NAACP ALERT

AN ALERT FOR ACTION FROM THE NAACP

I received the following letter from the President and CEO of the NAACP:

Tell the New York Post that its decision to print an offensive cartoon comparing our commander in chief to a monkey is unacceptable.

President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act earlier this week


I'm sure by now you've seen the political cartoon printed in Wednesday's New York Post that compares President Obama to a monkey.

The cartoon wasn't funny. I am outraged by the image portrayed, and offended by the Post's insensitivity.

Seeing the cartoon made me realize that even in 2009, when an African American man holds the highest post in the nation, racism is alive and well in the U.S. And it reaffirms what you and I both know: As the NAACP closes the chapter on our first 100 years, we still have a long, long way to go to ensure civil and human rights for all people.

That's why we're taking bold actions now:

We are demanding that the Post's Editor-in-chief and all those involved in the decision to print the cartoon be fired, and that the Post make a full and unequivocal apology for its poor judgment.

On Thursday night, under pressure from public outrage and protests, like the one NAACP staged outside the Post's offices yesterday, the publication eked out a weak, lackluster apology "to those who were offended by the image."

But, the truth is, we ALL should be offended by the offensive image -- the photo of President Obama signing the stimulus bill was even featured opposite the cartoon!

The Post needs to hear from tens of thousands of our members that their decision to print such an offensive cartoon is unacceptable -- and has real consequences. The New York State Conference of the NAACP is even calling for a local boycott.

There are so many issues that our communities face -- unsafe neighborhoods, unfair law enforcement practices, substandard schools, discrimination in the work place... the list goes on. These are problems that we need to unite behind to overcome. There is no room in our society, in this age, for racist caricatures like the one printed by the NY Post. They just serve to divide and distract us from the real work we need to do, together.

Please let the New York Post know that they must do better -- lend YOUR voice to the fight for an era of change, collaboration, and acceptance of all people.

Sincerely,

Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

P.S. The NAACP is only as strong as our membership base. We need your voice today to let the New York Post, and America, know that racist images and caricatures will not be tolerated. Please sign our petition today. And please pass it along to your family and friends.


go to http://naacp.org/ for petition

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I will not show the cartoon on this post. I expect that most of you have seen it. I urge you to speak and let The New York Post and others know that this is not acceptable to us. The only way to erase racism is to face it head on.

Peacesojourner.