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LATEST NEWS FROM JOHN LEGEND
________________________
Open Letter to the New York 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 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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