RSS
Home
Racist Oklahoma newspaper cartoon shows Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor hanging like a pinata
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
.jpg)
What isn't wrong with this picture? The Oklahoman's June 2 editorial cartoon entitled "Fiesta Time at the Confirmation Hearing" shows Latina Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor hanging like a piñata with President Barack Obama in a sombrero asking GOP elephants armed with sticks, "Who wants to be first?"
There are so many racist wrongs in this cartoon, it's tough to see what's right. But we'll give that a try. It's right to suggest that Ms. Sotomayor will face tough criticism from conservatives during the confirmation process. That's it. That's the only thing that is OK about this cartoon.
Other than that, all we see is a woman of Puerto Rican descent being hanged (or lynched) while an African American man (mocking her ethnic heritage by wearing a sombrero) takes great pleasure in handing out sticks to Republicans so they can beat her as though she were a piñata.
Bad taste aside, this cartoon barely stops short of a crime. Does this conservative newspaper really not know that first amendment rights do not protect suggesting a lynching?
The Huffington Post pointed to a blog entry by Oklahoma Women's Coalition chair Jean Warner, who wrote:
Oklahoma ranks as the 3rd worst state in the nation for women. Much of what holds Oklahoma women and girls back is linked to our state’s culture of violence and disrespect for women. Oklahoma ranks #4 in women murdered by men, #1 in child abuse and our domestic violence shelters are full of women escaping violence.
Sotomayor graduated summa cum laude from Princeton, received a JD from Yale Law School where she was an editor at the Yale Law Journal (but she grew up in the projects; obviously “that girl doesn’t know her place” - right? wink, wink). President George H.W. Bush nominated her to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York where she served with distinction (but she’s a woman and, worst yet, ambitious - right? wink, wink). She’s served on the US Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit for 10 years, heard over 3,000 cases and written over 380 opinions (but she’s of Puerto Rican descent ~~ ergo the piñata image - right? wink, wink).
Not funny; actually stupid and damaging. A picture speaks louder than words and that cartoon sends a message to women of all ages: “Back off. Know your place. Or we’ll take a stick to you and teach you a lesson.”
As members of the media, we find this cartoon beyond offensive. We find it dangerously suggestive that not only is violence against women and people of color OK, it is worthy of a good laugh. And the very idea that Mr. Obama would hand out weapons for a lynching, piñata-style or otherwise, is unspeakably offensive.
We know there are many good people in Oklahoma. We hope they boycott the Oklahoman and put it out of business.
Related Articles:
Comments
