At first when I saw this picture I was not sure what to make of it but as I began to look into the fact that The New Yorker actually made this their cover I became slightly enraged. Is this really where we are at in our current state that we can make political jokes about a very lame 9/11 Osama Bin Laden / Barack Obama connection. I understand that this should be so smart as to be funny, as though we are all ready to laugh at the stupidity of the connection that many try to make between the two, but I am certain that this was ill timed and in poor taste. I do not pretend to understand the intentions of all but I do believe myself to be educated enough to understand the difference between satire and down right tackiness.
I hope that many people see this cover and rather than feel intrigued just keep walking.
4 comments:
Couldn't agree more. Regardless of who you are going to vote for, this was just plain stupid. Who could possible think that his was a commentary on our politics. I think if I was Mrs. Obama I would be more upset than him. She isn't running for political office and who ever thought she was a terrorist? The flag burning in the fireplace was also a real nice touch.
I like your new blog background. Nice color.
I agree with you. I get their point but was this necessary?
And did Michelle Obama have to have a fro and big lips?
I also like that they are bumping fists, so very afro-centric and hip. I guess they really wanted to drive the point of the article "the fear of politics" home to readers. Too bad that most people will not and are not ready for this type of in your face journalism.
I like the new background also :)
I think they were giving Michelle the Angela Davis look since a lot of Extreme Rights view them as members of a "black power"-esque movement as can be seen by the media's love of Obama's (now ex) minister.
As far as the overall image itself goes I agree that there is a difference between satire and tasteless. I am not sure this falls completely into either category though. The lies and misconceptions surrounding the Obamas have been impressively inaccurate and exaggerated. Things like him refusing to say the pledge of allegiance, being raised as a extreme Muslim, etc etc... I think throwing it in our faces like this in an uncomfortable way makes us really take a step back and see how much it has all spiraled into such a trashy perception of two people.
On the trashy side I think they took it way too far, a less obvious approach could have gotten the same message across without pictorially desecrating symbols that are so dear to many Americans.
Great post Vickie! Definitely got me thinking at 2am when I should be sound asleep :)
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