"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
- Hebrews 11:13
21 March 2008
Black America President
If I'm American, I'll vote for him.
He is the first president (according to some Americans who commented on his speech) who addresses the fragile and touchy issue of race directly. In the midst of his presidential campaign even. At the time where he is the most fragile to attacks by the media and people who shuns the issue of race, he faced it, and addressed it in is reality - that the angers and resentment from the blacks and the whites are still unresolved. This is controversy, it's almost taboo. But he faced it, and talk to everyone as who they are - adults.
Inexperience Obama may be, it does seem that in the state of mess and chaos in American administration, what they need is a breath of fresh air, or a new creative mind whose fire and passion to build a better world is not yet extinguished by years in politics.
"Contrary to the claims of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naive as to believe that we can get beyond our racial divisions in a single election cycle, or with a single candidacy - particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own. "
Raw, unpretentious.
On a lighter note. Aforementioned The Daily Show of course covered this news. As serious as this speech is, Stewart and team managed to give it a humourous coverage. I think Stewart is impressed by Obama, if not supportive. But in accordance to his political satire show, he has to still poke fun at some parts of it. It's nicely done, I feel. (You can also view this clip as a summary of what Obama said, instead of the half an hour one above.)
*Disclaimer: I do not have a stand on the pastor's view, because I don't know the context. I'm more interested in Obama's responses to this tabooed issue.
Also, thereafter follows a mock interview with one of his comedic correspondent. The topic, aptly, is a dialogue between black man and white man (only Stewart is a Jew). This act brilliantly point out small instances of peeves amoung the races, which were taboo-ic nontheless if discussed in a serious forum. But such is the power of comedy - that in the name of comedy we can say things that we normally would be shot for. Check it out, it's brilliant.
"(Comparing to the current media environment)Back in the middle ages, the jester is perhaps the only one who can tell the truth without getting his head cut off." - Al Gore on The Daily Show
Actually this is for my personal reference more than a blog. Haha.
So, it was after 9/11, America was in terrible mourning, and Comedy Central's funny Daily Show has to come back on on the 20th Sept. It was the first show after the tragedy. It seems inappropriate to even joke, much less mock the headlines as the show is suppose to do (headlines being 9/11 at that time).
See how well Jon handled the opening of the show.
For the rest of the show he showed clips from past episodes - fit the comedic aim but not being disrespectful to the tragic atmosphere.
Nothing like Jon Stewart's brand of political satire / fake news humour. Love it. =D I wish we can do that in Singapore, but the only fake news comedy we have here is done by cheesy comedic hosts about really fake things (oxymoron unintended). The kind of openess, laugh-at-ourselves humour just isn't there. Perhaps the closes political satire we can get here is Mr Brown (http://www.mrbrown.com/), which is softening up a little since he got sacked by that cowardly TODAY newspaper.
Why can't the government get it? Just because your people poke fun at you and criticise you doesn't make them unpatriotic. For all you know, they know more about what you do than those apathetic elites.
Got to know about Jon Stewart via his Oscar 2008 hosting. I found him hilarious and started youtubing. Apparently he's a concern with American politics and his work in The Daily Show hilariously pokes fun of politicians and their weird etics. I love the way he criticise, humourously, the ridiculous way the Iraq situation is now. Here's one of my favourite: them poking fun at the way the US gov try to euphemise their torture technic, waterboarding, when interogating their prisoners.
Oh, and John Oliver is hilarious too!
Of course, behind all these laughs and jokes, Jon Stewart is concerned with America politics. There are serious interviews, with laughers, in The Daily Show sometimes too. According to other interviews of Stewart, it seems like he is one political thinker. He has alot of opinions and views and, according to some viewers, he is truly concerned with the American people.
You know...in the midst of these humours, there's a cynical shade of truth in it... If there's a Jon Stewart in Singapore, jaded people sick of the state's times *COUGH* The Strait's Times would turn to it for real news.