Rush calls Obama "Magic Negro"

[Flashpoint]

From the "thinly veiled racisim department"...

Limbaugh has been playing a song called Barack the Magic Negro, to the tune of Puff the Magic Dragon. The right-wing talk show host defended himself by saying he is an entertainer and the song is a parody.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6642029.stm

How is this different than that Imus situation?

I always knew he was a wanker, but I figured the overt bigotry would be kept off the air.

[photon]

If I was Barack I would totally use it as my campaign theme song for a few weeks.

[Slava]

The only time I hear rush anymore is when they imitate him on Howard Stern...and its more entertaining that way to!

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

From the "thinly veiled racisim department"...



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6642029.stm

How is this different than that Imus situation?

I always knew he was a wanker, but I figured the overt bigotry would be kept off the air.

Limbaugh defends himself by saying the term "Magic Negro" was first used by a BLACK commentator in the LA Times to describe Obama . . . . . and he's right about that.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/...opinion-center

The term, "Puff, the Magic Negro" is something new.

Cowperson

[Vulcan]

If Obama gets elected there is going to be some bitter and angry folks out there. It seems crazy now but Kennedy had a lot of people angry over his Catholicism and that's a far less provocative issue than racism.

[Devils'Advocate]

http://movies.crooksandliars.com/rush-barak.mp3

[Ayrahb]

And this becomes a thread about how horrible political correctness is and that rap music is evil in 3, 2, 1...

[Kool Keef]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

How is this different than that Imus situation?

1. Obama hasn't made a big deal out of it.

2. It's satire of a political candidate.

3. It isn't racist considering all of the "offensive" lyrics come from sources that should, in theory, be in his corner. "Magic Negro" being brought up by a black journalist. Democratic Senator Joe Biden complimenting Obama as "articulate" -- as if that's some sort of great accomplishment.

4. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, two very prominant figures in the ouster of Imus, want nothing to do with this because the more powerful Obama is the less powerful they are.

5. Limbaugh has significantly more listeners than Imus. Good luck kicking him off the air.

Edit: I want to add it isn't so much satire of a political candidate as it is satire of the media coverage about Obama.

[Sparks]

I thought you were talking about the band at first.

[Flames09]

Originally Posted by fotze

Just like Nappy headed hos was first uttered in a black directors film.

Wrong either way.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Limbaugh defends himself by saying the term "Magic Negro" was first used by a BLACK commentator in the LA Times to describe Obama . . . . . and he's right about that.

Cowperson

Fair enough.

If Obama was to come out and say "that fat honky cracker doesn't know what he's talking about" and defended the comment by saying "a WHITE commentator said it first"*, how would that go over?

Probably not well, and I have a few doubts that ol' Rush would say "well, he got me there" if it were to happen. That tubby fool would be shrieking like a hog in a slaughterhouse if a prominent black man attacked him with a racial slur and said "that's what white people say so I can say it too".

It is mind-buggering to me how so-called conservatives continue to listen to this guy. He is a draft dodging, thrice-divorced drug-addicted glutton. He talks about family values and patriotism and the American way but he clearly does not believe what he says.

It's like a group of liberals hanging on every word spoken by some unabashed homophobic Hummer-driving banker in a sealskin coat. It doesn't make sense.


*I don't have a direct quote, but I've heard Bill Maher, Jon Stewart, Al Franken and a few others talk about Limbaugh and I know he's been called all those names

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Kool Keef

1. Obama hasn't made a big deal out of it.

So if you call someone a derogatory term, they have to make a big deal about it before it is wrong? I mean, I think it is great that Obama is taking the high road here. It elevates him above Rush and his ilk. It doesn't mean that I have to accept it as gracefully as he does.

2. It's satire of a political candidate.

It's ok to use racist language against political candidates? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. I see your edit at the bottom that the satire is directed against the media circus that surrounds Obama, but I don't buy that Rush is mocking the media here. His song is pretty clearly directed at one person IMO.

3. It isn't racist considering all of the "offensive" lyrics come from sources that should, in theory, be in his corner. "Magic Negro" being brought up by a black journalist. Democratic Senator Joe Biden complimenting Obama as "articulate" -- as if that's some sort of great accomplishment.

Wait, so I am allowed to use the N word when speaking to black people because I heard a black rapper do it on an album? No way. When a black person uses that word they are doing it out of a sense of entitlement. It means something very different when a white person uses it. I find the term "magic Negro" to be similar, although I'll concede it doesn't have the same impact.

Being articulate isn't an accomplishment? I have called a lot of people "articulate". I can't think of a circumstance where it could be construed as a negative. Considering who is the commander in chief right now - well for some folks it would be quite a nice trait to have

4. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, two very prominant figures in the ouster of Imus, want nothing to do with this because the more powerful Obama is the less powerful they are.

A good point. I can accept they may have political motivations against Obama. It would be nice to see others stand up against Rush.

5. Limbaugh has significantly more listeners than Imus. Good luck kicking him off the air.

Hitler had a lot of support too. Didn't mean he wasn't a racist pig who needed to be taken down.

[Burninator]

Isn't this the same guy who called Micheal J Fox a liar and then made fun of him? I hope no one cares what he has to say, as he appears to be a moron who appeals to the same.

[Lanny_MacDonald]

Sadly, Limbaugh is still one of the most powerful people in the Conservative Agenda and his show leads the way for mobilizing the conservatives into action. Rush is regularly the first voice in the echo chamber, and it is his that resonates the longest and loudest. Rush Limbaugh is a hero to a huge number of Americans, the same ones who elected the past president to two terms and the ones who did their best to create false evidence against the former president during his term. Permanently quieting this voice, and others like him, would be one of the best things to happen to democracy in America IMO.

[oldschoolcalgary]

It is mind-buggering to me how so-called conservatives continue to listen to this guy. He is a draft dodging, thrice-divorced drug-addicted glutton. He talks about family values and patriotism and the American way but he clearly does not believe what he says.

ding, ding, ding...

Sadly, people fail to see the hypocrisy there, so long as Rush spews the vitriol that they would like to say themselves...

[Kool Keef]

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

It's ok to use racist language against political candidates? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. I see your edit at the bottom that the satire is directed against the media circus that surrounds Obama, but I don't buy that Rush is mocking the media here. His song is pretty clearly directed at one person IMO.

Read the lyrics.

(Sung in the voice of Al Sharpton):
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!

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 [trails off]--

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

Wait, so I am allowed to use the N word when speaking to black people because I heard a black rapper do it on an album? No way. When a black person uses that word they are doing it out of a sense of entitlement. It means something very different when a white person uses it. I find the term "magic Negro" to be similar, although I'll concede it doesn't have the same impact.

It's never said it was okay to call a black person a "N-word*". "Magic Negro" was used in the article for a specific reason. Read this and see how it relates to the lyrics of the song. If you don't see the connection I can't help you. Better yet read the original article. The point is simply that Barack Obama makes white voters feel less guilty about the sins of the past.

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

Being articulate isn't an accomplishment? I have called a lot of people "articulate". I can't think of a circumstance where it could be construed as a negative. Considering who is the commander in chief right now - well for some folks it would be quite a nice trait to have

Come on now. It's pandering and condescending. Most politicians are articulate, Bush being a notable exception, and to describe a black politician as articulate is to somehow point out that an articulate black man is rare which isn't the case.

Here's a game you can play at home. On a piece of paper, write down how many times Barack Obama is described as articulate by the media and his supporters and how many times any of the other candidates are described as articulate.

I'll save you the trouble... Barack will win. Here's a link to the specific controversy. Barack, the nice guy that he is, let this one go too.

Originally Posted by Flashpoint

Hitler had a lot of support too. Didn't mean he wasn't a racist pig who needed to be taken down.

Future bit of advice. Don't name-drop Hitler in an argument. You grossly overstate your position when you compare a guy like Rush Limbaugh to Adolph Hitler.

* I feel like a child having to refer to this word as the N-word, but the filters are here for a reason I guess.

[Flashpoint]

Originally Posted by Kool Keef

Read the lyrics.

Rush isn't using the term in his song to mock the media (as the originator of the article did). He's hinged on it as a derogatory term to mock a specific person. You can see it pretty easily in the comparisons.

It's never said it was okay to call a black person a "N-word*".

I didn't say you did. It was an example to illustrate how different people can use the same word with vastly different impacts in perception.

"Magic Negro" was used in the article for a specific reason. Read this and see how it relates to the lyrics of the song. If you don't see the connection I can't help you. Better yet read the original article. The point is simply that Barack Obama makes white voters feel less guilty about the sins of the past.

The point isn't that the term does, or doesn't apply to Obama. It is because "Magic Negro" is being used by Rush as a derogatory racial attack against a candidate because of the color of his skin, not as a descriptive term for someone who is acceptable to "whites", or to attack the media.

Much as the n-word technically applies as a description of a black person. The fact we both know what it literally means, doesn't reduce the demeaning impact of it when used by a white person describing a black person.

Most politicians are articulate, Bush being a notable exception, and to describe a black politician as articulate is to somehow point out that an articulate black man is rare which isn't the case.

I think you're reading into it too much. Obama is probably the most articulate speaker currently running. To call him that doesn't put down other blacks. Its almost silly enough to sound like something the right wing media might put forth.

Here's a game you can play at home. On a piece of paper, write down how many times Barack Obama is described as articulate by the media and his supporters and how many times any of the other candidates are described as articulate.

It's your game, how about you do it, and provide some hard data. It isn't my job to support your position. It's yours.

I'll save you the trouble... Barack will win. Here's a link to the specific controversy. Barack, the nice guy that he is, let this one go too.

Your link's broken.

Future bit of advice. Don't name-drop Hitler in an argument. You grossly overstate your position when you compare a guy like Rush Limbaugh to Adolph Hitler.

So, no response to the actual point then?