Thanks for bringing this disgusting piece to our attention. We urge everyone to contact Rolling Stone to protest their gross lack of judgment:

letters@rollingstone.com
(212) 484-1616

Left by gautam on July 21st, 2008

look, it’s songbird mccain.

Left by greg on August 5th, 2008

What is much more of an issue than Rolling Stone’s racism is John McCain’s racism. Much much much bigger issue! Obama for President.

Left by Matt on August 5th, 2008

WOW!

Left by Christina Bledsoe on August 5th, 2008

I think that many of the recent political cartoons (especially the one by the New Yorker) have gone too far but people need to remember that they are only cartoons. Characature style sketches always exxagerate physical features but I dont think that it was meant to be offensive to anyone except the people portrayed. Making a big deal out of this type of satire gives the stereotypes more credit than it deserves. If you do not beleive in stereotypes, you would not be offended. Recognition of such ignorant stereotypes is what makes them real. I personally am not offended.

Left by Chris Stark on August 5th, 2008

Actually, this cartoon defames caucasians, making them look like subservient pawns. It does not demean Asians.

Left by Harry Wong on August 5th, 2008

MMmmmM….. Might be what you think it states/is…. MmMmMm.. But It’s not saying what it is saying is it? Perception gives birth to point of view. Point of view creates reality, at least locally. I did appreciate the “ Look, Songbird McCain.” that was a RIOT! copywrite 2008Ó W.P.A.

Left by Wolfie on August 6th, 2008

Hyper-reactionary on your part. How the hell does this illustration “demean an entire people”. These are caricatures of Obama, Hilary and Bush. Yes perhaps you’d have a point if you were claiming that simply depicting Bush as Vietnamese was an insult to that country’s populace (since it’s an insult to ours that he was ever elected), but otherwise your knee is jerking all teh way to your brain.

Left by Robet Jung on August 6th, 2008

that’s well i’m not going to vote for him or the other white guy who looks black.

Left by nguyen on August 6th, 2008

I thought it was a caricature until I look closer at the deer in the headlight expression. Pretty much heads on if you put it side by side with some of the recent photos. Do you think the red headband is a code that McCain is a Manchurian candidate? That liberal press at work again, no doubt !!!

And as far as Rolling Stone is concerned, if they think that emulating the New York Times is gaining them legitimacy, what are they thinking? Have they been taken over by a corporation like the Times?

As far as making fun of someone is concerned, all bets are off after the Paris Hilton ad. Chris’s point on cartoons is well grounded until we realize that this is much less stereotypical than the Sylvester Stallone movies which can’t even tell Vietnamese apart from Chinese and Thais, and yes, may be we should send the cartoon to the VP-in-hiding since he’s not planning on coming to the Convention. He may then change his mind and come with his guns a blazing.

Left by Quan on August 6th, 2008

It’s a cartoon, people. Are we going to react like the Muslims reacted to the Danish cartoon which featured a drawing of Muhammad? It’s this vitriolic, knee-jerk polarization that sterilizes expression and empowers The Man’s new tool of oppression – political correctness. If you paralyze expression, you paralyze the exchange of ideas, and if you paralyze the exchange of ideas, the status quo dominates. If the status quo, inequality, is what we want to change, then satire must be allowed. I don’t think that the intent of the cartoon is to be racist, but to be exaggerated and ironic. McCain was a POW, and now, metaphorically, he’s a prisoner of the much larger political forces rampaging around him. He happened to be a POW in Vietnam, so of course, his captors should appear Vietnamese. I’m Asian, and I don’t think that it’s offensive. And I’m not an Asian who looks at other kinds of Asians and makes value judgments. I don’t even think there are different kinds of Asians, or for that matter, different races. If we can all breed, then we are all one race, Human.

If this was any other race or ethnicity, you all wouldn’t be thrusting your polemics at Rolling Stone. Being PC and polite to all races does not breed respect, but only the appearance of respect while darker passions seethe just beneath the surface. People always afraid to offend other types of people do not learn anything about those types of people or have the opportunity to change their misconceptions. Do you want superficial respect or actual respect? Obtaining the latter requires tolerance of true expression.

Left by Joey on August 7th, 2008

Oh COME ON. If McCain had been held captive by Africans and this illustration had featured Clinton and Bush in blackface, there’d be outrage from sea to shining sea.

Left by mogo on August 8th, 2008

Points well taken, Joey and Mogo. As my favorite American philosopher would say, stupid is as stupid does. Racism is all around us if we choose to see it. It has become much more difficult to even discuss it because 1) we can spin anything to say it’s racism, 2) racists have found a way to be politically correct and still exercise their prejudice. Discerning the difference is a good idea, using one’s preconceived notions to condemn and hurt others is not. The bottom line is the morality police has no place in our society, and yet, they have become a fact of life, from both extremes, right and left. To argue for tolerance is to open oneself up to ridicule from folks like McCain. There is no difference between flipflop and straight talk any more.

Left by Quan on August 9th, 2008

Doesn’t anyone look at the three faces. It’s Obama, Bush, & Clinton (L to R). This is not racist discrimination, but it still is wrong.

Left by johnt on October 1st, 2008