chloe
12-02-2009, 09:02 PM
Cartoon Controversy
Tom Beres (WKYC)
December 2, 2009 - 10:37am
A Cleveland weekly newspaper's editorial cartoon caricature of a black lawmaker as Aunt Jemima has rankled some residents.
The black-owned Call & Post paper portrayed state Senator Nina Turner as the Aunt Jemima figure used to advertise a breakfast product line.
Some blacks find the "mammy" character offensive because of its use during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a racist stereotype.
The paper criticized Turner, a Cleveland Democrat, for supporting last month's successful ballot issue to overhaul county government.
The paper was against the proposal.
Editor Constance Harper maintains the carton was fair.
"We wouldn't have done it if we didn't think it was fair," she later said.
Harper claimed the paper was concerned that others were giving Turner too much credit, and was concerned that issues like crime and education were not properly addressed by Turner and other reformers.
"We don't want someone to tell us who are leaders are," she said.
Some blacks fear the changes will reduce minority political power.
United Pastors in Mission, a group of 100 clergymen, condemned the cartoon as being degrading and hurtful.
http://www.ktsm.com/news/cartoon-controversy
The cartoon and video is in the link
Tom Beres (WKYC)
December 2, 2009 - 10:37am
A Cleveland weekly newspaper's editorial cartoon caricature of a black lawmaker as Aunt Jemima has rankled some residents.
The black-owned Call & Post paper portrayed state Senator Nina Turner as the Aunt Jemima figure used to advertise a breakfast product line.
Some blacks find the "mammy" character offensive because of its use during the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a racist stereotype.
The paper criticized Turner, a Cleveland Democrat, for supporting last month's successful ballot issue to overhaul county government.
The paper was against the proposal.
Editor Constance Harper maintains the carton was fair.
"We wouldn't have done it if we didn't think it was fair," she later said.
Harper claimed the paper was concerned that others were giving Turner too much credit, and was concerned that issues like crime and education were not properly addressed by Turner and other reformers.
"We don't want someone to tell us who are leaders are," she said.
Some blacks fear the changes will reduce minority political power.
United Pastors in Mission, a group of 100 clergymen, condemned the cartoon as being degrading and hurtful.
http://www.ktsm.com/news/cartoon-controversy
The cartoon and video is in the link