Are we all racists now? Ever since Barack Obama made his appearance in national politics, some of the good souls who have supported him have drawn red lines to remind any possible critics where their opposition veers into racism. Bill Maher, Chris Matthews, The New Yorker, E. J. Dionne, Michael Tomasky, Lawrence O’Donnell, Nancy Pelosi—to mention only a few—have all leveled the race charge, aiming, it among others, at Mitt Romney, Clint Eastwood, Donald Trump, the Tea Party, and anyone who refers to Obama as a “Chicago politician.” Yet many of the supporters now seem to be joining ranks with the purveyors of hate. Take a look at this week’s New Yorker cover featuring Mitt Romney looking over at an empty chair during the first debate. Doesn’t this sketch express the same disdain for the President shown by Clint Eastwood, the same reference to Ralph Ellison’s “invisible man”? And what about Bill Maher’s quip that Obama was “stoned on weed” in the debate? This comment might just invoke the crude image of a drug user. Or what about Chris Matthews asking “Where was Obama.” Was he playing off a stereotype of a welfare king?
I am beginning to wonder who will guard the guardians.
October 9th, 2012 | 1:59 pm
Which reminds me of Carl’s angst at my reference of the One as “our first black president.”
I suppose identifying Barry as a mulatto is really, really ‘racist?’
Best post we’ve had here at Pomocon, in quite a while.
October 9th, 2012 | 2:06 pm
Personally, I don’t believe any of that is racist. However, the Republican administration of Ohio is doing everything it can to shut down early voting on Sunday, which has been possible in Ohio for quite some time now with no ill effects to the community.
The Chairman of the Franklin County (Columbus) Republican Party a few weeks back admitted quite openly to a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch that the reason for this was to prevent African-American Christians from car pooling to vote after church.
And, in the e-mail, he even invited the reporter to quote him.
Now, that is racist. Period.
October 9th, 2012 | 2:38 pm
That New Yorker cover is hilarious. Unlike the cover from four years back that laughably caused such consternation among humor-impaired libs who didn’t get the joke, there’s no doubt about who’s being mocked in this one.
October 9th, 2012 | 4:46 pm
It’s the ‘ole “reductio ad racistam”
October 10th, 2012 | 10:15 am
Do I understand that the question is whether or not the Left is hoisting itself on the race petard? Political correctness having impossible and contradictory standards, roughly as easy to sort out as government regulation of anything or our federal tax code, then likely, yes. And it couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch.
Brian, about the old New Yorker cover you refer to, is it the same artist?
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