See, I want to use this blog as a space for honest discussions on race and life in general, and that means I need to apologize when I don't hold up my end of the bargain. Sure, I've written a lot about both of those topics, but it's inexcusable that I allowed The Atlantic's recent Obama cover to get past.
For those of y'all unaware of the cover, I've provided a handy picture below.
Once again, my bad.
Oh yeah....
WTF!
Let's see here...We have a black and white background, a massive shot of President Obama's face, and a headline screaming "The End of White America?"
Hmmm... When exactly did they expect the race riots to begin?
I understand that magazines need provocative covers to move units. Yes, I know that everybody is capitalizing on Obama's popularity. Finally, I can see the big question mark at the end of the headline, so I know it's not really saying that President Obama represents the apocalypse for white people.
But, come on. Are they serious?
This is the kind of thing where the media provides crazy people with a loaded .357 magnum and then acts surprised when random folks get killed. This cover is that magnum for the racists and fear mongers in this country. Sure, they would be racist no matter what the Atlantic did, but dammit this only makes it easier for them to recruit the stupid.
I don't care that the article is about the changing demographics of America. I don't care that it's just talking about statistics and how some white people feel about those statistics. What it's really about is the notion that the election of a black President means that the final bastion of white power has disappeared and white folks should be afraid. They should be very afraid. This cover tells us a lot about the mindsets of folks at the Atlantic. It tells us about how they view the world, and how they view the correct power dynamics in this country.
This cover reinforces the idea that white people represent the "true America" and that something is wrong with America when white people aren't in total control. The Atlantic editors would deny that premise, but they'd be lying. This cover is just as irresponsible as the Time Magazine cover featuring OJ that made him darker.
Anyway, I needed to apologize for not alerting y'all to this ridiculous B.S. sooner. I've been busy and I've been slipping, but I will be back on the grind soon enough.
That is all.
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9 comments:
Big Man,
This ranks up there with Ang Lee and "Brokeback Mountain" as some of Chicom's best propaganda and you still see "white" people. LOL! You do believe in ghosts.
pictures never change historical reality
I may have to go pick up a copy of this and check it out but I agree that cover is provocative and not in a good way.
Just looking at that cover says something that I find rather unsettling and while the story inside may be wonderful lets face it folks don't read all that much. Instead to some, that cover is just one more "fact" that America is going to the birds.
Disturbing indeed, thanks for bringing this to light. Many years ago I had a subscription the Atlantic but let it lapse.
and i would say, not soon enough
and i sincerely mean that in a non-judgemental kinda of way
Yeah, I read that article a couple of months ago. Them folks over at Racialicious had a breakdown of it.
I keep refering back to one book the Atlantic author cites in his article (http://www.churchoftrueisrael.com/stoddard/). I first came upon this report while browsing Stewart Synopsis. Granted, it was written after the first so-called world war, but yes, they do feel like that and have been since who knows when.
It shouldn't shock us when little tidbits, even in this day and age, slip through the cracks. Its just coded in different slang like "socialist", "illegal immigration", "terrorist", "made in China", etc. The only odd thing I saw was the fact that the author was Asian...?
this cover is unadulterated ignorance. But I'm curious to see what the actual content is about.
Wouldn't buy it though.
If they really wanted to an image to herald the "end" of white america they would have put a picture of a mexican person.
As you said this is all part of the subtle campaign to get some wack job to take a shot at Obama. From Glen Beck expressing empathy with a mass murderer to covers like this which portrays him as a threat. These cats are think they are slick, but it's still unnerving that they would actually want this to happen
I'm thinking I'll just hibernate until we're really in a post-racial America.
Hmmmm...is it possible to hibernate for at least a century? Maybe two?
the fear tactics in this country is outta control, and irritates me.
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