Get Out of My House

The conservative New York Post published the above cartoon depicting police officers shooting a monkey dead and then implying that the monkey authored the stimulus bill. It is not a large logical leap to assume that the cartoon’s author used the monkey as a symbol of President Obama. The best we can say for the cartoon’s author is that he has revealed racial insensitivity and ignorance of American history. All of this reminds me of the Danish Muslim cartoon fiasco a few years ago. Brian Pierce and I wrestled each other in the Daily Illini on this issue. Why do cartoons have the ability provoke more ire than words?

This cartoon troubles me. I debated whether to post it on Urbanagora for fear of promoting it rather than deriding it. However, in all but a few instances I support free speech with vigor and rage, even when the speech offends millions of people. What we learn about the ignorance of the author can only be learned by allowing him to speak. The full breadth of an idiot’s idiocy can only be known if we allow him to speak. The cartoon’s audience also learns what offends people and why it offends them. We learn how to better distinguish between idiotic speech and valuable speech.

The New York Post’s Editor-in-Chief defended its cartoon and responded to Al Sharpton’s criticism of it:

The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist.

Even if their intent was to parody “a current news event,” they must have been or should have been cognizant of the racial and assassination attempt implications of the cartoon. Artists often use symbols that have double meanings.

I consider myself to be progressive on social issues and international human rights issues, but free market oriented on economic issues. Brian and others have often called me a Democrat or a liberal. Others have called me a libertarian. No one wants to believe that I am a conservative. I am a conservative. Rupert Murdoch owns the New York Post, the publisher of the above cartoon. He is not a conservative. He is an idiot. I am going to take conservatism away from people who wear conservative robes but speak in racist tones. I tried this in another old Daily Illini article:

Conservatives are a diverse crowd, housing many shades. The ones most often in the news are the loud radicals who fanatically defend their political faiths without concept of compromise. I hope to offer a less newsworthy view on what a conservative is and is not.

I’m not moving. I’m not going to run to hide under a different political philosophy because of the Murdochs and the Limbaughs living with me. To them, I suggest you get out of my house. It is no longer yours. Young, socially progressive conservatives will march all over your antiquated, obese bodies.