Family “Research” Council: Racism for Sale

Jim Burroway

September 13th, 2008

The Family “Research” Council is putting on its Values Voters Summit right now in Washington, D.C., and it appears that among the “Voter Values” they’re pushing is Aunt Jemimah-like racial caricatures:

Activists at a conservative political forum snapped up boxes of waffle mix depicting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama as a racial stereotype on its front and wearing Arab-like headdress on its top flap.

The FRC claims they didn’t know that the packaging was offensive. It’s hard to imagine what world they live in where these images don’t conjure ugly racial stereotypes from the earliest part of the 20th century. The horribly racist images run rampant throughout the packaging, proving this FRC-sanctioned vendor to be an equal-opportunity offender:

While Obama Waffles takes aim at Obama’s politics by poking fun at his public remarks and positions on issues, it also plays off the old image of the pancake-mix icon Aunt Jemima, which has been widely criticized as a demeaning stereotype. Obama is portrayed with popping eyes and big, thick lips as he stares at a plate of waffles and smiles broadly.

Placing Obama in Arab-like headdress recalls the false rumor that he is a follower of Islam, though he is actually a Christian.

On the back of the box, Obama is depicted in stereotypical Mexican dress, including a sombrero, above a recipe for ”Open Border Fiesta Waffles” that says it can serve ”4 or more illegal aliens.” The recipe includes a tip: ”While waiting for these zesty treats to invade your home, why not learn a foreign language?”

Co-sponsors of the summit include Gary Bauer’s American Values, Focus On the Family Action, the Alliance Defense Fund, and — most ironically — Rev. Harry Jackson’s High Impact Leadership Coalition. Confirmed speakers include Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, Bill Bennett, Jeb Bush and Lou Dobbs. Dobbs, reportedly saw the box and loved it:

According to the the site’s blog, Lou Dobbs, who was also speaking at the convention, lauded the product Friday.

“My wife will love this,” Dobbs purportedly said. A photograph of Dobbs with a box and one of the sellers is online here.

The seller has since removed the online post.

The Books-A-Million bookstore is reportedly set to sell these boxes on their shelves.

Update: TalkBytes.com has the photo of Lou Dobbs posing with the Obama Waffles box that was pulled from the seller’s web site:

[Hat tip for the update: Pam Spaulding]

adam kautz

September 13th, 2008

Conservatives racist? Nah, that don’t surprise me at all. These people talk of opposing racism, but this act reveals that they still hate blacks and always will.

Glen Good

September 13th, 2008

You call your people values voters? This is not Gods way. As humans we are all Gods children if you do not believe that I feel sorry for you on judgement day.

Swampfox

September 13th, 2008

I don’t think that Obama should be our next president ………. but, I think that the FRC is a group of idiots. And, this little slip-up only proves it.

Timothy Kincaid

September 13th, 2008

I find it difficult to believe that there is anyone who would honestly think that this is not offensive. And even if racism wasn’t the original intent, surely they had to have known that it would come off that way.

I can’t see how this is anything other than an appeal to the most base insticts of haters and bigots. I hope that McCain and other conservatives denounce this.

AJD

September 13th, 2008

This doesn’t surprise me in the least. Hell, David Barton used to speak at Christian Identity (white supremacist religious movement) gatherings, and Jerry Falwell was a segregationist. These guys gave up their white supremacist ties when it became politically convenient, but that doesn’t mean they stopped being racist.

Swampfox

September 13th, 2008

Timothy, sensitively is not something that I think that the Family Research Council is all about. However, I will state that some people on the left appeal to the worst in some people, too. As I say, whoever is elected our President that person will get my prayers. The Presidency of the United States is such a thankless and difficult job, I can’t really conceive of any sane person that would won’t it.

Jason D

September 13th, 2008

Didn’t some republican/conservative just call Obama “uppity”? Westmoreland or something?

I recall some flap a few months back where someone took the image of Curious George, put it on a T-shirt with “Obama 2008” as a “joke” and didn’t think it was offensive. It was even explained to him and he still didn’t get why saying a black man looks like a monkey is racist.

Duncan

September 14th, 2008

I find it strange that in Britain it’s quite acceptable to use Scottish or English stereotypes comparable to this. By reason they should be just as offensive.
As for showing Obama as an Arab, i don’t know what is worse: that people think he’s a Muslim or that they think it would matter. Has anyone in politics been fighting accusations of atheism?

MR Bill

September 14th, 2008

Jason D, the man in question (and I assume it’s not a rhetorical question) is Rep. Jim Westmorland(R, Georgia, think of him as Newt Gingrich’s replacement), the same clown who was pwned by Jon Stewart when he went on The Daily Show to post the 10 Commandments in every school, courtroom, etc., and was able to name only 3 (and them partially)..
Yes this this racist. I work with guys who hate the Dems, and one (a part time Radio jock, btw) was playing a parody song of Alabama’s ‘Song of the South:
“Song, song of the South,
Show Barak Obama what it’s all about.
Song, song of the South,
Beat a nigger up and burn his house.”
This was considered amusing. The only time I get called ‘faggot’ at work, ’cause I’m not out, is when I try, as a foreman, to stop abusive behavior.
When I told him to shut it down, he said “I ain’t a racist! Don’t be a faggot!”
Sigh.

Jason D

September 14th, 2008

It amazes me that people don’t see obvious racism. Part of me wonders if they’re pretending to be ignorant, actually are ignorant, or consider racism an innocent mistake.

I have a friend who is Philipino-American. We went to this Thai restaurant. All the waitstaff dress in black slacks and white shirts. My friend was dressed in red pants, and black sleeveless shirt ( he likes to show off). He was on his way to the bathroom, and some white woman stopped him and impatiently asked him, “excuse me, can we get some more rice??” He was dumbfounded, sneared at her and said, “I DON’T WORK HERE!” On our way out after dinner, he loudly pointed her out to me, “That’s the B*TCH who asked me for more rice!” She covered her face with her napkin.
Later, his white, blonde, boyfriend at the time didn’t understand why it was offensive and thought that it was an “honest mistake” and “no big deal” he honestly didn’t understand what was wrong with her seeing an asian-looking face and assuming the person works there.

Scott

September 15th, 2008

Also Tony Perkins, head of the FRC, purchased David Dukes mailing list when he was a campaign head for a Louisana US Senate Candidate.

Eddie89

September 15th, 2008

Wow, Dobbs shows his true “colors”.

As a registered Republican since 1986, I have finally had “ENOUGH” of this political party! It wasn’t enough that they throw the gays under the bus when they need to bring out the religious right wingers. But now they show their obvious racism.

Don’t get me wrong. The Democrats share equally in the blame, I.E. Clinton signed DOMA and DADT into law!

We need a friggin viable third party, dammit!

I guess I’ll just register as an Independent, for now. Since the Libertarians have Bob Barr as their Presidential nominee! HAH! What a JOKE! Mr. author of DOMA himself! A Libertarian!

Eddie89

September 15th, 2008

Jason D – It was also on Rush Limbaugh’s show where some lady called in and told him about the Obama/curious George and Limbaugh agreed and chuckled.

Then later told his audience he was just being polite to the lady caller and didn’t really know who curious george was at all.

Duncan

September 15th, 2008

Yes, Clinton signed DOMA and DADT into law, but DADT was after he failed to get rid of the ban altogether, and DOMA may actually be helping states enact gay marriage by removing the fear that it will cross state lines under the Full Faith and Credit Clause.

Timothy Kincaid

September 15th, 2008

Eddie89,

I believe that Bob Barr now reversed his position

Jim Burroway

September 15th, 2008

At the risk of shoving this thread further off topic, I can’t help but point out that after Clinton signed DOMA into law, his 1996 presidential campaign bought ads on Christian radio stations to brag about it as proof of his “pro-family” credentials.

I have always found his defense of DOMA as self-serving and not very credible. It boils down to “I wanted to do A, but did B instead, which makes A easier to accomplish than doing A itself.” He often tried that contrarian logic in order to have it both ways on many things he did. I never bought it. Neither should anyone else. That’s the classic definition of talking out of both sides of one’s mouth.

Scott

September 16th, 2008

Here’s another link about this “product”. The two guys who produced it have connections to Focus on the Family and Tim LaHaye.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/98908/christian_right_voter_summit_sells_racist_%27obama_waffles%27/

Michigan-Matt

September 16th, 2008

Oh, come on guys! This is frickin’ hillary-ous… Obama as a pitchman for waffles… with all the waffling he’s done so far in the campaign? It’s not syrup –it’s waffles you put the AJ syrup on.

It’s dead-on funny. Nothing racist about it. If you want to see real, ugly racism in all it’s glory one only need attend Obama’s former church. Now that’s racial bigotry in daily practice.

Nope, this is just plain ol’ funny and getting our panties in a tight wad isn’t going to change the Obama loss on Election Day. We gotta laugh now because it’s all tears for the next 50 days.

Waffles, not syrup.

Jim Burroway

September 16th, 2008

Michigan-Matt,

You are completely off the rails on this one. Even Bishop Harry Jackson, one of the FRC’s Summit participants and sponsors, denounced it as ugly racism.

Jason D

September 16th, 2008

Michigan-Matt just doesn’t get it. There’s nothing that ISN’T racist about this.

cowboy

September 16th, 2008

We had the same runaround with the people who marketed the SockObama sock puppets. Their ignorance about the racial overtones was blinded by their sheer opportunism to make a buck.

Ephilei

September 25th, 2008

I’m not surprised at all they didn’t realize this is racist. If you surround yourself with whites, you have no context to understand what offends anyone else. A reason to purposely expose yourself to diversity.

Raymond Carnation

September 25th, 2008

Hello,
My name is Raymond Carnation I was a Phila.Police Officer that opposed racism in the dept. and was fired.I along with two other white ex-officers won a Precedential case and was awarded 10 Million Dolllars. The case was Moore vs. The City Of Philadelphia NOS.03-1465 and 03-1473.To better understand you can Google me or the case.We would like to get this story to the public. If you or your staff could help support this story together we can educateour nation on this ongoing problem.Yours Truly, Raymond Carnation email around4life@aol.com

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