{UAH} Zim news Belgian paper rapped for images denigrating Obamas

Belgian paper rapped for images denigrating Obamas

March 26, 2014

MEDIA FREEDOM OR RACIST BIGOTRY . . . The digitally altered pictures of US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as part human and part ape that were published by Belgian newspaper De Morgen

Political Editor
THE publication, by Belgian newspaper De Morgen, of digitally altered pictures of US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as part human and part ape smacks of racism and is meant to reduce confidence in all people of colour, analysts say. The pictures were published ahead of Mr Obama’s expected visit to Belgium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War.

The pictures were part of a satirical feature presented as though sent to the newspaper by Russia’s president Vladimir Putin.
The pictures were accompanied by the words: “Vladimir Putin is the president of Russia. He sent us this attachment at our request, and chose to send pictures instead of text ‘because he doesn’t have a lot of time’.”

Another picture of Mr Obama was printed with the caption “First black president of the USA starts selling weed”.
The pictures sparked outrage worldwide with critics saying they were racist and had nothing to do with media freedom forcing the paper to apologise.

Midlands State University media expert Dr Nhamo Mhiripiri said the pictures were not meant to denigrate the US First Family alone, but all black people.

“The fact that this is happening to the commander-in-chief of the United States, a superpower, means it was meant to reduce confidence of all people of colour. It is meant to make sure that you are less confident even in geo-regional politics.

“The pictures are in bad taste. It means no African of colour is exempted from such attacks. Even the theory of social Darwinism was saying the same that from God, there are angels, then whites, Asians, blacks and monkeys near blacks. They called that great chain of beings to justify colonialism, where the burden of the white man was to bring civilisation and that of the blackman was to work for the whiteman,” he said.

Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said inasmuch as his party differed in ideology with Mr Obama, he did not understand why a newspaper could stoop so low and promote racism.

“The world cannot allow such kind of racism. However, it’s a lesson to Mr Obama that the only people who accept him are blacks and not whites. We do not condone that kind of racism,” he said.

A lecturer at a city college, Mr John Tsomondo, said the treatment of Mr Obama by the Belgian paper was a big lesson to African leaders who rushed to the West for social, political and economic “help”.

“President Mugabe has been vindicated. He is the only leader in the continent who has managed to deal with these racists. I am sure many whites in Zimbabwe now understand that Zimbabwe has a leader who mean what he says, a leader who is proud of being black, who will never pander to the whims of a white man. I am sure Mr Obama can learn a few lessons from our President,” said Mr Tsomondo.
In 2009, the New York Post apologised for a cartoon that was interpreted as comparing Obama to a violent chimpanzee.

--
UAH forum is devoted to matters of interest to Ugandans. Individuals are responsible for whatever they post on this forum.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com or Abbey Semuwemba at: abbeysemuwemba@gmail.com.