The Vulgarization of the Republican Party

Who is this bigot Chip Saltman who sent a racist message to the Republican National Committee, entitled 'Barack the Magic Negro'? If he's the best the Republicans have, then they deserve the oblivion they seem to be consigning themselves to.

Here's what Peter Yarrow, the co-writer of the song 'Puff the Magic Dragon', from which they pirated their vulgar message, thinks:

The sending of a Christmas greeting by Chip Saltsman to the members of the Republican National Committee that includes a recording of the so-called parody, "Barack the Magic Negro" is not only offensive, it is shocking and saddening in the extreme. It flies in the face of America's deeply held hope for a new era in which common ground and mutual respect characterize the exchanges between our national leaders.

I and my co-writer of "Puff," Lenny Lipton, have been eagerly awaiting an end to the mean-spiritedness, outright disrespect and bigotry that was commonplace prior to this last presidential election. What might have been wearily accepted as "the way it was" in the campaign, is now unacceptable. Obama is not a candidate. He is the President-Elect, and this song insults the office of the Presidency, the people who voted for him, as well as those who did not -- and taking a children's song and twisting it in such vulgar, mean-spirited way, is a slur to our entire country and our common agreement to move beyond racism.

Another source says that the song was first 'sung' on Rush Limbaugh's show. Surprise, surprise!!

According to Burro Chip Saltsman, "I think most people recognize political satire when they see it." Actually, and more importantly, most people recognize insensitive bigotry when they see and hear it.

Given our history of slavery and racial discrimination, this incident has transgressed the boundaries of acceptibility. There is no law against their saying it, but we don't have to accept them within the civil political dialogue either. They are to me as the descendents of the KKK. If they don't see this, then to hell with them.