The New Yorker “Obama” Cover – Is It Really THAT Offensive?

The news media was in an uproar this past week over the most recent cover of The New Yorker, which portrayed Presidential hopeful Barack Obama and his wife Michelle dressed up in terrorist clothing, packing guns and ammo while standing inside the White House giving each other a “fist dap.”

As a Black man who cares deeply about how the Obamas are viewed during this crucial moment in electorial history… I found the cover to be downright hilarious!!  When it comes to satiring the various misconceptions about Obama, this cover nailed it right on the head.

Now, some people will read what I’ve just typed and say, “Oh boy, Aaron, you’ve got it all WRONG this time.  That cover was offensive, not only to Black people, but to Obama and his campaign, who have tried so dilligently to show that Obama IS pro-American, and not all the things people may believe about him!”

Oh, if only it were so simple.

It’s 2008, and even though some people like to believe that racism and unfair treatment are nowhere near as bad as it was “back in the day,” the reality is that those issues still bubble below the surface – they’re just more subtle and less outspoken than they once were. 

For example: Obama, who is Black (note: yes, he’s mixed, but in this country you’re considered black if the overall tone of your skin would make people assume you’re black when first looking at you), has tried from day one to not make his race a campaign issue. 

Guess what?  He didn’t have to – the news media did it for him! 

In the past few months alone, CNN and other outlets have done full half-hour to hour-long specials concerning Barack’s “blackness,” asking the tough questions like: “Is He Black Enough for Black voters?”; “Will he turn white voters away?”; and, of course, the oh-so-popular, “Is America Ready for a Black President?”

Funny – I never see any specials called “John McCain: Is America Ready for ANOTHER War President?” or “John McCain: Will His Oldness Get in the Way of His Leadership?”

Then, of course, the issue of his religion was brought up.  First, the media speculated that he might be Muslim, and pumped fear into people that, were he a practicer of this religion, he would be a sympathizer with countries harboring terrorist.  That’s like saying because I’m a Christian who disagrees with the gay lifestyle, I automatically applaud those out to bomb gay clubs!   What kind of dumb logic is THAT?!?

Obama said he wasn’t Muslim, and the media STILL tried to press that he was one, albeit a “secret” one.  That myth got slightly debunked when his now former pastor, Reverend Wright, came out and made what many considered to be controversial statements about… well, pick a subject: White people, AIDS, religion, etc.  The media was quick to suggest that Reverend Wright’s “outrageous” views might also be those of Barack, the now secret Muslim AND closet biggot.

Man oh man, has the media been having fun with THIS guy!

Then, to top it all off, Obama wins the Democratic nomination.  He greets his wife onstage at the victory celebration, and what do they do? They give each other a hug and then a fist “dap”, i.e. a high-five where, instead of using an open palm, fists are used and lightly bumped up against each other.  To anybody watching this exchange who’s ever had a group of friends they exchanged various types of greetings with, this act was practically off the radar.

Then FOX News went and took the footage to a whole other level.  Was it a fist bump? A light dap? Or, was it – and I’m completely NOT making this dialogue up – “A Terrorist Fist Jab??” 

A TERRORIST FIST JAB?!?  FOX “News” should be ashamed of itself!!  It’s bad enough Obama has to deal with all the crap thrown at him over other dumb stuff – to even joke at something like that with a serious tone was just downright disrespectful!! 

Not only that, but it adds to the fear many White Americans have about having a Black man in the White House: that he’ll be dangerous and unhealthy for the country.  Even now, today, in 2008, when White people are polled about the candidates, many of them still express doubt about whether a Black person is really the right kind of person to be up in the White House. 

I’ve seen interviews where elder White People are still expressing their racist attitudes, going so far as to say dumb stuff like, “I won’t vote for him because his middle name is Hussein,” a reference to the former Iraqi leader who dominated his country with fear.  How the heck are you going to compare Obama to an Iraqi figurehead who (a) he’s never met, (b) is dead, and (c) he’s not even related to?!?

With all of the stuff the media has said and/or done to try and sabatoge the “Yes We Can” express, it’s a bit hypocritcal for them to come back and scold The New Yorker for printing a cover showing Barack and Michelle Obama as terrorists running the White House.  All they’re doing is showing the media what they’ve been telling us all along.  If anything, the media should be sending the magazine a thank-you card for helping to promote their ideals about Obama.

On second thought, maybe the media is just mad that the cover makes them all look pretty stupid.

-Aaron P. Taylor