He did What? Barack Obama’s Funeral Selfie

Our stately president engaging in a “funeral selfie?”
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last Thursday, we said a bittersweet farewell to anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela. The South African leader’s funeral was packed to the brim with admirers and friends from all corners of the globe, including our own President Obama. And as a self-proclaimed man of Hope, it was only fitting for Obama to say a few words on Mandela’s own role in cultivating worldwide Hope:

“There is a word in South Africa — ubuntu — that describes [Mandela’s] greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that can be invisible to the eye; that there is a oneness to humanity; that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.”

English: Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg, Gauteng, on 13 May 1998 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Obama’s words were a dignified, moving nod to Mandela’s life – but the rest of his behavior during the ceremony left a few scratching their heads. Not long after the ceremony, a picture surfaced on the web of Obama taking a “Funeral Selfie” beside British and Danish Prime Ministers. Now, you can catch up on the tidal wave trend that is the Funeral Selfie in our past post, but for now, know this: the Funeral Selfie is certainly not embraced as an act of graciousness – and definitely not a way to foster diplomacy. Obama looks rather jovial in his Selfie; if he weren’t sandwiched between impeccably dressed politicians, you’d likely think he was at a basketball game.

The best (worst) part of Obama’s viral Selfie? That to his left we find a composed, perhaps disapproving Michelle Obama – a stark juxtaposition the President’s smile.

At the age of 95, Mandela passed on to leave behind an astounding testament to the power of hope. He never doubted the potential of the human spirit, even in the face of

Mourning Mandela. Credit: The Indian Express

nearly ingrained social injustices; his own will power was unbreakable, even after decades spent in prison. South Africa – and the rest of the world – mourns the passing of a man who brought so much hope.

While it’s easy to shake our fingers and Obama’s supposed Selfie, let us remember that the picture is just that: supposed. And in lieu of base banter, may we choose to acknowledge and celebrate what we do know about the President: that he delivered kind words to respect a great man.

What can we make (or, what should we make) of the picture above? We look forward to your comments below.