Poster of Obama as "Joker" hangs outside strip club

[Emit]

Poster of Obama as "Joker" hangs outside strip club
Posted: Sep 27, 2009 8:09 AM PDT Updated: Sep 28, 2009 11:39 AM PDT

From NBC12, AP News

RICHMOND, VA (WWBT) - The state NAACP held a news conference today over this poster that's grabbing attention outside the doors of a gentleman's club in Shockoe Bottom, just off I-95 at Franklin Street.

Outside Club Velvet is a picture of President Barack Obama as "The Joker" from Batman comic book and movie fame. The word "Socialism" is branded along the bottom of the banner.

Representatives from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Nation of Islam and other groups gathered outside Club Velvet to protest what they called an affront against the nation's first black president and "veiled attacks on all African people."

~snip~

Club owner Sam Moore said the banner is not racist. He said he's simply unhappy with Obama's policies.

Some of the protesters were demanding that the banner should come down, calling it racist and disrespectful.

~snip~

http://www.nbc12.com/Global/story.asp?S=11206206

Videos at link in Video Gallery, with discussion of 1st Amendment Rights

[YOY]

1. Classy!

n/t

[47of74]

2. Gentleman's club???

Probably more like Closeted GOP Club.

[Cyrano]

14. One of these days, the KKK will run out of disguises

[Romulox]

3. People have a right to protest the President, whatever color/gender/political party

This is basic to our democracy.

"Some of the protesters were demanding that the banner should come down, calling it racist and disrespectful."

[triple point]

15. We took a lot of heat from wingers for not respecting W enough...

:shrug:

[CJCRANE]

4. The poster doesn't make sense. The Joker is an anarchist. Obama isn't a socialist.

The only "jokers" are the people who promote this poster.

[rd_kent]

5. When I see someone with that sign

it shows me just how ignorant they really are.....

[JonQ]

6. I don't really get how it's racist

disrespectful sure, but when has the opposition ever been respectful of a sitting president? Perhaps for a few days following a major disaster, but that's about it.

Free speech does not necessarily = praise, or even showing mutual respect.

[DatManFromNawlins]

7. Because apparently all criticism of a black president is racism

Didn't you get the memo? Haven't you been beaten over the head with this tired, nonsensical meme that everyone who protests against the healthcare plan or any other thing that the DNC happens to be in favor of at the moment is motivated by fear of a black planet?

Anyway, the right wing has pretty much turned the term "socialism" into ANY redistribution of wealth from the rich to the poor. The poster is relatively correct in so much as it is in line with their understanding of the term, even though it is factually incorrect. As for the Joker, perhaps they see this "socialism" as an additional way to bring down society, in which case the Joker is an appropriate figure even though he is a chaotic anarchist in the movie.

[JonQ]

9. Now does that only apply to the first black president?

Like if condi manages to become president sometime in the future, would criticizing her be racist (and sexist) or is that a one time thing?

And if it's a one time thing, and he wins another term, is it no longer racism?

This is so confusing. I wish the whitehouse would just tell me what criticisms are considered acceptable and what are forbidden.

[DatManFromNawlins]

13. Excuse me, black Democratic president

Because if you're black and you aren't a Democrat, then you're an Uncle Tom, which puts you beneath contempt here, ESPECIALLY for the white folks who somehow feel the need to express black rage for black people.

[MidwestRick]

8. Not sure...

but how exactly is this poster racist?

[Bobbie Jo]

16. It's more IGNORANT than anything.

Of course slapping white face paint on a black man is always good for a laugh, no? :eyes:

[YOY]

18. White face on a black man. Using pop culture to make it all right.

Also the fact that the man is not really a socialist nor is socialism something bad/unAmerican and even if he somehow were a socialist the accusation is so 1950s and uneducated that makes the poster irreconcilably stupid beyond fucking compare.

[aikoaiko]

10. Free publicity......ain't it grand.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

11. I'm tired of all the Joker allusions about anything in general. Who else is?

I mean, frankly I didn't even find The Dark Knight to be all that interesting or compelling. But that's just me.

[YOY]

17. I thought it probably the best one so far (with the previous one).

Ledger did a great job. Very sad it was his last flick.

Now the allusions...some folks find them to be racist. I think it belies the point that they have no idea what the fuck "socialism" is and that it's neither an insult nor what Obama stands for...but hey...

[Hepburn]

12. Consider the source....

...the asshole makes money off of women's private parts being displayed in public. Who gives a shit what he thinks.

[k agathon]

19. Apparently a lot of people care or they wouldn't be protesting

I don't know what the guy believes, but I can say one thing for certain, if his goal was getting his club name in the paper, total win.

I bet the club phone is ringing off the hook with people calling to find out where that get a copy of that banner.