DarthAwesome Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 People who really have problems with politically correctness usually do so because they feel they're being restricted from expressing their own prejudices against a certain group of people. It is not okay to call someone a n*gger or say that all muslims are terrorists. You have the freedom to say it but that won't stop me from putting you in your place. Those are just two examples of real prejudism. What we have to do is distinguish that from just joking around. The Transformers thing was innocent and even kinda corny. It's an outdated stereotype and I see no reason why people should be up in arms over that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAthos Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 People who really have problems with politically correctness usually do so because they feel they're being restricted from expressing their own prejudices against a certain group of people. It is not okay to call someone a n*gger or say that all muslims are terrorists. You have the freedom to say it but that won't stop me from putting you in your place. Those are just two examples of real prejudism. What we have to do is distinguish that from just joking around. The Transformers thing was innocent and even kinda corny. It's an outdated stereotype and I see no reason why people should be up in arms over that. I'm not sure if you're implying that I'm prejudiced in some way or not...I stand by my statement that the United States has become overly sensitive, and frankly ought to lighten up. The divide between joking and real hate/racism/prejudice which you refer to seems to be virtually nonexistent in this country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthAwesome Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Well, I meant that in general but I guess it can apply to you as well. The keyword is usually. I'm not saying you're prejudiced but most people who think that way usually are. The divide between joking and real hate/racism/prejudice which you refer to seems to be virtually nonexistent in this country. Are you kidding? That is really naïve. While I agree that racism isn’t as rampant as it used to be there is still a lot of it out there. Most of it seems to be directed at our president at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAthos Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 What I meant by the divide being nonexistent is that there seems to be an overwhelming number of people that can't or won't distinguish a joke from true racism or hate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarthAwesome Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I don't think that's true. Most reasonable people can distinguish a joke from true racism and hatred. However, some jokes are blatanly racist and hateful and not really funny at all. People just use the excuse of just joking around to get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediAthos Posted July 1, 2009 Author Share Posted July 1, 2009 I will give you that some people do use jokes as an excuse..,I actually find that it happens quite a bit here in Texas...I actually heard someone refer to President Obama as the "Muslim Antichrist" That was from a woman that works at a hospital...she's very nice...but also apparently very prejudiced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Avlectus Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 @ SW:TPM issue, actually to shed light on this, I remember a college english assignment specifically critiquing one of the very critics who made that distinction. I'm sorry I cannot find it right now. Basically that it caricatures and stereotypes, and that it is a powerful, but subconscious, teaching tool. While I agree with that generally, and that it could be a bad thing...I did not see such a thing going on in TPM. In a hero man type story such as SW typically is, it is common to see stereotypes and perhaps caricatures, but I detected nothing that was particularly "labeling" about it to set generations of the future against one group of people or another. (Maybe I'm just uninformed?) I was a teen and I didn't really think much of any of the following. Though I will say that when my father saw it in the theater with me and the rest of our family and friends, he did say that Darth Maul personified the devil to him--at least Maul's face and dimeanor reminded him of the devil. I think it went something like this: JarJar=Rastafarian Jamaican Supposedly getting people to ridicule blacks for illiteracy and clumsiness--perhaps a lack of common sense. I thought it was just a goofy outcast with perhaps not a lot of intelligence, but a good heart. While the ears might look like dreadlocks if you look at it like that, I never got this from jarjar. If it is against blacks then how do you explain Captain Panaka? Mace Windu? Flawed argument. Trent= Trent Lott? Nute Gunrey=Newt Gingrich? Their outfits looking like that of a real arch bishop. Supposedly to set you against republicans for being greedy and demonize catholics for making a deal with Darth Sidious (AKA satan). I just thought it was a couple of squabbling creatures who value droids and wealth more than life--whose mothers probably don't like them either. I'm a fairly conservative (independent) guy, actually. These two don't seem to cut close to who I am, politically or otherwise as a free marketeer. Or beliefs wise. They might fit a more modern republican stereotype, but I'm willing to believe republicans weren't always like that--like the ones you never see anymore who were about fiscal responsibility instead of $$$. (My late grandfather I never met.) Or even Abe Lincoln. Another flawed argument. Watto=anti arabic/simetic on tattooine Supposedly, as a slave holder and a merchant in a desert that was home to the chosen one in his earlier years, Watto was a caricature of merchants in the desert (middle east areas where Jesus Christ lived?) who was anti simetic if you wanted to interpret it as jewish, anti arab if you don't. Personally, I thought the voice was more italian and he was more bird like, perhaps some reptile and equestrian. Ok, so ya got me there--greedy merchant. He's out in the middle of nowhere selling junk to everyone--DUH! I have iranian friends--never even crossed my mind when seeing watto. Not once. Fail argument. Darth Maul=satanic imagery, the devil Supposedly against the obvious (or for glamorizing it I guess if you liked him). While yes the similarities are striking, I would say that it does not set one against or for satanists any more than already existed in one's mind. I do believe, though, that uncle George did in fact use the satanic bible and elements in creating more life about the Sith. (This is purely speculation though!) Furthermore I believe the typified "demon" as the villain very effectively sends the message of bad guy where nations are heavily Christian. So a bit of reaching out to a target audience. Besides, I've never really met a good hearted satanist, not who was for reals about it anyway. I don't think that's true. Most reasonable people can distinguish a joke from true racism and hatred. However, some jokes are blatanly racist and hateful and not really funny at all. People just use the excuse of just joking around to get away with it. True enough, I guess. Seems like that's how it slips through the cracks. Sharp catch. I am not against political correctness. I think it's healthy. I am so sick and tired of people who go on anti-pc tirades and think they can get away with abusing our freedom speech and offend whomever they want. I am against it, not because it necessarily stops anyone from speaking, but that reactions, responses, or lack thereof an acknowledgement could be interpreted as hatred. Or that basically saying something is such and such because it might be hateful. I could even see this being the case for constructive criticism. This is not the case. In this country you have the right to say whatever bile, stupid, ignorant, thing you want, and that's okay. However, we have the right to tell you to st*u. Another reason I'm against it. Don't censor it, so that way you shove your foot all the way in your mouth--and I can bag on you for being a moron. Freedom of speech protects you against retaliation from the government, not from individuals. However, there is such a thing as being too overly pc. I think this whole thing is ridiculous, same as with The Phantom Menace, it's obviously meant in good fun and we all have to laugh at ourselves once in a while. People need to lighten up. Ok, fair enough. I would actually call it common decency, not PC. Western Justice. Pettiness and sensitivity to "say this", "don't say that" is what I call PC. Guess it just goes to show that no 2 view any one thing the same. What I meant by the divide being nonexistent is that there seems to be an overwhelming number of people that can't or won't distinguish a joke from true racism or hate. I'll say that a distinction needs to be made but rather with care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 I am not against political correctness. I think it's healthy. I am so sick and tired of people who go on anti-pc tirades and think they can get away with abusing our freedom speech and offend whomever they want. This is not the case. In this country you have the right to say whatever bile, stupid, ignorant, thing you want, and that's okay. However, we have the right to tell you to st*u. Freedom of speech protects you against retaliation from the government, not from individuals. However, there is such a thing as being too overly pc. I think this whole thing is ridiculous, same as with The Phantom Menace, it's obviously meant in good fun and we all have to laugh at ourselves once in a while. People need to lighten up. I don't think people should "abuse" their freedom of speech...but I think that things like this "racist transformers" takes PC a little too far...it's just complaining to complain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master Shake Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Some people just have a natural talent for finding the negative side in everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 ^Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord of Hunger Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 You know what I say to people who find racism, sexism, etc. in everything (or rather what I'm going to say if I find someone in my area who actually does it)? If you really want to fight social injustice, go to ****ing North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, or the so-called Democratic Republic of the Congo where you have genocide, mass slaughter, government-institutionalized rape of women, and mass starvation and until then don't walk into a movie theater and complain that a couple of fictional alien robot characters in a movie are an example of racism. Or sexism. Or elder abuse or abuse of the mental challenged or animal abuse or whatever you're complaining about. There is some nasty **** in the world, and us Americans and/or members of the "First World"/West are so spoiled. That includes me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trench Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 /\ Well said Lord of Hunger. Thank you for bringing things into perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanius Anglesmith Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I don't really care whether they're considered "racist" or not. These characters won't truly affect anyone. What I care about is that every single thing they said or did was supposed to be funny, yet none of it was actually funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mur'phon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 LoH: Since humans are a selfish lot, the fact that some give a damn about someone else at all is a good thing IMO. Sure, in a perfect world people would do "good" more eficently, but since the world isn't perfect, any "good" should be aplauded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 LoH: Since humans are a selfish lot' date=' the fact that some give a damn about someone else at all is a good thing IMO. Sure, in a perfect world people would do "good" more eficently, but since the world isn't perfect, any "good" should be aplauded.[/quote'] Complaining that the comedy relief on a movie about alien robots who leaned our culture/language through the internet are stereotypes and racist is not "doing good". It's wasting everybody's time and distracting people from real racism where it happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urluckyday Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 ^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mur'phon Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 @Web: It was to LoH's entire comment, not this case spesifially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.