bus to take them to work while observing a black man sitting on the corner, drinking a 40 ounce malt liquor beverage, with the line, “Black People” coming from one of the white characters, implying that only black people would be sitting on the corner on a week day, getting drunk while other people were on their way to work. Not only would this strip never see the light of day, but all future strips from the cartoonist would have been cancelled. The Philadelphia Inquirer on the other hand, chooses to run the strip and to feature it prominently at the top of the front page of the comic section. I understand that Aaron McGruder is the “voice of angry black America” and that he must be treated with kid gloves, otherwise they will be accused of being racist and no corporate entity wants that kind of P.R., but this is ridiculous. It's not the strip itself that ticked me off (it was sort of humorous actually), it was the hypocrisy and the double standard of UPI, the Philly Inquirer, and the other urban newspapers that I am sure ran the strip today. OK that's my rant. Thanks for listening.
See #55.
Are you going to write letters? It's no use ranting to the wrong people.
Yes, McGruder uses that spelling in his comic strip.
None, but many don't seem to mind showing the original. Besides, there's a gun in my version, so even more would show that version.
Well, first off, your comparison example is not apples to apples. The guy out jogging doesn't have the reason for embarrassment or shame that the morning wino has. He's doing something "silly", not something self destructive.
But secondly, your exampl stereotype doesn't apply. My experience is ~NOT~ that the typical homeless drunk is black.
" so even more would show that version."
I meant, " so even more would NOT show that version."
Racism, class envy, etc. etc. all these are valid criticisms of McGruder and Boondocks.
The most valid criticisms, however, are:
1) It's not funny! Hurt white/Pubbie feelings aside, there is rarely any humor in the strip (OK, I glance at it despite myself). It's simply bitterness, even hate, expressed through cutesy characters.
2) It's not original! It's Bloom County in blackface. The pregnant pauses (often a whole panel is given over to two characters staring at each other) is a huge Berke Breathed ripoff. One laid-back character chiding another for getting worked up over the issue du jour - again, a Breathed staple.
Of course, you can dig deeper and cite Schulz et al but at some point all cartoonists will hide behind the 'influence' tag and deny they are ripping off the works of others.
Okay fine I see it. Did he use a racist name such as that freeper did? I don't see McGruder calling anyone honkies or anything else like that.
I agree!
I'm white, and if I was standing at the bus stop with these two kids, I'd be rolling in the snow laughing. I would not be out jogging--that's for sure. I'd be thinking, these kids are smart enough to know better.
Perhaps we should consult Dusty Baker on the meaning of this comic strip.
Right on..who gives a rats's arm, anyhow? The one
comic strip that needs to be blasted is that rat
fink..Doonesberry.....not dingle..but doon.. Jake
Ya know, I don't mind the cartoon. I really don't. In fact, some of his strips are real funny. Racists, but funny. The problem is the hypocrisy that no white cartoon could ever say the things this one says without every black "raciss" going nuts.
I'm really enjoying this thread. There's more racist notions in some posts than McGruder's dumb cartoon. Very interesting to read what people THINK all black man do. I live in a predominantly black area and have not seen a wino as described by the above.
Maybe not, but he does call any black person who participats with "white" people "Uncle Toms", including Justice Thomas, Condi, and Colin Powell.
That's for sure.
You'll have to ask the poster about his comments. I thought I'd "help" you on the use "raciss".
Thanks for the link. He's a mental midget who doesn't like black republicans. Black conservatives are used to be calling things like uncle toms. I've read other things by him which seem to be hypocritical to his political commentary. He seems a little confused to me. I just question why someone would use the N bomb when McGruder has never used such terminology towards white people that's all.
"I live in a predominantly black area and have not seen a wino as described by the above."
Conversely, I live in a predominantly white area (96%) and have not seen a white guy jog in a snow storm as described by the cartoon. Not once, ever.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.