33 replies to this topic

[victorian fan]

Haitian immigrant domestic

You may be right but all I saw was a cartoon charwoman.

[groundlevel]

add black skin to cartoon charwoman and you're in the danger zone.

Friday's cartoon crosses the line.

On Thursday a different cartoon in the TC -- same joke. Parliament in rubble; Duceppe, Dion and Layton standing in rubble with cheesy grins; a battered Harper saying "Welcome Back" and holding a broom out to a bug eyed Michaelle Jean.

The GG is identified wearing a Suit, holding a Briefcase in one hand and luggage in the other.

We know it's the GG because Governor General is written on the back of her jacket.

Today's cartoon from Alberta identifies the Governor General by the odd dismissive word Jean written at the bottom of her long skirts.

I understand the swift and often cruel nature of editorial cartooning -- broad caricature used for political satire. Stereotyping is necessary. Vicious comment is part of a long and legitimite history and I've chuckled, laughed and smirked my way through lots of cartoons -- including those that poke fun at my own cherished political and philosophical beliefs.

Gender stereotyping -- if GG was male there wouldn't be a joke. Cartoonist wouldn't have come up with this image with a male head-of-state. Females wield brooms not dudes, get it.

See -- stereotypes are necessary -- no use getting huffy by pointing out husbands and sons do housework -- the joke relies on gender stereotyping but isn't "about" gender.

It is, though, honestly and sadly about race.

I have American family. My great-grandparents left Vancouver for San Francisco in the twenties and I am familiar with American political discourse. If this cartoon had appeared in an American newspaper within an American context there would have been hell to pay. People "get" race in the States.

[mat]

groundlevel - was that cartoon online? I can't find it anywhere on the TC or Calgary Herald websites, and we don't get print versions.

In one sense you are correct regarding Canadian acceptance, or lack of sensitivity. to certain racial or religious stereotypes in cartoons or visual representations. The NewYorker cover featuring the Obamas as islamic, and terrorists, was widely criticized worldwide, yet Canadian response (editorials) to the rampant debate ranged from indifference to acceptance as a valid expression of freedom of speech.

[Rob Randall]

The New Yorker Obama cover is satiric--the actual target is the crazy fringe that thinks Obama isn't a patriotic American. Context is everything. It's only controversial in the eyes of those uninformed of the larger debate.

I haven't seen the Jean/charwoman cartoon but from what you have described it sounds bad. I think this is over the line, not something you would like to see from a Canadian newspaper.

I say this because there are a dozen good ways to depict someone cleaning up or fixing a mess without resorting to an outdated crude stereotype.

FWIW, I started drawing editorial cartoons professionally 20 years ago. They appeared for a while in the now-defunct Victoria Star newspaper. I also did drawings for other publications, including the UVic Martlet where I depicted then-Premier Rita Johnston nude (a la Demi Moore). My cartoon of Premier Mike Harcourt strung up in shackles as a Wizard of Id character was vetoed. My father was one of the first UVic Martlet cartoonists beginning in 1964.

[groundlevel]

Mat -- the hardcopy editions of the TC Thursday 4th and Friday 5th carried the respective cartoons -- I go old school with breakfast-and-the-newspaper so haven't looked into TC website yet.

Don't have a scanner to send them.

The New Yorker cover made me smile when I received it in July -- Michelle as Black Panther/revolutionary and Obama as Muslim terrorist burning American flag in Oval Office pretty funny commentary on right wing nutcase beliefs. Surprised it caused outrage -- actually read about outrage before it landed in mailbox. Hard copy magazine also old school?

Very cool Rob R as political cartoonist -- carrying on family tradition too!

Caramia -- gotta tell you I thought all day about Iona Campagnola smoking under the docks with native friends in Alert Bay -- love the image and their teenage determination to change the world. Thank you for the whole posting. The Community Well Celebration in Fernwood with the Lieutenant Governor -- I organized the celebration and evan coaxed the LG into wearing full ceremonial rig -- he was going to go business suit but I said a traditionally working class neighbourhood loves the pomp. It was fun, huh?

[Caramia]

Holy crap you organized that? Yes it was fun, especially the dancing that happened afterwards. Well done! The entire thing. Great project, fantastic outcome, wonderful ceremony. Hat's off.

[victorian fan]

quick scan

[mat]

thanks for the scan!

hmmmm - yeah, bordering on racial stereotyping. To anyone with sensitive antennae for negatively depicting a person, or group, through their race this will detract from the message of the GG clearing up after parliament's mess.

[Holden West]

Caramia -- gotta tell you I thought all day about Iona Campagnola smoking under the docks with native friends in Alert Bay -- love the image and their teenage determination to change the world.

You mean this?

[mat]

Holden - I don't believe the picture is real. Do you know how difficult it is to keep a bong lit in the wind? and who wears a tie while kayaking? Iona looks very relaxed, but is that a taser in her right hand?

Lovely - thanks for posting it.

[groundlevel]

Iona and Mel look excellent -- thank goodness someone is celebrating B.C.'s largest agricultural industry with elan. I also have a pic from Mel's ill-fated 'B.C Experience' featuring myself and buddy -- but no bong in sight. If they had been handing out full bongs to everyone and not just VIPs, that business would be going strong today! Those fancy pants get all the perks.

Really glad you enjoyed the Community Well celebration, Caramia, I liked the dancing the best too. I think we needed to go through the Unity Dancers leading the dignitaries in, the LG and politicians giving speeches, the 4 faiths giving blessings before we could all bust loose like that.
There's a seven minute video on the community association website, FCA Radio, down about 5 interviews that's very nice.

[Caramia]

Hehe so Charwoman is bad but dope-smokin sea-hippy, that's like.. almost a complement, eh?

BC culture. Gotta love it.

[mat]

Hehe so Charwoman is bad but dope-smokin sea-hippy, that's like.. almost a complement, eh?

BC culture. Gotta love it.

Is there a widely recognized stereotype of a dope smoking sea-hippy? That pic is like, totally, far out man!

[mat]

Something is really bothering me with news announcers and commentators over the last few days -
it is PROrogue, not PERrogue parliament (new word of the year?). Every time I hear the incorrect pronunciation it drives me to distraction.

There, got that off my chest - back to normality.