The Damage Cartoons Cause…?
Published by Matt Glover August 18th, 2006 in Articles of InterestI read this today:
Cartoons are particularly a unique species. They require different criteria of assessment and approach. Unlike editors and news analysts, cartoonists may not feel obliged to present all sides of the story. Rather they make a blunt assault on the characteristics of their subjects, and pride themselves on being selective in their presentation.
And then later in the same article:
The long-term effects of racist cartoons are enormous. My intuition compels me to believe that the damage caused to Australia’s Arab image – both Christian and Muslim - is beyond repair.
I can’t remember a year where cartoons have caued as much news as they have this year.
But what I find interesting in this article is the idea that cartoonists are responsible for shaping community views on different racial groups by repeatedly using negative, stereotypical images. In particular, promoting the idea that all Arab people are violent terrorists.
But is it cartoons that shape community views or is it community views that shape cartoons? I’m not sure I know the answer to that…
In any case, the fact that we smile at some of these stereotypes reveals that there is still a hint of racism in all of us.
Read the article here and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
maybe pick one blog to post a story in- to keep the comments together?
I thought this was worth posting in both - two different sets of readership entirely (except for you!).
It will be interesting to see if there’s any differences of opinion. What do you think anyway Hedgehog?
well … i tried to read the article and it just confused me, but i have come to the conclusion that… good or bad a cartoon reflects a persons opinion. it may not always b accepted, right or nice… but it is the reader who chooses whether to accept the cartoonists opinion or not. so really it is wrong to hold ne cartoonists responsible… we are all equally at fault.
well thats wot i think neway…