Send Rupert Murdoch A Message He Truly Understands

Tonight I am canceling my MySpace account.

First, I messaged everyone in my address book, and told them why.

Rupert Murdoch only understands one thing. Eyeballs + Ears = Money.

When the New York Post Wednesday published an editorial cartoon by artist Sean Delonas picturing a chimpanzee being shot by police officers, with one officer stating "THEY'LL HAVE TO FIND SOMEONE ELSE TO WRITE THE NEXT STIMULUS BILL" it was the last straw. To me, the cartoon appeared to be a clear, racist message about assassinating the President of the United States. When one considers that there is a "Beware of Dogs" sign not-so-hidden in the cartoon, another not-so-subtle linkage with our country's racist past; the combination spoke a darker message.

Now, defenders of New York Post owner Rupert Murdoch are already saying that liberals like me are the ones being racist for viewing this cartoon and gleaning the message we have from it. They have called us hyper-sensitive; insisting that the cartoon refers to Congress, whom they say "wrote the bill." This is, of course, despite the fact that the cartoon was published one day after the first African American President of the United States signed the largest piece of stimulus legislation into law. You do the math. Hate speech, even if it is veiled in a cartoon, is still hate speech.

In Chicago we see images of police officers shooting African Americans, in the past publicly calling them "monkeys," and sicking police dogs on civil rights marchers; and it instantly reminds us of the painful, racist past we have worked so hard to erase. Considering that New York is very much as racially divided as Chicago is, it isn't hard to make a linkage that the "rich white guy who owns a major paper" in New York might have just allowed his paper to send a very clear, violent, and outwardly racist, yet First Amendment-protected message to the President.

Hopefully the U.S. Secret Service is going to take this cartoon for what it is, satire. I don't think they should hunt down cartoonist Delonas and try to nail him to the wall. Nor do I think Murdoch and his editors should be charged with threats to the President. A) Just try to prove it. B) It gives Murdoch and Delonas more publicity than racist pigs deserve. C) It is First Amendment protected speech, and we shouldn't want to abridge others' rights to say what they want. That's part of Democracy and we have to deal with the idiots as much as legitimate leaders and thinkers in an open society.

What I do hope for, though, is that every one of my readers, listeners, like minded friends, and associates emails every one of their MySpace friends with this column, adapted to their own beliefs; and then actually dumps their MySpace account. Furthermore, we should boycott all of NewsCorp's properties (a list is at NewsCorp.com) including Fox News, The NY Post, Fox Radio, Fox Chicago and its sister stations, and any advertiser that does business with the company. American Idol...sorry, you're going down. Jack Conaty, Lil Chacone, and Robin Robinson; as much as I love you...see ya. Simpsons, Family Guy, Jack Bauer...yep, I have to say "buhbye."

We have to send a message to Rupert Murdoch that he will understand. Money. Hit his big white Right Winger pocketbook right through his pants. Dump all of NewsCorp's properties and teach these extremist bigots a lesson in a way they'll remember.

Comments

[ObjectiveRealist]

My friends and family are most reluctant to boycott News Corp properties National Geographic and Discovery Channel, but I'm making progress. I think Congress should take Rupert at his word, assume they are the intended victim of this hate speech, and file a class action lawsuit. It looks to me like both defamation and attempt to incite violence. I'm sure both are criminal, under several statutes each.

[SabrinaFair]

I am proud to have attended both protests this week against the NY Post. And I'll be at any one organized from now on, until the Post is out of business.

I still cannot believe the half-baked apology issued by the paper. It appears that they put in as much thought about that apology, as they did about the people they would hurt by printing that insulting scribble, they call a cartoon. It is a slap in the face.

One of my friends told me yesterday that you cannot find a NY Post at the big newsstand across from her Brooklyn brownstone. And I've heard the same from other friends around the city.

I only hope that through this boycott that we can make that paper disappear forever.

[ofcoursejesusisblack]

Thank you Sabrina for your participation! Can you please clarify why there are no papers? Are the newstands not carrying the paper at all because of the protests???

[NDNlady]

Ah, the righteous outrage. Which I completely agree with, by the way. Only a fool could deny the effectiveness of stereotypical racist caricatures in promoting hate. It never fails to amaze me though that conversations like this one ignore the fact that exactly the same type of racist caricatures of American Indian people make millions of dollars a year for major league sports franchises. Send a message, Mr Foval?? I will if you will.

[harobamason]

Perhaps white cartoonist, both liberal and conservative, will always have a problem satirizing black people because of their long historical referencing of animals to non-white people.

When white people satirized themselves as animals, its usually in romantic, mythical or pantomime imagery. But "lipstick on a pig" came close to chauvinism.

The joke has usually been at the at pence of non-white people. That is why .some" whites find difficulty in what is inflammatory or simply not funny.

Personally, I felt Sean Delonas referencing a chimp that recently attacked its owner's friend and killed by police lacked humor. What"s so funny about a two cops putting bullets into a monkey bleeding down page 6 of the New York Post? And the stimulus bill sure isn"t funny. Two wrongs didn"t make a joke. What resulted was an insult equaled to the throwing of the shoe.

As individuals we can choose to be sensitive or insensitive to this moment. But this cartoon that shot around the world made us Americans look much more pathetic than champions of anything.

Political correctness is unhealthy for America but couldn"t we poke fun at the President"s ears and leave animals out of it?

Thanks Mr. Murdoch for another lousy image of America.

[overcat]

"But "lipstick on a pig" came close to chauvinism­."

No, it didn't. That expression is rather old and refers to superficially cleaning up something that's usually considered to be dirty. That Sarah Palin, in her usual soundbite fashion, made a lipstick reference days prior to Obama's utterance of the expression doesn't change the historic meaning of the expression. Sarah Palin and her republican pals don't get to own that expression just because she used the word lipstick. Period. The mini ruckus over that issue was plainly a crass attempt by conservatives to paint Obama as hypocritical about progressive social issues - specifically women's equality - and failed rather miserably because those starting the ruckus have little right to complain, given their sordid history on issues of social equality.

[hartburn]

I really believe that Rupert Murdoch and his media empire are one of the biggest threats to American decency. Just think about how the quality and integrity of news has changed since Fox News hit the air waves. It's the same gang of personalities continuously appearing on Fox programs to promote book after book that are mostly published by Murdoch's own publishing company. I think Rupert Murdoch and his group, O'reilly, Hannity, Dick Morris....­... have all lined their pockets with cash while making a fool of the American people and the profession of real journalism. When will America wake up and notice just who is being "Fleeced".

[usedtoteach]

hartburn, you've taken the words right out of my mouth! In the past year I have watched a kind, elderly Republican friend turn into a bigot, though she wouldn't recognize it. She is glued to Fox News, blood pressure rising, enflamed by Hannity's or O'Reilly's nonsense, taking their comments as fact. She cannot understand why I am not equally upset by the irrelevant issue-dujour because I do NOT watch Fox News, and therefore must be brought up to speed on the 'real facts' behind the liberals' corrupt intent to destroy our democracy. She has been transformed into a fearful, angry old lady, buying word-for-word the hysteria Fox promotes. I have consistently asked her to see what other news outlets have to say, but she's hooked. It's like an addiction.

[Oonagh]

The cartoon was full of symbolism and not funny and it didn't take much to see the ugly. Best way to get to Rupert.... boycott.

[lagumbo]

I have been boycotting Fox for a long time. Now my friends and neighbors are boycotting their sponsors. Everyone must do the same. This is the only way we can stop these hatemongers. Hit them in their pockets.

[carolr51]

I*'ve been boycotting Fox for a long time, and it's so much worse now with Glen Beck, comedian Rush Limbaugh's little clone. I'm going to NewsCorp.com to see the list and find out what else I need to boycott. MSNBC is the only news station I enjoy watching these days.

[Tammie]

I agree Glen Beck being added is the WORST!