Musician Slams Controversial RNC Race Parody

The writer of the song on which the controversial parody “Barack the Magic Negro” was based said it is “unimaginable” that Chip Saltsman, the Republican National Committee (RNC) chairman candidate, would seriously be considered for that job.

“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,” musician Peter Yarrow wrote in a blog on the Huffington Post.

The parody, written by conservative satirist Paul Shanklin, is based on the song “Puff the Magic Dragon,” penned by Yarrow and Leonard Lipton and made famous by the group Peter, Paul and Mary.

“Obama is not a candidate,” Yarrow stated. “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.”

Saltsman has come under fire for circulating a CD with the parody to supporters in his bid to win the chairmanship of the RNC. His opponents have taken care to distance themselves from Saltsman and the song.