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I was drinking my coffee early this morning, and opened latest issue of Newsweek that came in yesterday. Inside front cover is full page, full color advertisement placed by "United Colors of Benetton" supporting the "Unhate Foundation". A close up face picture of two men kissing...lip to lip. On the left is labeled "PARAMOUNT LEADER OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA". On the right is "PRESIDENT OF THE USA". I was literally stunned. If this was in some little known publication, I might have blown it off as a photoshop gimmick, but this is one of the most widely circulated weekly magazines in the world, along with Time, so I know that it's a legitimate photo and ad.

In my mind it brings up two huge issues: first...how could the White House staff allow such a photo to be taken...it was bad enough when Obama bowed down to the Japanese Emporer, but the President KISSING the leader of the largest communist nation on earth on the mouth??? Why....because we've sold our collective butts to them? Not good enough. My objection is not from a homophobic perspective...IMHO it is just simply not "Presidential", and projects the wrong image of the USA to the world. Secondly...the advertisement was obviously approved by the Administration...neither Benetton or Newsweek would have dared run it without vetting it with the White House beforehand. I can't view that as anything other than unimpeachable evidence of poor judgement on their part.

Vatican takes legal action over pope-imam, Obama-Chavez kissing Benetton ad
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/art ... =arts-post" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Benetton 'Unhate' Campaign Ads: White House Issues Statement on Obama Kiss
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/251617/ ... issues.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"The White House has a longstanding policy disapproving of the use of the president's name and likeness for commercial purposes," said White House Spokesman Eric Schultz

As much a I dislike that man I just couldn't accept this. After a bit of looking around I fond that these two weren't the only ones. There were several others and the Benneton back down started when they also published an altered picture of The Pope kissing Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb. The Vatican went after them and they pulled that image from their campaign. But as we all should know, if it went on the web it can't be taken off the web.

All the pictures are altered and fake.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ctful.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I see I wasn't alone. Apparently I type much slower than RPB.

Well, for one thing, I don't buy or read Newsweek. It's a propaganda rag. For another, I don't buy or wear Benetton clothing. I urge others to do the same. You can't force them to their senses, but you don't have to support their crapulence.

Glad to get that cleared up...thanks for the quick responses. It just shocked me, and I wasn't aware that anyone could use the POTUS likeness in such a manner as to give the impression he supported the ad, without putting any kind of disclaimer in the fine print. My turkey will go down a little better now...

The Annoyed Man wrote:Well, for one thing, I don't buy or read Newsweek. It's a propaganda rag. For another, I don't buy or wear Benetton clothing. I urge others to do the same. You can't force them to their senses, but you don't have to support their crapulence.

This is the last few months of a many year subscription duw to the changeover in format and content that started last year. for many years it was reasonably balanced between liberal and conservative writers, and actually reported NEWS. Since last year it has become nothing more than an OPINION magazine with decidedly leftist, 20something editorial staff.

talltex wrote:Glad to get that cleared up...thanks for the quick responses. It just shocked me, and I wasn't aware that anyone could use the POTUS likeness in such a manner as to give the impression he supported the ad, without putting any kind of disclaimer in the fine print. My turkey will go down a little better now...

Well, we don't exactly know that he didn't give his support. And I don't know what the laws are against a foreign company using his likeness.

talltex wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:Well, for one thing, I don't buy or read Newsweek. It's a propaganda rag. For another, I don't buy or wear Benetton clothing. I urge others to do the same. You can't force them to their senses, but you don't have to support their crapulence.

This is the last few months of a many year subscription duw to the changeover in format and content that started last year. for many years it was reasonably balanced between liberal and conservative writers, and actually reported NEWS. Since last year it has become nothing more than an OPINION magazine with decidedly leftist, 20something editorial staff.

And interestingly, their circulation is in the tank too. Why? Because people who buy magazines have kids who are 20 something, and a large number of them don't like what they're seeing on Newsweek's pages.

At least the picture showed him kissing on the mouth.

Dragonfighter wrote:At least the picture showed him kissing on the mouth.

You just had to go there.

I was drinking my coffee early this morning, and opened latest issue of Newsweek...

Whelp...there's yur problem raght there...