There has never been a time, presently or in history, where calling somebody a "monkey" meant white, while it is most definitely presently and historically used as a racist slur for black people. It's just self-defeating to pretend that the history and direct current use doesn't exist and therefore make it far more offensive to people to use an image of a black person that way.
It isn't okay to use it for a white guy, I agree. But that doesn't make it better or "okay" to use it for a black guy either. I'd prefer that the GOP take the high road and simply end association of any human pictured as a simian than get behind and defend this usage because "they did it to Bush"...
I will not waste one iota of my energy trying to, or appearing to, defend it. It's wrong to picture humans as simians, it was wrong for Bush, it is wrong to do it with Obama's image.
It isn't okay to use it for a white guy, I agree. But that doesn't make it better or "okay" to use it for a black guy either. I'd prefer that the GOP take the high road and simply end association of any human pictured as a simian than get behind and defend this usage because "they did it to Bush"...
I will not waste one iota of my energy trying to, or appearing to, defend it. It's wrong to picture humans as simians, it was wrong for Bush, it is wrong to do it with Obama's image.