The latest New Yorker has generated some real controversy for some real reasons. Hendrik Hertzberg, one of my favorite writers for the New Yorker, has argued that the cover is clearly satirical, and is addressing the obviously false rumors that Obama is a Muslim, etc for purposes of parody. The Obama camp and most of the media has contended that the cover sends a dangerous message to the public and constitutes irresponsible journalism.
Although I agree that this cover is in bad taste, I think Hertzberg and the New Yorker are in the right here. As any avid reader of the New Yorker can attest to, the publication is obviously elitist liberal in its slant. They wouldn't do this cover to be injurious towards Obama on purpose. If this cover came from, say, the Weekly Standard, then I would suspect a more malicious, politicized motive.
Regardless, I can empathize with Obama's camp. Unfortunately, when the average American sees this cover at the drug store, they are not going to understand the figurative layers underneath the explicit image of Obama in a turban shaking hands with a wife holding a machine gun. At this time, the number of people in this country who fallaciously believe Obama is a Muslim has gone up, and this was before this issue came out onto newsstands. Though the New Yorker has every right to publish whatever they want, it does not help Obama's "proving of his americanness" case to the American people. Here is where the New Yorker maybe should have exercised some caution. At the same time controversy sells, so what the hell do I know about the media.
We must remember this also: If we truly embrace what America is about, it shouldn't even matter if Obama is a Muslim or not ! Race and religion still color American life unfortunately, and this cover and the reaction towards it doubtlessly proves that notion.
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