Pat Oliphant's 2004 cartoon that columnist Ashley Herzog labeled as racist: (click to enlarge)What’s the quickest way to upset a cartoonist? Misinterpret their work and call them racist.
In a letter to the editor published in The Post (Athens, Ohio), Syndicated cartoonist Ted Rall defended his and other cartoonists’ works about Secretary Condoleezza Rice, which were blasted in a column by Ashley Herzog.
Danzinger's 2004 cartoon regarding thousands of tubes made of high-strength aluminum that the Bush administration claimed were for Iraqi uranium centrifuges: (click to enlarge)“Shortly after Condoleezza Rice became the first black woman to serve as Secretary of State, cartoonist Pat Oliphant drew her as a parrot perched on President Bush’s shoulder, complete with buck teeth and exaggerated black lips,” Herzog wrote in her September 10th column.
"Not to be outdone, Pulitzer Prize finalist Jeff Danziger depicted Rice as 'Prissy,' the slave character from Gone with the Wind," she continued. "Cartoonist Ted Rall dropped the subtlety and referred to Rice as Bush’s “house nigga” and added, 'You’re not white, stupid.'"
A controversial panel from Ted Rall's July 2004 cartoon titled "Appropriate Punishments for Deposed Bushists".Rall explained that the cartoonists that were pointed out in her column do not subscribe to the racist and sexist attitudes he feels are "more common among conservatives than liberals," noting that "cartoonists’ depictions of Secretary Rice express dismay that a person of her talent and intelligence allowed herself to be used to sell policies with which she herself disagreed."
He also argued that cartoons need to be seen to be fully interpreted and understood.
"Writing about political cartoons makes about as much sense as writing about music. You have to see them to get them."
----------------------------
More from Politicker.com editorial cartoonist Rob Tornoe:
Racist caricatures are not
Racist caricatures are not acceptable and trying to blame it on conservatives only makes it worse.
Post new comment