President Obama as the Joker

[IDrinkaRum]

There is a poster floating around both the city of Los Angeles and the internet that depicts President Obama as The Joker (Heath Ledger's version) with the word "Socialism" underneath it

Is this hateful? Are these undercover Republicans getting back at those undercover Democrats who portrayed President George W. Bush in a picture with devil horns?

And as the article points out: Wasn't The Joker more about anarchy than socialism?

[Flyndaran]

Geesh. Why is it that republican attacks ads are both stupid and make no damn sense?
At least anti-republican ones are sometimes funny with no racist undertones.

[anriana]

I think it's a cool poster, heh. I don't think it's hateful as much as weird/silly. Like the writer posted out, the Joker wasn't a socialist, so they don't make much sense to me as a political commentary.

[BlaqueKatt]

At least anti-republican ones are sometimes funny with no racist undertones.

and just how is "the joker" racist?

[IDrinkaRum]

and just how is "the joker" racist?

Instead of putting a white man in black face, they're putting a black man in white face?

I have no clue either.

[guywithashovel]

A lot of die-hard Republicans have it in their heads that they are going to "treat Obama the same way Bush was treated." To that, I always want to reply, "So, you're going to give him a chance and see how his policies work, and then tear into him only if he screws up?" Because that's pretty much what happened with Bush.

And before anyone tries to tell me that I'm wrong, I will point out that George W. Bush was a pretty popular president during his first few years in office. Heck, his approval ratings were over 70% for quite a while. He had his chance. Sure, people were taking shots at him from the beginning, but that's true of pretty much every president. All presidents find themselves as the brunts of jokes from time to time.

Also, this "Obama is a socialist" stuff is really dumb. He's not a socialist. Heck, he's not even a liberal.

[AFPheonix]

Bush's approval ratings started to tank before 9/11, and then when that whole thing went down, the country went ahead and rallied around him. I honestly think if Al-Qaeda hadn't attacked, he would have been a one term president.

That's a pretty nonsensical ad, but then, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, considering the same political branch comes up with stupid crap like stapling tea bags to hats, or singing Barack The Magic Negro on a regular basis.
I'm not sure why Socialism is such a scary word here, especially considering how many of our closest allies are socialist. It's really stupid how so many people fall for really crappy propaganda.

[Flyndaran]

and just how is "the joker" racist?

Don't some tribes in africa paint themselves in white for ritual purposes? That's what first came to my mind when I saw it. Too many national geographic programs?

[Rapscallion]

I'm not sure why Socialism is such a scary word here, especially considering how many of our closest allies are socialist. It's really stupid how so many people fall for really crappy propaganda.

Well, they're under your bed and red, you know?

I think it stems from that charmless Mcarthy era stuff. If the haters actually read what the root principles of socialism actually are, there's not much that they could genuinely find fault with.

Rapscallion

[AdminAssistant]

If the haters actually read what the root principles of socialism actually are, there's not much that they could genuinely find fault with.

Right. And so many people think communism = socialism, which it doesn't.

[Flyndaran]

Right. And so many people think communism = socialism, which it doesn't.

Socialism is communism after it meets reality, in my opinion.

[Cat]

I voted for Obama, and am still happy I did, this poster is well done artistically.....and if I saw it, I'd just laugh at the stupidity.

[Greenday]

Well, they're under your bed and red, you know?

I think it stems from that charmless Mcarthy era stuff. If the haters actually read what the root principles of socialism actually are, there's not much that they could genuinely find fault with.

Rapscallion

Raps pretty much nailed it. Thanks to McCarthy, everyone just KNOWS communism is bad, even if they don't know what communism is. And now people are saying socialism is the same as communism and since people are too lazy to learn what it really is, they just accept that.

[Rapscallion]

Raps pretty much nailed it.

Don't mind me. I like to see that bit repeated

Rapscallion

[AFPheonix]

Raps pretty much nailed it. Thanks to McCarthy, everyone just KNOWS communism is bad, even if they don't know what communism is. And now people are saying socialism is the same as communism and since people are too lazy to learn what it really is, they just accept that.

Nooooo not socialized medicine!

But socialized mail, roads, fire and police seem to be pretty effective...

But no socialized medicine!