Stay classy, New Yorker magazine

By: T.R. Slyder

Once again a New Yorker's arrogance is laughable. This time it isn't just a New Yorker it's The New Yorker. Magazine. While I believe their claims that they are being satirical and not attempting to be racist, I believe equally that it's a horrible, horrible idea.

Let's recap. The magazine's cover image is a visual representation of the most racist and xenophobic said (or whispered) about Obama- that he's muslim, that Michelle is too edgy, he's anti-American (flag in the fireplace), and that whatever it is about being black that whites don't understand is something to be feared.

Unquestionably the cover is, at the very least, challenging. What makes this magazine arrogant is their handling of it, the editors implication being "Oh, of course it's racist. But we can say it because it's obvious we don't mean it. We're satirizing racists like FoxNews who probably would run an image like this on their network."

My question for the editor is: How is this different than a person of one race using a racial epithet toward another race, but then claiming "Oh dude trust me, it's ok when I say it. I'm not racist at all, and I'm fully aware of the absurdity of that word. In fact, I'm SO un-racist, that I've transcended racism and I'm now at a point where I'm free to use racial slurs whenever I'd like. Consequence free- THAT's how unracist I am."?

Even if you could theoretically make racially-insensitive remarks all day long, but in a satirical way, and get away with it (kids, don't attempt that at home), aren't you still a total chach for doing it?