This image was sent by David McKalip, a Florida neurosurgeon:
who serves as a member of the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates… He’s the chair of the Florida Taxpayers Union, the founder of Doctors For Patient Freedom, an anti-health-care-reform group, the president of the Florida Neurological Society, and an all-around anti-government activist.
He’s also an energetic conservative opponent of health-care reform. McKalip founded the anti-reform group Doctors For Patient Freedom, as well as what seems to be a now defunct group called Cut Taxes Now. Last month he joined GOP congressmen Tom Price and Phil Gingrey, among others, for a virtual town hall to warn about the coming “government takeover of medicine.” And in a recent anti-reform op-ed published in the St. Petersburg Times, McKalip wrote that “Congress wants to create larger, government-funded programs for health care and more bureaucracy that ration care and impose cookbook medicine. [via TPM & Gawker]
The photo features a photoshopped picture of Obama on the body of an African tribesmen with a hammer and sickle replacing the C in Obama Care. This may be racist, but then again, what do I know — I’m just a politically correct socialist.
See Also: Why Is Barack Obama Obsessed With Race?, Just wrong, St. Petersburg anti-tax activist David McKalip sends out Barack Obama-as-witch doctor e-mail photo, FL doc’s racist witch-doctor Obama email, Prominent St. Pete doctor blasted for racist Obama e-mail, and holy crap.
Technorati Tags: David McKalip, dave mckalip, racist picture, barack obama, racism, obama care, racist pic, african tribesmen, image, American Medical Association, Florida Taxpayers Union, Doctors For Patient Freedom, republican racism
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{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
Delegates to the American Medical Association are selected through their individual state and specialty societies, and their individual views and actions do not, in any way, represent the official view of the AMA. We condemn any actions or comments that are racist, discriminatory or unprofessional.
-American Medical Association
LMAO that pic is awesome! XD
“We condemn any actions or comments that are racist…”
But you secretly hope he is successful in his efforts.
I cant count how many times I have seen president bush portrayed as a Klansman, Hitler, or just a Nazi. But when something like this is circulated, for some reason Republicans are the Racist ones. Dems are a bunch of hypocrites.
This is unbelievable! All they want is to protect the ridiculous profits they and the insurance companies have been taking from middle America. Bring on the public health care, I don’t know many sick Canadians. This cartoon is a disgrace
What is racist in this picture? Obama is portrayed as witchdoctor, which is very accurate description of his health care plan.
Explain to us how you perceive it as racist please.
Delegates to the American Medical Association are selected through their individual state and specialty societies, and their individual views and actions do not, in any way, represent the official view of the AMA. We condemn any actions or comments that are racist, discriminatory or unprofessional.
-American Medical Association
So where is the official response on the upcoming sanctioning or exclusion of this particular member for obvious racial and discriminatory tactics?
If you say you ‘condemn any actions or comments that are racist, discriminatory or unprofessional’, which this action clearly was, where is the announcement of an appropriate reaction?
Without that, you’ve only shown yourself as an organization without merit or integrity.
Until that announcement is made, then shame on you AMA.
As a further comment to this disgusting practice of self centred, greed orientated policy iniative by the AMA….just so you Americans understand, the counterpart of the AMA in Canada, called the CMA did these exact same things during the time period that national health care reform was happening here.
It should be noted that the College of Physicians had an ‘activists’ role during this time period as well.
In short, if you look at the history of these groups and particularly the Medical Association regardless of Canadian or American affiliation, the facts are, there has never been an organization so hell bent on protecting their right to profit and no other group willing to ‘lie’ and ‘decieve’ the public into believing a ‘collapse’ of service which was argued by the CMA during the health care reform years in Canada.
Nothing has changed despite almost a hundred years has passed since this event took place here in Canada, it’s quite pathetic actually that both the AMA can’t find a better strategy and tactic than to pander to the lowest common denominator in intelligence to get those mindless drone like ‘republican’ voters to take action for them on false pretense, paranoia and political cheerleading.
to “this is dumb”: umm, we need to be looking more critically about what “racist” means. the portrayal of bush as hitler, a nazi, or a klansman makes a specific point out of bush’s oppressive policies, since hitler, the nazis, and klansmen have EXPLICITLY racist agendas. the portrayal of obama as a (south american indian, mind you) witch doctor stems only from the fact that some people don’t view him or his policies as “white” or default “american” (he identifies with both, duh), and so it is somehow fitting to them for obama to look like a pre-modern, non-westernized medicine man with backwards values. there is far more racist intent with this photoshopped image than with any of the ones of george w. bush that i have seen because the creator here is obviously unaware of the inaccurate stereotypes that this image pushes forward (or is perhaps firmly aware of the stereotypes and is willing to promote them nevertheless)…
This is an awesome pic because it is funny and that’s it. Why can’t a guy just have a laugh without people getting all crazy and full of angst. I don’t care if you make Bush look like a klansman or if you make obama look like a witch doctor, it’s hilarious so stop trying to separate society and create stronger divides because you only make the situation worse. Just laugh it off and continue to push for what you believe and stop making a big deal out of nothing. HILARIOUS, not racist HILARIOST!
Just… WTF?!?
yeah, let’s put obama’s head on a tribal doctor from brazil…harhar…
To Shane:
What you’re clearly missing my friend is that if this were a photo done by an ‘average joe’ as a joke then it could be taken that way.
This is not a joke because the intent is ‘propoganda’ from a group with mission and a message. There fore it transcends ‘innocent comedy’ to purposeful message.
Before I forget as an addition to the last comment Shane, I’m not sure if you’re aware that in your country you have a real honest problem with your media outlets.
Fox is the best example but everyone of your outlets has become ‘infected’ with policy and political ideology. There is hardly any real honest media work being done in your country and frankly most of the world has wondered how you people continue to stand for it.
This policy of allowing groups and entities to be ‘used’ has to be an issue that people need to stand up against as it is a policy of self-centred and selfish thinking not the voice of America but in fact the voice of those controlling the money in your country.
By having the nonchalant attitude of ‘just laugh it off’ has spawned the most horrible, divisive form of propaganda work since Germany in WWII and again everyone in the world can see it, except the average American who not only doesn’t see the danger inherent in the system….but even more so dangerous, makes light of this and brushes away any concern.
You’re Bill O’ Reilly’s and the like are an embarrassment to journalism but would make Germany’s Gerbel proud.
I would like to think a Neurosurgeon might be above these childish pursuits, Alas again I am embarrassed by what our schools of higher learning have managed to produce. I regret my tax dollars in any way contributed to this man’s education but I’m afraid they likely did! I WANT MY MONEY BACK!
PS Would David McKalip operate on a patient who had no way to pay, who came to his office? It is most likely without insurance, you’d never see the man, until you passed out from your brain tumor and were brought to the ED on the night he happened to be on call. It is also likely he would be reimbursed by the hospital for that night of call to the tune of > $4000. Unlike most other covering physicians who take call as part of their agreement to be on staff.
I’m actually not sure where the racism is. It’s tacky, but not racist. Ironically, the writer of this article is being far too politically correct. I would make no judgments on whether he or she is a socialist, though I am sure this individual supports universal coverage.
What do you notice first about the picture? For me it was that it was a witchdoctor… Not really racist when a witchdoctor makes perfect sense for a metaphor of the health plan. Its not like he portrayed Obama as something truly racist or made any mention of it.
terribly ignorant image, equally ignorant ideas.
Hmmm… Time to bring in the Race Card already? Puh-leeze! It does comment on the views of the author (and many others) who feel that Obama’s plan is controlled by the government and limits patient choice (hence the socialist/communist overtone). And the witch doctor basically implies that with cost spending limits imposed by the government, bureaucrats and not doctors will determine what treatments patients can and cannot have. you may agree or disagree with these criticisms but to call this racist is childish…
That pic rocks!
–oh e oh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang–
That pic rocks!
–oh e oh ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang–
You know why these ‘doctors’ oppose it? To maintain their huge houses, expensive cars, and lavish lifestyles.
“I cant count how many times I have seen president bush portrayed as a Klansman, Hitler, or just a Nazi. But when something like this is circulated, for some reason Republicans are the Racist ones. Dems are a bunch of hypocrites.”
Sadly this is true. We’re all to narrow-minded to realize that the second the shoe is on the other foot, we find it hilarious when the party we’re in favor of pulls the same shit we took strong offense to when the one we opposed was in power.
It’s not that just Republicans are assholes.
It’s not that just Democrats are assholes.
I firmly believe everyone is more or less an asshole.
If you’re a politician and nobody ever does an offensive caricature of you, it’s because you were never important enough to warrant attention from people who hate what you represent.
There is too much hysteria where hysteria in unwarranted.
How is this “racist”? Aren’t there black witchdoctors out there? I am pretty sure there are, seeing Obama’s face shopped onto one… It is disgusting that people scream “racism” on petty things like this. I can assure you that I cannot walk down certain streets in America that happen to be black ghettos, yet for some reason that is not considered racism. Go figure.
I think it was even more “racist” for Obama to jump to conclusions because of the situation with the black Cambridge professor being belligerent with the police and then having his a$$ hauled off. The professor is screaming racism, since apparently you cannot arrest someone that is acting disorderly AND a different color. It is a sad day when an officer is attempting to keep the peace and jacka$$e$ like some of you people scream “racism”. I hope this professors house gets broken into for real this time, and because of how he personally handled this situation, the police just watch.
Nice photoshop talent. I’m very impressed.
is this racist because obama is on a white guy? i’m confused how this is racist…
This picture is sooooo fucking stupid
sickening, isn’t it?
As much as I like Obama I can’t agree with this article. I’ve seen much worse than this. This may be racist but the views of that neurosurgeon mean little to me. Shit, at least he’s not selling shirt with Curious George on them.
you are helping him propagate his hate works!
IMO obama should be deported to africa
I love how people try to compare this to Bush being a KKK member or a NAZI is even remotely close to this. How is that racist? Bush is a war criminal (Obama is on his way to join him might I add), he is a racist, he cares only for his fellow elites and not the average individual at all. These all make Bush fit the photo profiles. This his blatantly racist with no point to make other then a narrow minded, anti-intellectual argument that only serves to sign up the ignorant to join them in their campaign to make the lower 80% poorer and more dependent on the top. Wages have gone down steadily since the 70′s with costs (including healthcare) have skyrocketed. Why has credit been so easily available? It allows private companies to gain larger profits by cutting wages and outsourcing while a third party can charge the average person out the ass in interest. There has been an attack on average person for 40 years and has spanned all parties. We need to stop arguing about hot button issues and come together to fight the real assholes: Washington Insiders (politicians and aides included), Lobbyists, Corporations. There has been a revolving door among these three that has corrupted our country to its core. If you actually think that anybody outside of a very small few want to give up their wealth for the benefit of the whole you should immediately check yourself in to get help.
Most people who know what a political cartoon is call this “parody”. What used to be done with pen and ink is now done with Photoshop.
Are you saying that this president is off-limits to parody?
Doctors are obviously uneasy about the changes which may be coming. I can understand what they are going through, as I’m studying for my MCAT right now. I’m split over the issue, as I think everyone deserves accessible healthcare, but I fear that patients may die before they even receive diagnostic studies, resulting from a backed-up system.
On a completely unrelated note, the submitter’s avatar is really hot.
The Republican party has slowly transformed into a purely White Southern party since 1964 and has finally been filtered down to pure racists and credulous morons. These idiots will continue to tear themselves apart while decent people try to figure out how to improve the lives of American families.
HAHAHA. As a guy who has no preference towards racism, I found this picture to be hilarious. Obama’s health care plan is completely idiotic and is going to drive this ONCE great country, even further into the ground. United healthcare is going to make medical care worse and Obama is not smart enough to see that. I understand the picture is fake but I bet he’s got a relative just like that. :]
This picture is awesome. And I voted for the guy.
I know Dr McKalip personally…and the only thing he’s sorry about is that it’s hurt his image.
Dr. McKalip did not create the photo, he merely forwarded it. He is not a racist. He saw this image as an attempt at political humor about government-run healthcare. Unfortunately, he did not see that the image would be interpreted as racist, since he does not think in those kind of racial terms. Dr. McKalip has apologized for his mistake.
When you are out of arguments, your opinions beaten in the arena of ideas, play the race card, like this author has.
I think you will see it played quite often in the coming elections. It’s all the liberals have left. Too bad no one is going to buy it.
The picture is certainly defamatory as it transports the idea of likening Pres. Obama’s health care reform to communism. The original person in this picture (which, BTW, is probably an Indian from the Amazonas) is probably meant to convey a message of ‘primitive, hocus-pocus medicine’. Well, the latter oftentimes works better than modern conventional one, but that’s a different point. The oath phyisicians take upon themselves is “to help or at least do no harm”. The USamerican health system stand counter to that since its services are unaffordable to huge portions of the public. Not only doesn’t it help, but by leaving millions untreated or at best half-treated it causes deaths, disabilites etc. What the AMA wants to convey is “help our profits” (pay up or die) or at least don’t harm them (let us continue to overcharge in a ridiculous way). Greed works that way.
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