'Magic Negro' Satire, RNC Candidate Says

[anonymous920314]

How 39% of people polled are fine with this is beyond me.

(CNN) -- A candidate for the Republican National Committee chairmanship said Friday the CD he sent committee members for Christmas -- which included a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro" -- was clearly intended as a joke.

The title of the song about President-elect Barack Obama was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column.

"I think most people recognize political satire when they see it," Tennessee Republican Chip Saltsman told CNN. "I think RNC members understand that."

The song, set to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon," was first played on conservative political commentator Rush Limbaugh's radio show in 2007.
Its title was drawn from a Los Angeles Times column about President-elect Barack Obama's appeal to those who feel guilty about the nation's history of mistreatment of African-Americans. Saltsman said the song, penned by longtime friend Paul Shanklin, should be easily recognized as satire directed at the Times.

The CD sent to RNC members, first reported by The Hill on Friday, is titled "We Hate the USA" and also includes songs referencing former presidential candidate John Edwards and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, among other targets.

According to The Hill, other song titles, some of which were in bold font, were: "John Edwards' Poverty Tour," "Wright place, wrong pastor," "Love Client #9," "Ivory and Ebony" and "The Star Spanglish Banner."

Saltsman was national campaign manager for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential bid in 2007 and 2008. Before that, he held a variety of posts, including a number of positions under former Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee.

Source.

 

[Yash]

I'll bet this Chip Saltsman fellow will go far in the political world.

(lol not really)

 

[fate]

How 39% of people polled are fine with this is beyond me.

Easy, blinded by political fanaticism. Had they outright called him the N-word they'd still support it because their party knows no wrong.

 

[Jo-Jo]

What a little pissant.

 

[Jeff]

How 39% of people polled are fine with this is beyond me.

Because they have a sense of humor?

 

[PockyAddict]

I kinda heard of this satire being on the Rush Limbough(sp?)somewhere in 2007. Don't listen to his show that much anymore so I do not know if it still plays.

 

[Near]

What's so bad about satire? They can make jokes if they want. Last time I checked, the 1st Amendment is still in affect, so... Then again, it's not really that funny.

 

[Yash]

Because they have a racist sense of humor?

Think you missed a word there.

 

[Jeff]

There's a difference between tongue-in-cheek humor and racism.

 

[Snake Bandage]

There's a difference between tongue-in-cheek humor and racism.

Not when it's so unapologetically racist.

 

[Fig]

Hmm.

I hope you people crying "RACISM!" (barring those who may have heard the song, and may be crying racist over what it actually say) are aware that there is a perfectly legitimate use of the term "magic negro" (or magical, mystical negro). Right?

For those who may not be, it means a character in fiction who is an outsider somehow (skin color, handicap, etc, ie, different physically), who is also "different" in that he possess mystical knowledge or power, which he uses to help the heroes in some way (advice, magic, etc). The term "negro" is deliberately used, because the people using it feel the character archetype is racist (sexist, handicapist...), and a throwback to the concept of the (black man, blind man, etc) being wholly different from healthy white people.

The satirical use with regard to the Obama campaign seems pretty legit to me; Obama certainly played the "I'm not like other politicians - in terms of what I do" card...and while he never said openly "And also I'm black" (but made oblique reference, mostly phrased as denouncing what the RNC was obliquely saying), the physical difference was never far from a lot of people's mind. He was the black man, and the "different man". Given that, comparing Barack to the fictional figure of the Magic Negro is not particularly illegitimate.

Of course, it's possible the song was a horrendous racist piece of trash, I haven't heard it. But just because it has negro in it isn't proof thereof.

EDIT : Having read the song, and keeping in mind what SOME people said during the campaign (Was it Jackson who said something about Obama and balls?), and all over it, it seems like that while it's not the best political satire (and the link to the magical negro is not quite that strong), some people are blowing it way out of proportion.

 

[The Big Al]

It's really more than just the song. It's what it means about the mindset of the Republican Party. This guy isn't some Yahoo. He wants to head up the RNC and this speaks to what kind of a Republican Party he'll run.

The Republicans have decided that they will make Obama fail even if it does throw America into an even deeper hole. They've put party and sectarianism ahead of country and the greater good.

And, if it had been the hopeful DNC chair singing "O'Riley the Magic Sicko", Fox News would be calling for their head.

 

[Nekusagi]

Hmm.

I hope you people crying "RACISM!" (barring those who may have heard the song, and may be crying racist over what it actually say) are aware that there is a perfectly legitimate use of the term "magic negro" (or magical, mystical negro). Right?

For those who may not be, it means a character in fiction who is an outsider somehow (skin color, handicap, etc, ie, different physically), who is also "different" in that he possess mystical knowledge or power, which he uses to help the heroes in some way (advice, magic, etc). The term "negro" is deliberately used, because the people using it feel the character archetype is racist (sexist, handicapist...), and a throwback to the concept of the (black man, blind man, etc) being wholly different from healthy white people.

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro

 

[Zeta]

Hmm.

I hope you people crying "RACISM!" (barring those who may have heard the song, and may be crying racist over what it actually say) are aware that there is a perfectly legitimate use of the term "magic negro" (or magical, mystical negro). Right?

For those who may not be, it means a character in fiction who is an outsider somehow (skin color, handicap, etc, ie, different physically), who is also "different" in that he possess mystical knowledge or power, which he uses to help the heroes in some way (advice, magic, etc). The term "negro" is deliberately used, because the people using it feel the character archetype is racist (sexist, handicapist...), and a throwback to the concept of the (black man, blind man, etc) being wholly different from healthy white people.

Yes, but it's still insulting because the negative connotations of the magical negro still imply that African Americans will always remain slaves to white people no matter how much personal power or prestige they acquire. They exist like the "genie" does in modern fiction - phenomenal cosmic powers that still must bow to their massas.

 

[Fig]

Zeta...reread, please...

I clearly said "magical negro" used the term negro *because they feel the character archetype in itself is racist*. So yes, I completely agree with you, "magical negroes" are racist characters. BUT using the term "negro" to describe them isn't racist in and of itself. If anything, negro is being used to *denounce* racism in this case, ie, to make people aware of the racism inherent in a certain conception of the black (or otherwise) man.

BUT, that said...is "Barack the magical negro?" an irrelevant, stupid, dumb comparison? No, I don't think so. Not with the number of people (white very, very, very much included) who thought Barack would make their life instantly better. Not with how many times the "He will be a different president" card was played (and how many people complain about his not being different enough now). Not with the way his race was (no matter how hard both parties claimed otherwise) never far from the debate.

At that point, one almost has to ask whether its possible that the concept of the magical negro, and everything its call up in the American sub-conscious, impacted the elections. And I for one am not willing to dismiss the idea off-hand. And if the idea is legitimate political thought, then it would be a legitimate target for satire. It does NOT mean any and all non-white person running for high office is automatically a magical negro; just that Obama may have wound up playing that card, perhaps even without realizing it.

Insulting for Obama? Maybe.

But after the past eight years, let me simply say that there isn't a single member of Bulbagarden who has any ground to give anyone moral lessons with regard to insulting American presidents.

 

[Snake Bandage]

You know, I don't care about the archetype or whatever the hell this references, I still find that incredibly racist and offensive. Maybe that's the GOP's version of satire, but I don't find it the least bit funny.

 

[Fig]

You know, if you're not going to put forward any semblance of serious discussion, don't expect to be taken seriously.

No, "I don't care for facts, here is my opinion" isn't serious discussion.

EDIT : One thing worth pointing out, though. Whatever the original author of the LAT article, the author of the song, and even the RNC type person thought on the use of the term, what is pretty certain is that there were a LOT of Republicans who got this who just heard the song and went "LOL BARACK NEGRO SO TRUE!"

They're racist pigs, and I have nothing against anyone who hate THAT sort of people.

Just don't assume the worst of *everyone* involved.

 

[DCM]

You know, if you're not going to put forward any semblance of serious discussion, don't expect to be taken seriously.
No, "I don't care for facts, here is my opinion" isn't serious discussion.
EDIT : One thing worth pointing out, though. Whatever the original author of the LAT article, the author of the song, and even the RNC type person thought on the use of the term, what is pretty certain is that there were a LOT of Republicans who got this who just heard the song and went "LOL BARACK NEGRO SO TRUE!"
They're racist pigs, and I have nothing against anyone who hate THAT sort of people.
Just don't assume the worst of *everyone* involved.

Yeah, the way i see this, its been blown completely out of proportion. People are blaming all republicans for the CD, when its just one asshole, and Magic Negro is a popular term when referring to characters like Morgan Freeman in Bruce Almighty, or some other black character with all the answers in film, its just that this asshole took the borderline racist comment and made a song about it. Idiot. And this man was a potential head of the GOP's(source cited:MSNBC}

 

[Fig]

Actually, the person who made the song and the person who put it on the CD are two different people - the song was made, based on a LA Times opionion piece, several months ago, and has been used on the Oreilly Show among others, whereas the potential RNC head is a much more recent issue.

 

[DCM]

Actually, the person who made the song and the person who put it on the CD are two different people - the song was made, based on a LA Times opionion piece, several months ago, and has been used on the Oreilly Show among others, whereas the potential RNC head is a much more recent issue.

Then my source was flawed *Suprise Suprise*
Yes, the largest issue here is the potential RNC head mailing it out to members of the party in what he thought was a show of good humor