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February 18, 2008
A Picture Says a Thousand Words
As seen in today's Globe and Mail.
It would be so very easy to cry foul and play the race card but I won't. Instead I wrote a letter to the editor that you'll find below. If you feel as incensed as I do about the publishing of this "cartoon", please write a letter to the editor. Thank you.
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My guess is I'm one of a number of readers who have responded to your decision to publish the cartoon entitled "Afrocentric Algebra". My guess is you are either staunchly
defending your position to publish the "cartoon" veiling it in journalistic freedom or
realizing what a colossally poor decision you made in publishing it. I'm truly hoping it
is the latter.
This cartoon completely misses the mark on the debate. This cartoon demonstrates just how
ignorant both the illustrator and you - the editor - are about what defines
Afrocentricism. This issue is not at all similar to the "ebonics" debate sparked in the
U.S. Instead, supporters of "Black schools" are attempting to address real educational
issues, some of which are akin to those found in gender-based schools. Whether or not
"Black schools" are the answer, this debate deserves the respect of thoughtful
discussion; not glib, insensitive and dare I say racist commentary. You denigrate the
educational system and Canadians of African decent by publishing this "cartoon". You
should be ashamed!
Jason Robinson
Posted by Jason at February 18, 2008 12:33 PM
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Comments
This is truly a slap in the face of every black person. Seriously.
>
>Only a person/s with devilish mentalities, can create such mental
>atrocities, targeted towards African people. This is just another way if
>suppressing us.
>As Brother Malcolm said, when you control a man's mind, you can do what
>ever you desire of him. The person that's oppressed, now becomes your
>puppet. When he becomes mindless, you don't have to give him orders
>anymore. The oppressor would just sit back and bask in his achievements.
>
>It's call the Willie Lynch Syndrome.
Posted by: Courtney Boyce at February 21, 2008 10:05 PM
Found the cartoon funny myself, and I am black. It made the useful point that much of a school's curriculum is well beyond rendering into afrocentric form. It is also worth mentioning that the world of the editorial cartoon is one in which subtletly goes out the window and points are made with the broadest strokes. It will be a welcome sign of our community's political maturity when we are able to see things like this for what they are; part of the hurly-burly of healthy debate, and keep our powder dry for the real problems which imperil us.
Posted by: Dominic Owen-Williams at February 22, 2008 3:23 PM
My issue here is mainly how the editor chose to spell "dog" and not dawg. I'm inclined to believe this is no over site or typo. I'm not one who choses to speak Ebonics daily as it does not reflect my African/Caribbean descent, but I appreciate for what it is; An African-American urban language that is being used and spread globally with hip-hop culture. All I'm saying is Mr. Editor, next time you decide to portray what you think being black is all about, get it right, reference www.urbandictionary.com. You can't break us man!!
peace
Posted by: Mcgill at February 29, 2008 7:57 PM
While I share your sentiments whole heartedly, I think it needs to go deeper than that. If as a people we expect society to stop thinking of us in the light they do, we need to stop giving them amunition to use against us, we need to stop giving them cause to disrespect us. When I see individuals who we have elevatated to leadership status, on national television actually speaking like that, I cringe. It is the same way some use the "N" word to refer to themselves, but get offended when others use it. I think its time we wake up, and realize that we are our own worst enemy
Posted by: Gloria Allen at March 4, 2008 8:19 AM
What bigger slap in the face can you take than one of three major news media in Toronto openly disrespecting black culture during Black History month. Whether or not they believed it was racist is another thing, but choosing to print a cartoon like this is equivalent to them handing the same paper for free & then spitting dead in my face before I walk away. How much more will you take Toronto?????
Posted by: Owen Nee at March 4, 2008 4:56 PM
Hi Jason,
I'm with the news media and want to speak to you about this blog. How do I reach you?
Posted by: Comment at March 5, 2008 4:30 PM