Barack The Magic Negro? Heard this song?

[gordiecanuk]

I can't believe this got zero attention during the campaign, Conservative icon Rush Limbaugh apparently was playing it for months. I guess a black pastor taking the US to task for its treatment of citizens of colour is more sensational. A black spiritual leader attached to Obama has the nerve to say "God Damn America" because of the way it treats certain of its citizens...ooh, that's big news. A loudmouth Conservative pitbull with a huge audience plays this kind of intolerant crap and it gets ignored....unreal.

[BC_chick]

I don't know how much people know on the background to this 'song' but it's taken from an op/ed article written in the LA times by a black activist by the name of David Ehrenstein.

Here is an excerpt with the article's premise:

The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education. "He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro .

He's there to assuage white "guilt" (i.e., the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.

The whole article can be found here

It kind of brings us back to the question of the fine line between racism and open dialogue. Why are blacks allowed to refer to each other as the n-word, gays to each as the f-word and so on, but the line is crossed when a person excluded from that group does the same thing?

I've said the following numerous times before on this forum - words are not the issue, it's a person's intent that makes words racist or not. When a racist calls a black person the n-word, the intention is to degrade someone. In most cases, that is not the intention when a black person does it, and even when it is, it's a moot point when the person him or herself is black.

As for my personal opinion on Paul Shanklin's Obama song - Where Ehrenstein's intention was to bring awareness to social issues facing American society, I highly doubt Shanklin had the same intentions. As a conservative satirist, I am pretty sure his intentions were to degrade and belittle Obama.

As such, referring to Ehrenstein's article as justification is completely off base.

Edited December 30, 2008 by BC_chick

[Oleg Bach]

Have you noticed that Obamas skin is getting lighter?

[bush_cheney2004]

Have you noticed that Obamas skin is getting lighter?

So what...so did Michael Jackson's. Obama wouldn't stand a chance in Canada, regardless of skin "colour" or "visible minority" status.

[Mr.Canada]

I can't believe this got zero attention during the campaign, Conservative icon Rush Limbaugh apparently was playing it for months. I guess a black pastor taking the US to task for its treatment of citizens of colour is more sensational. A black spiritual leader attached to Obama has the nerve to say "God Damn America" because of the way it treats certain of its citizens...ooh, that's big news. A loudmouth Conservative pitbull with a huge audience plays this kind of intolerant crap and it gets ignored....unreal.

Would it be ok for whites to say "God Damn America" for letting black urban gangsters terrorize the inner cities? Obviously not.

Game Over...please insert 25c to continue...

[bush_cheney2004]

Would it be ok for whites to say "God Damn America" for letting black urban gangsters terrorize the inner cities? Obviously not.

Of course....liberal "white" celebs do it frequently.

"Black urban gangsters" (your worst fear?)...need love too!

[Topaz]

The tune is from `Puff the magic dragon` and the Cons are just showing again kind of people that is in politics over there. Rush is no better , he has excess to these `little tunes` that makes fun of people especially the Dems. He makes what 20 MIL. just to run his mouth and play tunes personal attacking whom ever he wants and then he turns on the media and says it THEIR fault not his, for making just a big deal out this tune.

[Shady]

As a conservative satirist, I am pretty sure his intentions were to degrade and belittle Obama.

Thought police and completely wrong. The intention of the song was to degrade and belittle the media, and to a lesser extent, Sharpton, Jackson, etc. Read the lyrics, or listen to the song. It couldn't be more clear.

As such, referring to Ehrenstein's article as justification is completely off base.

Not at all. The satire isn't directed at Obama, but the media and old so-called leaders of African-American's who've been passed by, by Obama's ascention in politics.

Case in point:

[gordiecanuk]

So what...so did Michael Jackson's. Obama wouldn't stand a chance in Canada, regardless of skin "colour" or "visible minority" status.

Obama wouldn't stand a chance in Canada? You mean to be elected??? What polls were you reading??? Or what were you smoking while reading the polls about Obama's popularity in Canada?

[bush_cheney2004]

Obama wouldn't stand a chance in Canada? You mean to be elected??? What polls were you reading??? Or what were you smoking while reading the polls about Obama's popularity in Canada?

Firstly, Obama's election in Canada poses some challenges with regards to citizenship.....just ask Mr. Dion. More importantly, Canada is great for Africans, but not "blacks". Don't confuse "popularity" with "Bush fatigue"......Canada has no Obama and probably never will....too busy fighting over which white candidate and language will prevail, let alone embracing a "visible minority" {what a stupid, yet official term}

[WIP]

I can't believe this got zero attention during the campaign, Conservative icon Rush Limbaugh apparently was playing it for months.

I guess I haven't been listening to Lush Bimbo too often during the last year, because I totally missed this story until that idiot running for the RNC chairmanship put a copy in each one of his promotional goodybags. And that is the real story here; if Chip Saltzman takes over, what does that say about the Republican Party? The last election showed the party losing ground everywhere but in the South, and with every demographic group other than older white males. Either they will become an ineffective rump party or they will have to reach out to the very same groups they are trying to offend now.

[gordiecanuk]

Firstly, Obama's election in Canada poses some challenges with regards to citizenship.....just ask Mr. Dion. More importantly, Canada is great for Africans, but not "blacks". Don't confuse "popularity" with "Bush fatigue"......Canada has no Obama and probably never will....too busy fighting over which white candidate and language will prevail, let alone embracing a "visible minority" {what a stupid, yet official term}

Okay...I agree with you on something. That a figure of Obama's ilk would have extreme difficulty gaining national prominence given our political culture. Our system doesn't lend itself to populism, even if someone were to gain huge notirity (sp?), he/she would still have to break through the political back rooms with which our parties operate.

[bush_cheney2004]

Okay...I agree with you on something. That a figure of Obama's ilk would have extreme difficulty gaining national prominence given our political culture. Our system doesn't lend itself to populism, even if someone were to gain huge notirity (sp?), he/she would still have to break through the political back rooms with which our parties operate.

Right.....it just wouldn't happen that way in Canada.....too American!

[gordiecanuk]

Right.....it just wouldn't happen that way in Canada.....too American!

FWIW bush_cheney, I grew up in NJ/NY and Oregon (all blue states, sorry)....I was born in Canada but we moved stateside before I was a year old. So I have a good understanding of the US political system, it has its plusses for sure...but also some minuses. I love the US constitution...imo the greatest political document ever written. I can still recite the preamble from memory (thank you schoolhouse rock).

I don't like the attachment of riders to bills...that just bugs me, and I don't like the role $$$ plays in your elections. Ideally I would love to see Canada adopt a more republican model, but that'll never happen...for the same reasons that an Obama like figure could never erupt on our political landscape...we're too resistent to change in this country.

[bush_cheney2004]

FWIW bush_cheney, I grew up in NJ/NY and Oregon (all blue states, sorry)....I was born in Canada but we moved stateside before I was a year old. So I have a good understanding of the US political system, it has its plusses for sure...but also some minuses. I love the US constitution...imo the greatest political document ever written. I can still recite the preamble from memory (thank you schoolhouse rock).

That's cool....many Americans were also born in Canada.

I don't like the attachment of riders to bills...that just bugs me, and I don't like the role $$$ plays in your elections. Ideally I would love to see Canada adopt a more republican model, but that'll never happen...for the same reasons that an Obama like figure could never erupt on our political landscape...we're too resistent to change in this country.

Right.....best to have a Canadian solution for Canada. Such close proximity to American political dynamics may give pause across the border, but the two are really very different political places and circumstances. I agree that Republicanism is not in Canada's near or long term future, regardless of the chronic (and regional) struggles.

[BubberMiley]

That's cool....many Americans were also born in Canada.

I was born in Eureka, South Dakota, but I moved to Canada when I was 2. I've considered moving back for the weather. Now that there's even better government down there than up here, I might just buy a spread in Arizona.

[bush_cheney2004]

I was born in Eureka, South Dakota, but I moved to Canada when I was 2. I've considered moving back for the weather. Now that there's even better government down there than up here, I might just buy a spread in Arizona.

OK...but like the weather, American politics can change abruptly. I'm looking out my window at some guys who are ice fishing on a lake right now...they seem quite content either way.