Complaint on caricature sparks nationwide discussion
A Janesville woman had no idea that her phone call Wednesday morning to the Gazette would spark a nationwide debate that day among some of the best minds in the editorial writing business.
But it did.
Before I arrived at the office, the woman called to complain about a caricature we used to illustrate a column by Leonard Pitts Jr. about President Obama getting the Nobel Peace Prize. Editor Scott Angus talked to her and left me an e-mail message:
"Upset caller says she's never seen anything so offensive in the Gazette or any other newspaper. She will cancel if we don't show better judgment."
The caricature appears below.
Scott and I discussed it, and he wondered if maybe the caricature, done by Petar Pismestrovic of Austria and among the numerous cartoons we get daily from our Cagle Cartoons syndicate, did cross the line into racist stereotypes. I'm a member of the National Conference of Editorial Writers (NCEW), and Scott suggested I send out the question on the organization's e-mail listserv.
I did so, and responses came quickly.
"It's a caricature, and a pretty good one," replied Dan Radmacher, editorial page editor of The Roanoke Times in Virginia. "I don't see anything offensive about it."
"Pretty standard caricature," said Dave Mastio, founder of BlogNetNews.com and former editorial writer for USA Today. "I've seen lots tougher ones. Ask Dan Quayle about being portrayed as a feather."
Said Jeff Charis-Carlson of the Iowa City Press-Citizen: "I would use it without hesitation--and 70 percent of my readership area voted for Obama."
Others voiced similar sentiments. But Mark Mahoney of The Post-Star in Glens Falls, N.Y., winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing, offered deeper perspective.
"In this case, it's clearly a physical caricature, making fun of his big ears and chin. So I think this is OK. But I do think you have to be careful about ones that make him look too much like a monkey or a blackface character or other racist interpretation, even if it's unintentional by the artist."
"Mark is correct about avoiding racist imagery, but this picture is clearly not out of bounds," wrote John McClelland, faculty emeritus at Roosevelt University in Chicago. "Presidents have always been fair game for exaggeration and poking fun. This circumstance and his own words support that part of the cartoon's message."
George Pyle of The Buffalo News concurred: "Obama sometimes makes fun of his own appearance. I remember his speech to the Al Smith dinner last year when he said he had the politics of Alfred E. Smith and the ears of Alfred E. Newman."
Pyle suggested that Pismestrovic's drawing wasn't racist and instead was "fully within the bounds of fair commentary."
Doug Floyd, editorial page editor of The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash., said that if this caricature was deemed offensive, "all caricatures are offensive. It's a vehicle built on exaggeration, and I'll bet Obama himself would get a kick out of it."
The conversation turned on the wise words of Paul Greenberg, editorial page editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Greenberg said his newspaper would never use the caricature as long as he had a say in the decision because the "effect" is wrong.
"...The ears, fine," Greenberg wrote. "The ears and big mouth are his best feature for cartoonists. The attitude, fine. It's the lips, the standard Negroid lips in all those awful old racist pamphlets, that are not only physically wrong in Obama's case, and in so many other cases, but much too close for comfort to those old-timey cartoons. I don't see how all my friends could miss it. Just as you all may not see what th' heck I'm talking about."
Others did see Greenberg's point.
"...Paul captures my initial reaction to the caricature in much better form than I would have managed," wrote Karl Seitz, a retiree of the late Birmingham (Ala.) Post-Herald. "The lips are the problem for the reason he stated."
Added Jamie Lucke of the Lexington (Ken.) Herald-Leader: "I felt a visceral aversion to the caricature when I first saw it. I think the gentlemen from Little Rock and Birmingham have explained why."
Judging from what my editor, Scott Angus, heard from our woman caller, Paul Greenberg expressed her concern eloquently.
So far, she was the lone reader to complain. That one phone call sparked quite a discussion. It provided us with insight and reasons to consider more carefully the use of future caricatures. The discussion again showed that newspapers serve readers best when they don't operate in a vacuum and the value of organizations such as the NCEW.
Greg Peck
Oct 16, 2009 at 6:08 p.m.
Suggest removal
I have no problem with that caricature. I don't "like" it, but I don't find it racist or offensive.
Oct 16, 2009 at 2:40 p.m.
Suggest removal
Gazette for heaven sake dont let someone scare you in cancelling their subscription because they are offended by something like this, who needs narrow minded people anyway, seems that is all we have in this country now, great newspapers in this country were not bullied.
Oct 16, 2009 at 2:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
jvillerdr
Welcome to the progressive, PC society and change that Obama was talking about. Where people believe they are above all menaing you cannot make a joke or drawing or anything that may offend a particualr group. Ohh and how dare you make a joke about the annointed one....
Oct 16, 2009 at 1:15 p.m.
Suggest removal
I find nothing wrong with the caricature...
+
I've come to the conclusion that anyone who would be upset over this has their priorities out of order, to say the least. I wonder, if one is this upset over something this remedial, how upset are they over actual issues? In case the caller was too preoccupied with the caricature to notice, there are at least fifty REAL issues reported in the gazette to actually be upset about...I understand the Gazette's concern, but I can say with all certainty that there isn't anything wrong with this. Let's prioritize and move on.
Oct 16, 2009 at 1:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Go to any county fair and get yourself airbrushed and you'll soon find out that this caricature is rather tame. Bush was portrayed far worse. Clinton as well. At least this one has Obama wearing a patriotic tie and a giant peace symbol pendant. How is that offensive? He's still wearing a nice suit and dress shoes. I bet he'd personally get a laugh out of this one. People need to put a sock in it. That said, opinions are like......
Oct 16, 2009 at 12:43 p.m.
Suggest removal
I support President Obama. I also oppose all forms of oppression. I find nothing racist or offensive about this caricature, and I seriously doubt President Obama would either. Are some people's negative attitudes toward Obama due to racism? Sure. I know this for a fact because I have a relative who is opposed to him for exactly that reason. But this cartoon is not playing racism.
We all have features that are an easy target for cartoonists. Governor Doyle is bald, President Bush (jr.) also had the big ears and perennially dazed expression on his face. I recall caricatures of him in the form of a monkey. President Gorbachev had the birthmark on his bald head. The list goes on.
The caricature was about President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. The President, himself, was caught totally off-guard by the award, and the expression in this caricature exemplifies that surprise. No harm. No foul.
Oct 16, 2009 at 12:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why doesn't everyone have a right to an opinion any more -- even the woman who called? Angry-at-anyone-who-disagrees-with-me attacks on anyone who questions anything are the new backlash version of PC police. The message: There is no freedom of speech because if you say anything even remotely thought provoking the angry mob majority will harangue you as "stupid," etc. The posts here deonstrate that there are a lot of people who resent thinking about things very much and therefore hate people who dare to ask questions. These people are the ones who need to get a life. It also wouldn't hurt for them to study the "marketplace of ideas" concept that the First Amendment is designed to further.
Oct 16, 2009 at 11:26 a.m.
Suggest removal
The peace symbol is on a ribbon and represents the peace prize, not Mr. T.
Oct 16, 2009 at 10:38 a.m.
Suggest removal
If the piece prize was on a gold chain then MAYBE a stretch could be made to the "bling" reference. No reason to apologize or "show better judgement".
Oct 16, 2009 at 10:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
I'm surprised everyone is paying attention to his face ears/lips and wondering what could be depicted as racists.
It took me a couple of seconds to find what the caller may have been referring to. Look below the "black face" and you will see the "Bling" in form of the peace sign.
If he were white, would that "Bling" be around his neck? How would they have tied the peace prize in with a caricature of a white person?
Maybe that is what the caller was depicting as racist? Just my thought.
Oct 16, 2009 at 10:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
Actually, the first thing I thought of when I saw the lips was Octomom.
Oct 16, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
Suggest removal
To the (supposed) Janesville woman who called the Gazette: Where have you been??? Is this the very first caricature you have ever seen in your entire life? Newsflash - this is not a new thing. It has absolutely nothing to do with race, political party, or gender...zip, zero, nada. If you are offended because you feel the caricature is racist, you really need to do some serious soul searching. Really.
On a lighter note, this reminds me of the old lady who insisted that the dog be made to wear pants, because he shouldn't be walking around naked!
Oct 16, 2009 at 10:04 a.m.
Suggest removal
Does the Gazette want a reader who takes offense to this? Grow up.
Oct 16, 2009 at 8:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
I think some of these people who took offense, you need to go back to bed and then get up again on the right side of the bed. This race card thing has gone on too long. Just because this president is half black and half white you think every time things don't go your way it is a race thing. Get over it. janesvillean, you being a supporter of this man and not taking offense to this caricature shows me that there maybe hope. I could care less about a cartoon if it is about someone who is white purple or what ever color. I myself don't like this president because of his agendas. But that is another debate for another time. As for this caricature, I see nothing offensive about it. so lets move on.
Oct 16, 2009 at 7:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
Ever see a caricature of either/any Bush? Clinton? Ronnie Ray-gun? Teddy Roosevelt? The Smurfs? Abraham "Lincoln-Tallman-House"? Sandy Claws? The Dutch caricatures of Mohammad that people have been killed for? ... if not, see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Po...
Perhaps we should outlaw all representations of poor, sensitive Obama in any art (and perhaps even photographs steal one's soul!). We might even have our own version of Imams who could declare a fatwa against the offending artists and publishers. Maybe we should never even print (or say, or think) anything that might ever chance to offend anyone, and never mention anything but nice, positive things about people (whether those comments are an accurate representation of the truth or not), such as, "I notice that you don't sweat much for a morbidly obese Wal-Mart employee."
Or perhaps every time one or two people complain that they'll cancel something because they are offended, we should just let them do it, so the rest of us can still get what few opinions and limited views of reality are still allowed to be shared with us in this PC-disabled Idiocracy!
This is a fine example of the basic problem with "our" (whomever that might refer to!) society at the moment -- ONE person is offended, and that person expect everyone else to bend and change to support them.
Hey, life ain't all happy "Ether" bunnies and Little Baby Jesus (LBJ?) leaving Lincoln logs in your sock drawers, folks! And don't forget the Tooth Fairy ... see:
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/45245...
Oct 16, 2009 at 5:25 a.m.
Suggest removal
To those that think the caricature is offensive: "Get over it"......
Geez !
Oct 15, 2009 at 7:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
BBB...At least learn to spell before you call somethng a "joke."
The reality is that you could characterize Obama with a watermelon under one arm and a banana under the other and some folks would see no racism whatsoever.
Oct 15, 2009 at 6:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
sooooo...artists should make President Obama white??? Then they won't throw down the "racist" card? He is a BLACK man. How else would you draw a BLACK man? He has big lips? They look like white person lips to me.
Oct 15, 2009 at 2:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
The only thing I see wrong with the caricature is the ear is under developed and rendered rather poorly. Outside of that it is a well done caricature.
Oct 15, 2009 at 2:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
trombonemann,
I do plenty of things throughout the day that don't get me called a racist or a bigot.
It is a common propoganda technique to depict your opponent as subhuman. One way that American racists have tended to do this is to depict African-Americans as apes. Blackface caricaturization is another previously common propoganda technique.
Now, I'm not saying that the artist was trying to do either of these things, it could simply be a caricature with no racist or bigoted motive behind it. I personally thought it was simply implying that Obama had an ego. I can, however, see how some people might question the meaning of aspects of the caricature.
While some people do occasionally take political correctness and racial sensitivity to extremes, I don't think we should automatically assume that all such claims are baseless. If nothing else, instances such as this can present an interesting opportunity for conversation and may make people aware of actions of their own that might be insensitive toward others.
Oct 15, 2009 at 1:21 p.m.
Suggest removal
Nowadays you can't do anything with out being called a racist or a bigot. This is getting ridiculous. Pretty soon we won't have pictures, music, or free speech at all because someone will find it offensive and no one will publish it.
Oct 15, 2009 at 12:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
As an Obama supporter I find nothing overtly offensive about this. I think the facial features capture him quite well, actually. I think any offense here is in the eye of the beholder.
.
Obama getting peace prize = putting bedbugs down the backs of Republicans. Ha.
Oct 15, 2009 at 12:08 p.m.
Suggest removal
Obama getting the peace prise = joke.
Oct 15, 2009 at 11:21 a.m.
Suggest removal
What is offensive? come on, you put a caricature of Bush with pronounced features and who cries foul? A good political cartoon since this man so wrongfully stole something that used to mean something.
Oct 15, 2009 at 10:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
My Question is simply this ..
What Happened to Respect and Dignity??
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.