Satire?

 Satire: Wit used to attack or expose stupidity

This July, 21 New Yorker magazine cover is designed to merely demonstrate the perceptions people have.  It's causing a lot of controversy along the way. Naturally, Sen. Obama's political camp is very unhappy about this depiction (in the name of Satire). In many ways, this cover, could assist in manifesting the misconceptions and prejudices about Sen. Obama and even his wife, the culture of black pride and the religion of Islam.  The result of this cover may not promote nor prompt people to educate themselves at all, instead it simply could perpetuate opinions and give some reason to hold stead-fast to their misconceptions.   Some may not even recognize the objective of SATIRE: Wit, used to attack or expose stupidity.

There's so much going on in this image...it's all suppose to reflect the stupid notions some people have.  The portrayal of Mrs. Obama, her hair in a fro, reflective of "black power", her being adorned with gunfire and clothes clothes that reflect battle, sassy hand on the hip, while giving her husband the "secret code" fist bump. Then we see what's suppose to be Sen. Barack in an interpretation of a cultural/traditional Islamic clothing, a portrait of Bin Laden above the mantel, and for crying out loud- the US flag burning in the fireplace.  

What do you think of this satire? 

I don't know if it's ever going to happen, but I the romantic, optimist that I am, believes it's possible to work as a team with negative energy as our opponent. The world would be so much better if we: all ethnicities, races, genders, ages, religions, countries and so forth just get committed to niceness over meanness, respect over disrespect, positive over negative, empathy over judgement, and charity over greed. Don't ya think these five could make things better world-wide?  

© 2008 T. Fatimah Williams -MixedRoots