POLL: Skids, Mudflap. Racist?

[1AZRAEL1]

The key point is not that stereotypes are used, but how they are used.

For example, he whole point about The Simpsons is everyone is a stereotype, and all are portrayed as being equally flawed. No race, profession or subculture is singled out for special derision. By being egalitarian about it, their claim to be mocking stereotypes (rather than buying into them) carries more weight.

Skids and Mudflap do not, in my view, fall into this category.

So because I laughed at them, does that make me racist? Does it make everyone else who laughed at it racist?

I still cant see how they are used in a racist way.

Another good example I could use would be the characters that Sacha Baron Cohen used. I'll stick with Ali G to prove my point.

I'm sure it offended people, but its not meant to be in offence. Its comedy. Its meant to be taken in jest, not serious.

[Deceptic_Optic]

So because I laughed at them, does that make me racist? Does it make everyone else who laughed at it racist?

I still cant see how they are used in a racist way.

Another good example I could use would be the characters that Sacha Baron Cohen used. I'll stick with Ali G to prove my point.

I'm sure it offended people, but its not meant to be in offence. Its comedy. Its meant to be taken in jest, not serious.

i think we know this buy now that everyone finds something racist in all american movies specially with black do0odes. no black do0ode they would say its racist, there is a black do0o0de its still considered racist you just cant win.

[1AZRAEL1]

i think we know this buy now that everyone finds something racist in all american movies specially with black do0odes. no black do0ode they would say its racist, there is a black do0o0de its still considered racist you just cant win.

Very true.

Someone will always find something offensive, whether it be race, religion, politics, music, etc.

I think what needs to happen is just people sit back and go, "It's just a movie" and enjoy it for that.

[Deceptic_Optic]

Very true.

Someone will always find something offensive, whether it be race, religion, politics, music, etc.

I think what needs to happen is just people sit back and go, "It's just a movie" and enjoy it for that.

yeah man its just a movie! ... go decepticons! *lol... that was sooo random*

[SofaMan]

So because I laughed at them, does that make me racist? Does it make everyone else who laughed at it racist?

I laughed at them as well. Just because the characters as a whole have racist overtones, doesn't make every single thing they did unfunny, and doesn't make you a racist by extension. I've only ever said that we should acknowledge them as being essentially characters that take advantage of racist stereotypes, and specifically said that we should not over-react. They are not, by a very long way, the most offensive caricatures of black people every presented on the screen.

It is very important throughout this discussion that we keep what is said in proportion, and not create straw men. By putting forward my view that the characters are racist, I am not suggesting that anyone who disagrees with that is a racist. I'm simply trying to make a reasoned case, and provide some evidence.

I'm sure it offended people, but its not meant to be in offence. Its comedy. Its meant to be taken in jest, not serious.

This is the most insidious form of racism - the kind people 'don't really mean' and is 'just a joke'. It may have been funny to you, and it may have been funny to me. I'm not immune to bad taste humour. That does not mean that everyone was quite so sanguine about the way they represent black culture. Since we were not the target of the caricatures in question, it is entirely understandable that we were not personally offended by them. I don't think there are any African-Americans who post on this board.

I'm a white heterosexual anglo-saxon male. I have rarely experienced prejudice against me personally for these reasons. People of different races, cultures, religions, sexualities and sexes have and continue to. I don't think it hurts us to try and be a little more aware of what different people around us might consider offensive, and conversely is always helps not to be too easily offended.

[1AZRAEL1]

I laughed at them as well. Just because the characters as a whole have racist overtones, doesn't make every single thing they did unfunny, and doesn't make you a racist by extension. I've only ever said that we should acknowledge them as being essentially characters that take advantage of racist stereotypes, and specifically said that we should not over-react. They are not, by a very long way, the most offensive caricatures of black people every presented on the screen.

It is very important throughout this discussion that we keep what is said in proportion, and not create straw men. By putting forward my view that the characters are racist, I am not suggesting that anyone who disagrees with that is a racist. I'm simply trying to make a reasoned case, and provide some evidence.



This is the most insidious form of racism - the kind people 'don't really mean' and is 'just a joke'. It may have been funny to you, and it may have been funny to me. I'm not immune to bad taste humour. That does not mean that everyone was quite so sanguine about the way they represent black culture. Since we were not the target of the caricatures in question, it is entirely understandable that we were not personally offended by them. I don't think there are any African-Americans who post on this board.

I'm a white heterosexual anglo-saxon male. I have rarely experienced prejudice against me personally for these reasons. People of different races, cultures, religions, sexualities and sexes have and continue to. I don't think it hurts us to try and be a little more aware of what different people around us might consider offensive, and conversely is always helps not to be too easily offended.

I'm not meaning that you are saying that because we laughed at it, we are racist. Sorry I reread it and I can kinda see how it sounded lol.

But, I know some African-Americans who found it funny.

The point I'm trying to make is, we need to not take things so seriously.

I'm sure that there are some coloured people making jokes at white people.

And back to SBC with Borat, I know people have seen it, with the whole "Running of the Jews", some of them would have found that bad, but SBC himself is a Jew.

I can see how that was offensive, but it was still funny.

I really am trying to see Mudflap & Skidz as offensive, but I just cant.

(I know I will end up getting in trouble for this lol)

[GoktimusPrime]

I loved that episode of Seinfeld when George Costanza desperately tried to make friends with a black person to prove to his boss that he wasn't racist. George was lamenting that he didn't have any black friends and Jerry said something like, "You don't have any white friends either."

P.S.:

I'm sure that there are some coloured people making jokes at white people.

Better yet, a white person sending up white people