Depicting a black lad who's been the victim of racist abuse before, as a fictional ape hanging off Big Ben, is at best in poor taste - a fact that the paper in question have acknowledged.
Racial incidents have nothing to do with the cartoon as race is not depicted in the cartoon. So why the link?
---
......
what do you mean why the link? Balotelli has had people comparing him to monkeys before and know he is being depicted as a monkey? How is it difficult to see the link?
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
Depicting a fictional character as another fictional character when you are the cartoonist of that fictional character is less likely to cause offense.
A cartoonist depicting another human being as something else has a duty to the person they are drawing, its not too hard.
I didn't get that from the film at all. Although I see how that can be what people took from the film. Regardless, it's not what the cartoonist was getting it, only what people want to say he was getting at, in order to be offended, in my opinion
--------------------------------------
It's debatable what the cartoonist was getting it, but you could well be right. Whether the cartoonist is ignorant of the Kong allegory (to slavery/racism) or not, that allegory is definitely inherent in the story of Kong, and so to depict a black man as Kong (who himself was captured, enslaved, broke free, only to meet his demise) is insensitive. Further implications are perhaps more obvious and problematic - depicting a black man as a primate to put it quite frankly.
Nonetheless, there are 3 versions of the film King Kong, each making an socio-ideological comment on racism that relates to the period and views on the subject at the time each version was made. The 2005 version is, naturally therefore, more "politically-correct", and each version does provide an insight into how racism was viewed and how society had progressed in each respective period.
What also has to be taken into consideration in regards to the Balotelli picture is how Balotelli has courted (media) controversy and also how the issue of racism in regards to Balotelli himself is topical at the moment. The cartoon can not be viewed separately to this - it is not a stand-alone comment, but one that relates to the other recent issues surrounding Balotelli. For example, him threatening to walk from the field of play if he was to be racially abused in anyway by sections of the crowd. In short, there is a discourse happening here, and because the cartoon can't be taken in isolation (and I don't for one moment believe the cartoonist meant for his cartoon to be taken in isolation), then it has, shall we say, not-to-pleasant socio-ideological undertones. For me, it's not so much that I find it offensive. I simply find it ill-judged, irresponsible, and quite frankly unnecessary.
It's definitely poor taste as TB says above.
He's been a victim to racism already during this tournament alone. Now I'm not saying it's racist, because I haven't heard anything from this cartoonist or his views. But he's obviously not the brightest if it was an innocent mistake.
comment by makar - Thread Killer (U4260)
posted 45 seconds ago
Racial incidents have nothing to do with the cartoon as race is not depicted in the cartoon. So why the link?
---
......
what do you mean why the link? Balotelli has had people comparing him to monkeys before and know he is being depicted as a monkey? How is it difficult to see the link?
---------------------------------------------
Yes but some idiots depicted him as a monkey, in order to racially abuse him. The cartoonist depicted him as King Kong, who was misunderstood, who was killed in the end, whereas Balotelli is depicted as conquering the English.
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
The sad thing is there will probably be some sort of Kong related incident at the game now.
omment by Cobnob (U12084)
posted 3 minutes ago
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
Depicting a fictional character as another fictional character when you are the cartoonist of that fictional character is less likely to cause offense.
A cartoonist depicting another human being as something else has a duty to the person they are drawing, its not too hard.
--------------------------------------
I understand that Balotelli has a right to be offended, it's him in the cartoon but whether it's a real character or not, is irrelevant, it's the same message.
"It's debatable what the cartoonist was getting it, but you could well be right. Whether the cartoonist is ignorant of the Kong allegory (to slavery/racism) or not"
I was ignorant to it, I'm glad I've been educated on that subject however, which is something more to be careful about. However even if I wasn't, I wouldn't consider it racist to compare Balotelli to King Kong.
"The sad thing is there will probably be some sort of Kong related incident at the game now."
That's why it was poor taste, he/she have set Mario up to receive abuse now
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe not & I'm sure the artist didn't have that in his mind at all, but no-one can be surprised that the mere fact that he's depicted the lad as a giant fictional ape, has lead people to question it's meaning & saying that they think it's in poor taste.
Why couldn't he have been a Roman Centurion?
"I wouldn't consider it racist to compare Balotelli to King Kong."
Surely you can see the reasoning for not doing so though?
It may be innocent to you, but not everybody has your outlook and a national newspaper needs to take more responsibility for what they print as there's plenty of people out there that actually believe the tripe they read.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
You're dressing things up in a lot of different ways, but are constantly overlooking the base facts here:
Balotelli - recently racially abused and compared to a monkey
Cartoon - portrays Balotelli as a monkey
Dress it up however you like, but whilst racism still exists and is so commonplace, anyone that decides to illustrate such a thing in full knowledge of this, does so in a very poor taste. By not acknowledging this, we cannot tackle racism.
Perhaps once we get to the point where racism is no longer commonplace and Balotelli hasn't received racist abuse in recent weeks, we can say that such an illustration is perfectly acceptable.
So where does Big Ben come in to it all?
The Elizabeth Tower!
RAP, what's wrong with Big Ben? Hope you're not being clockist
comment by Toblerone Boots (U4965)
posted 33 seconds ago
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe not & I'm sure the artist didn't have that in his mind at all, but no-one can be surprised that the mere fact that he's depicted the lad as a giant fictional ape, has lead people to question it's meaning & saying that they think it's in poor taste.
Why couldn't he have been a Roman Centurion?
----------------------------------------------
I was surprised, however, now knowing the thoughts of King Kong and how it was perceived as an allegory for black people, I am not surprised but still disagree that it is racist.
TOOR,
---------------------------------------------
Simply Big Ben was to depict England and how Balotelli had conquered it, beating the balls away, instead of helicopters destroying him, as in King Kong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It was bi planes actually, carry on everyone
Comment deleted by Article Creator
Shall we just all agree it was probably unwise?
The cartoon may be to some in poor tastes. as has been said it's all down to interpretation, but I would defend the cartoonists right to have it published to the hilt.
comment by The DR says (U3272)
posted 2 minutes ago
TOOR,
---------------------------------------------
Simply Big Ben was to depict England and how Balotelli had conquered it, beating the balls away, instead of helicopters destroying him, as in King Kong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It was bi planes actually, carry on everyone
------------------------------------
PPD, he may have done it with innocent intentions, but the fact remains it's published nationally. You see it one way, somebody else will see it another.
It's called taking responsibility for what you publish to your audience.
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
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Page 4 of 21
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posted on 27/6/12
Depicting a black lad who's been the victim of racist abuse before, as a fictional ape hanging off Big Ben, is at best in poor taste - a fact that the paper in question have acknowledged.
posted on 27/6/12
Racial incidents have nothing to do with the cartoon as race is not depicted in the cartoon. So why the link?
---
......
what do you mean why the link? Balotelli has had people comparing him to monkeys before and know he is being depicted as a monkey? How is it difficult to see the link?
posted on 27/6/12
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
Depicting a fictional character as another fictional character when you are the cartoonist of that fictional character is less likely to cause offense.
A cartoonist depicting another human being as something else has a duty to the person they are drawing, its not too hard.
posted on 27/6/12
I didn't get that from the film at all. Although I see how that can be what people took from the film. Regardless, it's not what the cartoonist was getting it, only what people want to say he was getting at, in order to be offended, in my opinion
--------------------------------------
It's debatable what the cartoonist was getting it, but you could well be right. Whether the cartoonist is ignorant of the Kong allegory (to slavery/racism) or not, that allegory is definitely inherent in the story of Kong, and so to depict a black man as Kong (who himself was captured, enslaved, broke free, only to meet his demise) is insensitive. Further implications are perhaps more obvious and problematic - depicting a black man as a primate to put it quite frankly.
Nonetheless, there are 3 versions of the film King Kong, each making an socio-ideological comment on racism that relates to the period and views on the subject at the time each version was made. The 2005 version is, naturally therefore, more "politically-correct", and each version does provide an insight into how racism was viewed and how society had progressed in each respective period.
What also has to be taken into consideration in regards to the Balotelli picture is how Balotelli has courted (media) controversy and also how the issue of racism in regards to Balotelli himself is topical at the moment. The cartoon can not be viewed separately to this - it is not a stand-alone comment, but one that relates to the other recent issues surrounding Balotelli. For example, him threatening to walk from the field of play if he was to be racially abused in anyway by sections of the crowd. In short, there is a discourse happening here, and because the cartoon can't be taken in isolation (and I don't for one moment believe the cartoonist meant for his cartoon to be taken in isolation), then it has, shall we say, not-to-pleasant socio-ideological undertones. For me, it's not so much that I find it offensive. I simply find it ill-judged, irresponsible, and quite frankly unnecessary.
posted on 27/6/12
It's definitely poor taste as TB says above.
He's been a victim to racism already during this tournament alone. Now I'm not saying it's racist, because I haven't heard anything from this cartoonist or his views. But he's obviously not the brightest if it was an innocent mistake.
posted on 27/6/12
comment by makar - Thread Killer (U4260)
posted 45 seconds ago
Racial incidents have nothing to do with the cartoon as race is not depicted in the cartoon. So why the link?
---
......
what do you mean why the link? Balotelli has had people comparing him to monkeys before and know he is being depicted as a monkey? How is it difficult to see the link?
---------------------------------------------
Yes but some idiots depicted him as a monkey, in order to racially abuse him. The cartoonist depicted him as King Kong, who was misunderstood, who was killed in the end, whereas Balotelli is depicted as conquering the English.
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
posted on 27/6/12
The sad thing is there will probably be some sort of Kong related incident at the game now.
posted on 27/6/12
omment by Cobnob (U12084)
posted 3 minutes ago
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
Depicting a fictional character as another fictional character when you are the cartoonist of that fictional character is less likely to cause offense.
A cartoonist depicting another human being as something else has a duty to the person they are drawing, its not too hard.
--------------------------------------
I understand that Balotelli has a right to be offended, it's him in the cartoon but whether it's a real character or not, is irrelevant, it's the same message.
posted on 27/6/12
"It's debatable what the cartoonist was getting it, but you could well be right. Whether the cartoonist is ignorant of the Kong allegory (to slavery/racism) or not"
I was ignorant to it, I'm glad I've been educated on that subject however, which is something more to be careful about. However even if I wasn't, I wouldn't consider it racist to compare Balotelli to King Kong.
posted on 27/6/12
"The sad thing is there will probably be some sort of Kong related incident at the game now."
That's why it was poor taste, he/she have set Mario up to receive abuse now
posted on 27/6/12
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 27/6/12
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe not & I'm sure the artist didn't have that in his mind at all, but no-one can be surprised that the mere fact that he's depicted the lad as a giant fictional ape, has lead people to question it's meaning & saying that they think it's in poor taste.
Why couldn't he have been a Roman Centurion?
posted on 27/6/12
"I wouldn't consider it racist to compare Balotelli to King Kong."
Surely you can see the reasoning for not doing so though?
It may be innocent to you, but not everybody has your outlook and a national newspaper needs to take more responsibility for what they print as there's plenty of people out there that actually believe the tripe they read.
posted on 27/6/12
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 27/6/12
There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
You're dressing things up in a lot of different ways, but are constantly overlooking the base facts here:
Balotelli - recently racially abused and compared to a monkey
Cartoon - portrays Balotelli as a monkey
Dress it up however you like, but whilst racism still exists and is so commonplace, anyone that decides to illustrate such a thing in full knowledge of this, does so in a very poor taste. By not acknowledging this, we cannot tackle racism.
Perhaps once we get to the point where racism is no longer commonplace and Balotelli hasn't received racist abuse in recent weeks, we can say that such an illustration is perfectly acceptable.
posted on 27/6/12
So where does Big Ben come in to it all?
The Elizabeth Tower!
posted on 27/6/12
RAP, what's wrong with Big Ben? Hope you're not being clockist
posted on 27/6/12
comment by Toblerone Boots (U4965)
posted 33 seconds ago
They are different, just because some idiots attribute racist monkey sounds and words to people doesn't mean that we should consider anybody compared to a monkey, racially related.
------------------------------------------------------------
Maybe not & I'm sure the artist didn't have that in his mind at all, but no-one can be surprised that the mere fact that he's depicted the lad as a giant fictional ape, has lead people to question it's meaning & saying that they think it's in poor taste.
Why couldn't he have been a Roman Centurion?
----------------------------------------------
I was surprised, however, now knowing the thoughts of King Kong and how it was perceived as an allegory for black people, I am not surprised but still disagree that it is racist.
posted on 27/6/12
TOOR,
---------------------------------------------
Simply Big Ben was to depict England and how Balotelli had conquered it, beating the balls away, instead of helicopters destroying him, as in King Kong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It was bi planes actually, carry on everyone
posted on 27/6/12
Comment deleted by Article Creator
posted on 27/6/12
Shall we just all agree it was probably unwise?
posted on 27/6/12
The cartoon may be to some in poor tastes. as has been said it's all down to interpretation, but I would defend the cartoonists right to have it published to the hilt.
posted on 27/6/12
comment by The DR says (U3272)
posted 2 minutes ago
TOOR,
---------------------------------------------
Simply Big Ben was to depict England and how Balotelli had conquered it, beating the balls away, instead of helicopters destroying him, as in King Kong.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
It was bi planes actually, carry on everyone
------------------------------------
posted on 27/6/12
PPD, he may have done it with innocent intentions, but the fact remains it's published nationally. You see it one way, somebody else will see it another.
It's called taking responsibility for what you publish to your audience.
posted on 27/6/12
Comment deleted by Site Moderator
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