Steve Harvey and Al Sharpton are RACISTS

Anyone who lives in America knows what kind of ridiculous economic crisis we are facing. A lot of Americans think that these "stimulus packages" are a huge waste of money, and will only make things worse. As with any political discourse, there are plenty of satirical jokes and comics made about the economy and such stimulus packages. I ask you all to take a gander at this gem from the New York Post:

What do you see? Do you see an implication that the people who wrote the stimulus package are as wild and crazy as that runaway chimp that got shot last week? That the brains behind this supposed answer to our economic woes are just of the same ilk as the rest of the monkeys running D.C.? Do you see that in this comic? Because that's what I see.

If you saw it like I did, apparently we are SO WRONG, and probably racists.

According to such brilliant minds as the ever-charming Reverend Al Sharpton, and the culturally-important Steve Harvey, this comic is all about racism. It is showing white cops shooting a black man. Yes, a black man. Specifically, President Barack Obama. And it is so blatant that we would be fools not to see that. Because, according to Rev. Sharpton and Mr. Harvey, this comic is about Obama's stimulus package and the fact that black people are often derogatorily referred to as monkeys. Now I know there's a case for this in history, sure, but this is a stretch. I have to be afraid of comparing people to monkeys, now? Oh, wait, not PEOPLE-- BLACK people. White people can be compared to monkeys, but if there's even a hint that the person in question of being ape-like is black, then it's racist. I read this comic with the racism context, and I still failed to see how one would look at it and automatically think the artist was being racist. I mean, unless you were racist yourself. Honestly, if the first thing you think about when you see that picture is, "This is a clear representation of racism, because obviously the monkey is meant to be a derogatory way of depicting our black president," then I believe that you are already there. I have seen countless images of President Bush as a monkey. Not drawings of a monkey with the implications that it is Bush, but monkeys with faces that are meant to look like a caricature of President Bush, which makes it much more blatant and offensive. But those are totally acceptable because he is white.

I will concede that it might have been insensitive to not pick up on the fact that people might offended by it. I do think the backlash is overkill. How are we meant to move forward? What is equality? I can't call stupid actions "ape-like" for fear of people projecting racism onto my statement? I can't say "monkey see, monkey do" about a black person for fear that Al Sharpton hears about it and calls me a racist? Where is this equality? Fair enough if you think the artist should issue an apology, but calling him a racist is, to me, too far. It's one thing to be intentionally racist. It's another to make a poor judgment call. That's all I think this is.

I know that there's still a TON of oppression (and, as a Jew, I know oppression), but I am so tired of the ridiculous politically-correct guidelines that have been established due to oversensitivity. I cannot possibly see the black community as "equal" if they do not see themselves as "equal". There are too many rules to follow. The "N word" is a great example. I can't even type the word for fear of backlash, yet I listen to it used left and right in rap songs, by black people on the street, etc. I hear "we're taking it back" as an excuse. It's ownership of the word. A way to take it from this racial slur and make it into something that is no longer offensive to that community. Except, it's exclusive. Only black people can say it. Otherwise, it's racism. I hate to break it to those people, but it's still racism. You're telling me that I'm not allowed to use a word you are using simply because of my skin colour. You use it in front of me. You sell your music to me, where you use the word freely, but if you hear me using that word while singing along to a rap song on the street, I will be in a world of trouble. Where is the logic in this? I don't owe anything to you. I have no reparations to pay. My ancestors were slaves, too. My people are still oppressed. But, I am white. Therefore, the rules still apply to me, because of my skin colour, and I must pay dues to the black community while one of their leaders refers to New York City as "hymietown" (old reference, I know, but I can't believe Jesse Jackson is still taken seriously on racial issues after that).

I just took a long pause in typing this because pretty much my entire family told me that they don't think I should post this. They think I will have a huge backlash. They think it's not a good way to start my blog. I have to ask why? Why do I have to be concerned about writing a blog discussing how I think the black community is overreacting about this comic? About the fact that I don't see it as racist because, honestly, my mind didn't make that connection? Will I be called a racist for this? Oh, probably. And that's what's so infuriating to me. I can't even talk about how these cries of racism are out of control without be called a racist myself.

Back to the issue of equality, it's a complicated issue. How am I supposed to relate to black people when I feel that there are different rules when relating to them? I mean, I have to be on guard just in case I say something offensive. Don't compare anything they say or do to monkeys, got it. But how far do I take that? Now I'm nervous about mentioning that ANYTHING is like a monkey. Will they think I am saying that with racial connotations? Well, shit, I just mean a person is literally acting like a monkey!!! WHAT DO I DO?! If a black person called me a monkey, I would hardly think it had anything to do with racism. Why does it have to be racism when the reverse occurs?

I can't feel like black people are equal when I have to relate to them differently than I would anyone else. I think these PC rules help to perpetuate racism and inequality. I'm not saying that we should all be running around using the "N word", because that IS a racial slur, and no matter how many rappers try to take it back and make it their own, it will always be a racial slur. I hate bigotry and I try hard not to offend people. But it's these scenarios that make me feel like we're moving backward instead of forward. Can't people just say "That really looks bad, you should remove it" instead of calling the guy a racist? Do we have to take things to such an extreme, involve so much hatred and animosity, and drive us further apart?

I need to bring this to a close. I don't want more racism or bigotry, but I think people need to stop being too sensitive about this stuff. Honestly, I think this went too far. I'm not saying that I can't comprehend why people would see it as offensive, but I don't think that this guy was actually trying to be racist. I think the monkey comparison was how most people use the term "monkey": to mock the intelligence of others. I don't read this as a view of a racist, and I really wish we could all take a step back and calm down before we start condemning others for their actions.