Since When Is Racism "Just a Joke"?

[lil mike]

Yes?

So she is an elected official?

Anyway, I'm shocked, shocked I say, that anyone would ever think to depict the President as a simian.  It's clearly never been done before.

Yes, a new low.

[FooFa]

Ever heard of slavery...

Oh! Oh!

Watch Happy Endings on ABC Wednesday night! Finally a show that doesn't portray a stereotype!

If only Mike and Molly and Outsourced were the same...

I wanted to like that show but after around 5 episodes I realized that it's not as good as Community or The Office. I think the portrayal of Americans having so much disposable income that they would keep that business going is inaccurate in 2011 but could have been funny. The actors representing India are just like us compared to actual Indians so the premise is kind of effed all around. I think The Office is also very inconsistent with being funny such as the ep recently where Michael had completed his film. That wasn't even potentially funny and would have better been a 2 minute show opener than entire episode. The Dinner Party and The Deposition are two that come to mind as being outstanding. Those were both with Jan and the combination of writers and producers on those eps should have been capitalized on. I think they have too many cooks on that one.

[Howey]

The actors representing India are just like us compared to actual Indians so the premise is kind of effed all around.

Actually...that is the problem with the show. Just the other way around. 

[uselesslegs]

So she is an elected official?

Anyway, I'm shocked, shocked I say, that anyone would ever think to depict the President as a simian.  It's clearly never been done before.

Yes, a new low.

We did it to ourselves.  When you subjugate a race for hundreds of years and use stereotypes throughout as "funny, because it's true" and even use stereotypes as a form of "education about" the group in question...you don't get to cry foul or downplay an instance when an item that is specifically linked to a stereotypes derogatory nature for group A, is used to depict someone from the group that did the subjugating and were prolific spreading the stereotypes to begin with.

It does not carry the same, or any, of the long held malicious associations.  Perhaps one day, in the distant future, you can depict someone who's black as a chimp and have only the buffoonery associated with a chimp be the only attachment anyone thinks of while viewing the satire, as was done with GW...but that time isn't now, nor will it be anytime soon. 

[FooFa]

Actually...that is the problem with the show. Just the other way around. 

Does that mean something or is it a joke. Comradery and inside jokes or things intended as the general area of ribbing are great and maybe people that stayed in touch with you while I was gone understand that stuff but I don't. As I previously asked about the crowd quote and still didn't understand which you didn't clarify, I still have no idea what it means.

[lil mike]

We did it to ourselves.  When you subjugate a race for hundreds of years and use stereotypes throughout as "funny, because it's true" and even use stereotypes as a form of "education about" the group in question...you don't get to cry foul or downplay an instance when an item that is specifically linked to a stereotypes derogatory nature for group A, is used to depict someone from the group that did the subjugating and were prolific spreading the stereotypes to begin with.

It does not carry the same, or any, of the long held malicious associations.  Perhaps one day, in the distant future, you can depict someone who's black as a chimp and have only the buffoonery associated with a chimp be the only attachment anyone thinks of while viewing the satire, as was done with GW...but that time isn't now, nor will it be anytime soon. 

As long as we know we are keeping separate standards...

I noticed that Darth posted this story on the muche, and crowd posted the same Bush/Chimp pic I did.

I thought they didn't want these kind of monkeyshines on the muche?

[Howey]

I noticed that Darth posted this story on the muche, and crowd posted the same Bush/Chimp pic I did.

I thought they didn't want these kind of monkeyshines on the muche?

I saw that. Glad to see he's visiting us! 

Does that mean something or is it a joke. Comradery and inside jokes or things intended as the general area of ribbing are great and maybe people that stayed in touch with you while I was gone understand that stuff but I don't. As I previously asked about the crowd quote and still didn't understand which you didn't clarify, I still have no idea what it means.

Did you take your meds today, Mr. Paranoia?

I was replying to this:

The actors representing India are just like us compared to actual Indians so the premise is kind of effed all around.

The actors on the show act like us because they are like us. The show doesn't represent them, or other Indians, in any kind of reality other than what they want you to see on TV.

The stereotypes are lame and misinformed, the banter is ridiculous, and the depiction of Indian culture is far from real.

[uselesslegs]

As long as we know we are keeping separate standards...

I noticed that Darth posted this story on the muche, and crowd posted the same Bush/Chimp pic I did.

I thought they didn't want these kind of monkeyshines on the muche?

Hell, we've been keeping separate standards for yearrrssss.

[FooFa]

Did you take your meds today, Mr. Paranoia?

FooFa Operator's Manual Addendum A Subsection C4
_{He may at times for no specific reason randomly combine something from the past into a current issue. The recipient of this is supposed to make all the necessary connections of what he is thinking and why.}

[Howey]

Did you take your meds today, Mr. Paranoia?

FooFa Operator's Manual Addendum A Subsection C4
_{He may at times for no specific reason randomly combine something from the past into a current issue. The recipient of this is supposed to make all the necessary connections of what he is thinking and why.}

There is no inside joke. This isn't one of those forums where there's secret secret sections where the kool kids can talk about others and snicker.

I'm sorry you took my joke as a joke.

As far as the quote, I thought I explained that to you? He was using a metaphor to compare here with there to indicate Kelly had made her choice.

We don't do choices here. Everyone's free to go here or elsewhere.

If you need further clarification regarding the quote, ask him.

[Howey]

As long as we know we are keeping separate standards...

I noticed that Darth posted this story on the muche, and crowd posted the same Bush/Chimp pic I did.

I thought they didn't want these kind of monkeyshines on the muche?

There are no separate standards.

This is a black/white issue (see what I did there?). Centuries old comparisons of the black man to the ape denigrated the black man and classified his being as closer to an ape than a white man:


Not only close to those making the comparison (after all...weren't the slaves considered "inferior"?)  In 1868, Ernst Haeckel’s Natürliche Schöpfungsgeschichte was published with this drawing depicting the black man waaay down the chain, and a white man at the top.  btw - The white man, described as the "perfect", was not Greek, but German like the author.

So...yeah. It is racism. At it's worst.

[Howey]

closer to an ape in both appearance and intelligence[/url][/center]

Although one could argue that Bush is closer to an ape on the intelligence scale. 

Poor guy will nevah live that picture down!

[FooFa]

When they conduct studies with kids regarding color they favor lighter skin. That should not be equated to racism because natural selection also favors lighter skin. There are bigger fish to fry than worrying about the past and slavery wherein there were also black slave owners. If it wasn't such a hot button topic it wouldn't still stir people up after all these years. When I used to watch Bill Maher he would frequently make jokes about Obama with some of age old stereotypes that ares still funny at times to me. They're funny because it's not how most of the audience feels but to think that are practically whole generations who did feel that way and judge someone immediately was tragic but still humorous in retrospect. When I think of Chris Rock's early stuff, when he used to be funny, he was essentially a racist himself by using his color as an excuse to make jokes that a white person wouldn't have been able to get away with. There's not really any absolutes with comedy, art or political cartoons. I personally feel that as a society we should be passed the need to keep going to that reservoir for comedy. And when a comedian or cartoonist are still doing it in 2011 it doesn't say much for their imagination, creativity or sensibilities.

[ekg]

racism will never die because smart people will always ignore it when it's  done to their benefit. .. The right will refuse this or any other blatant racism because to admit it, in their minds, would say something about them as a whole.. Borg-like thought remember? If it's one, it's all..  so never admit that it could be just the one and then you can pretend it doesn't exist for the whole.

and besides, it makes Obama look bad... and insults him on a base-level and in a way that they can snicker and wink to themselves.. so it's more or less a triple-word-score for the Right...

This pic is a great example.... anyone with a brain can see why it would be considered racist, whether it was done to Bush or not doesn't matter since he's white and it simply is different  when used against a white....  There shouldn't be any argument at all on this... Blacks and apes/monkey's have been compared to each other for generations.. Hello? Porch Monkey, Yard ape, Jungle bunny anyone?  What? If I said that about a white dude, it would mean the same as if I said it to the black dude right?

well sure, if you're playing by GOP rules that is..


Mike, let me ask you something..  If you showed the Bush photo to his daughters what would be their reaction and what impression would they get off it? Would their race enter into their heads?

if you took the Obama photo and showed it to his daughters.. what would their impression be? would you actually look at Obama's daughters and defend this photo as being acceptable and not racist in any way because it was done to GWB also?

wait, no....   could you even show it to them..  you would be a little embarrassed to show it to Bush's kids I'm sure, but  you could do it...  would you still just be a 'little embarrassed' to show it to Obama's kids though? or would you more likely be utterly horrified at the thought at being the one to show them?

would it be acceptable to teach your own children how to take a class-photo and photo shop all the black kids as apes and then take it to school for show and tell?

I mean, it's not racist right? so you'd be ok with that... right?

[lil mike]

r
Mike, let me ask you something..  If you showed the Bush photo to his daughters what would be their reaction and what impression would they get off it? Would their race enter into their heads?

if you took the Obama photo and showed it to his daughters.. what would their impression be? would you actually look at Obama's daughters and defend this photo as being acceptable and not racist in any way because it was done to GWB also?

wait, no....   could you even show it to them..  you would be a little embarrassed to show it to Bush's kids I'm sure, but  you could do it...  would you still just be a 'little embarrassed' to show it to Obama's kids though? or would you more likely be utterly horrified at the thought at being the one to show them?

would it be acceptable to teach your own children how to take a class-photo and photo shop all the black kids as apes and then take it to school for show and tell?

I mean, it's not racist right? so you'd be ok with that... right?

I'm not arguing that the picture isn't racist, although I do enjoy the contrast of Presidential monkey pictures.  I guess that's a thing now huh?

And of course I enjoy  the left's defense of Bush monkey pictures by saying, "well they're not racist."  No, they were insulting.  Just as the monkey picture of Obama is insulting.  It's not as if they are equally insulting, but I doubt the difference in offense is so great as you imagine it.  I don't defend any monkey pictures, but you will defend some of them.

But once again, you regard this email from some lowly official, not an elected official like Howey claimed, as a major news story, when it's really not.  You think it's significant because you think one email indicts the entire Republican party/the tea party, and roughly half the country because as I've come to realize, you really can't imagine a reason to oppose Obama without it being racist. 

So of course it would be terrible to show Obama monkey pictures to his daughters.  Is that even a serious question?  Just as it would have been terrible to show Bush monkey pictures to his daughters at the age that Obama's daughters are now.

Don't you think both sets of daughters would be hurt by that?