Barack the Magic Negro

Barack the Magic Negro is the latest liberal excuse to pile on conservatives and call them racists. Originally written by David Ehrenstein of the Los Angeles Times on March 19th, 2007, Barack the Magic Negro suddenly exploded into a big controversy in December of 2008. I guess when it comes to these sort of things, liberals have nearly a two year lag time. But it’s clear that Obama also is running for an equally important unelected office, in the province of the popular imagination — the “Magic Negro.” The Magic Negro is a figure of postmodern folk culture, coined by snarky 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,”. In December of 2008, Chip Saltsman, a candidate for Republican National Committee chairman, circulated a CD with the spoof called “Barack the Magic Negro”. While those who aren’t whiny liberals and not so addicted to political correctness BS, consider this to be nothing but clean fun, the liberals want to turn Barack the Magic Negro into a big race fight. The song which was song by Paul Shanklin posing as Al Sharpton singing along to the tune of “Puff the Magic Dragon”. Is it lampooning white liberal guilt and mocking other black leaders’ supposed jealousy of Obama? Honestly, who cares? Rush Limbaugh referred to or played that song a bunch of times on his show and Barack Obama still won the election. Black punditry has hardly commented on this most recent flap; they’re too busy picking out inaugural outfits. Anyway, Jester made a video of Barack the Magic Negro with the soundtrack. I’ll let you form your own opinion. Do you find this racist? Do you find this offensive?