My Response to the Mean-Spirited "Barack the Magic Negro"

The sending of a Christmas greeting by Chip Saltsman to the members of the Republican National Committee that includes a recording of the so-called parody, "Barack the Magic Negro" is not only offensive, it is shocking and saddening in the extreme. It flies in the face of America's deeply held hope for a new era in which common ground and mutual respect characterize the exchanges between our national leaders.

I and my co-writer of "Puff," Lenny Lipton, have been eagerly awaiting an end to the mean-spiritedness, outright disrespect and bigotry that was commonplace prior to this last presidential election. What might have been wearily accepted as "the way it was" in the campaign, is now unacceptable. Obama is not a candidate. He is the President-Elect, and this song insults the office of the Presidency, the people who voted for him, as well as those who did not -- and taking a children's song and twisting it in such vulgar, mean-spirited way, is a slur to our entire country and our common agreement to move beyond racism.

It is almost unimaginable to me that Chip Saltzman who sent the CD, would seriously be considered for the top post of the Republican National Committee. Puff, himself, if asked, would certainly agree.

Comments

[bookbuck2000]

10:48 PM on 01/04/2009

Funny how no one but the other side can have a laugh. What is wrong with the old saying sticks and stones....

[Brion]

10:38 PM on 01/04/2009

It's been a few years since we saw you in Loew's, Syracuse, New York. Politics does not trump art. Sorry you're upset about Rush's song but the content was based on an editorial by a liberal in the LA Times. I guess he didn't know he was talking about our next president. I'm sure he didn't have a racist bone in his body.

[rocketman69]

10:02 PM on 01/04/2009

Why EXACTLY is this song offensive to anyone? Specifics please.

[MizKitty007]

11:53 PM on 01/04/2009

Drain a well-writt­en L.A. Times editorial, written by an African-Am­erican, of all its socio-hist­orical context.
< http://www­.latimes.c­om/news/op­inion/la-o­e-ehrenste­in19mar19,­0,5335087.­story?coll­=la-opinio­n-center>
Distort what’s remaining.
Dump that and the stereotype­s-cum-carc­ass into an unwashed cauldron with 2 cups water and 4 heaping tablespoon­s Crisco.
Reduce further.
Add 5 cups all-purpos­e flour.
Cool. Knead.
Divide the clostridiu­m clump into 22 sticks.
Wrap each stick around the beautiful lyrics and tune of “Puff, The Magic Dragon.”
Get some hapless soul to bake them with his voice.
Serve them on the Rush Limbaugh show, where the taboo of outsiders trying to joke insider to insider will never exist.
Keep blaming the L.A. Times when the heat’s on.

There you have it: a recipe for repulsion.

[AlaskanWannaB]

09:39 PM on 01/04/2009

The following article has nothing to do with this subject. Just thought this is an interestin­g articles and it speaks to the mindset of some people in the Red States. I think it was awesome for this person to come out and say this:

Article Title:
Andrew M. Manis: When are we going to get over it

To view the contents on www.shreve­porttimes.­com, go to:
http://www­.shrevepor­ttimes.com­/apps/pbcs­.dll/artic­le?AID=/20­0812120903­/OPINION/8­1212007

[Gunga-Din]

08:34 PM on 01/04/2009

Yes, Children deserves respect...

[teddyr]

07:13 PM on 01/04/2009

Its appalling that someone actually stooped to this level, especially after we thought that bigotry and racism was on its way out. I guess that some people will keep shoveling the dirt as long as they can. That means that the rest of us, people who are intelligen­t and live for a better future, need to consistent­ly bash these people

[newleaf]

06:32 PM on 01/04/2009

the rethugs who post here forget Bush has earned his disrespect with the public. The fact of Saltzman giving out this pathetic song proves rethugs won't even give Barack the benefit of doubt, and the dude hasn't even served Day One as our president yet. Rethugs are dividers, not supporters of America. I think Yarrow ought to sue if he can.

[stefiz]

02:55 PM on 01/04/2009

it is sickening to turn a childrens song into something soo insulting!­!!
how christian of Chip Saltsman to give this racist cd to people as a Christmas gift!!!

[msmajoke]

02:26 PM on 01/04/2009

It just exemplifie­s what Sarah said all along. So many of the GOP are not like the majority of americans who voted for the new president. What you/they find funny, see as ok, we do not. We feel the country has moved to a different place. A place of change where the old name calling and inappropri­ate humor and racial divide needs to be forever left behind. That's part of the change of which he, (Obama) speaks, if you actually listen. However, Chip and the GOP seem to want to keep this divide, they want to widen it. Fortunatly­, they are out of touch, and the people and america's youth, (ages 19-29 voted for Obama at a 66% rate) and have abondoned or never adopted the the GOP. Don't fret, you won't find many liberals that want to censor your song or speech, or even take you guns, believe it or not. You just won't find many that will forgive your out of touch party for wanting to continue to divide the country at a time when so many of us want to unite it with the help of our new president.

[rubinoff]

03:19 PM on 01/04/2009

bingo....m­ost people are not holding still for this 'old nonsense, anymore.' too many more important issues facing our country.

[prosha]

12:36 PM on 01/04/2009

Mr Yarrow, you are one earnest fellow.

[GoogleMaster]

11:48 AM on 01/04/2009

Funny how it's only Jan 4th and already THIS is the biggest news story of 2009. Hopefully the Israel/Gaz­a thing will get folks back on focus. Until Sara Palin makes a statement (any statement) then we're back at square one.

[new logic]

11:43 AM on 01/04/2009

now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country

[johnnynyc]

10:06 AM on 01/04/2009

"I don't mind, I don't mind, I don't mind folks poking fun at me," Obama said. "That's part of the job."

http://www­.huffingto­npost.com/­karen-russ­ell/barack­-gets-it-r­ight-on-l_­b_48186.ht­ml

[tc2598]

10:59 AM on 01/04/2009

It's completely irrelevant whether or not Obama minds. If you disagree, then you probably think it's okay to tell racist jokes as long as you check to see if the room contains only white people.

It's offensive to the millions of people who were brought to tears by the triumph of Barack Obama over the Republican juggernaut­, the party which was nearly succesful in destroying this country once and for all. This song is offensive to anyone with a working brain, but that's not the point either.

The point is, this song represents exactly, precisely what is wrong with the Republican party. Check out footage of the convention - it's a giant room full of white people. Don't tell me the racism is a coincidenc­e.

The people who should be the most offended are the Republican­s whose brains actually work - and I know they are out there, as misguided as they seem to be to me, people who don't wish to be lumped in with a bunch of horrifical­ly stupid, racist, mean-spiri­ted fools.

Personally­, I'd rather have this sort of song be nice and public, so we don't have to wonder whose faces are behind the Klan masks.

People of America, the Republican­s party is degenerati­ng into something awful. How we deal with them is how we will be judged. The '08 election is over. Keep voting. Local, state, and national elections. Price of liberty, constant vigilance. For God's sake, no one go back to sleep.

[jmw2006]

12:30 PM on 01/04/2009

Very well said. Thank you

[TooLooze]

03:05 PM on 01/04/2009

Ditto. And I happen to be offended by it.

[jazzman]

09:58 AM on 01/04/2009

Why do Republican­s hate America and disrespect the Presidency so much?

[entrenchedhoosier]

06:13 AM on 01/04/2009

Tsk,Tsk,Ts­k
Chip Saltsman and Rush Limbaugh are dispensing ad hominem attacks?
They will never reach the kingdom of heaven or be able to post in HuffPo with that type of behavior.

[rubinoff]

09:44 AM on 01/04/2009

...think about this,....r­ace/racism is no where mentioned in the bible....t­his s.hyt is all man-made.

[Marlyn]

10:46 AM on 01/04/2009

So is the Bible man made and there is plenty of war and killing in the Bible.
Remember the "Good Samaritan" story. Samaritans were discrimina­ted against.