Loverly.
Obama Waffles: Racial Stereotypes as Propaganda
By Samantha Chang
You know Republicans are shaking in their cowboy boots when they resort to racial stereotyping as a way to undermine Barack Obama.
Activists at a conservative political summit held in Washington, D.C., Sept. 13 were buying up box loads of Obama Waffles, a waffle mix showing Obama on the front with bulging eyes and big lips as he smiles at a plate of waffles. On its top flap, Obama sports what appears to be a white turban next to the words: "Point box toward Mecca for tastier waffles."
Mark Whitlock and Bob DeMoss, who created Obama Waffles, insist they meant no harm, saying their drawings were merely political satire. The two writers from Franklin, Tenn., sold Obama Waffles for $10 a box from a rented booth at the Values Voter Summit (Values? HAH!) sponsored by the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council. The vendors were later booted from the forum after protesters found the waffle box offensive.
Republicans Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney spoke at the forum, which reportedly drew 2,100 participants from 44 states. Obama Waffles invokes the demeaning stereotype of the iconic pancake-mix caricature, Aunt Jemima, which has been widely criticized as offensive to African-Americans. Placing Obama in a turban plays into the false rumor that he is Muslim, when in fact he's Christian.
On the back of the box, Obama is shown wearing a sombrero and Mexican clothing above a recipe for Open-Border Fiesta Waffles that says it can serve "4 or more illegal aliens." Included with the recipe are the words: "While waiting for these zesty treats to invade your home, why not learn a foreign language?"
The conservative public policy groups American Values and Focus on the Family Action co-sponsored the event. Organizers halted sales of Obama Waffles on Sept. 13, saying they had not realized the boxes had displayed "offensive material." The waffle boxes had been on sale since Sept. 11. (source)
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