Not only have both Obama's and McCain's campaigns criticized The New Yorker's choice, but there has been a broad-based backlash from liberals across the nation: the cover is racist, in poor taste, bound to be misused in the wrong hands, bound to be misunderstood by the majority of the population, sends the wrong message.
If you looked back on the covers of The New Yorker over the years, you would find a vast supply of political satire--we might say, the magazine has come to be count on for some searing cultural critique through its cover art. Why has this recent piece of satire apparently fallen flat?
How does race and racism factor into the satire and the overwhelmingly negative responses?
4 comments:
Everyone is so scared to offend or be classified as a racist that satire, humor at Senator Obama's expense and anything else that implies(intentionally or not) that he is anything less than an amazing political pioneer shattering racial boundries is completely off limits. As Maureen Dowd pointed out in her NY Times column yesterday, his apparent over sensativity and lack of a sense of humor will end up alienating voters and depressing those of us who were once inspired by what is rapidly becoming a stuffy, robotic, Gore 04-like figure.
I think that the press is upset that they can't find anything "concrete" about Obama unlike Jesse Jackson who would like to cut off Obama's testicles. Michelle and Barack seem to have a good marriage and it's nice to see a strong, Black woman grace the cover of Newsweek. I think the New Yorker's cover was over the top but I also found it funny. Michelle was rocking the 'fro and Barack rocking the turban...you gotta love it!!!
Having grown up with The New Yorker on my coffee table, I see it as political satire, no ifs ands or buts. However, our country has taken it and ran. As blackberry said, they have nothing to say, so this is their chance to bring focus to something on the cover of a magazine. If you look at the demographics that read The New Yorker, its mainly middle to upper class men. This, IN MY OPINION, stems back to ignorance. This is simply supposed to be funny, but has been blown waaayyy off the deepend by many individuals. This is the kind of thing thats wrong with America.
I"m sorry I don't know how to hyperlink but this website http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/tuesday/nation/ny-uscamp155763979jul15,0,7331801.story says it all to me. The cartoon was created to be satirical and express the misinformation that is conceptualized by many Americans.Obama has many stereotypes that can be used against him like the fact that he is half black, he is supported by both black and white americans, and just for that fact he is despised by both black and white americans. He was given a name when he was born that happens to be the root of all terrorism these days andd it is used against him negatively and accused of being Muslim. Why would America want a half-black muslin in office? The answer, we don't want to admit that this guy of many races and backgrounds may actually have the knowledge and skill that we may need to succeed and answer our cries when faced with war. The fact that the cartoon was considered racist is a joke because it trying to justify what the americans are fearing and reluctantly pulling away from, because of his color they will not accept a man of dignity. People need to ignore the visual faux pas that make this running president stand out negatively. The point is to listen to his message and not to focus on his visual differences from what our presidents typically are.
Post a Comment