Obama Is My Slave

An Israeli-born t-shirt “designer” named Apollo Braun (pictured above) is being sued by a woman who bought a shirt of his that reads “OBAMA IS MY SLAVE.”

Nathanaeli Nassimi, a 25 year old Manhattan graduate student, was assaulted Tuesday night when a group of four teenage girls saw her wearing the shirt and took offense. According to Metro, the girls cursed at her, pushed her, then followed her around Union Square as one of the girls pulled the earphones out of her ears and another spit in her face.

Now the woman is suing the designer, not the four teens (!), for in his words, “all he’s got.”

Braun, real name Doron Braunshtein, claims that what allegedly happened to this woman is not his fault, and that the offensive design doesn’t reflects his views but “those of ordinary WASPs.” He says, “For a lot of people, when they see Obama, they see a slave. People think America is not ready for a black president.”

The lawsuit is a nonstarter as Braun is protected under the First Amendment. But this is not the first outrageous t-shirt Braun, who “can’t stand Obama,” has designed.

Other shirts of his include phrases like: “Jews Against Obama,” “Obama = Hitler” and “Who Killed Obama?” The “Who Killed Obama?” shirt is reported to have sold over 1,200 pieces.

Why does Braun loathe the presumptive Democratic nominee so? He says Obama “reminds me of Adolf Hitler,” and despises the fact that “he is a Muslim.”

The circus-like atmosphere that is starting to develop in response to the Obama candidacy reminds me of the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Maybe it's because Braunshtein brings back memories of another waif-like, blond haired young man - Brian "Kato" Kaelin - who figured prominently in the trial, despite the minor importance of his testimony.

Opportunists both black and white are starting to come out of the woodwork, demanding their fifteen minutes of fame while Obama gathers steam for his historic presidential bid. Couple the protection the First Amendment affords Americans with a need to be the center of attention from the media, and we are almost guaranteed to see something like this every week between now and November.

The drumbeat on the airwaves by the talking heads every night keeps the tempo of this tune - is he a Muslim, does he recite the Pledge of Allegiance, is he a radical Marxist, is his birth certificate real, did he deal drugs - while individuals like Braunshtein step up for their solos. Who is listening to these twisted lyrics?

Ten percent of America admits openly that they believe at least some of these allegations, and many more seem to be sympathetic to the sentiments of Braunshtein and others, who have turned the demonization of Obama into a revenue stream.