New Yorker Magazine Depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as Terrorists

The New Yorker magazine has released what they say is a satirical cover with a cartoon of Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle in the oval office. He is dressed in Muslim garb and she is sporting an afro and toting an automatic weapon. They are giving each other a fist bump while the American flag burns in a fireplace behind them. Over the mantle of the fireplace a portrait of Osama Bin Laden is hung.

The suggestion that is being given some say is that Michelle and Barack are a couple of terrorists. The Obama camp is upset over this so called satirical portrayal.

There is already nervousness among some people who think that Obama is a Muslim. There has been a movement in some circles to equate Muslim's with terrorism since the events of 9/11.

Hendrik Hertzberg, senior editor for The New Yorker, said on MSNBC that he did not believe the cover was inflammatory He said the cartoon of Barack and Michelle Obama was "meant to bring things out into the open". He also stated that what is on the cover of the New Yorker magazine is not always what's on the inside. The Obama camp took issue with a couple of the articles written about them in the New Yorker magazine also according to MSNBC.

Hertzberg did not appear to be anti Obama. This is the third time that someone who did not appear to be against Obama did something to hurt him.
Reverend Wright was first with his fiery rhetoric. Father Pfleger came second with more rhetoric. Now it's the New Yorker magazine's satire.

Ex Congressman Harold Ford stated on MSNBC this morning that he felt that a lot of the white voters in those midwestern states that Obama is having a hard time courting may take the cover seriously.

The cover of the New Yorker just has picture of Obama and his wife with no other explanation of what's inside the issue. The New Yorker could have put some titling on the cover to show that they are being satirical.

The U.S. has finally has someone running for president who is not the white male that it has been electing for over 200 years. Americans are nervous about people who do not look like the majority.

People speculate when they are unfamiliar with someone and this speculation is usually from people's wildest imaginations. I understand satire and the New Yorker is within their first amendment rights to put this cover out.

Some people however will accept the depiction of Senator Obama and his wife as the truth not simply satire. Everyone unfortunately does not get everyone else's idea of satire.