Letter to the editor

Satire not so satirical to some

Dear Editor:

In a poll taken on July 13, WorldNetDaily.com asked the Web site’s readers to share their opinions regarding the controversial cover of The New Yorker that depicted Barack Obama dressed in traditional Muslim attire and his wife Michelle holding a large firearm with an unflattering and angry look on her face.

Sixty percent of the respondents selected the option stating, “The image isn’t too far from the dangerous truth about the Obama family.”

The New Yorker stated in a press release that the image on the cover was meant to be satirical; it was meant to mock the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the image-building competitions that happen every four years and decide who will be our ruler until the next time around.

One can infer for certain at least two things about the 60 percent of people who voted for that statement in the WorldNetDaily.com poll. The first is that they are extraordinarily easy to deceive. The second is that they are avid watchers of the incredibly deceitful Fox News Channel.

Or maybe these folks are simply listeners of G. Gordon Liddy’s nationally syndicated talk radio program. While discussing the image on his show, Liddy commented that, “The New Yorker finally got it right.” I get the feeling that satire isn’t the only thing he and his listeners don’t get.

So evidently the subtle distortions and insinuations that have been peppered throughout most forms of media since Barack began running are working as intended. People believe that this man has somehow managed to elude and deceive us all in spite of the fact that he has been followed by camera crews virtually everywhere he has gone since the beginning of his candidacy.

I don’t care whether or not you vote for Obama. I think my life and my country will be about the same regardless of who wins the award for most favorable image this time around. But for God’s sake, if you believe that the man is going to break out the prayer rugs and head scarves once he gets elected, do us all a favor and stay home on voting day. In fact, stay home every day. You’ve defied the odds for this long by not yet getting hit by a car. Quit while you’re still ahead.

Richard Haarbauer

Senior political science major, philosophy minor