Irish and Catholic groups are waging a campaign against including a famous 19th century political cartoonist in the New Jersey Hall of Fame because of his negative depictions of them, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The cartoonist, Thomas Nast, was a German immigrant who moved to Morristown, NJ, in 1872 and worked for Harper's magazine in New York City. His drawings gave rise to such famous figures as Uncle Sam, Santa Claus, and the elephant and donkey that symbolize the American political parties.
An abolitionist who supported equal treatment for blacks and Asians, Nast was critical of the Irish as supporters of Tammany Hall and was against the Vatican for trying to recruit children from public schools into parochial institutions.
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"He portrayed the Irish as drunken apes, and the image still remains today. We have a lot to offer beyond that," said Sean Pender, president of the New Jersey Ancient Order of Hibernians, a fraternal group with 2,500 members who are campaigning against Nast's nomination.
In "The Usual Irish Way of Doing Things," a cartoon by Nast shows a drunken Irishman lighting a powder keg. Another cartoon, entitled "The American River Ganges," depicts Catholic bishops as crocodiles trying to attack schoolchildren.
The anti-Irish tenor of his cartoons was a product of the times, said Christine Jochem, the head of special collections at the Morristown & Morris Township Library, which holds one of the nation's largest repositories of cartoons by the artist.
Nast was first nominated for the Hall of Fame in 2009. But groups such as Pender's and The Knights of Columbus in NJ are contacting lawmakers and the New Jersey Hall of Fame to protest the cartoonist's nomination.
"We have come a long way as a society since the 1800s and there is no room for Mr. Nast's name in such a celebrated and esteemed venue," said Irish-American assemblyman Scott Rumana.
However, state Sen. Richard Codey, who says he is "100% Irish," disagrees.
"No one hates a stereotype more than me," he said. "But it seems that [Nast] just went along with the thinking of the time. I don't think he should be crucified for that."
The Hall of Fame is encouraging those against Nast to express their views by voting online rather than calling the office. The vote is open to the general public and thousands are expected to cast their ballots online before Jan. 1. There are 50 nominees in five categories. Winners will be announced in January, and living inductees will be invited to an awards ceremony at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark in June.
Past luminaries include Meryl Streep, Bruce Springsteen, Shaquille O'Neal and Albert Einstein.
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Read more:
More news with Irish roots from IrishCentral
Elderly priest refuses to leave parochial house after abuse allegations
Irish and Catholic groups protest nomination of cartoonist into Hall of Fame
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Tooreenagrena | Dec 21, 2011, 07:42 AM EST
Albert Speer was a talented architech. Should we celebrate that and ignore everything else?
buffaloirishman | Dec 20, 2011, 06:08 PM EST
The argument that the culture of the times excuse this man's bigotry means we would still have slavery and women not voting. Stand up and be counted as a person against bigotry.
eiriamach | Dec 20, 2011, 04:44 PM EST
Wondering how to vote for a Hall of Fame candidate? Just put the words ' nj hall of fame ' in a Google or other search engine, and it should turn up links, including a link to the voting site. Go ahead, vote! It would be good to see Nast end up with the lowest number of votes. (Joyce Carol Oates is a good alternative.)
PhlutiePhan | Dec 20, 2011, 03:52 PM EST
Thomas Nast was very talented. I do not agree with his philosophy, however. As someone of Irish-German Catholic ethnicity, I would question whether his German immigrant status might not have something to do with his villification.
Tedmiller | Dec 19, 2011, 11:38 PM EST
In the context of modern Irish political thought, I would brand Thomas Nast as a bigoted, anti-Irish cultural racist. However, in the political culture of his time, he was a brilliant satirist and a talented cartoonist. As a recent emigre from Europe his economic survival and his fortunes were tied to his graphic interpretations of the contemporary political climate. Our quandry is that we must rail against his xenophobia while at the same time honoring his astute social and political works, including Santa Claus and the original graphcs interpretations of the American political parties of his day.
Rebelforce | Dec 19, 2011, 08:36 PM EST
Why doesn't Irishcentral provide a link to this website so that concerned Irish-Americans can cast a vote against Nast's bigotry?
Rebelforce | Dec 19, 2011, 08:25 PM EST
Can you imagine if "100% Irish" State Senator Dick Codey excused Adolf Hitler's anti-semitism by saying, "Adolf Hitler's anti-Jewish bigotry has to be put into proper perspective. He was just going along with the antisemitism of his times. I don't think he should be crucified for that."
rugbyplayer | Dec 19, 2011, 08:25 PM EST
Irish jingoists, leave old Nast alone.
eiriamach | Dec 19, 2011, 07:37 PM EST
Nast is not likely to end up in the NJ Hall of Fame. The category he is nominated in has several much more popular figures, and each voter is allowed to vote for only one in this category: Alexander Calder, Alfred Stieglitz, Charles Addams, Doris Duke, Dorothy Parker, Dorothy Porter Wesley, Joyce Carol Oates, Milton Friedman, Thomas Nast, Gov. Tom Kean.
stephen1553 | Dec 19, 2011, 06:09 PM EST
Bishops as crocodiles attacking schoolchildren' No problem with that timely, or rather timeless analogy" quote REdBranch Bulleye but you have to add in the 10000 or so priests who per SNAP molested children also. While the bishops hid the problem and moved the vile priests to new locations. where they continued their crimes while keeping the collection plates full. And why were the victims 80% male - bercause there were not any alter girls until fairly recently.
seanomelbourne | Dec 19, 2011, 05:24 PM EST
Those of us who condone such venomous cartoons demean the tragedies their forbearers endured at the hands of bigots and races.
cillowen | Dec 19, 2011, 02:52 PM EST
The Hall of Shame cartoonist, Thomas Nast, was a racist pure and simple. Honoring such a German SICKO immigrant would say much for the land of the pure. Of course the many quisling Irish like Sen. Richard Codey, who claims to be "100% Irish," crawl about as per usual. Those Reagan, Buckley, O'Reilly, Hannity would fall nicely with such an niche.
RedBranch | Dec 19, 2011, 01:46 PM EST
'Bishops as crocodiles attacking schoolchildren' No problem with that timely, or rather timeless analogy
merefalow | Dec 19, 2011, 12:55 PM EST
ITS A HARD ONE,no one likes being stereotyped but the irish comedians are great at taking the mickey out of ourselves,WE ARE BIG ENOUGH TO TAKE THIS.it was a political comment of the time, and as i hate all forms of censorship i think, IT SHOULD BE ALLOWED.THE JEWS HAVE ENDURED THE SAME HORRIBLE STEREOTYPING,big noses etc,censorship is far worse,i hope we have gone beyond issuing fatwa's against people for drawing offensive cartoons,its called living in a free society or democracy..which i incidently believe to be under severe threat,,as the bill going through congress to control the internet proves..
Nanajolie | Dec 19, 2011, 12:21 PM EST
If Nast were truly someone to merit being in Hall of Fame, he would not have depicted anyone in a derogatory manner - he would have taken high road and depicted the strengths and positive pints, not what he judged to be negative character traits. the same would apply today to any new people entering a country.
MikeRock | Dec 19, 2011, 11:35 AM EST
Codey's a political WIMP.
RthrBHistCorr | Dec 19, 2011, 10:44 AM EST
'However, state Sen. Richard Codey, who says he is "100% Irish," disagrees. "No one hates a stereotype more than me," he said. "But it seems that [Nast] just went along with the thinking of the time. I don't think he should be crucified for that." ' Isn't that what they said at Nuremberg Senator Cody?
bostonblakie | Dec 19, 2011, 10:40 AM EST
Nothing could be more tragic than a self righteous bigot. His narrow views have since been relegated to history's dust bin.
Murph46 | Dec 19, 2011, 10:01 AM EST
What would you expect from a state that brought us Jersey Shores and ex Gov.John (I don't know where that $1.2 Billion went) Corzine!
casswriter | Dec 19, 2011, 09:20 AM EST
I think you mean "tenor" not "tenure."