Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Update on Political Racism

The other day I did a post about how racism might impact this year’s presidential election.

I posited that the racial bias would come from the political parties, though disavowed by the bigwigs and the candidate.

I forgot about the actual people that are racists.

As it turns out, the there’s a bar in Metro Atlanta whose owner says he’s not a racist. You be the judge. He’s selling tee shirts that have “Obama 2008” on the front over a picture of Curious George, the children’s book character from the fifties or sixties. George is eating a banana.

Mike Norman, the owner of Mulligans in Marietta, Georgia said “those offended are ‘hunting for a reason to be mad’ and insisted he is ‘not a racist.’ Norman said he sees nothing wrong with depicting Obama as Curious George. ‘Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears, he looks just like Curious George,’ Norman said…. He said he views it as just coincidence that the character on the T-shirt is a monkey.” AJC.com.

5 comments:

Keith said...

I thought that was Obama the first time I saw one of those shirts.

On a serious note, that's about as racist as it gets if you ask me.

I'm still voting for him, because I think he's the best candidate and I like his view on the issues I am concerned about.

Anonymous said...

He’s selling tee shirts that have “Obama 2008” on the front over a picture of Curious George...

Yep...no rascist he.

Anonymous said...

I'll be wearing mine tomorrow. Either that or my mohammed with mickey mouse ears t-shirt.

fermicat said...

Intentional or not, it comes off as racist.

Anonymous said...

I remember hearing an avowed racist interviewed on the radio one time. He said, quote, "Why do you think they call it JEW-elry?"

He thought he had just made a brilliant point.

I don't have a clue how to get through to people like that.