Seeing racism everywhere

On an aside note from dbl's musings, I am finding over the last few years that there are a number of things that are being portrayed as racist. People are seemingly looking for racist elements where none is present.

My first example is a recent Hollywood film called The Mist. Based on a Stephen King novelette of the same name, it is about a small group of people trapped in a supermarket the night after a horrific storm. As with any Stephen King story, this is a horror story. The town is soon overtaken by a heavy mist inside which are terrible creatures. The people barricade themselves in to sit it out.

After seeing one of their number die, Thomas Jane's character attempts to discourage a group of people from leaving. Amongst the group is his next door neighbour with whom he has a love-hate relationship... and the neighbour is black. Jane's character comments to him that they were preparing food, that there was lots of fried chicken to go around. This to me, was inoccuous, as an excuse to attempt to prevent the man from leaving (and perhaps dying on the journey home... Jane had seen the attack but the neighbour had not). The IMDB board was awash with comments about this "racist" scene and I thought wtf?! Since when did black people eat nothing but fried chicken? I mean, poor black actors these days are not going to be allowed to be seen eating fried chicken, mango, melon or bananas on television these days in case somebody expresses offence on their behalf and holds that actor up as being oppressed.

Apparently, we're not even allowed to use the term "half caste" anymore to describe somebody who has mixed race parentage. Yet the half-caste people I have met in my life have no problem with the term and some even prefer it to "mixed race" which clearly draws more attention to race.

The most amusing thing is that we are supposed to call the native Canadians "Eskimos" any more, in favour of "Inuit". Apparently "Inuit" is more offensive to them than "Eskimo" and it has been likened to calling all black people "Jamaican"... even those from Trinidad, Haiti or Africa.

I am so tired of the race card being thrown around. It's really gotten rampant here in the US since Obama got elected. More on that in a minute.

There are stereotypes that are unfounded and others that are correct. Watermelon or chicken are correct whether people like it or not. It's how it's presented... offensive or otherwise. My black friend likes to use those stereotypes to poke fun at himself and he does it quite often. He made a joke to me on the phone last year about all the Russian immigrants settling in Los Angeles. He said that they're the new Ni**ers. I laughed my ass off so hard when he said that. It's just his way.

On Obama; it's not racist to talk trash about his political or social policies. Conservatives would be just as hard on a white Democrat as they are on Obama if all you did was change the skin color. Are there some who don't like him for his blackness? You bet. Are they a majority? Not even.

I look at it this way. If one is going to say that so and so is a racist for saying such and such, then on has to back it up with concrete proof.

I was once accused of being a racist for criticizing something Islamic. I didn't know that Islam was a race.

Here's a real good example of what I was stating. Finding racism under every rock and bed.

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Jackson Lee blasts 'demeaning' Pepsi Super Bowl ad

Pete Kasperowicz
The Hill
Feb. 09, 2011

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) took to the House floor Tuesday night to criticize what she called a "demeaning" Pepsi ad that aired during the Super Bowl.

In the ad for Pepsi Max, a black woman sitting on a park bench gets angry with her husband after an attractive, white female jogger sits down next to the couple and smiles and waves at the man.

After the man smiles back, his girlfriend or wife gets angry and whips her Pepsi Max can at him. The man ducks, and the can hits the attractive jogger in the head. The ad is titled "Love hurts."

Jackson Lee said it was ridiculous for the soft drink maker to air the advertisement during African-American history month.

"In this month of African-American history where we're trying to celebrate what is good and great, it certainly seems ridiculous that Pepsi would utilize this kind of humor," she said. "It was not humorous. It was demeaning — an African-American woman throwing something at an African-American male and winding up hitting a Caucasian woman."

Jackson Lee said she has a sense of humor and believes in the First Amendment. She also said the Super Bowl is a great time for "fellowship" with family members.

"That is why I'm so disappointed with the Pepsi advertisement that showed a demeaning role for African American women, in an ad that showed a can being thrown and being utilized to wound someone else or hit someone else," she said.

"I think that we can come together in a much better way, sell Pepsi, and as well talk about good nutrition," she said. "But, frankly, I consider this insulting, and so did many other women of all colors."

Jackson Lee also said it would be great to have a lot more women in ads at the Super Bowl.

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This woman is a race baiter big time. If requested, I can post the any numerous quotes of dumb things she has said when it comes to race.

A lot of people have said a lot of stupid things in the name of race. But to deny that racism doesn't exist anymore is insane. And yeah, I would agree that it's gotten worse since Obama was elected. All one has to do is look at Rush Limbaugh for evidence of that. As Tex said, I have no problem debating Obama's policies. But that's not what Limbaugh (and his ilk) does. I mean do we really think Joe Wilson would have shouted "You lie!" if the President had been white?

i_luv_miley wrote:A lot of people have said a lot of stupid things in the name of race. But to deny that racism doesn't exist anymore is insane.

Nobody says racism doesn't exist anymore. It will always exists no matter how many laws and regulations you can throw at it. You can't legislate human nature.

i_luv_miley wrote:And yeah, I would agree that it's gotten worse since Obama was elected. All one has to do is look at Rush Limbaugh for evidence of that. As Tex said, I have no problem debating Obama's policies. But that's not what Limbaugh (and his ilk) does.

Now.... prove Limbaugh is a racist if you're elevating that claim.

i_luv_miley wrote:I mean do we really think Joe Wilson would have shouted "You lie!" if the President had been white?

Can you prove Wilson did it because Obama was black? It's your opinion and that's all it is.

TexasBlue wrote:Nobody says racism doesn't exist anymore. It will always exists no matter how many laws and regulations you can throw at it. You can't legislate human nature.

I agree it will always exist. But yes, you can legislate it. And it should be legislated... If one doesn't at least try to do something, one is part of the problem.

TexasBlue wrote:Now.... prove Limbaugh is a racist if you're elevating that claim.

TexasBlue wrote:Can you prove Wilson did it because Obama was black? It's your opinion and that's all it is.

And that's the problem... Yeah, it's my opinion. But it's an opinion based on observation. And in the case of Limbaugh, many observations. If it acts like one, talks like one, etc... I will say this though, I don't consider Glenn Beck to be racist. Despite his rantings, I see him as an attention seeker. I will also say this, Al Sharpton, while I wouldn't consider him racist, I do think he's a black supremacist and I think he's nuts.

As much as I despise Limbaugh and his kind for so many reasons, ILM you need to prove that he is a racist.

i_luv_miley wrote:I agree it will always exist. But yes, you can legislate it. And it should be legislated... If one doesn't at least try to do something, one is part of the problem.

Okay then, tell us how to legislate it.

i_luv_miley wrote:And that's the problem... Yeah, it's my opinion. But it's an opinion based on observation. And in the case of Limbaugh, many observations. If it acts like one, talks like one, etc...

Then back it up with something, please.

i_luv_miley wrote:I will say this though, I don't consider Glenn Beck to be racist. Despite his rantings, I see him as an attention seeker. I will also say this, Al Sharpton, while I wouldn't consider him racist, I do think he's a black supremacist and I think he's nuts.

Sharpton is an opportunist. I like him but he's an ambulance chaser.

The problem with throwing around the word 'racist' with reckless abandon is that it could demean real cases of racial discrimination.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:The problem with throwing around the word 'racist' with reckless abandon is that it could demean real cases of racial discrimination.

Precisely!

Sadly, "racism" has become a cottage industry for the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, Rev. Wright and others of their ilk. They have made a handsome living off of baseless accusations of "racism" and they are responsible for the continuing to fan the flames of racism for their own remuneration.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:The problem with throwing around the word 'racist' with reckless abandon is that it could demean real cases of racial discrimination.

The problem with not acknowledging it at all is that, by doing so, it continues to exist... Nobody is suggesting that the term isn't misused. That's politics. But in many instances politics is also pandering to "your own kind". It's about one's perspective and how one defines things (i.e. racism, politics, etc).

@Tex - you legislate it with Affirmative Action. Of course, that could also be seen as "bias". But racism is the ultimate bias. IMO, Affirmative Action simply tries to level the playing field.

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:The problem with throwing around the word 'racist' with reckless abandon is that it could demean real cases of racial discrimination.

That's what I call the "crying wolf" syndrome.... when the actual racist things is missed because people just shrug their shoulders after race accusations where there is none.

i_luv_miley wrote:The problem with not acknowledging it at all is that, by doing so, it continues to exist... Nobody is suggesting that the term isn't misused. That's politics. But in many instances politics is also pandering to "your own kind". It's about one's perspective and how one defines things (i.e. racism, politics, etc).

Nobody says it doesn't exist. Compared to 40 years ago or even 20 years ago, it's not very common anymore.

i_luv_miley wrote:@Tex - you legislate it with Affirmative Action. Of course, that could also be seen as "bias". But racism is the ultimate bias. IMO, Affirmative Action simply tries to level the playing field.

You bring up Affirmative Action but that doesn't stop anyone from hatting another race. That act was geared towards getting blacks into the workforce quicker (good jobs so to speak). It doesn't stop racism. I can hate another race if I choose to be that way and Affirmative Action doesn't stop me from being a racist.

Affirmative Action was necessary (and a good thing) back in it's day. Now days, it's nothing but reverse discrimination.

i_luv_miley wrote:I mean do we really think Joe Wilson would have shouted "You lie!" if the President had been white?

The question is unanswerable. I see no necessary connection between the circumstances and the content of the utterance, and Obama's skin color. Yet Jimmy Carter felt perfectly confident making the connection publicly, absent any evidence whatsoever. I found that ridiculous, and even more undignified than the original outburst.

i_luv_miley wrote:

TexasBlue wrote:Can you prove Wilson did it because Obama was black? It's your opinion and that's all it is.

And that's the problem... Yeah, it's my opinion. But it's an opinion based on observation.

What observations of Joe Wilson lead you to this opinion?

The_Amber_Spyglass wrote:The most amusing thing is that we are supposed to call the native Canadians "Eskimos" any more, in favour of "Inuit". Apparently "Inuit" is more offensive to them than "Eskimo" and it has been likened to calling all black people "Jamaican"... even those from Trinidad, Haiti or Africa.

Eskimos = Inuit + Yupik.

Of these, Canada has only Inuit. They prefer to be called Inuit, not Eskimo.

Alaska is different. Alaska has both Inuit and Yupik, and Yupik don't like to be called Inuit. Hence the need for a collective term for the two groups. So in Alaska, "Eskimo" is perfectly acceptable, and if you say "Inuit," you'd better be sure you're not talking to a Yupik.

Apparently the Canadian Inuit have only been finding the term "Eskimo" offensive since the 1970s? The whole aversion seems odd to me; I guess I'd have to talk to an Inuit to understand it, and I don't know any. The term isn't intentionally derogatory--it's still used in scholarly papers.