All hell broke loose when National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the U.S. government was gathering phone and online information. However, the news also did inspire some really funny memes. One in particular highlights the iconic "Hope" poster originally created by artist Shepard Fairey.
The parodies are being shared throughout the web and change phrases within the poster with a National Security Agency spin. One parody features Obama wearing headphones with the caption "Yes We Scan" with a phrase circling that reads "United we progress toward a perfectly monitored society." Another parody reads "Yes, we can... read your emails."
Fairey, who found himself in a legal battle over the work, commented on the new works. “I have never been an unconditional Obama supporter or cheerleader,” Fairey said to the L.A. Times. “So I’m pleased to see people subvert my Obama images as a way to critique him and demonstrate the wide gap between some of his promises and actions.”
In a recent blog post he used more aggressive language: "The extent of Obama’s spying is unacceptable and I feel sickened and betrayed by someone I dedicated a huge amount of time, energy, and money to support based on the way he presented his views as the antithesis of Bush's."
[viaLATimes]
