Characterizing the NAACP as opportunists in this case is wrong-minded. The general public is not ignorant of the fact that linking blacks with monkeys has been a racial slur for ages. Both the cartoonist himself and the editor both knew full well how this cartoon would be perceived and chose to run it anyway.

It is repugnant to still find this type of blatant racism forced onto the public and it is an affront to our collective intelligence for these individuals to expect us to believe they did not present it in a racist manner.

The media is considered a voice of the people that seeks to reach or influence the public. This type of back alley behavior is to be vehemently condemned.

We strive to be a civil society, any media that is allowed to ‘get away’ with blatant racism runs counter to that goal.

I enjoy political humor, I do not enjoy unmasked racial slurs such as can be found in this particular cartoon. It demeans us all.

Has the NAACP become like the Taliban, no dissenting voices allowed?

aqualung, what the Post and the cartoonist put out to the public is not a dissenting voice. It was racist. Clear and simple.

The cartoonist could very easily have produced a cartoon to express his dissent against Obama's stimulus bill without using racism.

Main stream media is not the place for racist attacks.

If were all descended from Apes then how does anyone at the NAACP get off being more upset than any of the rest of us? Now had the cartoon shown a monkey shot dead on a porch....well then there's an obvious slander.

Oh boy some people will excuse anything.

Both the cartoonist himself and the editor both knew full well how this cartoon would be perceived and chose to run it anyway.

Not everyone sees this cartoon as racist. It never even occured to me to equate the dead chimpanzee to Obama. I thought it was a statement about our Congress. I am being honest. I didn't think it was funny, but I also didn't think it was racist.

So what labels should be applied to me? Ignorant, idiotic, bigoted, racist, blind, stupid, sheltered, insensitive?

Ignorant...well it may be harsh but that can always be cured, if one is willing. You may not have seen it as racist, but based on the evidence presented and the history surrounding it, what is your opinion now, bignosemousie?

I also think those labels are a bit too harsh for bignosemousie.

I applaud bignosemousie's ability to not see the racism in this.

Perhaps it is a sign that times are changing and racism is dying out. Unfortunately, I remain skeptical even though that is exactly what should happen.