Cartoon in question.
Posted on 12/01/2005 12:17:09 PM PST by LdSentinal
NEW YORK Signe Wilkinson's Tuesday editorial cartoon about murders drew strong reactions from her readers at the Philadelphia Daily News.
The cartoon shows a Ku Klux Klan travel agent telling two other KKKers that they should visit Philadelphia "if you want great views of young black men killing each other."
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson was quoted in a Wednesday Daily News story as saying at a press conference: "I think the News has an obligation to be responsible. To compare the Ku Klux Klan with the young black men being killed in the city of Philadelphia is irresponsible."
Daily News Editor Michael Days responded: "An editorial cartoon, of course, is open to interpretation. But when I saw it, it struck me that Signe's message is that, unfortunately, too many young black men have become like the Klan. The only difference now is that we have turned the hatred inward, and are hunting and killing our own."
The article said there have been 346 murders in Philadelphia this year, compared to 290 at the same point in 2004.
Letters to the Daily News ran the gamut. One critic wrote that the cartoon "adds great insult to the grave injury of so many young black male deaths in recent weeks. Using the Klan as a tool of intended satire is beyond tasteless, it's offensive. Ms. Wilkinson would better use her considerable talent to depict why the Pennsylvania legislature insists on keeping gun laws that make murder easy -- whether for a black teen in Philadelphia or a white teen in Lancaster County."
A supporter of the cartoon wrote: "I'm a black man just as angry as Johnson. But my anger is not with the cartoon -- I'm angry that it takes a cartoon to point out the stupidity of these idiots who think nothing of taking a life to prove how macho they are. ... I applaud Signe for having the guts to create the cartoon, and Editor Michael Days for having the backbone to back her up on this issue."
Wilkinson's Tuesday cartoon can be seen at ComicsReporter.com, which also linked to the Daily News story and reader letters.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning Wilkinson is syndicated by the Washington Post Writers Group.
Cartoon in question.
Bet he's going to Philly, though.
And not just for a cheessteak, the old bigot.
An example of hypersensitivity. Any depictions of the KKK will cause howls no matter what the context even if, as in this case, they are being shown to be supporters of murder.
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/opinion/13298709.htm
Letters | SIGNE CARTOON CONTROVERSY STIRS A DEBATE
GREAT JOB, Ms. Wilkinson!
I am a 26-year-old African-American male and would like to commend Signe for her great "Ku Klux Klan Travel" cartoon (Nov. 29). While it may have rubbed some overly sensitive people the wrong way, it is undoubtedly true.
If you're searching for a spot to witness young African-American males "offing themselves in record numbers," the City of Brotherly Love is the place for you. If you want to see a reality show about young black males committing self-genocide, then come on down to Philadelphia.
Perhaps if Police Commissioner Johnson spent more time trying to make the city a safer place and less time criticizing the media, the city would be a safer place. Perhaps if Mayor Street didn't throw the city's money away on baloney programs like Safe Streets, Philadelphia wouldn't be the hellhole that it is, and has been for decades.
Ms. Wilkinson is not the problem, Commish, we African-Americans are. As a wise man (Frank Rizzo) once said, "The streets are safe in Philadelphia, it's only the people that make them unsafe."
Greg Johnson, Philadelphia
Signe's cartoon portraying a KKK travel agent displaying views of young black men killing each other adds great insult to the grave injury of so many young black male deaths in recent weeks. Using the Klan as a tool of intended satire is beyond tasteless, it's offensive.
Ms. Wilkinson would better use her considerable talent to depict why the Pennsylvania legislature insists on keeping gun laws that make murder easy - whether for a black teen in Philadelphia or a white teen in Lancaster County.
Debra Weiner, Quakertown
So Commissioner Johnson is angry about the cartoon depicting a KKK travel agent touting Philadelphia to see black men killing each other. Well, I'm a black man just a angry as Johnson. But my anger is not with the cartoon - I'm angry that it takes a cartoon to point out the stupidity of these idiots who think nothing of taking a life to prove how macho they are.
I'm glad the commissioner is angry. I wish everyone who saw the cartoon was. I applaud Signe for having the guts to create the cartoon, and Editor Michael Days for having the backbone to back her up on this issue.
Ben St. Cyr, Philadelphia
Re the KKK editorial cartoon:
I'll keep this short - very poor taste. Very poor indeed. What kind of heartless people are running this tabloid? You lost a reader. You guys are too below my reading level anyway!
Lisa M. Andrews, Philadelphia
ping
...To compare the Ku Klux Klan with the young black men being killed in the city of Philadelphia is irresponsible."...
It certainly is. The KKK has absolutely nothing to do with young black men killing each other in Philadelphia.
Someone owes the Klan an apology.
Toon Ping
I can see it now, its all whitey's and the Republican's fault that murder rates are so high in Philadelphia this year. Memphis, Tennessee, is on an all time high also.
I suspect the true offense taken is not to the notion that a hypothetical racist would be happy to see blacks killed. That is ordinary dogma.
What really offends the leftists is the implication that these killings are the fault of black men.
As is Richmond, California and I am certain others, as well. Unfortunately.
So we can clearly see part of Philly's problem: their police commissioner is a moronic boob who can't comprehend simple English. (Hint to Mr. Sylvester: did the cartoon actually compare black youths to KKK members? In your own words, what was the cartoon really saying?)
DING DING DING! We have a winner!
Oh my
nope .. a cartoon like that will NOT go over well in Philly
Guns aren't the problem
It's the criminal that is the problem
Does not. It shows a Klu Klux Klan travel agent...;-)
Oh man, the uproar here is unbelievable. Especially because Signe Wilkinson is an unabashedly liberal cartoonist and the Daily News a liberal paper. But it's also a populist paper, and this cartoon reflects the views of the real people in Philly. The murders are a disgrace, and they have nothing to do with gun laws and everything to do with a city government that is completely dysfunctional and doesn't give a damn. John Street is Marion Barry without the crack. Just another hustler who got the votes from the 'hood and then abandoned it while lining his pockets.
That letter from Debra Weiner of Quakertown is a joke. I'll bet there aren't 100 black people in Quakertown. It's 40 miles from inner city Philadelphia. Typical limousine liberal response.
This place is in denial. Camden, NJ across the creek was once again named the “Most Dangerous City in America” last month. They were outraged! Had the local PR machine working overtime. But at the end of the day, they were still the most dangerous city in America. Philly and Camden combined is a war zone. Street and Johnson just don’t want to talk about it. As Mayor Street recently stated “The brothers and sisters are now running this city”. They can have it. White flight is at an all time high.
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