talkpolitics | Topic Dujour! Free Speech or Hate Speech?

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

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good point about Bush. My argument with that is that you can't compare Bush to Obama. Apples and road signs. Bush won in 04 because Kerry was his opponent and the only person better to run against would have been McCain and he wouldn't switch parties so Bush could beat him again.

Obama, like him or not, is an iconic legendary figure. He is the first black president of the United States. He is also a great speaker and someone who inspired the masses. Remember all those people who were fainting when they got to see him? I don't see that sort of Power in him anymore

Oh, no, I totally agree that you can't compare the 2 and that Obama's "star" is fading. I suppose it would depend on his opposition, but I don't see the mocking as being TOO much of an issue. That was basically my point.

He is also a great speaker
I-i-i-i-s he? Er...uhmm..we b-b-b-b.. no! um... I b-b-beg to um... d-d-d-differ er...

Topic Dujour! Free Speech or Hate Speech?

Re: One last thought.

Re: One last thought.

Re: One last thought.