Obama on New Yorker Cover: Insulting to Muslim-Americans

[ultraist]

Run time: 01:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Zfrtz3CuR0   Posted on YouTube: July 15, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: July 15, 2008 By DU Member: ultraist Views on DU: 708

 
In a pre-taped interview on Larry King, Obama comments on the controversial "New Yorker Cover" stating, "Well, I know it was The New Yorker's attempt at satire. I don't think they were entirely successful with it. But you know what? It's a cartoon, Larry, and that's why we've got the First Amendment.

And I think the American people are probably spending a little more time worrying about what's happening with the banking system and the housing market, and what's happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, than a cartoon.

So I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it."

Obama further points out how negatively stereotyping Muslim-Americans is insulting.

"Well, you know, by getting on "Larry King" and telling everybody I'm a Christian and I wasn't raised in a Muslim home. And pledge allegiance to the flag. And, you know, all the things that have been reported in these e-mails are completely untrue and have been debunked again and again and again. So, all you can do is just tell the truth and trust in the American people that over time, they're going to know what the truth is.

One last point I want to -- I do want to make about these e-mails, though. And I think this has an impact on this "New Yorker" cover.

You know, this is actually an insult against Muslim-Americans, something that we don't spend a lot of time talking about. And sometimes I've been derelict in pointing that out.

You know, there are wonderful Muslim-Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things. And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me, I think is unfortunate. And it's not what America's all about."

Monday, the Obama campaign called the New Yorker cover, "tasteless and offensive." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PVORrF3QSw

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Good for Obama!

And he is right--I'm SICK of idiots around here telling me that all Muslims are terrorists, even though I constantly point out that the top surgeons around here are Muslims, that successful businessmen are Muslim--but their eyes glaze over and they don't listen.

Personally, I think Obama did a great job with his response.

[barack the house]

3. If anyone strikes up a racial conversation always turn it back to the economy that is the winning...

topic.

[ultraist]

4. Me too. Tired of the rightwing racist fearmonger tactics

I think most Americans have had it with rightwing nut extremism, in whatever form it takes.

Glad to see that Obama spoke up on this.

[barack the house]

2. He's perfectly correct every distraction he must bring back forcibly to the economy and people...

hurting.

[ultraist]

5. Correct YouTube link

sorry, I had to reload that video in the OP, as it was skipping a frame.

Here is the corrected version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmQ1bgzghcY

[BobTheSubgenius]

6. It's insulting to anyone with a brain

[AspenRose]

7. Good

I wish this was brought out more

If I found it insulting as a Christian, how much more would a Muslim find it offensive?

[dbmk]

8. Eeehh... quite misleading headline

He wasn't saying that the cover was insulting to them. He was saying that the idea that being a muslim was an insult, was insulting to muslims all over the US.
And he acknowledged that the New Yorker had tried to satirize/mock the many rumors. But he just thought they had done a bad job of it (and I must agree there).
He did certainly not say that the cover was insulting to muslims.