Political Irony

10 Comments

1. Hassan wrote:

   Right, it would be true and just if it was for the same individuals. Now why are whites (individuals) that never did anything wrong are punished and blacks(individuals) that were never suppressed are being rewarded for the crimes that did not involve either (individuals)? Moreover what about races(like Asians) that migrated in mid to late 20th century?

   Friday, August 8, 2008 at 5:01 am | Permalink
2. iron wrote:

   Do you believe there is no racism in America anymore?

   Friday, August 8, 2008 at 1:53 pm | Permalink
3. Eniryt Manaen wrote:

   It is farcical to overlook the role of generational wealth in preparing individuals for future success. How many Americans, white or otherwise, can truly claim that part of their success wasn’t dependent on funds that were raised from the exploitation of slave labor. It may seem unlikely but look carefully and you’ll see that very few can rightfully say they have never profited from the exploitation of African Americans in one form or another.

   Friday, August 8, 2008 at 7:06 pm | Permalink
4. Hassan wrote:

   Iron, there is definitely racism in America today, and affirmative action may be fueling it as well. There should be definitely strict laws to not let people discriminate based on race.

   Eniryt Manaen, there are many whites/non-whites that migrated after all the slavery ended, and even after civil rights movement, so should they be punished?

   Monday, August 11, 2008 at 7:29 am | Permalink
5. kat wrote:

   Those who came after slavery ended or even after the civil rights movement (which hasn’t equalized society yet so is it over?) aren’t being punished. They are entering a society that has systematically privileged certain groups over other groups. Affirmative action is just one tool to try to rectify the system. Systemic racism still exists and still privileges light-skinned people. Look at the coverage on Katrina–white people “finding” supplies while blacks are “looting.” (colorblind society ???) And the other post on generational wealth is dead on–having a much greater impact on inequality than wages.

   Friday, January 30, 2009 at 10:10 am | Permalink
6. Tyler wrote:

   I don’t feel like it’s a matter of punishment. The proverbial white guy giving the proverbial black guy a hand up doesn’t pull the white guy off the ledge, it just puts them on equal terms. I think people too often think incorrectly that if African Americans get some help, that will significantly reduce individual white people’s wealth. Instead it would simply bring the entire society to a better state.

   Monday, April 27, 2009 at 7:32 pm | Permalink
7. Charles wrote:

   “A Concise History of Black-White Relations in the U.S A,” is a very interesting article. This article is able to bring to the light the fact that whites and blacks are not on an even plane field and have not been since the start of their meeting. The cartoon first describes the meeting as the white boy asking the black boy for help to get on some type of surface. Creatively, the cartoon starts with the black boy being chained up to shackles. If anyone should be getting help at this point it should be the black boy. The black boy knows that the white boy is just trying to get to the top and make sure the black boy doesn’t see what’s happening, but the black boy knows what’s happening. While the white boy is trying to get up to the surface, he is hurting the black boy. One of the most creative things about this whole 6 panel carton is the fact that after the white kid finally gets on the surface with the help of the black boy, the black boy’s shackles are released but by that time, the white guy has got was he wanted. When the black kid proceeds to ask for the white boy for help, the white boy says, “OF COURSE NOT! THAT’S WOULD BE REVERSE RACISM. LOOK, IF I GOT UP HER MYSELF, WHY CAN’T YOU?” (Panel 6) The irony of that statement was part the white boy didn’t get up to the surface by himself but with the help of the black boy! It’s disappointing in the way that the white boy is in a great denial against how he got to where he is. Overall, this article brings up a really good point regarding that many whites cannot acknowledge that they were helped on there way up to success, especially that of black people.

   Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 10:26 am | Permalink
8. Einalem wrote:

   I disagree with the last picture. White men have repeatedly apologized by giving a “leg up” on the oppressed. For instance: College scholarships are more readily available to minority groups, whereas little to none exist for “whites”. These continued accusations against whites for oppressing blacks is a farce. My straight A student will have to pay her entire tuition simply because she is middle class and white. Poor minorities have more opportunities than ever before. No more apologies.

   Friday, June 10, 2011 at 9:47 pm | Permalink
9. M wrote:

   This cartoon isn’t have as perceptive as its self-congratulation suggests.

   Thursday, July 7, 2011 at 12:57 pm | Permalink
10. Joel wrote:

    To Einalem,

    Those college scholarships are mostly a result of minorities attempting to help other minorities out, so that does not count as white men apologizing and giving a leg up, or in some cases by companies that realize that minorities still have less opportunity and are attempting to correct that. Also, the fact that minorities have more opportunities now than ever before does not imply that they have as many opportunities as whites.

    This cartoon hits the nail on the head.

    Monday, October 10, 2011 at 10:32 pm | Permalink