Objection to Samer’s cartoon [Archives:2004/750/Letters to the Editor]

Charles Esser
[email protected]
I want express my sincere disappointment and sadness at the publication of the recent cartoon by Samer in Issue 748, Volume 13. It depicts a man we are to assume is Jewish by the Star of David on his shirt (only the Nazis required Jews to have a Star on their shirt), but who is drawn to be ugly and vicious (greeting the door with a drawn knife). The letter carrier has a letter marked “The Human” and the Jewish man says “We don't have anyone with such a name.”
The obvious message from this is that Jews are not human, but rather a rapacious, ugly sub-human. Is this the opinion of the Yemen Times that Jews are not human? Has the Yemen Times considered that this is the same type of propaganda used by neo-Nazis today, the same neo-Nazis who also hate Arabs? This is dangerous, because it legitimizes hate.
Furthermore, it is un-Islamic. I showed this cartoon to a Muslim friend, who found it outrageous. All of the prophets before Muhammad (PBUH) were Jews. Were they not human?
Or perhaps Samer wants to say that Jews today are not human because of the actions of the Israeli government. Certainly there are actions of the Israeli government that deserve condemnation – even the Israelis criticize their government – see http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/440541.html
But are there not governments of all ethnic groups that have acted in an immoral way? Are the governments of the Arab countries universally good? Are all Jews responsible for the actions of the current Israeli government?
Let us move on from this destructive insulting cartoon, recognize our common humanity, and work together to create a world of peace and justice. I hope The Yemen Times can see the wisdom of this, and repudiate the message of this cartoon.
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