Slavery cartoon To the Editor: A recent cartoon, drawn by artist Abdi Farah, ("Opinion Art," DP, 11/6/06) depicts Uncle Sam and a college professor, accompanied by a chained African American slave, glaring at Amy Gutmann. Uncle Sam points and says, "We knew the always progressive Penn would eventually support terrorism!" In the forefront, Amy Gutmann stands confidently, while a benevolent Ben Franklin comes to her defense. "At least we never supported slavery," Ben says. The cartoon is obviously referring to Gutmann's controversial Halloween picture in relation to Brown's recently discovered slavery ties, but the cartoon is historically misleading. Benjamin Franklin was at one time a slave owner, just like the Brown family. He owned two slaves named George and King, and his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, regularly ran ads concerning the sale and purchase of slaves in Philadelphia. Franklin eventually freed his slaves and became a prominent abolitionist, but the cartoon neglects the fact that even Franklin at one time supported the institution of slavery. I hope your opinion artists are more considerate of history the next time they use our founder's image as a promotional tool.
Adam Bartolanz College sophomore
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.