This is satire. New Yorker is a liberal magazine.
Now here is the 800 pound gorilla that no one wants to talk about. Maybe I'm the only one, and so what, but Michelle Obama is kinda... hot.
Yea...damn, Al we must REALLY think alike because the Afro plus fatigue look reminds me of Angela Davis circa 1970..yea kind of hot..lol....but being that this is satire & a liberal mag, I still think the joke is lost and Obama is not laughing...with friends like these...
Those white devils are trying to make them both look more militant to make white America more afraid to vote for Obama
I have also posted a reference to the New Yorker cover art on my blog. There is a distinct difference between satire and crossing the line into racism and xenophobia which the New Yorker did when allowing this issue to go to print.
And what makes this even more disturbing is that the New Yorker is very much an elitist publication-there is satire and then there is vitriol. And Black folks need to get off that kick that the conservatives are the problem....as AL from Bayshore has pointed out teh New Yorker is an established leftist mag. But Black folks are so sure the Right are the enemy....time to think again.
Has anyone read the article?
My colleague stated that the article summarizes Obama’s political climb. She said it basically paints the picture that these right-wing allegations, depicted on the cover, are ridiculous.
Hopefully this media frenzy will force many individuals, who questions Obama’s origins, to address their doubts since there has been an outcry against the cover.
I may be the only black person who would thank Jesse for his statement because Barack has certainly benefited from it. First Jesse, now this, I'm really starting to believe that these incidences are all planned.
Hi there Afronerd!!
Thanks for calling attention to this!
I have been seeing this image all over the blogosphere very recently and it is OUTRAGEOUSLY racist and offensive...
So if this publication wants to do a feature on sexism...it's okay to show Michelle Obama squatting on all fours with a dog chain around her neck? What more does it take before we start FLOODING these publications with complaints?
Phone number:
800-825-2510
(This is the number for the Subscriptions Department but people can ask to be connected to David Miller.)
Or they can write a letter:
David Miller
Associate Publisher
The New Yorker
4 Times Square
New York, NY 10036
david_miller@newyorker.com
shouts@newyorker.com
fax: 212-286-5024
Peace, blessings and DUNAMIS!
Lisa
Lisa, I'm with you on this sis!....I will post your info in a few moments and Isiah, I hear you but cover is intentionally misleading and that's the point, the photo overshadows the what good the article was supposed to convey...it's like many of the graphic novels that I have read in the past-the hero is at the brink of death but when you read the actual story.....nothing! It's cheap and a cop out and if anything, false advertising.....BOOO!
Satire my ass. If that were the case then they would've done a cove on McCain as well. Someone needs their paycheck snatched.
Doesn't satire have to have some element of truth for it to actually be satire?
Grant it the article may be insightful, supportive and even well written. however the problem lies with the fact that the New Yorker is not a magazine that everyone reads. It is an intellectual and usually a great read, however people who don't regularly read it are not going to read the darn article they just see the picture. The ish does not work at all.
Folks,
The illustration did what it was supposed to do and that is draw attention to itself. It took all the mischaracterisations and compiled it into one image.
Does the image give a fair representation of the Obama's? Is the image in good taste? Probably not, but I think their intention leaned more to selling magazines than to damage Barack and Michelle. Brothers and sisters, let's not turn this into the Danish cartoon riots shall we?
I have to completely admit that when I first saw the cover I was a little confused. Looking at the hat on Obama's head I thought they were saying he was a sailor!
But however, I'm still not upset about this. The New Yorker has a long, long history of satiric covers lapooning famous people and this is another one. Taking every lie and stereotype said, written or heard about the Obamas and turning it on their head. If this cover had been on something like Mad magazine or the late National Lampoon magazine would anybody have been upset? The fear that people have is that people will see that cover and believe it. However, the morons who would who would are definitely not the type of people who would even look or read the New Yorker...if they could read at all
"Doesn't satire have to have some element of truth for it to actually be satire?"
Yes, and the picture does. As some others have pointed out, it's a visual rendering of some of the smears against the Obamas. It's supposed to show how ridiculous they are and, in my view, it does. In addition, the picture is intended to contrast with the real story of Obama's rise to power from the Chicago political scene. It's a good, informative story that doesn't exactly paint a rosy picture of old Barry but does how insane the notion that he is a radical fundamentalist Muslim is.
I think that the problem with this whole thing is that the artist just thought that the context of this was implicit. Honestly, he should have counted on the fact that there are those of us on the left that live and die to be offended. Y'all get to marching though.
Let's be clear with what this is REALLY about...it's about a minimally read magazine (that I DO read on occasion) that decided to throw Senator Obama’s imagery under the bus for profit. There are many ways that the satire element could have been conveyed (perhaps with a thought balloon…fantasy vs reality) and that would have worked. Any irony, humor or parody was lost because there was no context….the premise sucked and again, this is from the liberals…..with friends like these who needs enemies. Time to spread your vote Black folks!
There will be a show about this very topic on "The Elle Word" blogtalkradio show at 10 pm this evening.
Callers are encouraged to call in and weigh in on the controversial New Yorker magazine cover!
Join us at www.blogtalkradio.com/gabriellet at 10 pm call in and let us know your opinions!
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