tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post3816052042480298474..comments2023-10-31T06:20:45.622-05:00Comments on Raving Black Lunatic: The Dreaded "R" WordBig Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02510881583909431416noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-52766212107915197962008-05-19T21:10:00.000-05:002008-05-19T21:10:00.000-05:00great article Big Man,unless it is someone like pa...great article Big Man,<BR/><BR/>unless it is someone like pat buchanon or that t-shirt guy sometime last year I decided to bury the "R" word in favor of something like "he is racially biased".<BR/><BR/>As you have already stated, the word "racist" is often perceived as being a Klansmen. But what about all of those racially-biases that aren't quite buchanon level, but extremely harmful nonetheless. the word "racist" often acts as a discussion ender, and even ammunition for a shield. so the question that i would pose is: is it worth having language that distinguishes between the Buchanons, and those with slighter cases of racial bias?<BR/><BR/>I'm not saying that i know the answer, but your article is something that I have given considerable thought to in hopes of progress around what types of racism should be immediately and unequivocally condemned, which deserve extended dialogue, and where to draw the lineAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-84802803239358177672008-05-17T06:40:00.000-05:002008-05-17T06:40:00.000-05:00[Sound of brain going ''pop'']That t-shirt guy is ...[Sound of brain going ''pop'']<BR/><BR/>That t-shirt guy is an IDIOT -- or, has zero artistic sense. (Or, both?)<BR/><BR/>GW = chimp, because GW **does** look a bit monkey-like.<BR/><BR/>Obaman in **No** way looks like Curious George. At the most basic: C. George has a round head; Obama's is a long inverted triangle. That's **such** a far-fetched excuse...<BR/><BR/><BR/>Now, if that guy had used a baboon -- mebbe. (Yes, I will catch flack for that; just thinking like a cartoonist/caracturist: long, narrow face; also maybe, a horse.)<BR/><BR/>But even then: To do so would be pretty danged clueless. Like comparing a female candidate to Betty Boop or Barbie.<BR/><BR/><BR/>OTOH -- there are all sorts of racist idiots out there, who think they're "clever": did the media **really** need to give him his fifteen minutes of fame?<BR/><BR/><BR/>--GGGye Greenehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15972251323124084977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-14533325581268389352008-05-16T22:34:00.000-05:002008-05-16T22:34:00.000-05:00@ No RegretsAs a white guy myself, here's my take ...@ No Regrets<BR/><BR/>As a white guy myself, here's my take on the single most important step...and perhaps the hardest and most unlikely to be achieved any time soon (though I always like to hold out hope):<BR/><BR/>White people in America need to fess up to the insidious and comprehensive manner in which racism persists and is perpetuated in this country (this isn't to say other countires don't have similar problems/needs btw).<BR/><BR/>We need to fess up and try to be aware of when we perpetrate this shit...and we need to NOT do it from guilt but from a desire to be better people and start fixing the mess our ancestors made. It's not about who's at fault but about doing the right thing. And that also takes a realization among white Americans that white privilege ISN'T some mythological construct of minorities but a simple truth. For example, in general, a poor white person still has huge advantages over a poor black person...sometimes even over a working class black person depending upon the area of the country.<BR/><BR/>That's my pair of shiny copper coins, anyway...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-12168127266516959302008-05-16T15:53:00.000-05:002008-05-16T15:53:00.000-05:00I've swung by here due to WNG talking about your b...I've swung by here due to WNG talking about your balls of steel. I live in a racist town, probably what would be considered a racist state. I found this very interesting. I've always found it interesting when people will saying they're not prejudice because they don't discriminate. Discrimination is an action -- you can be prejudice without showing the action.<BR/><BR/>Babbling in your comments. Just wanted to say good read and she's right about the balls.Susanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00421276422785703472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-5003117342416219842008-05-16T15:42:00.000-05:002008-05-16T15:42:00.000-05:00All good points. Here's a great article about the...All good points. Here's a great article about the origins of prejudice in the recent Scientific American Mind: <A HREF="http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=buried-prejudice-the-bigot-in-your-brain" REL="nofollow">http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=buried-prejudice-the-bigot-in-your-brain</A>.<BR/><BR/>It seems to me that one way to address racism is to understand where it comes from. When we call out something/someone as racist, people see that as an intrinsic negative characteristic--something that they are or they aren't; not that they choose. The knowledge that we can all have racist tendencies and can choose to control them should help most people get over the defensive reaction.<BR/><BR/>But maybe not Pat Buchanan.<BR/><BR/>Coincidentally, I wrote a post on this very issue this morning as well: <A HREF="http://www.someofnothing.com/2008/05/racist-bitch-session.html" REL="nofollow">http://www.someofnothing.com/2008/05/racist-bitch-session.html</A>. Thanks to wng for directing me to this post!slaghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01490998864382488501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-75890162897143043242008-05-16T14:28:00.000-05:002008-05-16T14:28:00.000-05:00I agree with you in that we should condemn racism ...I agree with you in that we should condemn racism in all of its forms, but the problem with this situation is that the more it is hyped up, the richer the bigot gets in the end. This isn't the first t-shirt with a racist image or message, so i don't see the point in making such a big deal of it. its just giving the racist free publicity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-69680448398379600832008-05-16T13:26:00.000-05:002008-05-16T13:26:00.000-05:00No RegretsFirst and foremost, don't pussyfoot arou...No Regrets<BR/><BR/>First and foremost, don't pussyfoot around when it comes to labeling an action or even a person "racist." There should be no hesitation when something has clearly been identified as racist. More importantly, the ridiculous denials offered by racists should not be given any weight whatsoever. That's the first step that is rarely taken.<BR/><BR/>Second, there needs to be swift condemantion of not only the individual action, but the societal structure that allows that action to take place and even condones it.<BR/><BR/>Third, there needs to be some sort of penalty for displaying racist beliefs. It is not good enough to just ignore these people and hope they die off. There needs to be an active push in the larger culture to force these people to confront the lies they are telling, and then fight these lies with the truth.<BR/><BR/>There are many more actions that could be taken, but these are the first few that came to my mind. I understand that people are leery of false accusations of racism, and that many white people have a different definition of racism then black people. However, I'm not talking about those grey instances, I'm talking about something that should be obvious.Big Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02510881583909431416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-38331791318830818082008-05-16T13:17:00.000-05:002008-05-16T13:17:00.000-05:00Hi - white person here. What are the appropriate ...Hi - white person here. What are the appropriate actions in your opinion?NoRegretshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13240929627271129160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-57320800052932085722008-05-16T12:41:00.000-05:002008-05-16T12:41:00.000-05:00I'm with Deacon and Dewfish. It's sticky in that I...I'm with Deacon and Dewfish. <BR/>It's sticky in that I don't think we can ignore these things and must actively work against them, but the publicity they bring and the money that brings, tend to cancel out the negatives. <BR/>Seems like a cath-22.Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00900726730265994177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-87025497112124121752008-05-16T12:18:00.000-05:002008-05-16T12:18:00.000-05:00they pulling out all the tricks, chk my post toda...they pulling out all the tricks, chk my post today folkAll-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08843040863123899426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-82131489174591997652008-05-16T11:29:00.000-05:002008-05-16T11:29:00.000-05:00I agree with Deacon. But the real reason he is gea...I agree with Deacon. But the real reason he is gearing up to sell so many t-shirts is because all of the fuss over the shirt has generated free publicity for him. Without all of the noise being made over the shirts, it would have probably died down as a little thing in his hole-in-the-wall town. But because so much attention has been brought to the shirts (which are obviously racist, and the same goes for anyone wearing them), that they are guanteed to sell all over the world now rather than die as a local racist fad. The real sad part is, not only will he be unrepentant in his racist views, but he has also learned that being an open bigot is very profitable. The next time he wants to sell a t-shirt, he will probaly be even more racist jsut so he can get the free attention. All this talk about boycotting his establishment and ending the production of the shirts does nothing but make a racist richer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-13482958253700071462008-05-16T11:06:00.000-05:002008-05-16T11:06:00.000-05:00Ok, truth be told, I laugh too. I just feel bad ab...Ok, truth be told, I laugh too. I just feel bad about it in hindsight. <BR/>;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-34359364855460240022008-05-16T09:48:00.000-05:002008-05-16T09:48:00.000-05:00Good comments everybody, and I'll check out those ...Good comments everybody, and I'll check out those links.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Deacon<BR/><BR/>I agreed with your post, but I must admit that when people insinuate that W likes to make decisions after snorting an 8 ball and drinking a fifth I laugh.<BR/><BR/>I laugh a lot.Big Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02510881583909431416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-89439025126103794012008-05-16T09:41:00.000-05:002008-05-16T09:41:00.000-05:00I was having a fruitless debate with Constructive ...I was having a fruitless debate with Constructive Feedback on the Curious George/Obama T-shirt issue over at Field Negro, in which he suggested a double standard exists when he can find images of Dubya as a chimp/monkey and no one howls about that.<BR/><BR/>His reaction didn't surprise me, since C.F. is always confrontational and contrary. But then another poster, DMD, came around with some modest support for C.F.'s point based on the idea that such animal images are dehumanizing to any person of any race...and also suggesting that two wrongs don't make a right.<BR/><BR/>My response to that is below...am I wrong? Am I harboring some double-standard that I'm not seeing? Or am on a logical track here?<BR/>---------------------<BR/>Look, dmd I get the point that we shouldn't spread hatefullness and that two wrongs don't make a right. But let's not push the "dehumanization" thing TOO far. The issue with Curious George and Barack Obama is the use of a traditionally RACIST image. That isn't far off the mark of using the N-word.<BR/><BR/>When animal images are used in general for folks, that isn't necessarily dehumanization as such but imagery/metaphor/parody. There is a difference.<BR/><BR/>The guy at Mulligans can say all he wants that he just thinks cute little Curious George and Obama look a lot alike...but he knows that blacks are taking offense and he doesn't care. I can tell from the way he's responded in the news and the fact he's gearing up to make more of these T-shirts, last I heard, after selling out of them...depsite the rancor this is raising.<BR/><BR/>if you portrayed some Russian political leader as a bear...or an ardent democrat as an ass (since the donkey is the symbol of the party)...or a Republican as Dumbo (since the elephant is theirs), these are not dehumanizing acts. And portraying Dubya as a chimp is not dehumanizing him. Why? Because the image doesn't resonate. It doesn't STICK.<BR/><BR/>Monkey and ape images STICK when it comes to black folks. I don't think it's dehumanizing. I think it's just plain racist. All the more so because the guy who made the shirts can no longer play ignorant to the fact it is racist.<BR/><BR/>To put it another way, I would be offended on behalf of our current prez, no matter how much I despise him, if someone were to put out a cartoon or image that suggested he makes his decisions the way he does because he's snorting coke and slamming down bottles of whiskey. You know why? Because despite all his MANY flaws, he seems to be someone who's gotten past his addictions and is trying to rise above THAT part of his life at least. And it would be offensive to suggest otherwise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-87863944990206439082008-05-16T09:02:00.000-05:002008-05-16T09:02:00.000-05:00I believe that the Clinton's campaign race baiting...I believe that the Clinton's campaign race baiting created an environment that made people feel that such racism is possible. Although she won the battle in W. Virginia, she lost the war there as well as in Pennsylvania. People got tired of the race baiting as part of her pandering to low-income whites. <BR/><BR/>I blogges about this over at daddyBstrong.blogspot.comMac Daddy Tribute Bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01483912561779369669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-74904846047145163612008-05-16T08:19:00.000-05:002008-05-16T08:19:00.000-05:00Oh, and I have something at my blog for you...Oh, and I have something at my blog for you...Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00900726730265994177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6803135128442396638.post-86903078628444770132008-05-16T07:21:00.000-05:002008-05-16T07:21:00.000-05:00Yes, yes and yes. Did you know that I have never m...Yes, yes and yes. Did you know that I have never met a white racist? All of them 'have Black friends' or 'work with Black people and we get along just GREAT' or start sentences with, 'now, you know I'm not a racist, but...".<BR/>Listening to them you'd think that there was no race problem in the US.Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00900726730265994177noreply@blogger.com