RNC chairman candidate defends 'Barack the Magic Negro' song

[Guest]

. . . .

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Isn't it remarkable how it's always "just a joke" when someone uses racistic or sexistic slurs, huh? And whenever you point out that not only is it not vrey funny, but also quite offensive; there are always people who claim that if you don't laugh at these offensive jokes, then you have no sense of humor?

I usually say "I DO have a sense of humor, that's why I'm NOT laughing at this".

 

[voluptuary_manque]

RNC chairman candidate defends 'Barack the Magic Negro' song

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/26/rnc.obama.satire/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

By Rebecca Sinderbrand
CNN

(CNN) -- A candidate for the Republican National Committee chairmanship said Friday the CD he sent committee members for Christmas -- which included a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro" -- was clearly intended as a joke. The title of the song about President-elect Barack Obama was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column.

"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Tennessee Republican Chip Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."

The song, set to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," was first played on conservative political commentator Rush Limbaugh's radio show in 2007.

Its title was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column that suggested President-elect Barack Obama appealed to those who feel guilty about the nation's history of mistreatment of African-Americans. Saltsman said the song, penned by his longtime friend Paul Shanklin, should be easily recognized as satire directed at the Times.

The CD sent to RNC members, first reported by The Hill on Friday, is titled "We Hate the USA" and also includes songs referencing former presidential candidate John Edwards and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, among other targets.

According to The Hill, other song titles, some of which were in bold font, were: "John Edwards' Poverty Tour," "Wright place, wrong pastor," "Love Client #9," "Ivory and Ebony" and "The Star Spanglish Banner."

Saltsman was national campaign manager for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential bid in 2007 and 2008. Before that, he held a variety of posts, including a number of positions under former Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee.



*sigh*

No comment.

And obviously including the one entitled Dumbass of the Century!

And the GOP digs its grave deeper and deeper. What a bunch of horses' asses.

 

[Guest]

*rolls her eyes*
That truly makes me want to bang my head against a wall

 

[cloudy]

The worst part to me is not that one man thought it was funny, but that he was confidant enough that many others would find it funny, also.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Saltsman said he meant nothing untoward by forwarding what amounts to a joke more at Ehrenstein’s expense than at Obama’s.

“Paul Shanklin is a long-time friend, and I think that RNC members have the good humor and good sense to recognize that his songs for the Rush Limbaugh show are light-hearted political parodies,” Saltsman said.

Republicans searching for ways to attack Obama have been hesitant to embrace any reference to his race. Limbaugh presciently predicted his allusion to the column nearly two years ago would win attention from left-leaning organizations that would suggest he was using Obama’s race against him. (TheHill.com)

Gosh, how prescient!

I don't think he'll make chairman now, however. The RNC is treading on thinner ice every day.

 

[Safe_Bet]

Isn't it remarkable how it's always "just a joke" when someone uses racistic or sexistic slurs, huh? And whenever you point out that not only is it not vrey funny, but also quite offensive; there are always people who claim that if you don't laugh at these offensive jokes, then you have no sense of humor?

I usually say "I DO have a sense of humor, that's why I'm NOT laughing at this".

Yeah, pretty remarkable! If I can remind you of a few of YOUR comments sweetie, you thought it was just FINE then. Freak'en hippocrite.

Just in case you "forgot!"



[http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=29106583&postcount=23
http://forum.literotica.com/showpost.php?p=29105624&postcount=18

 

[Stella_Omega]

At least Svenskaflicka isn't running for chairman of anything. So if she's obnoxious once in a while, it doesn't reflect on entire political party...

Of course, there are other members of that party just as obnoxious. remember the Obama Dollars out of southern California?

Also, Svenskaflicka apologised for her gaffe. This asshole claims he doesn't seen anything wrong.

 

[Guest]

. . . .

 

[Stella_Omega]

This group is going to distance themselves from Chip toot sweet, you just watch. The man has removed himself from the running for the chairman's spot.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

This group is going to distance themselves from Chip toot sweet, you just watch. The man has removed himself from the running for the chairman's spot.

Not to mention much of any other spot until people have forgotten who he is. At least that's what I'm hoping. Jeez, what a rat's butt!

 

[Liar]

According to The Hill, other song titles, some of which were in bold font, were: "John Edwards' Poverty Tour," "Wright place, wrong pastor," "Love Client #9," "Ivory and Ebony" and "The Star Spanglish Banner."

*groan*

*sound of head thumping desk*

Never mind if he's offending Obama. He's offending political satire. That's grounds for tar and feathers right there.

 

[shereads]

Never mind if he's offending Obama. He's offending political satire.

My thought exactly.

What is it with these people and the basic concept of satire? Is there a gene missing? I can't think of a single living Republican with any real wit except for P.J. O'Roarke, and I suspect he's a closet liberal (NPR!) Dennis Miller used to be funny; then his manhood was apparently threatened by America's rejection of him as a Monday Night Football commentator, and he turned all right-wing-y and bitter and morphed into an even whinier version of Bill O'Reilly.

If you can set aside the racist factor and consider some of these supposedly satirical song titles from a sheer entertainment standpoint, you can't help but think, "12-year-old boys on a long bus ride." All that's missing is a fart joke.

 

[Miss_Misaki]

Ergh...

I feel bad because I didn't even know the word "negro" was racist. :/ Black people near me say it all the time.

Also, it's the Spanish word for "black," lol.

Look, why do we even bother calling someone a word based purely on skin color, anyway? The only time that should be a factor is when:
A) that person is missing, or
B) that person is a suspect of a crime

and then, it's only so that they can be easily identified and located. :/ I don't see why we have to say that Obama is a black president, when we could just as easily say he's a president. We're all one race - the human race. Color doesn't mean a thing.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Ergh...

I feel bad because I didn't even know the word "negro" was racist. :/ Black people near me say it all the time.

Also, it's the Spanish word for "black," lol.

Look, why do we even bother calling someone a word based purely on skin color, anyway? The only time that should be a factor is when:
A) that person is missing, or
B) that person is a suspect of a crime

and then, it's only so that they can be easily identified and located. :/ I don't see why we have to say that Obama is a black president, when we could just as easily say he's a president. We're all one race - the human race. Color doesn't mean a thing.

Be careful. There are people whose entire existance is a factor of their skin color. Think Jesse Jackson, et. al. If they weren't a different color from the majority of Americans, they'd have no identity at all. And don't take the idea that this is solely an African American thing, either. Why else would anyone take the White power advocates seriously? Dumbshits the lot of 'em!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Ergh...

I feel bad because I didn't even know the word "negro" was racist. :/ Black people near me say it all the time.

Also, it's the Spanish word for "black," lol.

The word "negro" is racist because it was used for a long time by a very racist society, that's all. A world's worth of bad connotations that hit you in the face any time you hear it.

Look, why do we even bother calling someone a word based purely on skin color, anyway? The only time that should be a factor is when:
A) that person is missing, or
B) that person is a suspect of a crime

and then, it's only so that they can be easily identified and located. :/ I don't see why we have to say that Obama is a black president, when we could just as easily say he's a president. We're all one race - the human race. Color doesn't mean a thing.

It doesn't mean at thing, but it is highly visible. So very visible that people think it must mean something... Humans are wired that way.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

The word "negro" is racist because it was used for a long time by a very racist society, that's all. A world's worth of bad connotations that hit you in the face any time you hear it.It doesn't mean at thing, but it is highly visible. So very visible that people think it must mean something... Humans are wired that way.

I disagree. Many societies of the Ancient were highly multiethnic and whether someone had dark skin or not meant little. What was more important was behavior. If you happened to be a Nubian who enlisted in the Roman legions and learned Latin and quickly adapted to the harsh conditions of the field but enjoyed the comparative (with what you were used to) luxury of garrison, you weren't a Nubian, you were a legionaire. In time you might rise to the rank of Senior Centurian and when you retired, you were a Roman citizen. No higher accolade could be given. The Egyptians were the same way. It's because the vast majority of the slaves in American history were black at exactly the wrong time from a physical anthropology standpoint that we still seem compelled to believe it means something. That any thinking person knows it's horseshit is beside the fact.

 

[Stella_Omega]

And Renaissance explorers like Marco Polo didn't really exhibit much racism-- although xenophobia showed up from time to time.
I alter my comment then;

"In recent times, people think that because color is so very visible, it must mean something."

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And Renaissance explorers like Marco Polo didn't really exhibit much racism-- although xenophobia showed up from time to time.
I alter my comment then;

"In recent times, people think that because color is so very visible, it must mean something."

In recent times, people of the most degraded sort think that because color is so very visible, it must mean something.


There now, that's something I can agree with.

 

[slyc_willie]

In recent times, people of the most degraded sort think that because color is so very visible, it must mean something.


There now, that's something I can agree with.

I've become aware of sub-levels of racism I never considered might exist. In some parts of San Antonio, whether you are Black or Hispanic isn't enough of an identifying trait. Quite a few look at the degree of color in a person's skin, and attack one another on just how Black (i.e., dark-skinned) or how Hispanic a person is. Light-toned Blacks and Hispanics suffer prejudice from those in their own neighborhoods because Momma or Poppa happened to be white.

 

[3113]

Ergh...

I feel bad because I didn't even know the word "negro" was racist. :/ Black people near me say it all the time.

It's not the word "Negro" per se--though do take note that a black person can use the even more offensive "n" word but a white person doing so cannot. So just because a black person says it doesn't mean it's not racist. The real problem here is calling Obama the "Magic Negro."

Now to be fair, there is likely some truth in this, er, joke. The Times article discussed the fact that there is a stereotype in film and television which has been around forever about the "magic negro." That is, the black guy or woman who just wants to "help." They come into the lives of some troubled white person or white family and they magically make everything better--rather like Mary Poppins. Then they leave. Sometimes they're mysterious and have implied magical powers--as in the Legend of Bagger Vance. Chris Rock made fun of this stereotype on his television show--but he did so in order to point it out, and attempt to make Hollywood stop it. Because it is one of those stereotypes that tries to have it's cake and eat-it too.

"See," it says, "The negro is wise and magical! So can't we keep using this?" Well, it's still a stereotype. And stereotypes are wrong even if they're positive stereotypes. The virginal woman who is all good and kind is still a stereotype that keeps women in a box, no matter if she's a nice image of women instead of a bad image. Likewise this.

Anyway, the article, rightly I believe, implied that movies and television may have conditioned people to thinking of Obama as such a type and believing that he will magically make things all better. That said, it is one thing to discuss this as a social phenomenon, another to make up a "funny song" about it--a funny song which mocks him for being a stereotype, not a person.

he point is, in focusing on his resemblance to this stereotype, the song makes an issue of his race. It comes across as them making fun of him because of his race, not because of the type of president-elect he is or what voters believe. It's all well and good to make fun of people viewing Obama as the Messiah--a lot of comedians have joked about that and it's fine. It's quite another to tack onto this joke his race. If the song had been "Obama the Magic President" no one would have made a fuss about it. And it's especially egregious to have white men so visibly behind it. All they need is to be wearing white robes and hoods.

 

[3113]

If you can set aside the racist factor and consider some of these supposedly satirical song titles from a sheer entertainment standpoint, you can't help but think, "12-year-old boys on a long bus ride." All that's missing is a fart joke.

Hit the nail on the head there. And don't worry, the fart joke is coming. Along with mooning and spitting out the windows

 

[Stella_Omega]

And it's especially egregious to have white men so visibly behind it. All they need is to be wearing white robes and hoods.

Just like their fathers and grandfathers before them-- and that's the thing, these people really are racists.

The original article dealt with some pretty subtle ideas. the song pulled out a couple of phrases and used them out of context, and put them into Jesse Jackson's mouth.

 

[DrHappy]

Has anyone here read or heard the lyrics? It's clearly aimed at the media and politicians, and isn't critical of Obama.

It was the LA Time who first called him the Magic Negro. A Time Magazine article was titled "Is Obama Black Enought?". In 2007, Biden said that he was 'clean and articulate'. The song makes fun of this type of commentary.

I think that outrage would be warranted if it were a song which were aimed Obama himself. This reminds me of some of the outrage against music lyrics which were using irony as commentary against urban violence. Taken out of context, it sounded like it was glamorizing violence, though the songs actually had an anti-violence message.

It probably won't make a difference for anyone here, but for what it's worth, here are the lyrics:

Barack the Magic Negro lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s not authentic like me.

Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper
Said he makes guilty whites feel good
They’ll vote for him, and not for me
‘Cause he’s not from the hood.

See, real black men, like Snoop Dog,
Or me, or Farrakhan
Have talked the talk, and walked the walk.
Not come in late and won!

[refrain] Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s black, but not authentically.
Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
‘Cause he’s black, but not authentically.

Some say Barack’s “articulate”
And bright and new and “clean.”
The media sure loves this guy,
A white interloper’s dream!

But, when you vote for president,
Watch out, and don’t be fooled!
Don’t vote the Magic Negro in –

[spoken by Sharpton-like voice]
‘Cause — ’cause I won’t have nothing after all these years of sacrifice
And I won’t get justice. This is about justice.
This isn’t about me, it’s about justice.
It’s about buffet. I don’t have no buffet and there won’t be any church contributions,
And there’ll be no cash in the collection plate.
There ain’t gonna be no cash money, no walkin’ around money, no phoning money.
Now, Barack going to come in here and –

 

[Guest]

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