Topic Dujour! Free Speech or Hate Speech?

[lordtwinkie.livejournal.com]

This poster apparently has been popping up all over LA, like so.



Now its gone "viral" as the kids say, some are calling it racist, others are wondering if the Joker really is a socialist or is he secretly a Libertarian. Seriously look at the google news search

Heres some quotes from one article.

State Rep. Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg, promptly denounced the image as hurtful and inflammatory to several news outlets... 'If there had never been a period of time in this country when African-Americans in order to be funny played Stepin Fetchit type roles in greasepaint, and members of the majority population had not used such caricatures to make a people feel inferior or as buffoons, then maybe some folks could look at it for some pure artistic humor,'"

..."Because of the president being who he is, being an African-American, it becomes a little more offensive," said Hillsborough County Commissioner Tom Scott. "It's disrespectful, inflammatory and insulting."

The incident underscored the new and uncertain territory of criticizing or satirizing an African-American president. Perceptions can vary widely.

"The only thing missing is a noose," LA Weekly said in denouncing the Obama Joker poster...

Rouson said the image would have been less offensive if it had shown Obama being burned in effigy, the way Presidents Clinton or Bush were at times. When asked if that wouldn't look like a lynching, though, Rouson agreed it probably would be at least as inflammatory.

"There is so much pride in our President Obama and our election and what he stood for, maybe we are being very sensitive about it,'' Rouson said. "I wish that people would attack policies rather than politicians."...

Wtf is this crap though, a lot of people are pissed off, don't you people know what free speech is? Makes me afraid to think that some of these people wouldn't mind a new set of Alien and Sedition acts.

also wasn't bush free game what makes Obama so special?



also this

Comments

[southwest]

this is totally wrong!

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Ha!

[kko.livejournal.com]

the first reaction is often the stupidest

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

It's freedom of speech.

I disagree with what I see as its message (Barack Obama is as evil as the Joker; Barack Obama is a socialist), but it's freedom of speech, period.

[jerseycajun.livejournal.com]

The Joker came closest to being a bomb throwing anarchist. So, in other words, not really anyone on the political spectrum at the moment, or anyone ever to likely appear on the political spectrum. Participating in the political process isn't something even civil anarchists do.

The people making these posters clearly do not understand this. Ergo, they fail. However, I am all for the freedom to fail, so as long as they don't mind advertising their misapplication of satire, then by all means.

[bombazzinedoll.livejournal.com]

It's hipster speech. Lame comparison is lame: Joker's an anarchist.

Not so lame...

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

First GREAT ICON!

Joker wanted to change the fundamentals of Gothem City
Joker knew how to take advantage of a crisis.
Joker was corrupted by his past.
Joker was a master strategist who had intricate plots.
Joker looks great in purple.
Joker sleeps with a buff crazy chick named Harley Quin.
Joker has joined forces with The Riddler, Posiion Ivy, The Penguin and Bane.

Obama wants to change America's fundamentals.
Obama knows how to take advantage of a crisis.
Obama was corrupted by his past.
Obama is a master strategist who's skill at running a campaign was his greatest qualification for presidency.
Obama looks great in purple.
Obama sleeps with a a buff crazy chick named Michelle Obama
Obama has joined forces with Nancy Pelocy, Hairy Reed, and Rahm Emanuel

Free speech, of course.

[squidb0i.livejournal.com]

Everyone's free to spout whatever ridiculous bullshit they care to.

Re: Free speech, of course.

[kadeshaderow.livejournal.com]

But they can't stop you from crossing your arms AS HARD AS YOU CAN

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

Freedom of stupidity I guess.

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

--They kept saying they were nihilists, man.

--Nihilists? Fuck me. Say what you want about the tenents of
National Socialism, Dude... at least it's an ethos!

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

The Big Lebowski is one of those films we never forget.

[soliloquy76.livejournal.com]

This is viral marketing for Batman 3. Obama will be playing a Joker copycat known as The Antichrist. He hates cops and his origins are unknown. All proceeds from the film will go to the Office of Central Planning and Abortions.

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! I wish I would have stolen this for my comparison comment!

[hey-its-michael.livejournal.com]

It's free speech. It's STUPID, but it's free speech.

[kadeshaderow.livejournal.com]

[futurebird.livejournal.com]

Not racist. I don't even get how it's "racist" --

[ladypolitik.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that threw me, too.

[ladypolitik.livejournal.com]

1. Free speech, quite clearly.


2. Fixed.
   
   

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

Haha that's awesome.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Sure, if by nihilist you mean something like Ye Olde People's Will of the Tsarist state. ;P

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

I thought the Joker was anarchist.

[the-rukh.livejournal.com]

The Joker is a metaphor for human propensity for selfish pleasure despite the tragedy and pain it can cause for others. You are the Joker and so am I.

[headhouse.livejournal.com]

It's not racist. Not every criticism of obama is racist.

And even if this was racist, it's still free speech. Some people can't deal with that.

[kunaifusu.livejournal.com]

Everything would be better without socialism.

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Pfeh.....the Joker is more Leon Czgolosz than a Socialist.

At least if we're going by Mr. Lip Cancer.

[mahnmut.livejournal.com]

Creepy pics are creepy.

Isn't this old?

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

I have pictures like th is saved to my 'funny' folder from back when BO first got elected. This and the Obama Death Star I think I stole from LJ.

One last thought.

[verytwistedmind.livejournal.com]

Now that Obama is truly being mocked, does he stand a chance at a second term? Obama's electability was in his cult of personality. His ablity to inspire. His impenetrableness. If people are becoming bold enough to characture the man, does this mean he has lost his power?

Re: One last thought.

[xpiscesgrl227x.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure the mocking doesn't stop someone from being elected. Bush was mocked, and he had 2 terms.

With power and celebrity comes people who mock and hate. It's the way of things. The more you put yourself out there, the more chances people have of mocking with greater impact.

I mean, if that picture came out in 2003 (yes...I know, TDK wasn't out at that point), do you think anyone outside of Chicago would have gotten their panties in a twist over it?

[dwer.livejournal.com]

it's just... stupid.

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

It's free speech, just as it's my free speech to say the people who believe this shit are morons.

[reality-hammer.livejournal.com]

I'm amused that people who were amused when Bush was the subject are now outraged because Obama is the subject.

And people who waste time arguing that the joker is/was this or that are so missing the point. It's not about the joker, it's about Obama.

[abomvubuso.livejournal.com]

Nah. We've just been scratching our fingers.

Knickers in a twist

[sophia-sadek.livejournal.com]

Obviously, the folks who posted the thing have gotten their knickers in a twist over Obama. It's kind of silly to get your knickers in a twist over people getting their knickers in a twist. The simplicity of media pundits fails to surprise me.