Google Targets Two-Time Pulitzer Prize-Winning Cartoonist, Labeling Art 'Dangerous'

The “feature” image is my cartoon of Andrew Cuomo from 2021. After Cuomo left office, I depicted his COVID incompetency as a butcher covered in blood. It was meant to be “shocking”–a political “butcher” covered in human blood. Yes, it was meant to “sting.” I’m a political cartoonist, and I think I am pretty good. With that said, I am no Michael Ramirez.

I’ve talked about my political cartooning on podcasts and radio interviews. I’ve always mentioned Ramirez because he is the best political cartoonist on Planet Earth. No one comes close. He is Babe Ruth and Willie Mays. He’s the Wilt Chamberlain of cartooning. There are dozens of cartoonists who have won the Pulitzer for political cartooning – none of them come close to Ramirez’s draftsmanship or ideas. His art is often jaw dropping.

But, he will never win another Pulitzer. Why? Because he’s on the wrong end of the political spectrum. He’s a conservative, and that means he’ll never win another Pulitzer. Ever. That is just the reality of journalism today. He’s effectively “banned” from Pulitzer consideration.

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— Michael Ramirez (@Ramireztoons) October 5, 2022

Political cartooning has had an impact on America for close to 200 years. A political cartoonist is responsible for the donkey and the elephant for Dems and GOP, and also invented the character “Uncle Sam.” Political cartoons are meant to “hurt” on occasion and make us think. They are art — often the type of art people remember and talk about for days, sometimes years. Images stay with us. Ramirez has that type of impact.

Now, Google has stepped up its ban game. Google is now targeting art. Ramirez’s art. Google has targeted Michael Ramirez. It has labeled his political cartoons as dangerous and “shocking content.”

See for yourself:

Yet, to Google’s content police, Ramirez’s cartoons are “shocking content” and it is restricting ads on a page where a catalog of them appears.

How do we know this? Because it’s against our site that Google has taken this action.

Google’s AdSense network – which is used by some 3.5 million websites to generate revenue – defines “shocking content” as content that:

contains gruesome, graphic, or disgusting accounts or imagery.
depicts acts of violence.
contains a significant amount of or prominently features obscene or profane language.

Google has denied Issues & Insights appeals. Google also target editorials for “policy violations.”

It’s disgraceful. Google ads allow creators to make money from ads on their sites. There is no way around the facts — Google has targeted art. It’s targeted Ramirez, not because of the art — there are dozens of leftist cartoonist whose cartoon images are “shocking” — but they are on Google’s “side” of politics. They aren’t targeted. Why? Because Google has picked a side.