This is what I'm saying. The entire blogosphere (including wannabe bloggers like our neighbor above) is acting like this was some obvious instance of racism, but every argument as to why relies on this false notion that if a black man is pictured with a monkey then the image is inherently racist. Absolutely no thought is given to context. That's still no basis for such an accusation. Again, if we just use our heads, we'd see clearly that no malice was intended.
That's the point - I don't remember .. don't care .. And it seems that the only ones who do are those who want to keep the fire stoked .. as it were. So what ? I like sensitive points of comparison Damn right! My two older boys are very handsome young white men. I call them apes regularly, particularly when they act like one, which is often. I suspect that if he was, the consequences for the commentator would have been worse. It is you that has interpolated all this into it. I really don't think it entered anyones mind. And funnily, I never knew that 'ape' was historically toxic. In my decades of using the word, you're the first person that has pointed this out.
Yes, it comes across as racist, in my opinion. It isn't the monkey mask that is problematic for me, as much as the caption 'Which drummer is not like the others?' Translation ...all three ''drummers'' are the same, meaning the viewer should see no difference between monkeys and African-American people. Ugh, that's not funny at all. It's beyond unprofessional. It's ridiculously careless on the part of Home Depot, and in very poor taste. Just my $.02.
Why is it careless? Because they didn't predict you wouldn't consider the context, and have no sense of irony? This is the same idea. When someone says "Which one of these things is not like the other," it's meant ironically. Obviously the guy in the monkey suit is going to jump out at you. Let the old racist tropes die already. For Christ's sake, not even the racists themselves are working this hard to keep them alive!
It's designed to take a pot shot at African-Americans, by (subtly?) implying (with the question) that all three 'drummers' are the same...that African-Americans are no different than monkeys. The ''irony'' of the question being that one should not see any distinguishable difference with respect to the drummers, because...African Americans are similar to monkeys? Yes, indeed...that is ironic. Racism is okay I guess, as long as you employ some irony. Now, was it done with malice? Probably not, but that's why I used the term, ''careless.'' That's as far as my 'benefit of the doubt' goes. [Re: the link you provided to illustrate supposed 'similar' examples, isn't a fair comparison to this story, at all.]
Thanks wegs..... We see it all the time in my own country, although most Australians like to think of themselves as non racist. We often here from some in the white European descendant Aussie community, the whinging and whining about so called "privileged treatments" that Indigenious Australians are supposed to have, without a hint of thought of the barbarity we inflicted on them, in the early days of white settlement.
Tough luck for them, then. Consider it payback for the errors of their ancestors. For instance, if a white person was handing change or coins to another white, then s/he might reflexively consider it polite to just drop the change into the other's hand rather than directly contacting with their "germy" hand, or trying not to trespass fleshily upon the other's "manual space". (Setting aside that the former reason for the robotic custom wouldn't really much accomplish its intended goal). But an African American might interpret the white person's "avoidance of contact" as racist. Indeed, this occasionally happened during the early era of Dennys restaurants, prior to later efforts at employee rehabilitation, though hardly as newsworthy as the better known headlines. Whites should always bear in mind that they are unofficially assumed to be "racist / ethnophobic" until demonstrating / proving otherwise; and accordingly should carry in their heads a memorized guidebook of all the potential interracial / inter-ethnic misunderstandings which they might unthinkingly blunder into in the course of such diverse people interactions. Most crucial of which is actually maintaining constant awareness and vigilance of when a person is either non-white or of a measurably different cultural background, so that they know to recall and bring those rules / cautions into play. Perhaps that is the greatest irony. To truly be colorblind / culture-blind is to flirt with committing absent-minded disasters, so that whites should instead be all the more conscious of differences so as to successfully navigate those differences without incidents, faux pas, etc. This isn't solely applicable to whites. But in North America -- asian, semitic, hispanic, and black "power-status" holders may at least have slightly more leg-room to wriggle out of a mess they likewise bone-headedly created for themselves or staggered into with little foresight, than the universal white devil does. Note that even though much of the above is intended to be facetious, a minority [who exactly I'm not sure] could still feel that they have had experiences which they conceive as fitting dead on with it. Such is the way that the "objective world" can differ from our narrow, subjective views of those events and circumstances. That real world which fortunately our blessed, academic institutions keep tabs on and deliver to us in packaged ideologies and requests of conformity so as to rescue us from any improper, individual / local, self-centered distortions. Praise be to the Sacred Order for liberating us from our ill thoughts and behaviors, or whatever is the Current Correctness paraded on high. :worship:
This is where common sense comes into play, yet is seemingly lost on all the people who inexplicably see this as racist. I mean, do you honestly believe the Home Depot released an ad suggesting that black people are indistinguishable from apes? Do you really think that was their message? I mean, even the PC crybabies on the blogosphere are only accusing the company of being insensitive to familiar racist tropes, but you're taking this an inexplicable and absurd step further by saying that the worst interpretation was their actual intent. Based on what? On second thought, there's no point in asking, because there's no reasonable answer to that question. All I'll get in return are a bunch of "um's" and "er's," and accusations of insensitivity. Yeah, because that's what I'm suggesting. :facepalm: Now you're contradicting yourself. I mean, don't get me wrong, I didn't expect you to maintain a consistent argument, because there simply isn't one for what you're claiming. But this is a pretty blatant contradiction. Above you said that the ad was "designed to take a pot shot at African-Americans," yet now you're saying ti wasn't done with malice. Well, which one is it? Was it a pot-shot, or merely a careless employee not considering how the image might be construed? Make up your mind, if that's possible. Because you say so? I mean, am I just supposed to take you at your word, or are you planning on formulating an actual argument as to why it isn't a fair comparison? Or, more likely, is this hand-waving response one of those "Don't confuse me with facts, I've got my mind made up" moments?
@ Balerion; You are entitled to feel apathetic about this story, that's fine. But... Why did Home Depot issue a formal, public apology splashed across the media if there was nothing offensive intended by that ad? Why doesn't Home Depot share your apathetic stance? Regarding the link, with the pics that you provided as a supposed comparison to this story--those pics aren't remotely offensive. Not a one of them. No "hand waving." You failed to provide a relevant example...so...that's on you. My opinion, the ad was intended to be funny (I guess?) but it comes across as a racist pot shot. I would have more respect for your opinion if you would admit at least that much, instead of arguing that the public is over reacting. At the very least, it shows carelessness. (you also disagree with that going by your above comment) :shrug:
If the two Employees of home depot were white the tweet would have had the Exact same wording. "which of these drummers is not like the other?". The answer is obviously the Guy in the mask. If the mask was of anything else it would be fine. If the tweet had said "Can you spot the difference?" Then that would be racist. Saying one doesnt belong is just using a common phrase we learned from Sesame Street "Which of these doesn't belong", then it is coupled with the number one bestselling mask of the monkey (Chimp actually) from the Bruno Mars Lazy song video. I think the title of this thread is apt. It is "Imaginary Racism". I will go further and claim that ONLY A RACIST WOULD SEE RACISM IN THIS. You must be consciously looking for racism. However if you go up to people on the street and say "IS THIS RACIST?" and show them that picture, how will they respond? Is it more likely? a) These 3 guys plus photographer/tweeter were all friends hanging out, taking photos, and tweeting? b) Someone going out of way to stage a weak (doesnt look racist to many) racist statement unbeknownst to the 3 dupes who posed for him (assuming blacks would not willingly partake in this if it were racist). LOOK AT THIS PHOTO Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Obviously this picture is SEXIST. The man turns the girl into a bunny by using his fingers as bunny ears. Women have had a hard uphill battle fighting off the playboy stereotypes.. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! This man was fortunately fired for Sexism. At least that story has merit. He compared the girl to a bunny. In the 3 drummers photo the comment was "Which one of these dudes IS NOT HUMAN", or something LIKE that.
I don't consider that photo (of the guy with three girls) to be an example of sexism. That's a pretty big stretch. At the end of the day, guess we all view things with a different perspective.
