Lynk Former Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Normally I never post in Kavar's... cause it's Kavar's and not video games... but... Harry Connick Jr. was within his right to get offended by the skit and I'm surprised the had the skit on with him on the show... if he wasn't on the show then it wouldn't have mattered either way and none of the fuss that's been going on would've have existed. Australia is no more or less racist than everyone else but I guess what separates Australia from the US in this matter is that we're just not as sensitive to these kinds of issues as the US is. That can be seen as a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you want to view it. In a lot of ways Australians are mischevious and no matter what background we may have come from, we tend to pick on everyone including ourselves. I think the kind of thinking a lot of people down here subscribe to is if you pick on everyone equally, it's okay. XD I think the biggest insensitivity out of this came from having an American guest on the show and performing that act, it wasn't really about the black painted faces at all. I mean, there are certain things you do in your home that you and your family laugh about and are fine with, but when a guest comes around you're going to be mindful of them and not do certain things around them that they would be offended by. I've lived in Australia for most of my life, I have dark skin, aside from some arseholes back in my school days who really didn't know any better, I've never actually encountered anyone I would call racist. The various groups of people I've socialised with who are all from different and very diverse backgrounds all like to joke around, and some of the jokes are racial, but do I see it as being racist? Yup, but it's the kind that people accept, even if they're on the receiving end... we all make fun of everyone about everything. I am a chocolate man, and my Asian friend back when I was doing my multimedia course is covered in sweet and sour sauce, and of course, let's not forget the fat white kid in our group who is a powdered doughnut. We all laughed about it and didn't care either way. I dunno what kind of point I'm trying to make with this, no point I guess, just thought I'd add my 2 cents... @ adamqd: Actually the lead guy for that group is Indian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamqd Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 @ adamqd: Actually the lead guy for that group is Indian. Sorry, In England the Term Asian is often used by white and Asian people to refer to someone who has origins in that Continent, this Includes Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Pakistani and so on... This slipped into my Post when I couldn't remember which Nationality he had said off hand... That is if you were genuinely clarifying his Nationality If you were just pointing out my racist lack of detail to invalidate my post then too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynk Former Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 @ adamqd: lol, no, I was just pointing out that he's specifically Indian since "Asian" can mean practically anything as you've pointed out. Though saying "Indian" isn't very specific either since he could be Indian Indian or Pakistani or Sri Lankan or whatever, I was just referring to the fact that he's from the Indian subcontinent. *shrugs* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamqd Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 @ adamqd: lol, no, I was just pointing out that he's specifically Indian since "Asian" can mean practically anything as you've pointed out. Though saying "Indian" isn't very specific either since he could be Indian Indian or Pakistani or Sri Lankan or whatever, I was just referring to the fact that he's from the Indian subcontinent. *shrugs* I was only kidding on the last part anyway haha, but yea I was generalizing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan7 Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Nobody on this earth is perfect. I hate what my country has done to the Aborginals in the past, and I'm sure you feel the same about your country. But one of the many things we share in common is that we both accepted black people into our society, settled our differences and moved on. Unforutnately, not all of us have come to accept such a change, and that what really grinds my gears. But I am not looking at the relationship between America and Australia. I'm not defending my own country, because I admit the skit itself was a stupid mistake. Even though it may sound like it, I'm not asking "how is it that America can be racist, but we cant?". Just for future reference I'm British, not sure why but people on LF always seem to think I'm American. To be honest I view British history dispassionately the UK has had some fine historical moments and some awful moments too. But for example Bristol (a City in England) apologising for the Slave Trade was preposterous, that was over 300 years ago. And seems to forget Wilberforce abolished the evil trade, and Africans were enslaving each other long before the white man arrived. So why on earth should modern Britain apologise for events 300 years ago? I don't think the current generation of Germans should have to apologise for World War II it was nothing to do with them. (The generations involved though can damn well apologise for it; those in Nazi Germany at the time allowed the Holocaust to happen regardless of what they may try telling themselves or others - the majority of the population played a role by their silence). Also on this point much like I can't take any credit for Britain's stand against Nazi Germany in 1939-45. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynk Former Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 If it wasn't for the British, I wouldn't have been born in Fiji... I would've been born in India instead which would've been a nightmare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynk Former Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 (This BBCode requires its accompanying plugin to work properly.) Here's some more to get angry over, first painted black faces, now MIDGET RACES!! (The winner of that race sure knows how to win with style XD) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bimmerman Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Is it racist? Yes. Funny? So I hear. Really though, who cares at this point? Racism isn't confined to a particular country, nor is hypocrisy. This skit was designed to be entertaining via comedic use of race i.e. blackface. Most comedians make racist, sexist, religious-ist (making up words here) jokes. The day you can't make light of something is the day we all suffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten-96 Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Odd. As a black male in America, I found that skit to be not-funny. I didn't see it as racist at all; just unfunny. Devil's Advocate: If all of the members had been black and making fun of The Patridge Family or the Brady Bunch, would people have been as quick to label it as "racist"? Or is it condoned that if you are black in America, you can make fun of white people without repercussion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totenkopf Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Devil's Advocate: If all of the members had been black and making fun of The Patridge Family or the Brady Bunch, would people have been as quick to label it as "racist"? Or is it condoned that if you are black in America, you can make fun of white people without repercussion? Sadly, the answer is yes for many people. I've always found the false distinction between bigotry and racism at the individual level to be self-serving. But what do you expect in a culture that's devolved into one of constant claims of victimization.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamqd Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Or is it condoned that if you are black in America, you can make fun of white people without repercussion? Unfortunately this is Very much the case, But, On the Level of Institutional commentary it's kinda OK. whereas hating or laughing at a stereotype, that's as racist as the KKK . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Web Rider Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 If all of the members had been black and making fun of The Patridge Family or the Brady Bunch, would people have been as quick to label it as "racist"? Or is it condoned that if you are black in America, you can make fun of white people without repercussion? As it's been noted, this is unfortunately the case. "WASPs" are one of the biggest targets for widely accepted bigotry and racism, both against themselves as a generalized group of people and against their religious beliefs. This is also partly because they often fail to laugh at the absurdity of some of it, and thus make the situation worse, however, it's often widely acceptable to be humourlessly racist or bigoted towards them as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jae Onasi Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Devil's Advocate: If all of the members had been black and making fun of The Patridge Family or the Brady Bunch, would people have been as quick to label it as "racist"? Or is it condoned that if you are black in America, you can make fun of white people without repercussion? It's certainly more acceptable to make fun of whites than any other group, unless you go overboard like Obama's former pastor and get just plain offensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Q Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 The flipside of that is that we don't care if we're made fun of. It doesn't bother me in the least.[/whitey] @Lynk: I always thought that you looked Indian, but I was too afraid to ask. Such is the state of affairs here in the US. Whitey can't ask questions like that without worrying whether or not he's going to inadvertently offend someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ten-96 Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 It's certainly more acceptable to make fun of whites than any other group, unless you go overboard like Obama's former pastor and get just plain offensive. Jae, you make an excellent point without even trying. People like Jeremiah Wright, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are quick to call someone racist without knowing all of the facts. Or, the use the race card to blame/explain away/justify the way they feel because of white people - it's ludicrous. I know that I'm off topic (again) but I am sick and tired of hearing how terrible white people are. How about we all look at each others as Americans; you know find some commonality instead of the divisiveness being spread by these so called "preachers". I was under the impression that preachers, pastors, etc... preached about God and his love for mankind. Maybe they went to an alternative school of theology? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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