Cartoon that caused a backlash not intended to promote racism

I just wanted to say I support you and any person, company or publication taking a stance against the incredibly toxic “cancel culture” movement terrorising people and their right to free speech lately.

The satirical cartoon by Johannes Leak that was published on Friday doesn’t really interest me; what does is that it was published at all in this incredibly and disgustingly sensitive atmosphere today, and the fact that The Australian didn’t bow, didn’t apologise, and didn’t fire anyone (as far as I know, I truly hope not).

I’m sure you are under a lot of pressure from the mob right now. I just want you to know that I specifically subscribed to the digital paper based on your move yesterday, and previous articles you have published fighting against political correctness.

Please stay strong.

Kyle Sullivan, Penrith, NSW

Anyone with half a brain cell could see that Johannes Leak’s cartoon was mocking Joe Biden’s condescending tweet about “little girls especially black and brown girls”. Any suggestion of racism or sexism is in the twisted minds of the beholders.

Marc Hendrickx, Berowra Heights, NSW

Johannes Leak draws a cartoon using Joe Biden’s own words and the woke outrage is directed at Leak? Please explain.

Clare Horan, Somerton Park, SA

As I’m sure you already know based on the public response, the cartoon by Johannes Leak published in The Australian on Friday is unacceptable. It has been met with appropriate outrage for something published in extreme poor taste. Given the global conversation on racism in recent months I was so disappointed to see something like this published on an influential platform like The Australian. Please do better.

Shane Michael Hatton, Mitcham, Vic

The distasteful cartoon by Johannes Leak not only trivialises Joe Biden’s choice of vice-president, but also devalues Kamala Harris’s achievements, as if it is some sort of bid to attract the African-American vote and not a recognition of her immense talents. Biden’s words have been misinterpreted to mean tokenism, rather than a statement on role modelling.

I identify as a woman of colour who has achieved a lot on my own merit in a predominantly Anglo-Celtic country. I am a lawyer but also sit on various boards. I question whether the boards I’ve been appointed to, many as the first person of colour, have been a tokenistic gesture rather than on merit. As a leading daily, you have the responsibility to lead change. You have miserably failed to do so.

Molina Asthana, Carlton North, Vic

Regardless of whether you’re a liberal or conservative thinker, surely we can agree this type of cartoon adds no value to our national discourse and seeks to emphasise stereotypes.

Kristian Dewsnap, Fitzroy, Vic

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This morning, little girls woke up across this nation — especially Black and Brown girls who so often may feel overlooked and undervalued in our society — potentially seeing themselves in a new way: As the stuff of Presidents and Vice Presidents.

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 12, 2020

Statement from the Editor-in-Chief, Chris Dore

Johannes Leak’s commentary prompted an intense reaction, including ridiculous accusations the cartoon was motivated by racism or was intended to promote racism.

The words “little black and brown girls” belong to Joe Biden, not Johannes, and were uttered by the presidential candidate when he named Kamala Harris as his running mate on Thursday; he repeated them in a tweet soon after.

As many commentators in the US have noted, Biden is accused of using racial identity as a political weapon, and that is exactly the point Johannes was making in the cartoon, using Biden’s language.

The intention of Johannes’s commentary was to ridicule identity politics and demean racism, not perpetuate it.

The Australian deplores racism in all its guises, as does Johannes.