The Britney ad is a result of the ongoing meme in this election that Obama's success, like that of "overpaid black athletes," is an affront to hardworking white people everywhere. The ad never mentions Obama's race as the source of his celebrity, but it doesn't have to -- it's been part of the campaign long enough for the point to be implicit. In short, this ad is Geraldine Ferraro's attack done "right," in the sense that it does not directly implicate the McCain campaign as exploiting racial tensions.I'm not so sure that this is as intentional as Serwer argues. Still, it's a fairly smooth piece of argument. Check it out.
two blondes, phallic towers, etc.
It ain't confused McCain doing it, it's the ones who did the Harold Ford ads.
]]>...is Blackstar going to make a new album?
]]>Is it too obvious for Andrew to be Omar?
]]>Ta-Nehisi: have you heard something?
]]>Actually, you've grabbed the Black Nationalist Nerd title so I think we White Folks can let someone else be the totally cool black friend. (Its going to be a little hard to have you over to the house for dinner, but maybe we can do that over bloggingheads tv? A sort of Dinner with Friends ala Web 2.0)
Jesus! I'm a genius. I've healed the racial divide in one blog comment! It took Nixon to go to China. So I guess it will take a very White Guy to bridge the racial divide. Whoa! Is that the Nobel Committe on my caller ID?
BTW Serwer is right. It's intentional.
]]>In the end, however, it is about the goods, well articulated, and, on this day, this guy Serwer's got em'.
Good thing this ain't a zero sum game, no matter what "they" make it out to be; we'll all be "The One" again another day, God willing.
In the end, however, it is about the goods, well articulated, and, on this day, this guy Serwer's got em'.
Good thing this ain't a zero sum game, no matter what "they" make it out to be; we'll all be "The One" again another day, God willing.
The Hilton/Celebrity ad is certainly edited in a way to lead the viewer toward race. It doesn't matter if it's leading the viewer or the Obama camp to respond, they are reacting to the same editing decisions. Remember, every transition, every choice of footage, etc. was *chosen* to be where it is. They have hundreds of hours of material to choose from. They chose these 30 seconds for a reason.
That holds for Obama's ads as well.
I do a fair bit of print media. If there's something in one of my pieces that evokes a mental image or an emotion, I know about it and put it there. It's almost never accidental.
]]>That's pretty much it - why I've made Ta-Nehisi's digs part of my routine for a while now.
]]>You might be Number Six.
Thanks for the link to Serwer's post. Good points. I'd like to hear Serwer and Joe Watkins discuss this issue. Watkins on "Race War":
]]>...well???
]]>I think you'll find that was a joke. I'm sure there has been a test which 'proves' black people are more funny, just like the tests which 'prove' black people have a lower IQ.
How are AMac, Sebastian and beng? They only seem to post on the Atlantic when it's about race and IQ.
]]>Is it Cultural Appropriation for a white guy to play a female Drow?
]]>Q. What does a white man with a penny hate most?
A. A n-gg-r with a nickel.
That sentiment is what the cocky, arrogant, presumptuous tags on Obama are meant to exploit. And the "Obama's a celeb" is a more subtle continuation of the same thing. And look for more to come. My guess is after the conventions, when more people are engaged and more of Obama's demographics start responding to more of the polls, Obama is going to run up a little more of a lead on McCain. And I can assure you if that happens, the McCain campaign is going to be a lot less subtle.
]]>so says the one without a sense of humor (evidenced by their lack of irony).
]]>Probably because previously your sense of humor consisted of redirecting people you disagreed with to an interracial porn site.
But my ironic response to your ironic response of Ta-Nehisi's ironic post was missed by yourself also.
Ironic, no?
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