Of late it seems that the new way to be a purveyor of all things racist is to simply call it satire. If we poke fun at or through the vehicle of humor show the perceived absurdity of something or someone, then it is not racism. It is a very highbrow way of skirting the issue. Interestingly, the thing about that point of view is that is absolves the purveyor of any real responsibility in examining his or herself and getting in touch with whatever it is they need to deal with regarding their judgments and prejudices. This weeks cover of The New Yorker magazine is a startling caricature of Barack and Michelle Obama, that they define as satire. Is this helpful or harmful? Sometimes it makes my head hurt trying to figure out who is on what side of an issue, sometimes there is just to much gray. I've heard older folks say that when they came up in the south back in the day, they knew who the racists were and they knew how to navigate those choppy waters. Today is different it is not always clear who and what you are dealing with, it can come at you from anywhere. I'm not nostalgic for the paper bag test or the water hoses or the Klan, I'm just saying that satire gives me a headache.
Maybe I'll have another opinion to share soon...Be well.
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