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Sunday, July 13, 2008
The cover of the latest New Yorker...
In case you can't tell, that's a drawing of Barack and Michelle Obama. Michelle is dressed like some kind of militant black nationalist and Barack is wearing something like the traditionial garb he had on in this picture (i.e. he's supposed to look like a scary Muslim.)
Osama's picture is above the fire place, in which an American flag cheerfully burns.
They're doing the terrorist fist-pump thing, too, and probably plotting out the best way to ruin America.
Obama initially had no reaction to news of this cover, but his campaign is not happy.
As a satire of the fears still surrounding Obama in the minds of many Americans, I think the cover is pretty good, actually.
(See here for the Washington Post's report on fears about Obama from those in Findlay, Ohio, a small town just a short distance from my present location. Here's a quote from someone in Findlay indicating that the New Yorker's satire might just be on target: "I understand he's from Africa, and that the first thing he's going to do if he gets into office is bring his family over here, illegally. He's got that racist [pastor] who practically raised him, and then there's the Muslim thing. He's just not presidential material, if you ask me.")
At the same time, some of Obama's ardent supporters on the left are criticizing the New Yorker's decision to use this cover because they're afraid that most Americans won't get the joke. Instead, the cover will just strengthen the "Obama = Muslim" meme that's already on people's minds. Check the comments on this Huffington Post thread for typical reactions (or you could go here for even more extreme condemnation from the left.)
The New Yorker can be found here.
Posted by Terrence Watson on July 13, 2008 | Permalink
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Comments
Oh my, how dare they, especially with the American (and Canadians even more) gushing and heaping endless praise for Obama. Now were this to take place in Canada, they would be hauled into the people's tribunal.
Clearly Obama was a practising Muslim at one time. According to Islam, once a Muslim always a Muslim. Whether or not Obama in his own mind is still Muslim one does not know. As for the cartoon and as the saying goes - where there is smoke there is fire.
Posted by: Alain | 2008-07-13 8:00:35 PM
Alain,
According to some scholars, it's permissible for _any_ Muslim to execute an apostate. Poor Obama!
Heh, and I agree: in Canada, the New Yorker might find itself on the end of a human rights complaint.
Best,
Terrence
Posted by: Terrence Watson | 2008-07-13 8:07:25 PM
I always dreamed Obama would wear a Black Panther outfit to his inaugural. "Awww right, white people! Time for change! Da chickens' have come home to roost, m-fers!" His VP = Mumia Abu Jamal. I can already imagine Rep. Pelosi and Sen. Byrd filling out the impeachment papers.
Obama is not a Muslim. His stepfather was, but considered himself non-religious and did not push it on to his stepson. Moreover, Obama has been a faithful Christian for most of his life. Please get your facts straight.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-07-13 8:22:15 PM
Zebulon,
You're right: Obama is not a Muslim (and I won't add Hillary Clinton's craven caveat "as far as I know.") I was just thinking that if there are Muslims out there who think he was once one, and who take the apostasy stuff seriously, then they should think that it would be permissible for them to take violent action against Obama.
Terrence
Posted by: Terrence Watson | 2008-07-13 8:39:23 PM
I'm sure that 99.9% of Muslims in the United States would look favorably on Obama, perhaps because he has had first-hand experience with Muslims. He lived in Indonesia for a while as a youth. What a change that would be from Bush.
Of course, there's always the .1% who may disagree. On the other hand, they'd probably want to get him anyway because he'd be President.
Posted by: Zebulon Pike | 2008-07-13 9:13:18 PM
Alain,
you wrote "Clearly Obama was a practising Muslim at one time".
And you base that on the fact that he attended a Catholic school while living in Indonesia? There are absolutely no facts what so ever to give you any "clear" or any other kind of evidence that he was a Muslim.
Stop. Think.
Your lies are just that, lies. No matter whom you would support if you could vote, lies are not the way to do it.
Posted by: Lynn | 2008-07-13 9:44:04 PM
A source tells me that Michelle's M.A. (of PhD?) thesis was quite virluently racist, and she tried to suppress its dissemination when Barack threw his hat into the ring. Does anyone have any better information on that?
Posted by: Grant Brown | 2008-07-13 11:36:56 PM
Here's the thesis
1985_Michelle_LaVaughn_Robinson_PrincetonThesis_OCR_pp1-98.pdf
"Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community"
http://www.badongo.com/file/10381704
enjoy!
Posted by: T.Bill deValue | 2008-07-14 1:25:27 AM
No Lynn what I said is not a lie. Just because you do not like the message does not mean it is a lie. According to members of his own family I was at one time a practising Muslim. Still no matter since according to the Koran if your father is a Muslim, you are one like it or not.
As for voting for him I certainly would not but not because of the above. There are definite and profound reasons not to vote for him or any Democrat.
Posted by: Alain | 2008-07-14 1:40:46 AM
Clicked too fast. According to members of his own family he was at one time a practising Muslim.
Posted by: Alain | 2008-07-14 1:44:50 AM
Remember the Danish cartoons depicting Muhammad? Both Obamma and McCain had a great opportunity to show the rest of the world that we believe in and treasure the free press in America. Both failed to do so. And, look at all the people upset. Look at all the people just as upset and crazy as after the Danish cartoon situation. This is a freedom of the press and freedom of speech issue. It doesn't matter if I or anyone else appreciates the satire or disagrees with the NewYorker for publishing this cover. The fact of the matter is, we should be proud to live where it can be published and where the press can distribute ideas. Most of the articles and many responses to them I've read indicate that a lot of people have forgotten the most basic and best reason to love America. We can exchange ideas and information freely. We are free to agree or disagree with one another. We can even publish a cartoon if we want.
Posted by: RL | 2008-07-14 2:14:17 AM
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Posted by: Sara S | 2008-07-14 7:38:09 AM
It's funny how the "satirical" aspect has been lost on our resident idiot, Terence. Your extreme-right brethren in the US are actually quite upset about this (see the National Review), not because of any slander against Obama but because the satire is meant to portray the right-wing media (and its blogging minions, like the inbreds here)as causing hysteria over perceptions about Obama and not due to real concerns about his policies.
Of course, only stupid right wingers could be simultaneously concerned about Obama being Muslim AND his CHRISTIAN pastor, the Rev J. Wright. So what is he? Does he have a Jewish Rabbi that concerns you as well?
And how would you react to a Toronto Star cartoon of Harper driving a pollution-emitting SUV while performing felatio on George W. Bush (the same sort of satire regarding perceptions about our (ahem) esteemed PM (cough)).
Posted by: Paolo G | 2008-07-15 10:11:45 AM
Paolo,
"And how would you react to a Toronto Star cartoon of Harper driving a pollution-emitting SUV while performing felatio on George W. Bush (the same sort of satire regarding perceptions about our (ahem) esteemed PM (cough))."
Sounds about right for the Toronto Star. I'd probably write a post about it on the Shotgun, too, but I wouldn't be outraged. It's hard to get outraged about a cartoon satirizing some politicians -- they all deserve it, for one thing or another.
And I already said that I don't believe Obama is a Muslim. Rather, he's an extremely skilled politician, and that's probably a bit worse in my book.
Best,
Terrence
Posted by: Terrence Watson | 2008-07-15 6:56:18 PM
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