Aug 17th, 2009
The summer of their discontent
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the anti-Obama T-shirts in our catalogue, all made by folks who are getting something off their minds and onto their chests (and the chests of those around them). It would seem that a T-shirt is worth 1,000 polls…
One of the more discussed designs is the Obama/Joker design, which went viral both online and as a subversive poster campaign in the real world. This image was the first real iconography to catch on in the anti-Obama movement, and it certainly got some attention from the Left. Some decried it as “racist,” (these folks apparently aren’t big Batman or circus fans), while others went on record to doubt the intelligence of the design itself.
Perhaps, under a new administration, the collective memory slate that once held notes of political outrage has been wiped clean. Indeed, those decrying the Obama/Joker image seem to have forgotten that President Bush earned himself similar artistic… er, tributes. A simple search for “Bush” reminds us that the process of Presidential policy critique via the almighty T-shirt isn’t remotely reserved for the Right.
The trend of anti-Obama merchandise is to be expected. This is, after all, the artistic cycle of political opposition; those opposed to a specific candidate spend the majority of their pre-election energies on promoting their candidate of choice, not focusing on The Other Guy (or Girl). In fact, the only candidate we’ve seen garner a big anti-following well before holding the Presidential office is Hillary Clinton, who started the whole retro communist/socialist propaganda art theme long before Obama was the target.
Which is to say that all the folks making McCain ’08 merchandise should be expected to join the new political dialogue, and that dialogue centers around President Obama and his policies. Those who made the pro-Obama T-shirts have, already, done their jobs: their candidate was elected, their merchandise is still – for the most part – relevant in supporting him.
For those interested in the trend, here’s some factoids for you:
- There are about 1 million anti-Obama products, vs. 3 million pro-Obama products
- Sales of pro vs. anti are fairly evenly split, though anti can spike if there’s a good, T-worthy catch phrase or policy that comes up (like the Great Stupidly Debate & Happy Hour)
- The anti-Obama sentiments post-election tend to focus on policy issues – socialism is a big theme, as well as generalized “I told you so” messaging. Pre-election, the anti-Obama sentiments trended more towards a generalized answer to the ubiquitous Hope/Change messaging, with “Nope” being a main theme.
Overall, the anti-Obama merchandise is, in its infancy, displaying much the same pattern as the anti-Bush merchandise. One big difference: anti-Obama merch tends to be almost exclusively about what Obama does; anti-Bush merchandise had a lot of content specifically related to what Bush said. The “acting stupidly” remark was the first Obama public gaffe to make its way as a trend to ring-spun cotton, so we’ll just have to wait it out to determine whether or not the Obama administration will go the way of Bush, inspiring designers with “Obamisms” or some such.
You’ve regained my respect buzzcowboy! I haven’t posted in a while and I apology for being critical in the past. You have proved you can look at both sides of the political spectrum and realize the whole system (left and right) is a bit screwy.
Sincerely,
The Durhee
Well said. You should ahve linked the Bush as Joker to show the left did it to Bush years ago, but only now are aghast. LOL
Generally speaking, I think the anti Obama merch is much higher quality than the anti Bush stuff from a year ago (or more). The quality of the designs and the content we have to work with is, like you mentioned, based around actions not words. Freedom of speech at its finest? Great post.
Right on. Every time I see a post somewhere from somebody critical of an anti Obama design based on the fact that we should “respect the office” I simply ask them to refer me to a single post where they objected to an anti Bush design… so far… nobody has ever been able to do that! By the way… the anti Obama merchandise business has been booming… last week was the best since the Election… and each month in 2009 has been better than the previous for sales… http://www.UpYoursObama.com/
It’s still a free country . . . if we want it to be.
“I Am the Joker” new music video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3mmjeX8qQM
Bush was NOT targetted by gun toting progressives carrying loaded fire arms. The HUGE difference is that this figure represents the “black face” used by whites to mock the black community. Here in the south, it is used to display the ignorant/RACIST mentality of the wacked out gun toting red necks showing up at town meetings. Intimidation/hate is all they know! And ALL they want to know.
@am@laura
A couple of things.
First, “blackface” is used by racist White people to mock Black people in disgusting minstrel plays:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackface
So, the Obama Joker is tastless, but hardly “blackface.” For an example of modern blackface worthy of scorn, check out this minstrel performer:
http://www.banshirleyqliquor.typepad.com/my_weblog/
Second, the creator of the poster is one Firas Alkhateeb, a liberal Democrat college student of Palestinian heritage:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/08/obama-joker-artist.html
Thus, the Obama Joker poster is the result of a college prank not some racist Right Wing conspiracy.
@am6laura-
You mean like the black assault rifle carrier interviewed at the last Obama event?
Take off the hate/race baiting goggles and look at the balanced/accurate view of buzzcowboy’s post!
The original creator of the image was playing with his new photo-shop program, and didn’t even intend for the image to get out. To see it as a twisted version of Black-face when it so obviously is a reference to Batman is a testimony to your own skewed perceptions… and name calling isn’t improving your position!
Behind every double standard is an unspoken single standard: dissent is patriotic when it comes from the left, but a big anti-American conspiracy when it comes from the right.
Calling someone/something a racist is just a social hammer used to beat down contrary argument utilized by the crafty but unskilled debater.
Now I’m a Libertarian so I have no love for either Obama or Bush since they were both big government guys. This also means free speech is very important to me whether I like that speech or not, even if it is racist, sexist, whatever. Which in this case it’s definitely not.
America should pride itself on the fact that for years we have had a peaceful transition of office, that is something a lot of other countries can’t manage. Part of the reason for that is our right to voice our opinions (blowing something up, by the way, or behaving violently, does not constitute voicing an opinion) with out fear of prosecution. If you don’t like the t-shirt, nobody is forcing you to look at it.
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