Racist Boondocks Cartoon in Sunday papers 1/9/05

Philadelphia Inquirer | 1/9/05 | American Infidel

[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.

[HamiltonJay]

Don't know about this particular comic on that particular day, but fankly I enjoy seeing boondocks say about corporate americas pandering to the "urban culture". Its a black focussed comic that actually doesn't pander to "hip hop" and "its all whities fault" lines.

Frankly I think far more urban folks need to pick up some Boondocks viewpoints on the world.

I personally agree.... I see some DINK or YUPPIE John Kerry type running around in their short shorts or spandex in freezing cold weather... I just think "Dumbass".

[SmithL]

Late for the Zot-party, again.

[Killborn]

Then I would qualify too! One time, I got so bored that I went out with only a cotton t-shirt, sweat pants, and, house slippers in the middle of winter. :D