Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Every Picture Tells a Story


Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it. This proverb was lost on The New Yorker when they published a drawing of Barack and Michelle Obama on the cover of its July 21 issue.
Nearly six months ago, Golfweek found itself awash in controversy when it put a noose on its cover to illustrate the Kelly Tilghman-Tiger Woods story. Editor Dave Seanor lost his job over his handling of the situation, which occurred when Tilghman made an inflammatory remark about Woods. Race is an uncomfortable subject for many people, and the Illinois senator's candidacy for the White House is forcing them to confront their prejudices about Black people.
The New Yorker editor-in-chief David Remnick and artist Barry Blitt thought they were advancing political discourse by creating an image meant to mock stereotypes about the Obamas, but their decision to portray the couple in a satirical manner undermined the Democratic presidential nominee's efforts to debunk the myths that surround his faith (as well as his wife's comments about having pride in America). Satire is supposed to make you laugh as well as think; when done properly -- a good example is All in the Family -- the joke is self-explanatory. (I wasn't offended by the image ... but I didn't find it amusing, either.)
Seeing Remnick and Blitt go on the defensive about the provocative cover only shows that their attempt at humor was ineffective. It played on people's fears that the Obamas are militants who pledge allegiance to Osama bin Laden, not the American flag. They also did a disservice to correspondent Ryan Lizza, whose nearly-15,000-word story had no relation to the image.
There's a time to be funny and a time to be serious ... but, with so much at stake in this election, The New Yorker should stick to in-depth journalism and leave the comedy routine to Mark Russell.

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