Is the Song "Barack the Magic Negroe" Racist?

[BUDDY]

Your fist inclination may be to say yes, just from first reading the title of the song. You may even be more inclined to say so once you hear that it comes fromt he Rush Limbaugh Show. The title of the song originates from an LA Times article calling Barack the term "Magic Negro" because he makes white people feel good about them selves, and because Obama is not an 'authentic' (whatever that means) black man. The person singing it is supposed to be Al Sharpton. Here is a link to Youtube if you would like to hear the song played. Youtube
Here is a link to the LA Times article. LA Times

Here are the song lyrics:

Barack the Magic Negro lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
'Cause he's not authentic like me.
Yeah, the guy from the L.A. paper
Said he makes guilty whites feel good
They'll vote for him, and not for me
'Cause he's not from the hood.
See, real black men, like Snoop Dog,
Or me, or Farrakhan
Have talked the talk, and walked the walk.
Not come in late and won!
[refrain] Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
'Cause he's black, but not authentically.
Oh, Barack the Magic Negro, lives in D.C.
The L.A. Times, they called him that
'Cause he's black, but not authentically.
Some say Barack's "articulate"
And bright and new and "clean."
The media sure loves this guy,
A white interloper's dream!

But, when you vote for president,
Watch out, and don't be fooled!
Don't vote the Magic Negro in --
'Cause -- 'cause I won't have nothing after all these years of sacrifice
And I won't get justice. This is about justice. This isn't about me, it's about justice.
It's about buffet. I don't have no buffet and there won't be any church contributions,
And there'll be no cash in the collection plate.
There ain't gonna be no cash money, no walkin' around money, no phoning money.
Now, Barack going to come in here and --

 

[Reverend Rick]

A racist believes their race is superior to others. The appropriate word would be prejudice or discriminatory.

 

[yossarian22]

Hehehehe.
I love the first amendment.

 

[Mathematician]

A racist believes their race is superior to others. The appropriate word would be prejudice or discriminatory.

Agree.

 

[jonny]

I don't think its racist, but I don't think it's in good taste either.

 

[Reverend Rick]

I don't think its racist, but I don't think it's in good taste either.

Agree.:yes:

 

[Mathematician]

Uh-oh. A libertarian, socialist, and conservative agreed on something... Watch out, folks!

Edit - Wait, Jonny, what you are? Ha.

 

[Buttercup]

Maybe you should explain exactly what you see as racist about the lyrics, Buddy.

I don't see anything offensive with the words....but I'd be curious if an African American would be offended.

 

[yossarian22]

Why do people make such a big deal about this?
First amendment. I have the right to insult anything and everything as much as I please. I have the right to be prejudiced and be outspoken about it if I choose to.

 

[Smoke]

I think it's racist in the same way that a minstrel show is racist, only this is more mean-spirited.

 

[Fluffy]

This doesn't appear to be racist.

Racism is a form of discrimination that occurs when a person is prejudiced against others because of their race or, perhaps more accurately, skin colour. A racist might be able to enjoy tasteless humour more than a non-racist but that doesn't mean that tasteless humour can be used to infer either discrimination or prejudice.

It would perhaps be more accurate to look at the specific instances in which this song has been sung and evaluate each individually.

 

[Dirty Penguin]

Not necessarily racist.

But honestly....does it really matter? People who discriminate or are prejudice will always be a hater.

All I want to know is if the canidate is capable of handling the job? What is there political and social contributions and where they might stand on certain issues that may effect me and my family's well being. There are a host of other questions too but none of them have to do with the candidate's race, gender or religion.

 

[BUDDY]

Maybe you should explain exactly what you see as racist about the lyrics, Buddy.

I don't see anything offensive with the words....but I'd be curious if an African American would be offended.

Personally, I don't think it is racist, but I wanted to see what others thought. I know that if I were in a public place, with my computer, and this song came on, I would feel uncomfortable plaing it. When I thought of that, I was just kind of wondering why I felt that way. If my initial reaction would be to turn it off or turn down the volume, what does that mean? Anyway, I was just curious about what others thought of it. So far, I am pretty surprised by the responses.

 

[Buttercup]

Personally, I don't think it is racist, but I wanted to see what others thought. I know that if I were in a public place, with my computer, and this song came on, I would feel uncomfortable plaing it.

Yes, this is how I would feel as well. I think it's the words, "magic negro" that are iffy. However, I have heard/seen/read MUCH more derogatory songs, poems, cartoons, & pictures of George Bush. I'd say that while not racist, this song is racially distasteful.

 

[PureX]

Limbaugh is a hate-monger. He's made a career out of playing on people's ignorance and prejudice and mean-spiritedness just to keep them tuning into his "show". I truly feel sorry for anyone who actually thinks this crap is funny, or somehow poignant.

 

[Buttercup]

Limbaugh is a hate-monger. He's made a career out of playing on people's ignorance and prejudice and mean-spiritedness just to keep them tuning into his "show". I truly feel sorry for anyone who actually thinks this crap is funny, or somehow poignant.

Do you think if you had heard this song on Jib-Jab and not known it was from Limbaugh's show you would still think of it as racist?

 

[BUDDY]

Limbaugh is a hate-monger. He's made a career out of playing on people's ignorance and prejudice and mean-spiritedness just to keep them tuning into his "show". I truly feel sorry for anyone who actually thinks this crap is funny, or somehow poignant.

Buttercup asks an excellent question, but to take it further, do you believe the article from the LA Times is poignant?

 

[Smoke]

Do you think if you had heard this song on Jib-Jab and not known it was from Limbaugh's show you would still think of it as racist?

I had almost got Jib-Jab out of my head. I absolutely hate Jib-Jab.

 

[yossarian22]

Limbaugh is a hate-monger. He's made a career out of playing on people's ignorance and prejudice and mean-spiritedness just to keep them tuning into his "show". I truly feel sorry for anyone who actually thinks this crap is funny, or somehow poignant.

I think its funny. I doubt people would be declaring it was mean spirited and done out of hate if Al Franken had written it.
I also disagree with you calling Rush Limbaugh a hate-monger.
If anything, he is a blimp with a hate-mongering sticker on it. A big round fat blimp. A lard filled Goodyear blimp dipped in lard.

 

[Buttercup]

I had almost got Jib-Jab out of my head. I absolutely hate Jib-Jab.

Hehe, sorry MB. There was one good tune produced by them last election. If there's another one in 2008 I won't tell you about it just to make up for my last post.