Saturday, November 29, 2008

Is satire in the eyes of the beholder?

*
Most of you know that I like to explore the World Wide Web and see where my travels take me. And for the most part the stuff that I come across is usually pretty informative, and educational. But every now and then I stumble across blogs, or blog posts that really leave me scratching my head. Not because of the ignorance or sheer risibility of the posts, but because I am often left wondering if the sites themselves were meant to be purely satirical in the vein of sites like "The Onion.", or my man, Jon Swift.


Take this little gem for instance, which was accompanied by the picture shown above: *


"I ain’t predudice or nothing but lets call a spade a spade! America ain’t ready for no Negro in the WHITE House! I ain’t a Democrat, but I can see that Jackie Kennedy brung CLASS to the WHITE House. Even though her hubby act like a horny nig, doing everything that cross his dang path!!!! LOL

But do we really want chicken bones all over the floor of the Map Room? Do we want crack pipes and thongs all over the durn floor of the Chinaman Room? Do we want pickaninnies running round the Residence? Do we want disgusting rap music bout colored bitches and hos played at full blast — until the French Ambassador glasses rattle — at state dinners where the main coarse is fat back and pickle pig feet?

You all — they still time to save this country from this disgrace!!!!! I decided — I done care how bad a white trash mother Sarah Palin is or how old or stupid John McCain is — we CAN NOT have no Negro in the WHITE HOUSE!!!!!!!"


Okay, I think get this (I hate to give these clowns hits), and I think it's to shock and attract readers because the author couldn't be serious. Or, the author could be making a serious point about just how ridiculous certain posts and comments--- like the one above--- really are.


See, that's my problem, I can't really tell if this site is meant to be a serious site or not. ("REPUBLICANS FAITH CHAT"?) I checked some of the links, and they seem to pass the smell test. So you have to wonder, what gives? It would be just like those mean libs to make up a site and pretend that they are republicans. I mean the more I read the more convinced I became that the site was meant to mock and demean republicans and Christians in general. And here is the thing: if it is meant to be purely satirical, is there such a thing as satire overkill? Are the creators of the site now using satire to do and say what they wanted to do and say all along but couldn't because of their fear of political correctness running amok?


I am so glad I have all you smart folks who comment here on the regular to help me with this, because I am sure that you will check it out and break it down for me.


Ahhh I love blogging; you can actually take a break from the mental weight lifting and ask others to do some of the lifting for you. And the real beauty of it is that you can stay in pretty good shape by just reading.

80 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't care if they meant to harm or not. It's not effective for humor or propaganda.

szpork

Faith at Acts of Faith Blog said...

I'm gonna take a pass on going to their site. It's good to know who the enemy is, but whether it's intentional or not a fired gun causes the same damage. I will not pollute my brain with that racial filth.

Unknown said...

I don't know... It can't be real... But even if it's satire, it seems like the writers and commenters let their subconscious racist/homophobe selves out to play a little.

Anonymous said...

Satire is an art form.


Clearly these folk have not perfected it.

-=Topper=- said...

To get a little real about it, outside of the "fuck you" they always seem to deserve, it is hard to tell satire from the real "them". Even FAUX news tried it. They started a new show a while back that was meant to be a republican answer to Jon Stewart. It didn't last long. Republicans can't do satire, too much of themselves bleed through.

The greatest example was Wednesday night when the attacks in India were well under way. Twitter brought into play #mumbai, where you could get updates from many people including those that live there, AND my favorite twitter group Breaking News. What was funny is that Breaking News was being, I thought professional about the whole thing, then this anchorman from FOX 5 news DC tries to question the validity of what Breaking News was presenting. I couldn't help myself with pointing out the one up man ship that was making this anchorman look like a fool. Not that he needed any help, he called it a night well before anybody else. What a douche. They are their own satire, and can't be taken serious regardless.

RiPPa said...

I don't know if any of the readers here have ever been to my site. But if they have, I'm sure they'll findout that I love a good laugh, and often satire gets me, and is the way to go.

Having said that, and without even taking the time to check that site out...I think from what you exposed, that author is on some bullshit. Yeah, I try not to be too sensitive when it comes to race and comedy, but that shit they wrote was tasteless, and seriously not humorous.

I'd have to see some of the other shit they've written before I can purely pass judgment. I think some people think they are funny in their minds when they're not. And often when you see shit like this, its really the inner workings of the mind being passed off as "satire".

I'll have to check them out and get back to you on them. Hopefully they're some funny cats, but just missed the mark on this one.

RiPPa said...

"Republicans can't do satire, too much of themselves bleed through."

Now that shit right there is the damn truth. I have republican friends (look at how I said that like I'm white and they're my token Black friends...) and they cannot joke when it comes to politics. They take that shit to heart, and are often easily led to believe anything.

It will probably take a Black republican comedian to get me convinced otherwise. And trust me Adelle Givens ain't it.

RiPPa said...

Ok, went to the site. I didn't read the blog you featured, but the first two instead. Yeah, not funny, and definitely racist. Whats fukin with me is that these clowns are flying under the "christian" banner but yet, liberals and "others" are not welcomed.

Fuck that! None of that crap is satire. Their latest post is thanking "coloreds" (yeah that what they called us) for voting in prop 8 in California.

If anything they say is meant to be satire or even remotely funny, maybe I have to be a white man to get it.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

szpork:

I totally agree with you.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

That site is blasphemous. All I have to say on it is this:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

Anonymous said...

I think satire crosses the line when it sounds just like what white rural voters (think West Virginia during the primaries) were saying about Obama when the cameras were rolling.

Nothing funny about that.

LISA VAZQUEZ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LISA VAZQUEZ said...

Hey there Field Negro,

Racialicious had a post about "hipster racism"....the use or and excuse of SATIRE in order to present demeaning racist images. Hipster racism is always under the cloak of satire.

This recently happened at Princeton Seminary....a newsletter that was offensive and racist was created by seminarians and then distributed all over campus. The "we were just joking!" defense was used by the students.

A black scholar was openly ridiculed and blatantly demeaned in this newsletter. Were the students EXPELLED? Oh no!!

The apologized and then Princeton Seminary wanted everyone to focus on "healing"...in other words, they hoped that no one would be offended and that everyone would forgive and move on.

Please.

Is a burning cross on a lawn a prank too?

There was an art exhibit early this year and two photos of the Obama girls were displayed and the words "HOS" over their photos. The gallery included the photos JUSTIFYING their decision by saying that it was "art". (This was reported by the website, MichelleObamaWatch.com).

The media reported that one of the Duke Lacrosse players yelled at the dancer as she was scurrying out to the house: "Tell your grandpa THANKS for my cotton shirt!"

He was "just joking!!"

The issue now becomes....what are we going to DO about ending this tactic of racial hatred?

The "just joking!" defense is now being used so that they can ATTEMPT to circumvent the criteria for being classified as a HATE CRIME. (Lawyers, please chime in on that point!!)

What are we going to DO?

Just sit and complain... or take collective action?

Lorraine Woodward said...

To me, the photo is what puts this one over the top in terms of making it inexcusable.

but at the same time, my (admittedly white) self is amused by a website called blackpeopleloveus.com. (Field, I can't remember if you've talked about that site here.) I find a site like that to do at least a slightly better job of walking that fine line of satire. or at least this is what I tell myself . . . I'm open to being challenged on this.

Ross said...

No big deal, people will say or write anything on the blogs. I am not a Bush fan but virtually everything was written about this dude. Although Obama's appointments leaves a lot to be desired, he is the president, a public figure, and therefore he is open game.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

What The Ink said.

Satire is very hard to pull off. That said regarding that photo, EPIC FAIL

puregenius said...

I think you can determine the author's real intent by reading the comments to the post.

One responder chastises the author for showing prejudice and then exhibits her own.

Many others criticize the words while agreeing with the overall conclusion.

In a society where people try to be politically correct, words like these may seem satirical. The truth is many still hold views, but most keep them bottled up.

Christopher said...

"I's use president?"

Huh? I don't get this one.

It doesn't even sound like slang or patois.

Back to satire, good satire is very difficult to successfully bring off. Remember that dreadful New Yorker illustration of Barack and Michelle done up like terrorists? It wasn't funny -- it was demeaning and offensive.

Unless you really know what you're doing, satire can come back to bite you in the ass.

Anonymous said...

When the (ha ha) Obama Birth Certificate was being pasted around the internets I took exception to it and was scolded by a local high minded sort who fancies himself the liberal's liberal. He also referenced the New Yorker cover which he found heel-ariously funny and told me I didn't get satire, then suggested I hadn't read Swift. Swift is a crazy ass boring writer and I did get it I just didn't find it terribly fucking amusing in this climate - see post above -- where we have people who know better throwing this racist chum in the waters to stir up gun toting meth tweaking hatenecks. Satire has its purposes, to expose and ridicule those who deserve it presumably people in power, (greeks started it to make fun of church leaders) Satire is not supposed to spur Clem and Jed to buy another 8 ball, load up their :06s and go shoot them some black folk.

Kellybelle said...

I got to the word "pickaninnies" and my soul got weary. Even if that was satire (maybe ironically showing the ignorance of the person who thought it up?) it some old 20th century ish in a 21st century world.

La♥audiobooks said...

I just love how they usually start of with "I'm not racist". Consider the source people. I actually checked out the site and some of the comments that were equally offensive. I went as far as checking out the originator's myspace (June Gordan), including the odd captions she placed under her various mugs and other photos. I could go on...

ooh the hypocrisy... stupid racist horny child molesting criminal associating inbred trash, she has some nerve throwing around stereotypes at other people. As if she, her spawn and the rest of her ilk should even be allowed to breath near the fence of the white house.

Well, it's now evident "Jethro" may have knocked up "Miss Hathaway" after all. Next.

Anonymous said...

Racist trash.

It's simple. No need to make it more complicated than it really is.

It's different when a joke is used to satirize people's attitudes about racism as opposed to a joke that uses racist stereotypes to make other racists laugh. It's the same dishonest "Oh, I'm Only Kidding" bigotry that, let's say, Quentin Tarantino thinks entitles him to use "nigger" in his screenplays. But no matter what Tarantino believes he's trying to say, it's still turning African-Americans into props, and whenever you take away someone's humanity, it's racism, even if he's not wearing a white hood or a swastika.

But people of color already know this. It's only white racists that try to sell this garbage to other white racists, isn't it? These white college-educated elitists snobs might be surprised to realize that they have more in common with a bigoted trailer park redneck than they realize.

field negro said...

"Satire has its purposes, to expose and ridicule those who deserve it presumably people in power, (greeks started it to make fun of church leaders) Satire is not supposed to spur Clem and Jed to buy another 8 ball, load up their :06s and go shoot them some black folk."

Rastamick61, I agree to some extent. I am more comfortable with satire when it's exposing the powerful.

blackwomen..., I like that term: "hipster racism". I think it's appropriate. And I agree with what someone above said: republicans can't do satire, or for some reason they don't seem to do it quite as well.

BTW,I think "red eye" was the show on FOX that you all referred to.

And the 1st amendment pretty much gurantees everyone the freedom to express themselves however they want to. As long as you are not defaming anyone, it's not obscene, and you are doing the equivalent to yelling fire in a crowded theater.

These folks clearly have a right to have and publish this type of web site. But I think most of you have made yourselves pretty clear as to whether it is satire done in the right way or not.

Christopher said...

Well, it's now evident "Jethro" may have knocked up "Miss Hathaway" after all.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Jethro must be the greatest heterosexual man on earth cuz' Miss Jane was a big Ole' lesbian.

I wonder of Jethro ever became a brain surgeon???

Seda said...

I must have a masochistic streak. I read some of the comments, and couldn't go on after this one:

"How dare you! Your spiel makes America sound like a giant dog pound, full of beasts that are half this and half that. I admit that many people from the wrong side of the tracks have perverted ancestors who just couldn’t help themselves. But neither all nor the majority of us suffer from such an unfortunate background.

I have always recommended that people have a full lineage check. It costs only a few thousand dollars and it can establish with near certainty whether your blood has been contaminated by colored corpuscles. You can then verify the results with simple tests available on-line. In addition to the background check revealing that my family tree is wholly free of inferior pigmentation, I answered a detailed questionnaire that proves I am no descendant of Ham. I have no hankering for watermelon, fried chicken or chitlins, I have an above average IQ (contrary to what several demons here have suggested), my sentence syntax is superior, I have no urge to take anything that isn’t mine or to ingest narcotics, and I am motivated to work."


And she calls that "concrete evidence" of her white purity. Poor thing. The only concrete around her is between her ears.

The sad thing is, I think she's actually serious. It's a mystery to me how one can maintain such depth of ignorance while said corpuscles are mobile in one's veins. It must take a dedicated effort not to know anyone outside of one's own KKKlan. Pitiful.

Christopher Chambers said...

There's satire and then there's this stuff. Satire in our times orginated with Thomas Swift, who's "Modest Proposal" caused a lot of drama (advocating eating excess Irish babies). The thing is, Swift was using sarcasm and satire to make a direct attack on British policy in Ireland. Some people "got it," many didn't. That's the thing. There are always going to be people who don't get it b/c they are stupid, or, more prevalent, WON'T get it b/c you are attacking an icon, sacred cow, etc. or worse--challenging them directly.

You have to be a bit of a rebel to engage in this stuff. You have to be hard AND have a sense of humor and yeah--a mean streak (b/c while you must plan for an "eggshell plaintiff" in lawyer-speak, you can't be squeamish). But you also must have a pure purpose and do things artfully, expertly and not hurt the innocent. The pure purpose should take care of it. Pure doesn't mean humor for humor's sake, either, by the way. The satire, the humor--even the meanness--has to spur some thought or call to action.

That said, it would appear that even in the Onion or Colbert report, satire is dead. It is a lost art. It is crass, stupid, dumbed down, glitzed up. Hipster racism, for example, is more a short cut to the art, and is more ignorance than evil. Why? LET US NOT FORGET OUR COMPLICITY IN THIS. From Lil'John to Real Housewives of Atlanta to Long Island bammas trampling someone in Wal mart. Fertile ground for silliness and if you really think objectively, it's a done deal that snarky fools would harp on this.

The Professor Pierce thing at Princeton Seminary should be instructiove on many levels. it was not real satire. It was plain mean, stupid. Innocents are hurt. Of course I can't get any details, and that begs the next illustrative point, and indeed coutnerpoint to this whole mess: As crazy as this crap is, we overreact, we blow our self-righteous trumpets and feed our own agendas in defense. yeah Field, sometimes we got to shuit the f*ck up, lighten up, loosen up, "get it," and even snicker along. Will Smith having the arrogance to re-make The Karate Kid with his son (and direct it)? Okay I can smell coming satire there. That's the key: the snicker and then a hidden shrug and yeah--this underlying problem is really f'd up. Look at how Tina Fey helped push those caches of Hillaryite feministas out of their flirtation w/the GOP by lampooning Palin.

Sure, sure--defamation and false light can put a stop to some. Opprobrium of the community and all. Best defense--what Chris Rock tried to do at Howard. He funded a true humor magazine like the old National Lampoon but it fell apart b/c black students would rather do "Def Comdey Jam" type humor. Awful. Likewise, The oldest college humor magazine (no, not the Harvard Lampoon) the Princeton Tiger, folded b/c white students saw crap like 40 year Old Virgin or Harold and Kumar as real humor. So imagine all the folks who don't get the opportunity to go to Howard or Princeton visualize their tastes and insecurities. Now you get an appreciation for the scope of the problem. Ignorant satirists, a coarser view of human nature, a warped sense of what is funny and a dumb, oversensitive public/audience.
HL Mencken, actually, would love it...

Jody said...

Aw Field, I sat down with my Sunday coffee, fired up the computer, and clicked my bookmarks to see what you had to say today....
Now, I am just grossed out! This crap is beyond crap! It is Pyoderma!

When my sons were young, we used to go through the dictionary to learn new words and look for unusual ones.... One of the words we came across was one that I encouraged my sons to use in lieu of cusswords.

Pyoderma:an infection of the skin accompanied by weeping, oozing, and painful crusts...

That is what that disgusting screed is.... Pyoderma!

Anonymous said...

C Chambers : I'd have to aregue that Samuel Clemens has a better foothold as our direct link to satire than Jonathan Swift. Swift was tied to Trinity College which has more in common with Protestant England than the Irish Catholics for which he was advocating in that tract. Many people mistook Clemens for a racist when he quoted those bumpkins back just the way they sounded n-bombs and all. Leslie Fiedler a heavyweight of the late 20th century lit crit scene said all American Lit comes from one book Huck Finn by Samuel Clemens. I am not sure if I buy that but I do believe any satirist in the American milieu can't go far without tipping his hat to Clemens. And for the what in hell were we talking about anyway of it Samuel Clemens would have been all over this kind of fake minstrel bullshit too. Also I am glad to see Quentin Tarantino getting cracked, I always wondered where that clown got off saying he had a dead nigger in his car. It always rang wrong to me even though I am sure he thought he had some sort of hip insdide track that entitled him to talk that way. More bullshit. Great discussion for a rainy Sunday in Pisstburgh.

Anonymous said...

In context of the past history of this country, racial themes are always a dicey proposition for satire. Some if the funniest I have seen were on "In Living Color" back in the '90s but even some of them crossed the line into offensiveness. It's a fine line indeed. Republicans are literally an elephant trampling over the line. Which is why I couldn't bring myself to click on the website. Seen too much of that garbage this year.

When Obama referred to himself as a "mutt" in his first press conference after the election, my jaw dropped. I was like "was that really necessary?". I couldn't think of any previous president who poked fun at himself in such a personal way. It seemed to be unecessarily self-deprecating. But then I realized this might have been a gentle poke at the hidden obvious, a way of saying "yes Wahington press corps, I am going to make you think about the fact that you are addressing this 'mutt' as 'Mr. President Elect'". Maybe it's a good thing if humor can help to exorcise the demons in the collective consience of this country. But what you cited here is an example of how NOT to do it.

Anonymous said...

Some great satire:
http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/index.html

It amazes me that some white liberals get upset about this website because they think it's serious

Anonymous said...

Has anyone figured out if that Christian-Republican hate site is real or phony?

Susan Gray said...

Field,
http://baptistsforbrown2008.wordpress.com/sow/

Susan Gray said...

Your message form is not working like is should on my computer...but the link was to another part of that very disturbing website. People who are going to hell. WOW...and I only thought there was one Divine Being who made those decisions. These are some seriously hate-filled sickos. I do not see anything satirical or humorous about this site or the persons spewing this type of venom. Sick, sick, sick!

Christopher Chambers said...

Rasta--I'll agree with you re: Twain (Clemens) but I think we got to give Swift his props, especially in this atmosphere where people get freaked out by the littlest thing. I know folks who found Chappelle and now the Chocolate News tantamount to racial self hatred and lynching...

field negro said...

Jody, sorry to ruin your coffee.
"Poyderma"?

Sites like "rent a negro", and "blackpeopleloveus", I get. Because they make the point that I think they are trying to make aboout how cluelessness some folks can be about race.


"The sad thing is, I think she's actually serious. It's a mystery to me how one can maintain such depth of ignorance while said corpuscles are mobile in one's veins.."

Seda, I cannot believe she is serious. Please somebody tell me that this person is not serious.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

People develop stereotypes when they are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information needed to make fair judgments about people or situations. For much of its history, the movie industry portrayed African-Americans as being unintelligent, lazy, or violence-prone. Negative beliefs about blacks tend to enhance whites' self-esteem. On the other hand, it is an effort to kill blacks' self-esteem. If blacks are less intelligent, in whites' belief, then it follows that whites are more intelligent. If blacks are lazier, whites are harder working. If blacks would prefer to live on welfare, then whites would prefer to be self-supporting. If blacks are more violent, whites are less violent-- and the source of violence can be kept at a safe distance while creating the traditional alignments of power in America.

This is a serious issue that activist need to work on. In order to kill the racism demon, you have to knock out the smaller demons of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination, first, one by one, in order to weaken the power of racism.

Stand your ground, don't ever be backed in a corner with false excuses used as a cover to hide those demons of racism, prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination in the form of: "just joking" or " your overreacting" or "your being overly sensitive" or "complaining", reject and ignore those excuses. Your dignity and respect is not some insignificant thing you're asking for, it is your God given right. Blow your trumpet loud and let your voices be heard. Your Somebody Too!

earlgrey said...

Well...I am as confused as you Field. If it is real hate. Well then I am not surprised and I suppose they need their little corner of the internet too. If it is ignorance, then the only option is engagement and education but I suppose they would then have to be willing to listen. Can you imagine the reaction a well reasoned commment on that blog would get. I think the worst is if it was trying to be satire. Then it strikes me that its a group of people who think they are smarter then they obiously are and their egos could not take the news that they suck at it.

Also I think the key to good satire is at some point you think to yourself. "aha, this is crazy it is not for real" But with racial satire the fact is that no matter how far it goes off the edge. There is someone out there that actually thinks its a good idea. That is perhaps the root of your confusion Field. The truth is that there are people who to this day think the way that that poster did. Its not satire its sad.

Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden said...

11 30 08

I thought it was a joke. It had a preachy tone to it, especially the top post about how Blacks ensured Prop 8 would pass. They have linked to legitimate right wing blogs, but are a satirical site. Clearly. Heh!

Black Diaspora said...

Quote@Seda: "I have always recommended that people have a full lineage check."

Now What? Once it's clearly established that you're genetically inferior, what then?

Kill yourself?

Black Diaspora said...

"George Bernard Shaw once said, 'Mark Twain [Samuel Clemens] and I are in the same position. We have put things in such a way as to make people, who would otherwise hang us, believe that we are joking.'"

Anonymous said...

I think the Republican-Christian site is a satire, but there is such a thing as going too far. If it's THAT hard to tell that they're kidding, it's not funny. It leaves me with a YUK kind of feeling, not a HaHa feeling.

The "blackpeopleloveus" site is obviously satire and meant for poking fun at ourselves and our old ideas. I was rolling! Like a Saturday Night Live skit. Remember Eddie Murphy doing Jesse Jackson "Hymie Town"? That was some funny shit!

Black Diaspora said...

The site has no redeeming qualities.

I didn't find it amusing, enlightening, nor satirical: It missed on all three counts.

What mystifies me the most is why in the hell would anyone--given the site's failings--frequent such a site, not to mention leaving behind a post or two?

I guess, for some, it appeals to some inner perverseness.

rikyrah said...

FN,

You know damn well this bull wasn't satire.

Racist, no holds barred bullshit. That's what this is.

I'm tired of folks offending me, and then telling me that I can't 'take a joke'.

When I bust something off in your ass, mofo, take THAT as a joke.

We have to seriously disabuse White folks of the notion that they can so obviously disrespect us, and then patronizingly tell us what a ' joke' it was.

No. Beat their ass, cuss them out, and then tell them - well, it was only a ' joke'.

La♥audiobooks said...

Did any of you read her previous tralala about Palin being the grand-mother of trig (which I do believe is true btw). But the nut job had me rolling when I read her "updates" and the information supplied by her Lordly prophets. Then she made this comment about Palin's husband...

"It just been report that Palin’s hubby is a jailbird! I’m just glad there ain’t any Negroes in Alaska. Lord have mercy, no gal want to know that her handsome hubby played the woman for a whole cellblock full of enormous black thugs. I tell you what — that fellow IS a handsome man!!!!!"

This woman and her crew are hysterically diseased! LOL. Someone needs to take this woman's computer away. Field, I think you were the one trying to be satirical with your topic heading.

http://baptistsforbrown2008.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sin-spotting-sarah-palins-latest-child-is-not-hers/

Anonymous said...

Love the frisbee dog on the sidebar.

Anonymous said...

As a Christian, I am asking nicely: Please stop sending lewd e-mails to the ladies who post at Republican Faith.

These vile, sexual comments may be part of your everyday life, seem normal to you and spring freely from your keyboards, but to Christian ladies they are shocking and deeply disturbing.

Several ladies have become afraid for their safety. And, frankly, I don't blame them.

If you wish for white people to think better of you, kindly act in a civilized, respectful manner.

TIA,

Deb

Anonymous said...

C. Chambers, I will agree with you on Swifty, he had serious game and A Modest Proposal is a sick piece of writing aimed at people who fully deserved it, Brits. I think too I am holding some residual grudge from the semester I had to read Gulliver's Travels in 3 different English courses ! A pleasure to read your thoughts on satire though and it's always good to hear thoughts on satire, probably my favorite lit topic of all time. Peace.

Ellen Kimball said...

Field,

That is one sick woman. But I can't say I'm surprised that she has her own cast of characters. I just got involved in getting tangled with a very religious woman who I believe lives in our town who was going on about "partial birth abortions" and put up the photo of a BLACK baby with its head ripped off. I put a comment on her website but thought better of it when she gave me her "credo" right at the end of a benign post I had made the night before.

There is no way to convince people on these subjects. It's the way they've been brought up -- to hate and fear other people who are different.

Peace, brother. June Gordon will sink in her own fetid juices someday. If it's any consolation, it looks as if her husband has gone and she doesn't want to talk about it!

Keep thinking about tomorrow and January 20, 2009.

Peace, love and happiness,
EK

Javier said...

Come on people! Of course it's a joke! Right? It is a joke, right? There aren't real folks that think like this, right? RIGHT??

I have a headache...

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Rikyrah:

Calm down baby girl, but I understand how you feel, because ENOUGH is ENOUGH. They do have a way of taking folks to their limits, above, and beyond them too.

When I was younger, stuff like that would have gotten a tap dance in their eye quick, and we could talk later. Granny could box too. I had skills using a straight razor that would have made a general surgeon look like an amateur. It didn't make no difference to me if they were male or female. I guess that's why God put it in my parent's heart to move out on the West Coast, because I never feared no one with two legs and a arm just like me. I'm older now and I still know how to throw some sets, but I found out there's more than one way to skin a cat.

LISA VAZQUEZ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LISA VAZQUEZ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LISA VAZQUEZ said...

@ Prophetess Debbie

Who specifically are you addressing in this comment section?

And....why are you ASSUMING that anyone in this comment section visits the site that you mentioned?

It is SOOOO UN-Christian to make accusations without stating facts DIRECTLY to those involved.

I don't see you stating facts to any persons directly. Unless those persons have BLOCKED profiles, you are certainly able to click on their online monikers and deal with them directly AT THEIR OWN blogs or by email.

Nooooo?

While I have no idea what you are referring to....I do think that if a person is going to make an accusation, they need to have CONCRETE FACTS that address those who are accountable. They should go directly to the person....AHEM ..isn't there a Bible verse that speaks to that?

Making blanket statements to an entire group does NOTHING at all...except make you look a bit...um...well....you pray on that and you'll see how it makes you look.

This all seems QUITE simple to grasp but I suppose it is difficult for some to put into practice.

Let me say this nicely...you are...PERHAPS...visiting the WRONG BLOG if you think that the host of this blog cares what white people think about him...read more of his posts and you'll see.

Oh...I get it...yes, perhaps you were NOT EVEN referring to the blog host...oh but you see, WE will never know since you failed to address ANY person in this comment section specifically....

field negro said...

deb, (AKA Christian lady) I would leave the fields if I were you now. We wouldn't want any of these black savages and honorary black savages trying to get any ideas. The last thing you want is one of them following your IP address all the way to your house.

A couple of these sistas are even acting like they want to remove their ear rings and heels,and get down to business with your ass. :)

And deb, you can thank me later. ;)

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Prophetess Deb who calls herself a prophetess.

Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and lying divinations. They say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says'-when the LORD has not spoken.

Anonymous said...

I'm praying for all of you sad, angry people.

And, unlike many of you, my prayers are heard.

You are welcome!

La♥audiobooks said...

Oh wow the "prophet" has arrived. I wonder if she will be foreseeing them drinking their Kool aid anytime soon, I'm getting tired of their kind.

"Several ladies have become afraid for their safety. And, frankly, I don't blame them."

You see Field, it's your fault. This is what happens when muscular looking bald headed negroes post pictures on their blogs. Don't you negroes have anything else better to do than to scare racist looney white women? I'm surprised this one got pass your captcha.

Anonymous said...

Field -

Please go to June Gordon's myspace page. Look at it. Read it.

It's frickin' hysterical. She is a total joke. Probably some over-educated Brooklyner or Seattlyst or Silver Laker drag queen character starting a following. I have a similar alter-ego, and while some people take my character completely seriously and are totally offended, those of us who live in a post-PC world (and, thereby actually understand the power of sarcasm and wit to humiliate those who actually believe these awful things) giggle endlessly on the inside.

Seriously, check out her angel wallpaper and try not to laugh.

The jigging must stop, right? So, we must point out the jiggers and embarrass them for who they are in order for it to stop.

As for the Republican Faith Chat? I haven't delved into this insanity long enough to decide if we should burn a cross on their site, giggle with them, or encourage our friends to post blog entries similar to June's to the point that their site is rendered useless.

Keep up the good fight! Peace.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Prophetess Deb as you call yourself:

The prayers of the righteous availeth much, and you don't fit in that category, so stop fooling yourself. Your prayers are worthless, because of all the hatred in your heart towards your fellow human beings of color who were also made in God's image.

field negro said...

See Prophetess deb, you done pissed off Granny. She is kind of our spiritual leader here in the fields.

The irony is, that like myself, you are probably an agnostic. But I, unlike you, respect folks like Granny, who just might send up a prayer on my ass that works. :)

La~incognita, it's all good. We are here to teach and to educate.

And rikyrah, I honestly think that it WAS meant to be satire.

Jody said...

Dear God,
Please make the false prophet(ess) go away.
Amen

Anonymous said...

FNs...you're being played!

Don't get caught up in that website...its a "front" site to mock the sheep of right-wing Christian zealotry.

Don't be fooled...these folks are playin mind-fuck games on the net...they're just fuckin wit folks people.

They're way over the top but just another www mindfuck.com

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

I thought I'd share this article with all of you:


Earth, Wind and Obama

An open letter to Barack Obama from PNN

Tony Robles/PNN Co-editor and Revolutionary Worker Scholar
Saturday, November 15, 2008;


Dear Barack,
I didn't watch the election coverage of November 4th. I was not in front of the television watching the announcers project which states you won and which states went to senator McCain. I was sitting in a circle. What circle, you might ask? I was in the indigenous circle at POOR Magazine in San Francisco. Election night fell on the same night as Community Newsroom in which Poverty, Race, Disability, Migrant, Youth and Elder scholars from the community come together and create media--revolutionary media that tells their stories--stories of houselessness, disability, incarceration, immigration, gentrification and issues of poverty that go unnoticed or misrepresented by mainstream media. Our circle is important and we don't break it, even for the U.S. Presidential election.

Don't get me wrong, the people in our circle were most interested in the election. We glanced at the computer terminal from time to time and each time we looked, you were in the lead. Each report indicated what state went to you and what state went to senator McCain.

We were happy to see that you were pulling away from Senator McCain. The report came in that you had picked up Ohio and Pennsylvania, I said to myself, it's over.

But we had work to do. The criminalization of poor folks globally and locally is something that we are fighting. I am sure you are familiar with the UN Declaration on indigenous peoples; it is our hope that your administration will recognize this declaration and take the necessary steps to cease the criminalization of migrant peoples--to recognize that migrant peoples have families and cultures and histories that run deep in this hemisphere. Will this be part of your agenda? I believe the future of the U.S. as a country hinges on undoing the wrongs committed upon the indigenous peoples of this hemisphere. You have a helluva job in front of you. I wouldn't want the job you now have.

As you were winning in the Electoral College, our circle was talking about the civil rights movement and the fight for the vote. One of our scholars at POOR Magazine is a founding member who is Black and has dealt with homelessness and poverty for much of his life. He said that voting is important but that politics must be part of everything you do, from the places you shop to the media you access for information. It must be part of day to day living. It is the vital work that must be done that goes unnoticed.

A young woman in our circle from Tonga spoke from her heart about her family situation. She spoke of the medical system and emptiness she felt navigating through a system of providers who provide nothing that resembles spirit or compassion or empathy. Her tears brought us back to who we are as indigenous people. Our circle is stronger now. This happened as you gave your victory speech.

When community newsroom ended, I got on my bike and headed home. An African descendant kid shouted your name from an open window: OBAMA! OBAMA! Young black men walked in the street chanting your name. White so-called hipsters congregated at cafes and bars celebrating your victory. I rode past navigating the San Francisco hills.

As I rode I thought of the other Obamas of the past, the talented and brilliant black men and women who never got the opportunity to achieve their dreams or show their brilliance as you have. I am hopeful that you will not forget them. I hope you remember the young kid in the window chanting your name. Our indigenous circle is not broken.

LISA VAZQUEZ said...

FN,

Black savages!! *LOL*

Now THAT was funny! *LOL*

Folks don't understand what happens if a sista starts taking off her earrings and putting the vaseline on her face....{raise brow}

Anonymous said...

"The irony is, that like myself, you are probably an agnostic. But I, unlike you, respect folks like Granny, who just might send up a prayer on my ass that works. :)"

To suggest that I am an agnostic is actionable libel. To admit that you are an agnostic is to make an admission against interest (and therefore an exception to the hearsay rule): That you are in the thrall of Satan.

And yet to fawn before Granny's prayers tells me that there is still hope for you yet. You clearly cower before the power of black female matriarchy, afraid to offend, afraid to push your appallingly individualistic leanings.

This makes you appear more "House Negro" than "Field Negro." And this tells me that you are insecure in your supposed beliefs and that you may be cleansed by the Blood of the Perfect Lamb yet! Glory!

Anonymous said...

It's satire folks, come on. No one here belongs to "Landover Baptist?" http://www.landoverbaptist.org

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Prophetess Deb as YOU call yourself:

You should be worried about getting cleansed in the blood yourself, because Lord knows you have a lot of work to do in that area. Going around here throwing stones at others when your heart ain't right. It's a dangerous thing to lie on God, but I guess that doesn't bother you, since, you do it with regularity.

BTW, you can't curse what GOD has blessed, it will backfire on you. Just thought I'd warned you.

Anonymous said...

I'm upset that I'm not on Prophetess Debbie's "hellbound" list on the blog. I must be doing something wrong to have not attracted her attention and condemnation yet.
;-)

field negro said...

"You clearly cower before the power of black female matriarchy, afraid to offend, afraid to push your appallingly individualistic leanings... "

Yep, you got me there. That deb, ("the black female matriach") is my true god. :)

And BTW, those females were in the fields, not the house. ;)

Anon. no one here is being played. We understand EXACTLY what the church lady is doing, and that her site is meant to be pure satire, made to poke fun at the RR. But here is the thing: folks here just don't find the "hipster racism" shit to be funny. Satire just doesn't always work. Sorry.

"Dear God,
Please make the false prophet(ess) go away.
Amen"

Now that was funny.

La♥audiobooks said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
La♥audiobooks said...

"You clearly cower before the power of black female matriarchy"

These people are still trying to divide and conquer.. sad. Yawn.

Anonymous said...

Remember Dana Carvey's "Church Lady" on Saturday Night Live? That's what this pseudo-Christian goof is to me. Seriously? I think it's either a frat house or a dude in a dress.

xoxo B.

Anonymous said...

But do we really want chicken bones all over the floor of the Map Room? Do we want crack pipes and thongs all over floor?

bet if this was about bush boy you'd be laughing?

get used to it people it's going to happen for four years

The Author said...

i think the responses are more comical then the post. damn, satire sure does sting!

ohh ohhh and i do think 'saucy negroes' should be recognized, in honor of sheep/wolf Deb - Matthew 7:15-23

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of the first time I heard Rush Limbaugh on the radio (I could only consistently get one radio channel on my radio - so it was that or don't listen). I initially thought that it had to be satire - I mean, who in their right mind would believe any of the stuff he was spewing?

It took me several shows of listening to it before I realized that whether or not Rush was serious, at least some of his listeners were. From then on, the sound of silence was better music to my ears than his show.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Anonymous 1:11:

Everyone does not see the world the way you do. There are many people that don't limit their way of thinking to Republican versus Democrats, or Blue States versus Red States, or whites versus blacks. They see it as We the people of the United States of America. Therefore, you are wrong in your assumption to think that if a person degraded Bush with racial stereotypes, that another person would just because they voted for a particular party think that it is funny. Only narrow-minded people like you think like that.

Smh! You need to grow up and mature in your way of thinking.

Anonymous said...

Uh, field those nasty liceinfeseted crackers weren't jocking and everytime I type on their fucking blog they remove my post.

Anonymous said...

They don't like freedom of speech much.

Anonymous said...

Please, simply put, satire, by its very nature is meant to hold up human vices to ridicule or scorn and its sarcasm is used to expose and discredit those vices. Now tell me what vices are they ridiculing?

Anonymous said...

You are in fact being played although people like this (meaning posting on this blog) aren't the "target audience" per se. This is a perfect example of Poe's Law and a very well done one at that.

If you read the radical right-wing online (think Free Republic, et al.) you see there really are a lot of people who think this way but don't come right out and say it. Sites like RFC exploit this and infuriate these people because it says what they think and then follows this line of reasoning to its most extreme logical conclusion, which is even over the top for real racists.

And for the record, RFC - like Landover Baptist, Shelley the Republican, and Betty Bowers - is more parody than satire. It takes existing sentiments out there and then exaggerates them to an absurdist degree to highlight the fallacy of the initial point of departure (in this instance, the racist suggestion that Obama's skin color has anything to do with how he would perform as President).

Ultimately the idea is to make the people out there who really harbor these ideas look absurd and scares away people that are flirting with these notions. However, it is - by definition - way over the top so it certainly isn't everyone's cup of tea. It doesn't work - meaning it doesn't piss off the radical right-wing - if it is too obviously fake, and this is where RFC and a few others really shine, just the fact that you can't tell highlights how sick and twisted the right-wing is.

Peace.