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The New Yorker cover

puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
edited July 2008 in A Moving Train
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080714/pl_politico/11719


It shows Obama's wife Michelle with an Afro and an AK-47 and the two of them doing the fist bump with Senator Obama in a turban head wrap and the American flag burning in the fireplace.
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Is it really satire or have they gone to far?
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Comments

  • DriftingByTheStormDriftingByTheStorm Posts: 8,684
    Gone to far, like they should be hauled off to a secret camp and executed along with the 9/11 truthers?

    Or "gone to far", as in, simple poor taste.

    If it's simple poor taste,
    how bout just ignore the magazine, and not give it further publicity?

    :D
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  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    Either that, or some people have lost complete ability to detect humor or sarcasm.


    Humorless Nation.....The Red, The White and The Blue. The Braindead, The Uptight and The Shrew
  • Urban HikerUrban Hiker Posts: 1,312
    I love satire. It is satire. The risk with satire is, "Will people get it?"

    When they don't, something like this causes a HUGE shit storm.
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  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    NMyTree wrote:
    Either that, or some people have lost complete ability to detect humor or sarcasm.

    I guess I'm one of those folks....

    If you would, could you point out the humor for me....I missed it...
  • blackredyellowblackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    I think that is too far, especially when some people do view the Obamas that way.

    What's next, showing McCain all decrypted in a wheelchair pressing the button to nuclear bomb the middle east, while having flashbacks of his POW days?
    My whole life
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  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    inmytree wrote:
    I guess I'm one of those folks....

    If you would, could you point out the humor for me....I missed it...

    It's poking fun at the idiots in this country who still perceive Obama as a Muslim and have gone about attacking his wife. It's poking fun at the American people and media. Not at Obama and his wife.
  • farfromglorifiedfarfromglorified Posts: 5,696
    Is it really satire or have they gone to far?

    Since there's no such thing as "too far" in terms of speech and since this fits every definition of satire, I'll go with "satire".
  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    blackredyellow wrote:
    ....... especially when some people do view the Obamas that way.

    That's the point.
  • nobodynobody Posts: 353
    Urban Hiker wrote:
    I love satire. It is satire. The risk with satire is, "Will people get it?"

    When they don't, something like this causes a HUGE shit storm.

    isn't satire supposed to be an overblown picture of reality with comical effect?
    so either this isn't satire, or the people from new yorker have no sense for reality whatsoever...
    or if it's a charicature of people's weird imaginations about the Obamas...then it is satire;)

    m.
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  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    nobody wrote:
    or if it's a charicature of people's weird imaginations about the Obamas...then it is satire;)

    nobody=Gets It!!


    And for the humor-challenged

    My three words are in fact a double entendre
  • nobodynobody Posts: 353
    NMyTree wrote:
    nobody=Gets It!!


    And for the humor-challenged

    My three words are in fact a double entendre

    well, only after I read the new yorkers explanation...;)
    first I thought I remembered it being a "rightwing" magazine though;)...wikipedia told me differently...

    m.
    Godwin's Law:
    "As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    I didn't even read the article, lol.

    But I knew what all the whining and feigned-outrage was about. And I certainly knew what the conceptual art was supposed to mean. Really not complicated to figure out.
  • anothercloneanotherclone Posts: 1,688
    You know what? Politically intelligent people realize this is satire. I would think the Obama campaign even realizes it is satire. I'm sure the fear of the campaign is the so-called "low information voters", who will take that picture and run with it in a completely different direction.
  • inmytreeinmytree Posts: 4,741
    NMyTree wrote:
    It's poking fun at the idiots in this country who still perceive Obama as a Muslim and have gone about attacking his wife. It's poking fun at the American people and media. Not at Obama and his wife.

    hmmmm....I guess I missed it...

    you know, portraying Mrs. Obama as a Black Panther Ghetto Mama and Mr. Obama as 'secret Muslim' who hates America is Gold!!! Pure Gold...!!!!

    oh, the humour, pish posh...
  • nobodynobody Posts: 353
    anotherclone wrote:
    You know what? Politically intelligent people realize this is satire. I would think the Obama campaign even realizes it is satire. I'm sure the fear of the campaign is the so-called "low information voters", who will take that picture and run with it in a completely different direction.

    in a time in which flag-pins, middle names, traditional clothes, fist bumps, and the like are politicized, it is at times hard for the (foreign) observer to tell satire from reality...;)

    m.
    Godwin's Law:
    "As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    anotherclone wrote:
    You know what? Politically intelligent people realize this is satire. I would think the Obama campaign even realizes it is satire. I'm sure the fear of the campaign is the so-called "low information voters", who will take that picture and run with it in a completely different direction.

    Absolutely.

    Hey, I'm not an Obama supporter....won't vote for him. But as it has already been proven, there are an awful lot of ignorant and uptight Americans. So you can't really blame Obama for "having to" put out a statment like that so the brickheads don't lose their ever-Jesus-Loving Minds.
  • NMyTreeNMyTree Posts: 2,374
    nobody wrote:
    in a time in which flag-pins, middle names, traditional clothes, fist bumps, and the like are politicized, it is at times hard for the (foreign) observer to tell satire from reality...;)

    m.

    I imagine foreigners would be confused by all of this. You have to really be familiar with this countries political landscape and our interesting population; to really get it.
  • nobodynobody Posts: 353
    NMyTree wrote:
    I imagine foreigners would be confused by all of this. You have to really be familiar with this countries political landscape and our interesting population; to really get it.

    oh, I'm quite into it (mostly for its entertainment value)...not so much into the magazine landscape though;)
    so I made the conclusion that it came from "the other side", which wouldn't have surprised me if it was actually meant as real...;)

    m.
    Godwin's Law:
    "As an internet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    Urban Hiker wrote:
    I love satire. It is satire. The risk with satire is, "Will people get it?"

    When they don't, something like this causes a HUGE shit storm.


    agreed.


    and even if one 'gets it'.....sometimes, it's still in poor taste. so i'd say, not really well done satire in any case. i should at least laugh, and then feel guilty. :p and i did neither.
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  • anothercloneanotherclone Posts: 1,688
    There is an article on mediamatters.org that references a random poll regarding the cover. 60% of the respondents say the picture isn't "too far from the truth of the dangerous Obama family". Granted, the poll is non-scientific and not from a reliable source, but still...

    http://mediamatters.org/items/200807140002?f=h_top
  • MrBrianMrBrian Posts: 2,672
    Making a joke or going for some satire is fine. But when it involves Obama and the muslim thing....ooops. Can't touch that.
    ---

    But on that note, The cover was just weak. shouldve been much better. I mean you have probably one chance for this and all they can come up with is that?

    A better cover would be a cartoon Obama, standing at a podium giving a speech with all his Muslim family members (from kenya) dressed in normal kenyan garb sitting behind him. Then have a bubble coming out of obama reading "I am not a muslim, and I have never been one"

    ok, perhaps thats = bad
  • cincybearcatcincybearcat Posts: 16,497
    Are people just lookign for ways to get upset and offended anymore?
    hippiemom = goodness
  • JaneNYJaneNY Posts: 4,438
    It is totally satire. I agree with anotherclone's point that the Obama campaign could be worried about how some uninformed people might take it the wrong way:
    anotherclone wrote:
    You know what? Politically intelligent people realize this is satire. I would think the Obama campaign even realizes it is satire. I'm sure the fear of the campaign is the so-called "low information voters", who will take that picture and run with it in a completely different direction.
    but it is clear to me it is satire. Very edgy, but satire on what too many uninformed people are thinking, putting it out in the open like: 'there - is that how you think it is?'

    Remember, The New Yorker (I haven't received this issue yet, but I've subscribed for quite a few years) is the magazine that runs the Seymour Hersh articles, the latest of which is on Iran and US involvement there. He writes a lot of things that makes him persona non grata with the current administration.
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  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    so weve got michelle obama looking a little like angela davis and obama looking a little osama. hmmm lighten up i say. :D

    personally if i were michelle obama id be honoured to be depicted as someone similar to angela davis. though i do imagine it might suck during an election campaign. *shrugs*
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  • DixieNDixieN Posts: 351
    I can see this both ways. It's trying to walk a fine line and succeeding with some and failing with others. It was just making fun of some people's idiocy, but it might just feed that same idiocy. Instead of dousing the flames, it could fan them. Many people seeing the cover won't read the article. What they'll be left with is an image with little context but pre-existing possible prejudices. It could, in fact, accomplish the exact opposite of what it hopes for...instilling racism rather than negating it. A lot of people just don't read. It's a very image-driven society we live in. I don't blame Obama for hitting back, since it could play as unintended swift boating.
  • FiveB247xFiveB247x Posts: 2,330
    Elections are public relations campaigns - more so than political conversations. Look around our nation - we should be used to seeing such rubbish by now... but the real sad part of such a thing, is that people buy into it and believe it. It helps formulate their notion of a person, candidate or party. George Carlin once did a bit on Barbara Bush, saying basically the Reading Is Fundamental campaign isn't a good idea. Any idiot can learn to read, but understanding, questioning and comprehending the material is really the important part. So think of that the next time you see an article, newspaper or any dumby saying they read such and such...
    CONservative governMENt

    Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    MrBrian wrote:
    Making a joke or going for some satire is fine. But when it involves Obama and the muslim thing....ooops. Can't touch that.
    ---

    But on that note, The cover was just weak. shouldve been much better. I mean you have probably one chance for this and all they can come up with is that?

    A better cover would be a cartoon Obama, standing at a podium giving a speech with all his Muslim family members (from kenya) dressed in normal kenyan garb sitting behind him. Then have a bubble coming out of obama reading "I am not a muslim, and I have never been one"

    ok, perhaps thats = bad

    and buses. let's not forget buses ;)

    zomg!!!! teh obamanation iz going to kill ur nice old white ladiez and frow dem under teh bus!!!!!

    lock up your mommas and grammas.
  • Im still hereIm still here Posts: 826
    hahahahahahahaha

    that's some funny shit
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  • BrokenGlassBrokenGlass Posts: 298
    The New Yorker magazine covers are always titled, and the title is listed on the index page. This cover is entitled "The Politics of Fear". Make sense now?

    Obama's reaction to this is disappointing to me. His response about it being over the top and reinforcing lies that have circulated was really old-school politico-speak. I would have liked it a lot better if he would have said, "It's satire, it's not to be taken literally, it's The New Yorker, for God's sakes."
    Lighten up, Barack.
  • AnonAnon Posts: 11,175
    Of course it is satire, and if nothing else, it's meant to represent the absurdity of some of what Obama has been saddled with.

    More than anything I think this is a commentary on how far this country has fallen. You have to be concerned about this picture if you’re Obama because you know that some of the people in this country won’t actually READ the article and see that the cover is not meant as a serious portrayal of Obama.

    It's comical reading some of the comments that people left. There were many left by people who felt that the cartoon depicted the true obama and michelle.

    like this..

    If the shoe fits, where it.

    people actually believe it is true. god help us all.

    And seriously, the cartoon sucked anyway. I can't believe they didn't put Jeremiah Wright in there too. What were they thinking.
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