Satire, by its very nature, requires hyperbole. That cover was obviously so over the top that it was not intended to be taken seriously. If USA Today had run this cartoon, I might share in the outrage. The crowd that reads The New Yorker should perfectly understand the intent behind it. If everyone would have shut up about this dumb cartoon, the apes who watch Hannity & Colmes (who already actually believe everything in this cartoon -- with or without the help of The New Yorker) never would have even seen it. Now they have seen it, and because they don't understand language, they will use it to justify their own serious racism. Is that the fault of The New Yorker'? No, it's the fault of public education, failed English teachers and obnoxious talking heads who validate their ignorance. Context, context, context!

What else should I expect from a country that thinks this <link> is satire? On the discussion forum at The Huffington Post, this moron tried to tell me that Keith Olbermann's Countdown was satirical. Oh how I wish it was! No sir, that gas bag, regrettably, is for real. There is nothing satirical about those special comments!

Jack Shafer got it <link> this time. No thanks EJ. Why don't you head over to the library and start pulling books off the shelves? My fragile little mind certainly can't handle Huckleberry Finn.