Oh no he didn't
Well, apparently even here in good ol' progressive La-la Land, our national version of royalty is just full of backwards and offensive ideas. First Mel Gibson, now even B-list has-beens? I hope this doesn't become a trend. Racism is never cool, and I hate to think it's going to start becoming fashionable as more and more celebrities say things they pretend they didn't mean.
I'm only racist in the sense that everyone raised in the U.S. is racist. That is to say, I'm aware that I have certain perceptions and viewpoints that I only have by virtue of the fact that I'm white, and that these views sometimes end up oppressing minorities, and for this reason I do what I can to lessen the effects of my prejudices. I'm a work in progress, but I'm not an active racist. So I guess I'd say I'm a recovering racist, which is about the best any of us can say for ourselves. As someone who recognizes her own prejudices and biases, I also have certain mental "walls" built that block me from saying and doing certain things. For example, I have trained myself to the point where I'm virtually physically incapable of uttering the "n"-word. I have used the "f"-word in front of my 80-year-old grandmother, but I can't say the "n"-word under any circumstances. Just can't do it. No matter who I'm around, how much I've been drinking it simply does not happen.
I am not some amazing disciplinarian. I'm lucky to get my apartment cleaned once a month. I only make it to the gym because my membership and trainers cost an obscene amount of money. Most of my free time I spending plopping my lazy ass in front of the TV. Thus, if I can keep myself from spouting off racist bullshit, anyone can do it.
This includes you, Mel Gibson. This includes you, Michael Richards.
And while we're at it, I will just note that I am still pissed that no one seems to care that good ol' Mel, in the midst of his racist tirade, apparently made some pretty misogynist statements too (I mean, maybe this is just me, but I'd never call anyone I respected "sugar tits." Unless, I guess, his tits were really sugary).
But I guess we're not as horrified by misogyny.
Stupid America.
Labels: Angry Rants, Bigotry
posted by Law Fairy @ 5:40 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Gibson is several kinds of asshole. Alcohol can only make it easy for people to say what is already on their minds.
I think this was just a plot to get more people to watch David Letterman last night.
One more thing, since when is the “N-word” so bad? It’s used everyday as a term of endearment by many black people. So I very tired of this double standard. In fact, we should all revolt when white people get blasted for using a term which is widely used and accepted by society.
heart, agreed. You simply don't say things like that if you don't think them.
darth, lol, could be. As for the double standard, I guess it just doesn't bother me. I mean, first of all, are we really missing out on some big huge important thing by not being "supposed" to say the "n-word" (and bear in mind there's no law that says we can't)? In my mind if it helps harmony between the races, I'm perfectly content to let black people say it and find other ways of expressing my opinions, myself. Second, I disagree that it's "widely used and accepted." There's a LOT of disagreement in the black community about its appropriateness as over-used by rappers, etc. By no means is it standard practice by all black people. And finally, I think it's something of an offshoot of the idea that it's okay to speak in certain ways of your own, but not of others. Like it's one thing if Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas make fun of Canadians for doing nothing but drinking beer and eating bacon and doughnuts. It's quite another if I, an American, do it. Think that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry's dentist converts to Judaism so he can make Jewish jokes. I think it's kind of like that.
Ay ay, my friend, ay ay.
Another Jew shows his true colors...
I'm black and I'm with Darth. Black people don't need to come to a consensus. Any time you are forbidden to say something because of your race, then you are the victim of racism.
-J
roonie, great minds... ;)
"bethany," are you my brother playing a joke, or are you a mentally-challenged troll in a poorly-conceived disguise?
J/anon, no one has forbidden white people from saying the "n"-word. It's simply in poor taste. Personally, I don't like it when rappers say it either, but I'm certainly not going to tell an oppressed person that he/she has no right to attempt to reclaim and re-define an oppressive term. However, I don't think it has in fact been reclaimed yet, so I stand by my belief that it's a "bad" word.
There is a big difference between someone of color using the N word and someone from outside that ethinicity using it. It's similar to how some women's groups use the B word.. as in Bitch Magazine. A man uses that word and its demeaning.
In my opinion the key difference is that used from within an ethnicity these words can be empowering and build solidarity. But from without they almost always end up being used in a derogitory manner.
As long as the usage of these words is charged with history, intent and reaction, I think this will be the case.
I don't feel this is a bad thing. I its good that such divisive language can be turned around and become a source of stength and possibly identity.
ken, brilliantly put.
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