DebateGate
General Category => 3DHS => Topic started by: hnumpah on September 13, 2008, 11:45:42 PM
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Forum sells 'Obama Waffles' with racial stereotype
By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Activists at a conservative political forum snapped up boxes of waffle mix depicting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a racial stereotype on its front and wearing Arab-like headdress on its top flap.
(http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20080913/capt.f6bb2313399647049be04be63b873304.obama_waffles_wx105.jpg)
Values Voter Summit organizers cut off sales of Obama Waffles boxes on Saturday, saying they had not realized the boxes displayed "offensive material." The summit and the exhibit hall where the boxes were sold had been open since Thursday afternoon.
The box was meant as political satire, said Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss, two writers from Franklin, Tenn., who created the mix. They sold it for $10 a box from a rented booth at the summit sponsored by the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.
David Nammo, executive director of the lobbying group FRC Action, said summit organizers were told the boxes were a parody of Obama's policy positions but had not examined them closely.
Republican Party stalwarts Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney were among speakers at the forum, which officials said drew 2,100 activists from 44 states.
While Obama Waffles takes aim at Obama's politics by poking fun at his public remarks and positions on issues, it also plays off the old image of the pancake-mix icon Aunt Jemima, which has been widely criticized as a demeaning stereotype. Obama is portrayed with popping eyes and big, thick lips as he stares at a plate of waffles and smiles broadly.
Placing Obama in Arab-like headdress recalls the false rumor that he is a follower of Islam, though he is actually a Christian.
On the back of the box, Obama is depicted in stereotypical Mexican dress, including a sombrero, above a recipe for "Open Border Fiesta Waffles" that says it can serve "4 or more illegal aliens." The recipe includes a tip: "While waiting for these zesty treats to invade your home, why not learn a foreign language?"
The novelty item also takes shots at 2004 Democratic nominee John Kerry, Obama's wife, Michelle, and Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
The Obama campaign declined to comment.
Wearing white chef's aprons, Whitlock and DeMoss were doing a brisk business at noon Saturday selling the waffle mix to people crowded around their booth. Two pyramids of waffle mix boxes stood several feet high on the booth's table.
"It's the ultimate political souvenir," DeMoss told a customer.
Asked if he considered the pictures of Obama on the box to be racial stereotypes, Whitlock said: "We had some people mention that to us, but you think of Newman's Own or Emeril's ? there are tons and tons of personality-branded food products on the market. So we've taken that model and, using political satire, have highlighted his policies, his position changes."
The socially conservative public policy groups American Values and Focus on the Family Action co-sponsored the summit.
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The funny thing is, when I saw the topic title I thought you were accusing Obama of waffling, and my parody-attuned mind imediately thought "I wonder if that's anything like "Aunt Jemima Pancakes?" I was going to post that as a joke, but then I realized some people might think that was racist, even though it was just an odd association. Naturally, I decided to post it anyway, cuz SCREW Political Correctness. When I opened the thread, I realized that the Original Post had beaten me to the punch!
This reminds me of the "Jemima's Witnesses" in "Family Guy." "Y'all want some pancakes?"
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What one takes away from this is that these particular Republicans and those who actually paid $10 for the spoof waffles are racists, but unlike the rank and file, just too rude to contain their racism for the Common Good of seeing their Oligarch Masters continuing to run the country and screw things up the most Americans.
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Gee, I'm surprised, shocked and disappointed. Racism in the GOP. Who woulda thunk? Screw political correctness indeed.
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I thought caricatures of political figures that enhance racial features are NOT racist?
That's what y'all were claiming about the various caricatures of Condi just a few months ago...
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That's what y'all were claiming about the various caricatures of Condi just a few months ago...
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All I recall was the caricatures of the Condibird. This portrayed her as an overly loyal parrot.
"Birdlike" is not a stereotype of Black people, all of whom are as beakless as can be imagined. Nor was Condi shown on a pancake box.
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"Birdlike" is not a stereotype of Black people, all of whom are as beakless as can be imagined. Nor was Condi shown on a pancake box.
Big lips and buck teeth are, however. And I remember one that showed her dressed up as Aunt Jemima.
None of these are racist, I remember being told.
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Nor was Condi shown on a pancake box.
No?
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You really have to go a long way to claim this is somehow racist.
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This was not for sale at the Democratic Convention, was it?
It is of such a minor magnitude that you had to google it. Or perhaps invent it?
No, you lack the competence.
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This was not for sale at the Democratic Convention, was it?
It is of such a minor magnitude that you had to google it. Or perhaps invent it?
No, you lack the competence.
So instead of admitting that this is racist, you deflect by making an ad hominem attack on your opponent. That's transparent. Typically when you leftists are called on something you hem, haw and deflect. "Your side was worse. You probably made that up. Our racism is just a LITTLE racist. We get to be that way because we're the victims."
This pancake mix add certainly ad elements of latent racism in it - as did the original Aunt Jemima logo. But so did the Condi-mima ad and so did many others that the Democrats have made. Your party is no less capable of appealing to the lowest (un)common denominator than ours. You just feel like your ads are more justified because elitism nullifies racism.
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<<That's what y'all were claiming about the various caricatures of Condi just a few months ago...>>
I actually don't recall any racist caricatures of Condi and there probably weren't any. Because the racist party is the GOP, not the Democrats. The Democrats would be blowing off half their own base if they made racist caricatures of their opponents or even supported racist caricatures.
This is one of the most stupid accusations I can remember.
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This was not for sale at the Democratic Convention, was it?
It is of such a minor magnitude that you had to google it. Or perhaps invent it?
No, you lack the competence.
Nope. It was posted here about 4 years ago, IIRC. As I recall I defended it as legitimate humor. As is the Obama pancake box.
Look, this is politics, and caricature is all about stereotypes and exaggerated features. If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.
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This was not for sale at the Democratic Convention, was it?
It is of such a minor magnitude that you had to google it. Or perhaps invent it?
It's from DemocraticUnderground
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4177514 (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4177514)
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I actually don't recall any racist caricatures of Condi and there probably weren't any.
So, "Condi-mima" is not racist? If it's not, then why is "Obama Waffles" racist?
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I actually don't recall any racist caricatures of Condi and there probably weren't any.
So, "Condi-mima" is not racist? If it's not, then why is "Obama Waffles" racist?
They are both racist , but you guys take yyour racism on the road and profit from it.
>The box was meant as political satire, said Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss, two writers from Franklin, Tenn., who created the mix. They sold it for $10 a box from a rented booth at the summit sponsored by the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council.<
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So, "Condi-mima" is not racist? If it's not, then why is "Obama Waffles" racist?
They are both racist , but you guys take yyour racism on the road and profit from it.
You and Mikey need to get together on your stories.
I actually don't recall any racist caricatures of Condi and there probably weren't any. Because the racist party is the GOP, not the Democrats. The Democrats would be blowing off half their own base if they made racist caricatures of their opponents or even supported racist caricatures.
This is one of the most stupid accusations I can remember.