It’s one thing to constantly dog BET, but when “Boondocks” creator Aaron McGruder put down President Barack Obama during a college visit, for many in the audience the skeptical cartoonist went a little too far.
McGruder spoke openly and freely on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day night before an audience at Earlham College. He took questions from the audience and from associate professor James Logan.
“Mixing political opinion and satire is hard to do in comics and cartoons, he said. “It’s not having a statement, it’s entertaining people so they listen.” But it was opinions on Obama that left many pissed.
“I don’t think you’re going to see any dramatic change from Barack Obama,” said McGruder, who wore a “Boondocks” T-shirt over a black long-sleeve shirt and jeans. “I’m hoping he proves me completely wrong.”
McGruder bases his opinions of the U.S. presidency on the 2000 election and how nothing has been done since then to change the election system. “It was a sham then … It’s got to still be a sham,” McGruder said. “I don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade, but it’s what I tend to do.”
But dude didn’t quit while he was ahead; next up was revisiting the old debate about Obama’s “blackness quotient.”
McGruder said that to him, “Obama is not black because he is not a descendant of a slave.” “The person who is one of us in the White House is Michelle Obama and her momma,” McGruder said.
Several people in audience called for McGruder’s head.
“I want my $5 back,” Dionne Robinson, 44, of Richmond said. “It’s one thing to have an opinion, but he doesn’t have any facts. He needs to go back to college.” Robinson said that people were enslaved in many parts of the world, not just in America.
Her son, Zane Robinson, 14, of Richmond watches “The Boondocks,” but was disappointed by the show’s creator. “He’s nothing like his show,” Zane said. “I thought it was kind of boring. His answers were long and they didn’t make any sense.”
Like his mother, Zane — who wore a sweatshirt that celebrates Obama’s presidency — didn’t like McGruder’s comments about Obama. “He didn’t seem to know what he was talking about,” Zane said.
As the President has indicated, change is a very difficult proposition for some to accept, even those as intelligent and young as McGruder.
FilmGordon 
Hello Ms Sheely,
This message is from the office of Aaron McGurder in response to the recent article about comments made during his recent visit to Earlham College in Richmond, IN.
Please see statement below from Aaron McGruder re: your article on his appearance at Earlham College:
For a long time now, I have tried to keep my opinions on the election and Barack Obama to myself. I occasionally do speaking engagements, which are not open to the press, and unfortunately some of my comments have been twisted around in a silly manner. The claim that I asserted our new President was not Black is categorically false.
I have seen an endless stream of Black pundits on TV pontificating about the significance of President Obama’s election – many of them making reference to the 3/5th’s clause in the constitution regarding slaves. The point I was making is that this is not an accurate comparison. Barack is the son of an immigrant, not the descendant of slaves. It’s like comparing a half-Japanese man to the oppressed Chinese who built the American railroads. Yes, they are both Asian, but it is not an honest or accurate comparison. We all share the common experiences of being Black in America today – we do not all share a common history. A history that in part makes us who we are – and in some cases (as with the psychological damage that still lingers from slavery) holds us back. These are not, I believe, insignificant distinctions.
I did say I was cautiously pessimistic about Obama’s Presidency – but this is simply acknowledging the reality of an American Empire that is out of control and on the verge of collapse. Let us not forget that on the eve of the election, we witnessed a near trillion dollar robbery of the US treasury. That robbery is still taking place. I do not blame President Obama, but I do not believe the financial and corporate interests that own and control this country will fold so easily. I do not question the integrity of the man as much as the power of his office – which I believe has greatly diminished over the years. I believe the Federal Reserve Bank, the Military Industrial Complex, and the massive corporate interests that run this country have more power than our new President. I hope I am wrong.
After 9/11, I witnessed most of this country become obsessed with squashing dissent and silencing critics. I hope this election does not turn Black America towards this same, fascist mind state; but already I am starting to see it, and it saddens me greatly. I absolutely wish our new President and his family success and safety. But after all I have witnessed in my lifetime, and especially in the last eight years, I am not ready to lay down my skepticism or my outrage for this government. To do so would be unwise and, ironically enough, anti-American.
Aaron McGruder
January 21, 2009
—
Regards,
Richard M. Foster
fosterpcs@gmail.com
Why would someoen like you care about who is or is not black or shares the same experience? Your life and your life choices prove that that plays no part in what is of value to you or the choices you make. Why should anyone else be held to a standard you would never be able to meet?
To Aaron,
I believe that you as an artist sir have misjudged what people wish to hear from you. As with religion, politics can make or break a career in the spotlight. I personally could care less what your personal political view is as you are not a politician or an important literary figure for that matter. You are the creator of a cartoon which seeks to poke fun in a negative way at African Americans. From what I have seen of your work you only seek to capitalize on negative stereo types. You are a modern day purveyor of ‘black face’. Based upon your views espoused above your analogy regarding Asians is completely absurd. While President Obama may not have a ‘genetic memory’ of slavery shared by many African Americans in the United States currently, he is the descendent of an African immigrant. And if you had paid attention during world history (instead of doodling) you would have learned that Africans in a world setting were seen globally as an inferior race. Slavery was not specifically US history. So like many African Americans he is the descendant of a people seen as inferior to the rest of the world. We DO actually share a common history. Every American has the right to express dissent with their government but my question to you is what have you done to change how OUR government works for the people it is intended to govern? Based upon your claim to fame it appears nothing! What I see is a character that is more content with complaining about how the government does not work, trashing someone that would attempt to make a difference but someone not willing to stand up to make things change.
You ma am are wrong about him and (sorry to say it sad as hell) it do not poke fun of black ppl,He is only showing us the error of ours ways in hopes that we would change what we do,but im guess your just happy to see blacks do bull shit,and haveing us give white ppl now a reason to call us niggers.
I don’t really agree with what you’re saying at all. Where’s the difference between this and a racist person talking about this and Aaron talking about this. Aaron puts something about black people eating a lot of fried chicken in the boondocks and it’s ‘supposedly’ funny. A racist person says bullshit like that and it’s considered racist of course because s/he’s insulting my race for something a lot of black people eat. If we laugh at what he’s ‘supposedly’ showing us that we should change, how are we gonna change? On top of that, alot of people implement comedy they see on television in their own lives. Isn’t that adding to the ‘problem’ of whatever he’s trying to solve? Even if so, racism won’t die so easily. We stop doing something, they’ll antagonize us for something else that seems rediculous. Racist tend to lack sense. There’s no hope in changing them unless they change themselves. If they don’t, then thems the breaks. Just move on and hope they can evolve.
If you’ve watched the cartoon you’d see what he was trying to do. You only see the surface of the cartoon. you seem to lack depth in your understanding and thats not his fault
Well said Athena. I’m sure it will fall on deaf ears, but what can you do. What is so funny to me is that this so-called “non-black man”, without so-called “African American roots” married a beautiful, intelligent AA woman and has two beautiful children. Ask McGruder about his choices.
Psst….. FYI if the black people born in this country had not stood up against a government that treated them as a second class citizen back in the 60’s your black arse would not be able to say anything negative about the country you live in…..let alone be commercialy sucessful. So how do you repay that? You become the brand newest CRAB IN THE BARRELL!
I hope that you were in near the Chesapeake Bay when you did your speaking engagement so you wouldn’t have a long way to go to get back home.
Aaron Mc-Coonery!
doesn’t Aaron Mcgruder have a girlfriend who is half white? Why is he talking about other people’s blackness when he’s dating a white woman? What an idiot this little man must be.
Yes, I’ve heard that same story, about Mr. McGruder marrying some White woman. So much for Mr. all about Blackness! What a FAKE!!!
I’d say, his double-crossing ass should be exposed! Who in the heck is he to talk about Obama’s Blackness, when he’s married to a White woman?
Boondocks and Aaron McGruder are both washed up and OLD news. Who cares what he has to say about anything? He needs to find the nearest rock and crawl under it and take his asian wife with him. Mr righteous black man, couldnt even find a black woman so had to settle for that…
Forget this two-faced looser! i hope the tabliods will get his ass.
Aaron is a sellout. That’s why he dates white girls.
Arron mcgruder wife is White and asian. here is a link to a photo of them. http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=CLB&str=6246&styp=clbi&nm=Aaron%20McGruder&nbc1=1
Yall pppl are so sad talking about Aaron. To me is trying to express his ideas to the black youth so that they will change and for better then listening to that shit they call rap music. Also he propably couldnt find a black women because they are all so ignorant and would agree with his ideas like you stupid ppl.
*claps* tell it like it is brother
@ Ryan… As a black woman I take offense to you stereotyping all black women as ignorant. How dare you? Do you view Oprah as an ignorant woman? Or would you view Michelle Obama as ignorant? How about the always gracious Maya Angelou? Would you consider her an ignorant woman? I would consider these women to be the embodiment of grace, class, and intelligence. What exactly about them, would scream ignorance? *puzzled at some peoples ignorance*
black women are such cry babies.
Rodger Doder,
And black men are the laughing stock of the world. You all look like fools, talk like fools and live like fools. Please go check your local and distand colleges, universities and Graduate schools. You fools are so not there. SMDH. The black women you so despise are the black folks taking advantage of those opportunities. You are the joke.
😮 you can express your opinion without stumping the man, tearing him down, ripping out his heart, internet cage fights go know where and edifies nothing thats what someone would call a “nigga moment” lmao
Blacks are jokes in general, Listen Nigress! you people need to get your shit together and take care of yo chilens and menz. No cartoon is worth bitching about haha! white america is tired of you all!
goodnight kimmie.
[…] Obama is not black because he is not a descendant of a slave. The person who is one of us in the White House is Michelle Obama and her momma. (source) […]
[…] of a slave. The person who is one of us in the White House is Michelle Obama and her momma. (source) If you’re a fan of the show, you’ll quickly recognize that mentality as Uncle Ruckus, […]
Obama is a great man and he’s a great leader but he has no REAL POWER. The Power behind the thrown is in charge, and will put a BULLET in this great man’s head if he even thinks about trying to do something good for us(just like JFK). PLEASE I’M BEGGING YOU ALL STOP ARGUING AND DO SOMETHING TO SUPPORT ANY BLACK BLUE OR YELLOW MAN. To do something great for us all i’m 12 years old and i’m DAMN sure you all can do more than i can. And he’s not making fun of black people. he’s trying to say something that WE have to step up and stop Leeching off one another. i’m Black and i live in Philadelphia and what he’s saying is true. God Bless you all =)
Who you date doesn’t have anything to do with who you are.Who cares if his girl is white or half white.He has rights to his opinions.You people are assholes,yes Aaron shouldn’t be commenting on Obamas ethnicity or what ever he shall be labeled as.Saying he’s a sell out for dating a white woman is fucking ridiculous.There’s only 1 race,the human race…Skin color,eye color,hair color & texture are all genetic mutations for people to adapt to where they live at in the world…So read something once in a while you ignorant bitches.Nearly every stereotype in his show is justified,I see black people acting like that all the time.It makes me sick to my stomach to know I’m partially apart of a ethnic group that demands respect but never earned it.
Aaron Mcgruder is a Sellout. Whose 15 minutes of fame is up. Get over it.
I don’t really have an opinion on what Aaron McGruder. However I think it’s ridiculous that all of you are trash talking him because of his wife. You are not who you marry, therefore he doesn’t have lack of “blackness” because of who his wife is. No, I’m not a proud black women, I’m Asian American women. I’m in a relationship with a black man. Does that make me black? No.