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Obama The 'Magic Negro'-Senator Lends Himself to America's Idealized, Less Than Real Black Man
LA Times ^ | March 19, 2007 | David Ehrenstein

Posted on 03/19/2007 7:16:31 AM PDT by meg88

AS EVERY CARBON-BASED life form on this planet knows, Barack Obama, the junior Democratic senator from Illinois, is running for president.

It's clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination — "Magic Negro."

The Magic Negro, a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by 20th century sociologists, to explain a cultural figure who emerged in the wake of Brown vs. Board of Education.

"He has no past, he simply appears one day to help the white protagonist," reads the description on Wikipedia http://en.-wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_Negro .

He's there to assuage white "guilt" (the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.

As might be expected, this figure is chiefly cinematic — embodied by such noted performers as Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Scatman Crothers, Michael Clarke Duncan, Will Smith and, most recently, Don Cheadle. And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic."

Poitier really poured on the "magic" in "Lilies of the Field" (for which he won a best actor Oscar) and "To Sir, With Love" (which, along with "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," made him a No. 1 box-office attraction).

In these films, Poitier triumphs through yeoman service to his white benefactors.

Obama's fame right now has little to do with his political record or what he's written in his two books, or even what he's actually said in those stem-winders. It's the way he's said it that counts the most.

His tone is always genial, his voice warm and unthreatening, and he hasn't called his opponents names (despite being baited by media).

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: magicnegro; negro; obama2008
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1 posted on 03/19/2007 7:16:34 AM PDT by meg88
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To: meg88

Now here's a campaign slogan that fits the bumper sticker mentality of liberals:
Vote Obama in '08!
Assuage your White Guilt!......


2 posted on 03/19/2007 7:19:35 AM PDT by Red Badger (Britney Spears shaved her head............Well, that's one way of getting rid of headlice.........)
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To: meg88

Magic Man
Heart

Cold late night so long ago
When I was not so strong you know
A pretty man came to me
Never seen eyes so blue
I could not run away
It seemed wed seen each other in a dream
It seemed like he knew me
He looked right through me
Come on home, girl he said with a smile
You dont have to love me yet
Lets get high awhile
But try to understand
Try to understand
Try try try to understand
Im a magic man.

Winter nights we sang in tune
Played inside the months of moon
Never think of never
Let this spell last forever
Summer over passed to fall
Tried to realize it all
Mama says shes worried
Growing up in a hurry

Come on home, girl mama cried on the phone
Too soon to lose my baby yet my girl should be at home!
But try to understand, try to understand
Try try try to understand
Hes a magic man, mama
Hes a magic man

Come on home, girl he said with a smile
I cast my spell of love on you a woman from a child!
But try to understand, try to understand
Im a magic man!


3 posted on 03/19/2007 7:21:28 AM PDT by Red Badger (Britney Spears shaved her head............Well, that's one way of getting rid of headlice.........)
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To: meg88
A magic nigro he ain't...


4 posted on 03/19/2007 7:21:44 AM PDT by WakeUpAndVote (Got Towel?)
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To: meg88
Image and video hosting by TinyPic
5 posted on 03/19/2007 7:24:12 AM PDT by don-o (Fight, fight. fight to drive the GOP to the right!!!!)
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To: Red Badger

Saturday Night Live had a skit on this topic a few years back.


6 posted on 03/19/2007 7:25:39 AM PDT by meg88
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To: meg88
His tone is always genial, his voice warm and unthreatening, and he hasn't called his opponents names (despite being baited by media).

What a bunch of crap. And I suppose Algore and Hilary act the way they do because they're white.

7 posted on 03/19/2007 7:27:27 AM PDT by Lijahsbubbe (Ah don't feeeeel no ways taihrd.)
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To: meg88

Given the black on white violence we've seen for decades on end, I'm really not feeling any need for white guilt. At all. And that's not to mention the black on black violence, either.

If anything, I'm a bit impatient with it. It's time the leaders of the black community addressed those issues instead of worrying about repaying slavery. 600,000 men did die in putting it to an end. Or more than that, how about joining the rest of us in society? That might be nice for a change. I guess the endless fractioning will continue indefinitely, but what can you do?

(I know, I'm not supposed to think such thoughts...)


8 posted on 03/19/2007 7:31:57 AM PDT by CheyennePress
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To: meg88

Haven't watched SNL since the Originals left.............


9 posted on 03/19/2007 7:33:02 AM PDT by Red Badger (Britney Spears shaved her head............Well, that's one way of getting rid of headlice.........)
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To: Red Badger

SNL really nailed it. Too bad the clip isn't on Youtube


10 posted on 03/19/2007 7:35:00 AM PDT by meg88
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To: meg88

You see a lot of Magic Negroes in Stephen King novels. Very Noble Savage. But liberals get away with condescension...


11 posted on 03/19/2007 7:36:42 AM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: meg88
He's there to assuage white "guilt" (the minimal discomfort they feel) over the role of slavery and racial segregation in American history, while replacing stereotypes of a dangerous, highly sexualized black man with a benign figure for whom interracial sexual congress holds no interest.

I'm white and don't feel guilt. That's because I never segregated anyone, except my kids, by gender.

As might be expected, this figure is chiefly cinematic — embodied by such noted performers as Sidney Poitier, Morgan Freeman, Scatman Crothers, Michael Clarke Duncan, Will Smith and, most recently, Don Cheadle. And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic."

Is he KIDDING?? Will Smith is HOT!

12 posted on 03/19/2007 7:36:48 AM PDT by cake_crumb (When Congress prosecutes wars, you get Another Viet Nam)
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To: meg88
And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic." Johnson was into blondes big time. He hardly meets the writer's suggested definition.
13 posted on 03/19/2007 7:38:59 AM PDT by School of Rational Thought (27 B stroke 6 required)
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To: meg88
And that's not to mention a certain basketball player whose very nickname is "Magic." Johnson was into blondes big time. He hardly meets the writer's suggested definition.
14 posted on 03/19/2007 7:39:41 AM PDT by School of Rational Thought (27 B stroke 6 required)
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To: cake_crumb
I think the author was referring to Will's character in 'The Legend of Baggar Vance'


15 posted on 03/19/2007 7:40:42 AM PDT by meg88
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To: meg88

C'mon, he's only a halfsie.


16 posted on 03/19/2007 7:41:01 AM PDT by petercooper ("Daisy-cutters trump a wiretap anytime." - Nicole Gelinas - 02-10-04)
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To: meg88

So where does David Ehrenstein fall on the political spectrum?


17 posted on 03/19/2007 7:44:35 AM PDT by Chi-townChief
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To: Chi-townChief

Gotta be a lib, they are more racist as a whole than conservatives could ever be!


18 posted on 03/19/2007 7:45:39 AM PDT by meg88
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To: meg88

So all it took to expose the true face of liberalism was for Hillary Rodham-rodent to feel threatened by the competition candidacy of a man, a black man! Wow, that e-mail instruction to the L.A. Slimes to publish this crap must have been a doozy! Bwahahahaha ... the soft bigotry of the democrat party is getting more nasty don'tchaknow. Will black people catch on yet?


19 posted on 03/19/2007 7:46:34 AM PDT by MHGinTN (If you've had life support. Promote life support for others.)
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To: meg88

OOOOOOOOH, LOL! (I'm almost embarrassed)


20 posted on 03/19/2007 7:46:53 AM PDT by cake_crumb (When Congress prosecutes wars, you get Another Viet Nam)
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