Political T-shirts Draw Racism Charges

Controversy has broken out in Marietta, Georgia, where a tavern owner has begun selling T-shirts featuring a Curious George look-alike eating a banana, with the caption 'Obama '08.' via ClipSyndicate

[Jeremiah Wright]

I done tried to tell ya'll.

[Leilani]

Funny but wrong, they should do one for Hillary too, barefoot, with a baby on her hip, no teeth, and bill cheating in the back groud with monica. Its only fair

[Rob]

an american says -
why is it that the rev. wright can say horrible things about the USA and the dems justify it by saying that we are taking it all wrong? how can anyone justify the fact that the junior senator sat in that church for 20 years and never once thought to himself that his rev. was a racist? whay doesn't someone ask his wife why she hates the USA?, but WOW what a double standard. my response to everyone who says the shirts are racist...if this was a black man selling shirts with an image of john mccain, every black activist in the USA would scream that we are taking it all wrong and the naacp would dispatch a team of lawyers to "defend his rights as an American to the mccain shirts". what makes this any different?

[Liveitloud]

The shirt is racist period. How disingenuous of the guy to even play like he doesn't know the implications of what the shirt represents. BTW, I'm white.

[Second Thoughts]

Liveitloud wrote:

The shirt is racist period. How disingenuous of the guy to even play like he doesn't know the implications of what the shirt represents. BTW, I'm white.

EVERYTHING that identifies racial issues is racist. Especially to those who are predisposed to seeing anything through racial glasses. He's black...that's racist. He's white...that's racist. She's Indian...that's racist AND sexist.

Get over it, already.

[Tory one]

Second Thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>EVERYTHING that identifies racial issues is racist. Especially to those who are predisposed to seeing anything through racial glasses. He's black...that's racist. He's white...that's racist. She's Indian...that's racist AND sexist.
Get over it, already.

well said

[DaniGirl123]

okay, There are alot of "things" out there that offend people. Not, just shirts, and not just AA people.

There are shirts with, rebel flags, pot leaves, anti-gay, anti-war...there is always something that bothers someone.

Truth is: it is freedom of speech.No matter if you or I like it.

You just have to let it roll off your back, I know it is hard to ignore ignornace, but that is what needs to happen.

[DaniGirl123]

Liveitloud wrote:

The shirt is racist period. How disingenuous of the guy to even play like he doesn't know the implications of what the shirt represents. BTW, I'm white.

agreed, he knew EXACTLY what the shirt meant and what it implied.

[DaniGirl123]

Second Thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>EVERYTHING that identifies racial issues is racist. Especially to those who are predisposed to seeing anything through racial glasses. He's black...that's racist. He's white...that's racist. She's Indian...that's racist AND sexist.
Get over it, already.

I am metis India, I live in GA> When everyone made a big fuss over the "chop" it didn't bother me and it did nmot offend me. It did offend some people, and that is their right, but it also the right for people who choose to do the chop.

[DaniGirl123]

Indian*

[SilverBackBoss]

Who cares what it implies? If you focus on the insult to your ego instead of using it to RISE ABOVE , what gain is there in anger ? GET it .... USE it ... and don't forget to say thank you ?

Then copy it and add NO MONKEY BUSINESS over the name and sell them 2 dollars cheaper on the other side of the street and always have some in front of the resteraunt.... be right next to him with them ...right next to him ! That's how ya turn that crap around . Play the game better. That's the American way.

[SilverBackBoss]

Leilani wrote:

Funny but wrong, they should do one for Hillary too, barefoot, with a baby on her hip, no teeth, and bill cheating in the back groud with monica. Its only fair

Hillary doesn't deserve that. She may not know what it's like to be called names but she knows what it's like to stand with the ones that have.

[Mac-7]

Liveitloud wrote:

The shirt is racist period. How disingenuous of the guy to even play like he doesn't know the implications of what the shirt represents. BTW, I'm white.

Did you complain about all the insults to George Bush comparing him to a monkey?

If Obama wants to be president he has to take the abuse just like Bush has.

[Christy-Lani]

SilverBackBoss wrote:

<quoted text>
Hillary doesn't deserve that. She may not know what it's like to be called names but she knows what it's like to stand with the ones that have.

Personally standing with someone that is called a name, and being the person called that name is very different to me. Especially a racial name.

Although Hillary has been called many names as well, none of which were racial as far as I know.

[Liveitloud]

Mac-7 wrote:

<quoted text>
Did you complain about all the insults to George Bush comparing him to a monkey?
If Obama wants to be president he has to take the abuse just like Bush has.

I don't like to see anyone insulted in that manner. There's plenty of room to insult Bush on his failed policies and his habitual spending.

I find it more insulting though as it pertains to Obama since he is black. Anyone with half a brain knows that whites have used apes, monkeys and several other non human primate references to describe blacks. It's offensive and disgusting.

The gut put the shirt out there and it outraged people. Then, he turned around and played dumb to cover his "obvious" racism. He's not only racist but a coward. People like him give whites a bad name. It's shameful.

[Mac-7]

Liveitloud wrote:

<quoted text>

I find it more insulting though as it pertains to Obama since he is black.

I think the insult is the same no matter who the target is.

We don't need a black president who is stilted or handicaped by his skin color to the point that he can't stand up to the normal barbs and arrows the job entails.

We are all so dismissive of Bush, but at least took the insults like a man and so must Obama.

[haha]

Get over it... I looks just like him. Sterotypes are hear for a reason...... Because they are true. Embrace your monkey side and move on. Use it to your advantage instead of saying poor me.

[CR8VDO]

I osama Obama. My wife and I HATE AMERICA! We not think this good country. my preacher right. black man good white man bad and create aids to kill blacks.

[Liveitloud]

Mac-7 wrote:

<quoted text>
I think the insult is the same no matter who the target is.
We don't need a black president who is stilted or handicaped by his skin color to the point that he can't stand up to the normal barbs and arrows the job entails.
We are all so dismissive of Bush, but at least took the insults like a man and so must Obama.

Obama is not handicapped by his skin color. Only people who have problems with his skin color would call it a handicap. To compare the jabs Bush took because of his misteps and poor judgement hardly compares to being called a porch monkey.

If you can't see the difference I don't know what else to say. I don't recall Bush ever being called a cracker.

[Mac-7]

Liveitloud wrote:

<quoted text>
Obama is not handicapped by his skin color.

Obama and his supporters are acting as if he is.

If no one is allowed to criticize him or insult him becasue as a black man that is just more than he can be expected to endure then he is handicapped.

Bush took all the insults, including comparisons to a monkey and if Obama can't then he needs to get out of politics and stop wasting our time.