I am not a nigger.

I do not look like an ape.

I am a beautiful, intelligent, brown-skinned human being and that is how I identify myself.

I am a black American.

Others may perceive me differently (in fact a study released last week claims that Americans still subconsciously associate blacks with apes), but that is really no consequence to me.

These reasons are why I am not upset with the recent New York Post editorial cartoon that pictures two police officers and a dead chimp. Having just shot a rabid chimp, one of the police officers holds a smoking gun while the other police officer says "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

The permed prince of politics, Al Sharpton, spoke out against the cartoon and its racial overtones and the New York Post responded saying that the cartoon "broadly mocks Washington's efforts to revive the economy."

And you know what? I believe them.

When I think of rabid chimps, I think of ALL Washington politicians: banging on tables, yelling incoherently, jumping up and down and waving their arms around in confusion.

The LAST thing I think about when I think of rabid chimps, is President Barack Obama, an intelligent, poised, articulate, handsome man of the people.

But trust that I am no fool. I am fully aware of the history of blacks in America. We were called monkeys and much worse....but why did Sharpton so easily make the jump from police shooting a chimp in a political cartoon, to the thought that this has to be about President Obama?

When it comes to police brutality the black community has seen many instances from Rodney King to Amadou Diallo to Oscar Grant.

But to me, none of these brothers looked like chimps.

When it comes to the stimulus bill, President Obama did pen it, but not alone.

So, to me, this begs the question: Do Al Sharpton -- and other blacks -- find the cartoon offensive because that idea of black people looking like chimps, monkeys and apes is so deeply ingrained in their consciousness?

I thought about this -- this concept and this column -- for a while before I decided to write anything. And my thoughts took me to, of all things, a comedy sketch by Dave Chappelle who asks the hypothetical question: Is the word nigger offensive to black people because they identify themselves as such? 

He proceeds to show a comedy sketch about a white family whose last name happens to be "nigger", The Niggar Family.

"Let's see how offensive the word sounds now," he says.

So if I may, I will answer my own hypothetical question: Do Al Sharpton -- and other blacks -- find the cartoon offensive because that idea of black people looking like chimps, monkeys and apes is so deeply ingrained in their consciousness?

My answer: Yes.

When it comes down to the crux of this situation, Al Sharpton is from another generation. While racism still exists, a cartoon that refers to a rabid chimp being killed and a stimulus package being passed (two events that happened in the same week), is far from racist. But then again, I guess it all depends on your perspective.