Political cartoon dismay
As an elementary public school teacher and parent of two CCUSD students, I found the recent gun related political cartoon in poor taste given the tragedy in Newtown.
Dave Stewart
I was appalled when I read your Dec. 27 issue and saw the cartoon of Malcolm X holding the rifle he’d used to “take out the white man who was trying to get into the house from the roof” (Santa Claus). The phrase below this racist cartoon is “Malcolm X-MAS.”
The cartoon is meant to be funny, and to some it probably was. But I assure you that it was not funny to African-American and to people of all ethnic backgrounds who abhor racism.
Because this is a free country and you have First Amendment rights to say whatever you want, you can legally print a racist cartoon.
But you didn’t have to publish it. You didn’t have to reinforce the ugly and unfair stereotype of a Black man with a rifle.
Publishing that cartoon tells readers that the editor and publisher of the Culver City News either don’t care about the feelings of their African-American readers or don’t realize bigotry when they see it.
Who do you assume are the readers of the News? Only white residents? Or all the people of Culver City, including African-American residents?
Yes, the News is published by a privately held company and can do whatevr it wants. But the paper has always seemed to represent our city–Culver City. Yet this bigoted cartoon certainly shows the worst of Culver City, not the best.
I am the (Caucasion) founder of the human relations organization named Together. Together was formed to address prejudice and racism and to build a community of multicultural understanding and mutual respect. One of the many things we did was to encourage our members to speak out against bigotry in whatever form they experienced it. This is such a time.
You owe all your readers–not only African-American–a clear and prominently placed apology.
Further, in good conscience you should contact the cartoonist to complain. And the cartoonist owes our readers an apology as well.
What ever happened to “peace on earth and goodwill toward man?”
Rebecca Rona-Tuttle
The way it was
I love “Letting Off Steam.” Pete Whalon reminds me of my grumpy uncle. Every holiday he moans and groans about the way it used to be. He says a lot of things I know a lot of my family members thinks. Pete is funny and says what many of us wish we could. Thanks for letting me “let off steam” vicariously.
Frank Jones
Thanks for animal volunteers
For me the Christmas and New Year holidays have always been a time of reflection, a time of thanks and a time for joy – and this year, perhaps more than any other year, I have a lot to be thankful for and rejoice as I prepare to make my New Year’s resolutions.
At the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center I have seen volunteers and staff tirelessly working together with a spirit of camaraderie and respect to get pets out of the shelter and into homes.
As many of you know, the DACC has suspended my volunteer status for thirty days as the result of the opinions and observations I have made.
For those of you who are wondering what I am doing and what my plans are, I remain committed to rescue and volunteerism and place my faith in the United States Constitution’s First Amendment which states:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
I invite all of us to celebrate our successes of 2012 while mourning our failures, and fervently hope that 2013 will improve the plight of shelter animals throughout the county and the world.
If we are able to continue and even expand the teamwork exhibited by the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center staff and volunteers I am confident that 2013 will be better.
Ric Browde