The Guardian has apologised after a cartoon depicting BBC chairman Richard Sharp was criticised as antisemitic.

Oops apologies SNP not NSP

tickingbird

^It is a f***ing octopus.^

Yeah right and Madam Sturgeon is an honest politician and Scotland will one day be free 😂😂😂😂😂

Aha...the truth is out.

You just can't help it, can you?

M0nica

Casdon Should The Observer print every letter it receives or every letter it receives from someone who may be known to a group of people in this country? if it should, itprobably woyld have no room on its pages for news. Newspapers have to make decisions about which letters to publish and I am pretty sure this letter would not have been published had it not had a well known name attached to it.

It might have been more approrpiate to have made a news item out of it rather than publish it in the letter column.

We will have to agree to disagree Monica. If an elected member of parliament chooses to write a letter which contains content that demonstrates they have a prejudice, whatever it is then I think it should be published. They have been elected, so are accountable. That sets them apart from Joe Public having a rant about whatever.

GrannyGravy13

volver3 any fish without fins or scales is offensive and forbidden to Jews, this covers both squid and octopus.

You have previously left GN because of the mocking of Nicola Sturgeon and the NSP, maybe have a little think of how you felt then and how Jews feel seeing that cartoon.

That is a fair comment GG13.

I've never left because people mocked Sturgeon, but the fact that anybody thinks that I did just reinforces my point of view.

I don't think the cartoon was antisemitic. Are Jewish people never to be depicted with shellfish? Are they never to be seen in the same image as a pig? All because 2 and 2 will be put together to make 5?

If it's an octopus, it's worse (not that I know the difference between a squid an octopus).

The Nazis described Judaism as an octopus with its malevolent multi tentacles everywhere. Apparently, the trope pre-dates Nazism as an anti-semitic trope.

www.radicalrightanalysis.com/2019/04/29/george-soros-targeted-by-anti-semitic-meme-that-predates-the-nazis/

2+2 = 5

I give up.

volver3

You just can't help it, can you?

I’ve always been a ‘giggler^ Never been able to keep a straight face when viewing anything comical and you’re the gift that keeps on giving. 😂😂

volver3

2+2 = 5

I give

Again??!! I feel a volver4 coming on…….

For those who don't open links this was the cartoon in my earlier post.

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters. To not be able to see the blatant and offensive antisemitism is almost unbelievable. To not understand the vile imagery in that cartoon is just mind boggling. I hope this cartoon is not seen in America where I fear it will be greatly upsetting to my lovely Jewish friends. How can I explain to them them that Britain is not antisemitic, as I have tried to do before, when they are faced with this vile image.
And to our Jewish Gransnetters, please know we do not all feel this way.

I hadn’t spotted that Rosie.Thank you for showing it if just to illustrate the links. It’s vile isn’t it?

They can see it maddyone but choose to make light of it as it suits their own agenda.

maddyone

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters. To not be able to see the blatant and offensive antisemitism is almost unbelievable. To not understand the vile imagery in that cartoon is just mind boggling. I hope this cartoon is not seen in America where I fear it will be greatly upsetting to my lovely Jewish friends. How can I explain to them them that Britain is not antisemitic, as I have tried to do before, when they are faced with this vile image.
And to our Jewish Gransnetters, please know we do not all feel this way.

I expect you include me in that maddyone.

I don't think its antisemitic and all the comments telling me I'm just making it up for effect won't change that. I don't have an agenda and that's the end of it.

maddyone

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters. To not be able to see the blatant and offensive antisemitism is almost unbelievable. To not understand the vile imagery in that cartoon is just mind boggling. I hope this cartoon is not seen in America where I fear it will be greatly upsetting to my lovely Jewish friends. How can I explain to them them that Britain is not antisemitic, as I have tried to do before, when they are faced with this vile image.
And to our Jewish Gransnetters, please know we do not all feel this way.

Another good post maddyone

Charlie Hebdo springs to mind, people were killed by Muslims objecting to cartoons.

maddyone

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters. To not be able to see the blatant and offensive antisemitism is almost unbelievable. To not understand the vile imagery in that cartoon is just mind boggling. I hope this cartoon is not seen in America where I fear it will be greatly upsetting to my lovely Jewish friends. How can I explain to them them that Britain is not antisemitic, as I have tried to do before, when they are faced with this vile image.
And to our Jewish Gransnetters, please know we do not all feel this way.

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters

I'm sickened, I really am.

It's just a game to some posters, maddyone, they do not care who they hurt with their remarks.

Charlie Hebdo springs to mind, people were killed by Muslims objecting to cartoons.

I'm not sure that story has the effect you think it has GG13.

People overreacting to other cartoons doesn't make any overreaction to this one right.

I didn't know why the cartoon was offensive so it has been an education reading the replies.

they do not care who they hurt with their remarks.

Did you really just say that?

Not a lot of self-awareness on the boards today.

volver3

maddyone

I’m saddened by the comments of a couple of posters. To not be able to see the blatant and offensive antisemitism is almost unbelievable. To not understand the vile imagery in that cartoon is just mind boggling. I hope this cartoon is not seen in America where I fear it will be greatly upsetting to my lovely Jewish friends. How can I explain to them them that Britain is not antisemitic, as I have tried to do before, when they are faced with this vile image.
And to our Jewish Gransnetters, please know we do not all feel this way.

I expect you include me in that maddyone.

I don't think its antisemitic and all the comments telling me I'm just making it up for effect won't change that. I don't have an agenda and that's the end of it.

But volver3 just because you do not think it’s racist doesn’t mean it isn’t.

To my mind you are defending the indefensible.

MaizieD

It's a cartoon. Cartoons show people with exaggerated features. It's anti Richard Sharp.

I don't think it's antisemitic any more than Diane Abbot's letter was anti semitic.

When I first saw it, I didn't even look at the items in Sharp's box. I didn't think his features were especially exaggerated. However, I've had a closer look and now I do think it's very anti-semitic. The octopus was/is a well-known anti-semitic trope. It's nothing to do with Jews not eating shellfish, but the idea that they get everywhere with their tentacles. Look at the link I posted.

Including a pig as well

It's offensive on so many levels.

Yes, there are posters on here (no names, no pack drill). who regularly appear on various threads, often with multiple reincarnations, with no other purpose than to wind people up, or worse. As to why that is, only they know the answer .. perhaps. Why get involved with them? It's a totally pointless exercise, and actually rather sad.

Straight out of Der Stürmer. Very bad.

I can't imagine what the cartoonist or Guardian was doing.

There's enough sleaze surrounding Sharp's appointment without having to introduce anti-semiticism. I had no idea he's Jewish and I don't really see that it has anything to do with the loan, cronyism, attempt to influence the BBC politically or whatever.

My daughter-in-law is a rabbi. That cartoon is offensive to her.