Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Sipsey Street Awards Clay Bennett the First Annual Phillipp "Fips" Rupprecht Prize for Collectivist Hate Cartoon Excellence.

Meet Julius Streicher.

Julius Streicher (12 February 1885 – 16 October 1946) was a prominent Nazi prior to World War II. He was the founder and publisher of Der Stürmer newspaper, which became a central element of the Nazi propaganda machine. His publishing firm also released three anti-Semitic books for children, including the 1938 Der Giftpilz ("The Toadstool" or "The Poison-Mushroom"), one of the most widespread pieces of propaganda, which purported to warn about insidious dangers Jews posed by using the metaphor of an attractive yet deadly mushroom. After the war, he was convicted of crimes against humanity and executed. -- Wikipedia


This is a copy of Der Sturmer, featuring a cartoon by Streicher's favorite political cartoonist:

"Der Stürmer front page, January 1939. Der Stürmer was the most notorious newspaper in Germany. It published not only vulgar antisemitic articles, but also loathsome anti-Jewish caricatures created by Philipp Rupprecht, known professionally as Fips. This image depicts the "Jew" as a warmonger who looks on approvingly as the non-Jewish world is crucified on a cross marked "war" (Krieg)."

Meet Philipp "Fips" Rupprecht

Philipp Rupprecht (4 September 1900 – 4 April 1975) was a German cartoonist best known for his antisemitic caricatures in the Nazi publication Der Stürmer, under the pen-name Fips. Born in Nuremberg, Rupprecht emigrated to Argentina in 1920 after World War I, where he worked as a waiter and a cowboy on a cattle ranch. He returned to Nuremberg around 1924, and was hired by the Fränkische Tagespost, a newspaper linked to the German Social Democrats. When he was dispatched to cover the second Luppe-Streicher trial with instructions to draw a caricature of Julius Streicher, he instead drew caricatures of Nuremberg's Mayor, Hermann Luppe, and a prominent Nuremberg Jew also involved in the trial. The cartoons were published by Der Stürmer in December 1925, and Rupprecht was hired by the paper. With the exception of 1927, he was the Stürmer's sole regular cartoonist under the pen-name of "Fips" until February 2, 1945, when the last edition of Der Stürmer appeared, drawing thousands of antisemitic caricatures. His style changed during the course of his career, but his caricatures always depicted Jews as short, fat, ugly, unshaven, drooling, sexually perverted, bent-nosed, and with piglike eyes.

Among his best-known works were illustrations for two antisemitic children's books published by Stürmer Verlag: Trau keinem Fuchs auf grüner Heid und keinem Jud auf seinem Eid ("Don't Trust a Fox in a Green Pasture Or a Jew Upon His Oath") (1936), and "Der Giftpilz" ("The Poisonous Mushroom") (1938). At the beginning of World War II, Rupprecht served in the Kriegsmarine, but was released from service because of his value to wartime Nazi propaganda. Rupprecht’s career came to an end with the defeat of the Nazis in World War II. He was put on trial in 1945 and sentenced to six years hard labour. On 23 October 1950 he was released from the prison in Eichstätt. Until his death he lived and worked in Munich and Starnberg as a painter and decorator. He died on 4 April 1975 in Munich, aged 74. -- Wikipedia.




Meet Clay Bennett, modern collectivist cartoonist in the same well-traveled sewer as Julius Streicher and Fips Rupprecht. You can find his bio here.

Mr. Bennett recently did this cartoon:



It is entitled "Hitchhikers" and may be found here.

Not surprisingly, this portrayal of Tea Partiers as mass murderers has pissed off some people. For example, this letter to the editor of the Spokane Spokesman-Review.

Letters / April 6, 2010

Shame on cartoonist

Clay Bennett’s despicable editorial page cartoon (March 28) gives new meaning to the term “yellow journalism.”

Bennett, a propagandist for Stalinist liberalism and the Democratic Party, depicted the Tea Party as a ghoulish monster holding a bloody knife. It’s altogether reminiscent of the cartoons Hitler’s thugs churned out to stir up hatred for the Jews.

Because the various tea parties have had the audacity to confront the radical left’s malignant agenda, they’ve become objects of hatred.

While attempting to destroy America, its freedom and traditional values, the Marxist left keeps running into speedbumps. These obstacles include a resurgent Republican Party, a reinvigorated Second Amendment, the tea parties and millions of patriots who want to take their country back from the treacherous left and the vile, corrupt Democratic Party.

Curtis E. Stone
Colville


Mr. Stone's observation that this is reminiscent of the Nazi propaganda against the Jews is, I think, quite right. Observe these two examples, one a cartoon, the other a film.

"One eats the other and the Jew devours them all..." The cartoon promotes the Nazi claim that the Jews were behind World War II, having orchestrated it to destroy Nazi Germany.

This poster advertises the Nazi film “Der Ewige Jude,” which served to dehumanize the German Jews. The film -- “The Eternal Jew” -- compares the Jewish people to rats. By dehumanizing Jews, the Nazi leaders began to prepare for Hitler’s “Final Solution.” The Nazi leaders knew that when the deportations began it would be much easier for the German people to watch friends and neighbors shipped away if they associated them with rats.

It may be well for cartoonist Bennett to remember that Julius Streicher was put in the dock at Nuremberg and later executed for crimes against humanity and "Fips" Rupprecht did five and a half years of hard labor for his inked hate.

In any case, we at Sipsey Street would like to award Bennett our First Annual Phillipp "Fips" Rupprecht Prize for Collectivist Hate Cartoon Excellence. Don't be bashful, Clay, you've earned it.

Sipsey Streeters may email Clay to congratulate him on his new award by emailing him here: cbennett@timesfreepress.com. Go ahead. I did. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you.

Mike Vanderboegh
The alleged leader of a merry band of Three Percenters.

15 comments:

TypicalClinger said...

Ironically,he may have the hitchhikers backwards. It is the big "R" Republicans who are hurting the Tea Partiers. I see quite a few Republicans jumping on the the bandwagon hoping to ride us to power. (See Newt Gingrich at Tea Party at Alamo last year.)

Anonymous said...

Tea Party = Michael Myers. Get it?

Sigh.

What a stupid cartoon. Think for a second, Bennett! If the Tea Party had really done what they're depicted as doing in the cartoon, then the Republicans wouldn't need to worry about opposition in 2010.

Eric
III

GunRights4US said...

Here's my email to the prick:

Teapartyers portrayed as bloodthirsty serial killers? I’ll wager you prefer the term teabaggers don’t you? That’s one of the hallmarks of the whacky left: out of one side of their mouth they conflate a repugnant sexual act practiced by homosexual men with patriots weary of seeing the Republic get screwed. Out of the other side of their mouth they proudly claim to support tolerance for gays, and are quick to label anyone a homophobe who doesn’t march in lockstep with their own views.

I’m a Teapartyer, and I want to see a return to Constitutional government. Remember Rule of Law from your high school civics class? Or maybe you were taking courses in yellow journalism at the time and thus missed all that corny American History stuff. (by the way, before you lump me in as a Republican, let me set you straight: I hate the party of the dead elephant nearly as much as I hate the marxist/socialist democrats)

I want to see limited government that fosters conservative spending and encourages values that once made this country great. I’m referring to self-reliance, independence, entrepreneurism, etc. Maybe you're of the ilk that wants a government bureaucrat guiding your every step from cradle to grave, but I’m not! And there are scores of millions of Americans who share my view.

Maybe you think it’s cute to broad brush everybody in the Teaparty movement because a tiny handful of people have gone beyond the pale. I suppose that it wouldn’t take much effort to find a cartoonist or two out there somewhere who has beaten his wife. Does that then mean all cartoonists are wifebeaters? It sure isn’t hard to find media types who start with a preconceived template, add a generous portion of ignorance, a dash of yellow coloring, some “leg tingle”, and they’re off to the races!

You are indeed a worthy recipient of Mike Vanderboegh’s First Annual Phillipp "Fips" Rupprecht Prize for Collectivist Hate Cartoon Excellence!

Anonymous said...

...and here I was just starting to embrace my role as "dangerous loner".

If it scares a hippie, I'm all for it.

John Drake said...

I've been saying for years now that to the left, White American Capitalists are the new Jews. It's sickening how we've brainwashed multiple generations to not only forget, but to deliberately repeat the evils of the past.

rexxhead said...

Wow.

I've been a fan of Clay Bennett since he worked at the StPetersburg Times. They fired him for being too far right, which should tell you something:

He thinks of himself as being in the center and lobbing rounds off to both left and right. Alas, when shooting from such a distance, your aim isn't always as precise as you might wish.

I hope this is simply a case of "Sorry about that missile; it wasn't actually supposed to be your wedding present" that we've seen every now and then in the ME.

I'll snap off a note to Clay and see what he replies (if he replies).

David T. McKee said...

When the Left, Liberal, Socialists portray the people who love freedom as bloodthirsty killers, what they are really revealing about themselves is their own inherent fear. They know enough (well a few of them do) that the original SOL "Tea-party" were men who took action when their words were no longer enough. They fear what that action will be, and in their fevered minds they project their own desires on us - assuming that we would do what they in fact would do. So the bloodthirsty killer? That is really themselves.

But we all know that, of course. History provides endless verification.

So - what we need to figure out, is how to throw "Health-care" overboard into Boston Bay...

-David T. McKee
III

Anonymous said...

Dear Mr. Bennett:

I'm sure you've received a lot of criticism about your recent editorial cartoon representing the Tea Party as a hockey-masked killer holding a bloody knife. I, for one, wanted to thank you for your portrayal.

You may find it hard to believe, but I still occasionally encounter individuals who find it difficult to accept the fact that the establishment media in this country has become nothing more than a propaganda mill for collectivism, and a cheerleader for the regular "two minutes' hate" directed at anyone who has the temerity to question the agenda of the socialist political class. Cartoons like yours make this truth so painfully and embarrassingly obvious that you make my point for me. As an advocate for individual liberty and civil rights this makes my work much easier, so, again, thank you.

I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future.

Yours in liberty,

David M. Schmidt
Raleigh, North Carolina

Anonymous said...

As I rad this post I thought it ironic as I watched Schindler's List last night and was further reinforced in my dedication to living free. I'll be damned if I or any of mine go so gently to the slaughter.

So it seems this is how it began 60years ago looks as if history may be repeating. And it always these leftist wackjobs. What's up with that?

Live free or die trying!

WL Moses

Ahab said...

Just finished reading "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross. His main character, Bowman, begins a cycle of retribution that is, or should be, the template in our own exacting of justice. Clay Bennett in receiving the First "Fips" Award makes the list.

Anonymous said...

Ah yes, "The St. Petersburg Times", a paper with the motto:
"The St. Pete Times is widely read."(RED that should be.)

rexxhead said...

(Clay Bennett continued)


I just hope nobody is hurt when the crowd starts to storm out of the building.

I want you to think about one other thing when you're at the next rally: How can someone in a group that routinely depicts President Obama as Adolph Hitler- a madman who killed millions in one of the most systematically brutal acts in the history of the world, get so upset about his group being compared to a homicidal maniac who took out, what... a few dozen teenagers, at the most?

In closing, I'd like to thank you again for writing, Frank. I hope this letter explains not only my motivation to draw such a cartoon, but the tools a cartoonist employs to express a point of view.

One last thing- I was NOT fired from the St. Petersburg Times for being too conservative. Quite the contrary. They let me go because I was too liberal.

Respectfully,
Clay
----------------------------------------------

I won't bother refuting (to you) the many errors he makes as a result of paying too much attention to Rachel Maddow & Co, Inc; you don't need a refutation and it would be wasted on others. At one point, though, he says "To depict this president as ... out to destroy our freedoms is profoundly misguided." This is, others' protests to the contrary notwithstanding, true. I'm sure no one has ever run for President with the intention of destroying the country; they all want only what's best, with the definition of "what's best" almost always (in Bennett's words) "profoundly misguided".

Then, despite my saying that I was not a TPer, he gives me a suggestion for 'when [I'm] at the next rally'. Some preconceived notions apparently can't be dislodged.

One last comment: my note to him did not mention "fired from the St. Petersburg Times", but my original comment did. Clay Bennett is thus marked as one of the contributors to the Sipsey Street "hit count" although I doubt Mike should count him as 'a fan'. His contention here that he was fired for being too liberal is... well, one of my old German friends used to say "Das Kann Nicht Sein". I can't say what -they- told -him-, but I do know that for the St. Petersburg Times, "too liberal" represents the null set. When Leningrad was renamed 'St. Petersburg' in '93, we here in Pinellas County were flabbergasted that the St. Petersburg Times did not campaign to have St. Petersburg, FL renamed 'Leningrad, FL' to restore balance to the world.

rexxhead said...

As I said I would, I wrote to Clay Bennett:

-----------------------------------
I've been a fan of Clay Bennett since you were doodling for the StPete Times, not just for the fine draughtsmanship, but for the keen insight into current events.

Recently an acquaintance drew my attention to "Hitchhikers" (3/24) and I have to say it took me quite aback. I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat nor a Tea Partier, but this one seemed to me over the top.

I know that artists want the art to speak for itself, but I don't understand this one. It echoes the most strident voices in our society despite the fact that the Tea Party people are, by and large, pretty non-violent. In echoing the strident, it makes you party to that stridency and that strikes me as 'out of character' for Clay Bennett.

I'd appreciate hearing what you had in mind if other than to paint a collection of disaffected people as bloodthirsty, maniacal killers.
-----------------------------------


...and Clay bennett's reply:

-----------------------------------
First, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to write. I always enjoy getting feedback on my work, whether it be supportive or not. And I especially enjoy hearing from someone who's been following it as long as you have.

Now, Let me address your questions the cartoon in question:

The cartoon showed a Republican running for office in 2010, depicted as a hitchhiker. Standing next to him was a very menacing figure representing the Tea Party (it was actually Jason Voorhees from the Friday the 13th movies). The Hitchhiker is saying to Jason, "I don't think you're helping my chances", implying that the machete wielding madman might be scaring away any chance for a ride.

With that established, I should explain that I do not think the Tea Party is a hockey-masked, machete-wielding madman. Obviously, I used the most intimidating figure I could imagine for both comedic and editorial effect, but the main point of the cartoon was that the Republicans will hurt their election chances by aligning themselves with a group that has, in my opinion, a dubious reputation and a tarnished public image.

This particular cartoon was drawn immediately after the rally in Washington, D.C. on the weekend of the vote on health care reform. At that demonstration racial epithets were shouted at some members of Congress, gay slurs were yelled at others, and one congressman was even spat upon. Follow all that ugliness with the hateful messages and targeted vandalism in the ensuing days, and you have a pot that's been stirred to a dangerously high boil.

I really hope nothing bad happens, but as long as members of the Tea Party (along with the politicians and TV commentators who would exploit their anger) continue to use the most emotional rhetoric possible and the most distorted arguments imaginable, the likelihood of violence taking place only increases.

I am a huge defender of both free expression and the right to assemble. But those rights come with responsibilities. Does the right of free speech apply to a man who yells fire in a crowded theater, when no fire exists? Well, in 1919 Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote the Supreme Court decision declaring that it most certainly did not.

So every time you see a poster that likens President Obama to a Nazi, or a communist, or a socialist, or a terrorist, I want you to think about that 1919 ruling. To depict this president as anathema to American values is patently unfair. To couch his policies as those of a socialist out to destroy our freedoms is profoundly misguided. To denounce his agenda as the secret plan to undermine our way of life is just plain crazy. But to do all of this, relentlessly, in the alarmist tone and bombastic volume that have become a trademark of any Tea Party event, seems to me to be the political equivalent to yelling fire in a crowded theater.


(continued...)

Anonymous said...

I'm thrilled to see folks are starting to take my advice about reading, "Unintended Consequences" by John Ross.

It's the blueprint for taking back America from the thugs and criminals in the Administration and Congress.

Maybe some of the most vitriolic of the Lame-stream media should be given consideration for starring roles.

Anonymous said...

The fact that this cartoon is being so horribly misinterpreted is a testament to the importance of literary literacy. If you have not yet acquired the skills to properly determine the meaning of this cartoon then you have very little chance of understanding the the world around you.