Martyn Bradbury has got himself into a whole heap of trouble over this seriously anti-semitic image he posted to The Daily Blog.
Despite criticism from all quarters, Bradbury insisted on Twitter that the image was not anti-semitic but that it was 'anti-consumerism satire'. The fact that anti-semitic groups and websites invariably try to link the activities of the banks and capitalism generally with a vast worldwide 'Jewish conspiracy' seems, at best, to have escaped Bradbury.
Bradbury requested that links be provided to prove the image was anti-semitic. A link was duly delivered and the image disappeared from The Daily Blog.
In a new post he alleges that two bloggers in particular, Giovanni Tiso and Russel Brown , launched the Twitter 'attack' against him, despite the fact that many other people have posted tweets critical of Bradbury's decision to post the image.
It would of been enough for Bradbury to simply issue an apology for making a wrong editorial decision but he is still insisting that the picture is an anti-capitalist piece of satire and that 'it was removed to stop any offense being taken and to end any opportunity by Tiso and Brown to denigrate this blog any more than they usually do.'
It is somewhat surprising that Bradbury is claiming anti-capitalist 'credentials' for the picture since, as a monotonously loud supporter of the neoliberal policies of David Cunliffe and the Labour Party, he has never shown any support for anti-capitalist politics in the past.
People who have been critical of Bradbury have found themselves being 'unfollowed' by him on Twitter, which includes this writer. Fear not, I will survive this tremendous setback.
A Google image search for "evil santa" brings up multiple incidences of that image, used in a whole lot of different contexts. Unfortunately they provide little clue as to its original authorship or intent. I feel that far too much credit is given to the crackpot site linked to above, as it's plainly beyond the thin talents of its authors to have originated something of that quality. As far as anti-semitic intent goes, it's all in the context. For example, I don't see any anti-Jewish intent in this Miguel Gallardo cover for Barcelona's left-leaning El Vibora. Then there's Daniel Emilfork's disastrously creepy Santa from the 1995 film City of Lost Children. Again, you'd have to put yourself through some serious intellectual contortions to divine any anti-semitic intent, though the raw images aren't too different from the one in the item that Bradbury happily lifted. Intention counts for a lot here. I'm not championing the People's Prick, I'm simply suggesting that he's copping stick for having pilfered an already-modified image that just happens to have been used in an entirely different context by a bunch of barking bigots. When there are propaganda points to be scored it's too much to expect credit to be given to the intentions of original image creators.
ReplyDeleteIt would be helpful if Bradbury indicated where the image comes from.
ReplyDeleteI note that this particular Santa has had a Illuminati badge stuck on his hat The Illuminati conspiracy alleges that they are the promoters of Zionism and the 'New World Order'.
I'd assumed that the illuminati badge was a joke, though of course one should probably leave one's sense of humour at the door when visiting The Daily Blog. If Bradbury made the image he posted, or had it specially made, it'd help if he somehow indicated that. Whatever, the original Santa image certainly gets around.
ReplyDeleteWhat kills me is you using a picture (on the right) straight out of Bolshevik Russia.
ReplyDelete-- INCOG MAN
Publish my comments cowards.
I appreciate the points that Joe W makes but the fact remains is that this picture should not of been posted.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Bradbury is anti-semitic but I do think he is guilty of some lousy editorial judgement. As Steve says, Bradbury should of just owned up to his mistake. Instead he continues to dig a deeper hole for himself.
He is also doing The Daily Blog no favors. Do the blog's sponsors like being caught up in something like this? I doubt it.
To Incog Man: I have published the mildest of your two comments. The other comment was simply offensive.
ReplyDeleteFor whatever it's worth, the original evil santa artwork is by renowned German caricaturist Sebastian Kruger. When he's good he's very good indeed.
ReplyDelete