(NAME-MCE) Singer John Legend letter to NY Post

[Bill Howe]

Singer John Legend letter to NY Post

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
offensiv e 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


Bill Howe
Asian Pacific American Coalition of CT http://apaact.com/
Personal Website http://www.billhowe.org
Multicultural Dimensions http://www.multiculturaldimensions.org
Travel Blog http://billhowe.org/BillBlog/
Multicultural Education Blog http://billhowe.org/MCE/