Does it go both ways?

[Stinger]

Students at Texas College 'Celebrate' Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Throwing Stereotype Party Friday, January 26, 2007

Last week, while the nation paused to remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a group of students at a Texas college outside Fort Worth marked the day by throwing a party that featured black stereotype costumes — including a student dressed as Aunt Jemima — a main course of fried chicken and cases of malt liquor.
The insensitivity didn't end there. The students then brazenly posted their party photos on the popular Web site Facebook.com for all the world to see.
School administrators at Tarleton State University in Stephenville told FOXNews.com they are investigating an off-campus Martin Luther King Jr. Day student party held on Jan. 15 that the school's president called "reprehensible."
FOXNews.com - Students at Texas College 'Celebrate' Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Throwing Stereotype Party - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News




Now let me stipulate from the begining. I wouldn't go to this party, I wouldn't send my kids, I would advise my kids not to go. So before anyone tries to go on the attack............can it.




OK some might say it is politically incorrect BUT this is still a free country and this was a private party.



The thing that struck me was remembering a movie not too long ago titled "White Chicks" where two black comics, who also produced and directed it, dressed up as white girls and made a movie about making fun of how they precieve white people act, they stereotyped them. And no one said a thing about it. They were interviewed on TV about their movie. And it played in hundreds of theaters and the guys who made it made money off of it. And no one called it "reprehensible".


Again, I wouldn't go to a party like that and I wouldn't rent or pay to watch the movie, I saw enough by accident at someone elses house to see it wasn't funny.

So why is the above even a story?

 

[Stinger]

OK go to the thread http://www.debatepolitics.com/break...lege-celebrate-martin-luther-king-jr-day.html

to continue.

 

[PoliticalActivist]

It will always be both ways you ask me. Don't cry about the White Chicks movie when years ago whites use to appear on TV in black faces. So tell me what's the differences between White Chicks and Amos and Andy? What about movies like ...I crossed the colored line? That was one movie that Hollywood could have kept. It was about this albino Black guy who thought he was born white, and the actor was white yet he had a black face. If that's not being stereotype...what is? Finally comes the Watermelon man, but the actor in the movie was black, and woke up with a white face. Yes it work both ways.

 

[Stinger]

It will always be both ways you ask me. Don't cry about the White Chicks movie when years ago whites use to appear on TV in black faces.

No they didn't. The characters on the Amos and Andy TV show were black.
You seemed to take offense when you thought they were white's playing blacks. We are talking now. Why wasn't the movie White Chicks offensive then?


BTW the original radio show was written by and acted out by two white guys.

 

[paulmarkj]

this is still a free country and this was a private party.

The vagueness in phrases like that confuse the issue.

It implies: freedom allows us to do X. If the country is truly free, we can do X. It seems imperitive we protect our freedoms, which is why the 'is the country still free' is often used. But let's be more precise:

What if X is having sex with minors or murdering? We agree (I hope) there are limits, that is what the law is for: to make a limit on our freedoms. An especially important point is that one man's freedom imposes on another: I murder, that hurts someone else, thus my freedom impinges on another's freedom. Laws sometimes allow us our freedom by restricting other.

Thus, no country is truly 'free'. none. America was wa never 'free', America had limits because that gave people the most freedom.

Racism is one of those limits. Private or not, racism spreads and allowing people their 'freedom' to be racist allows them to feel justified in doing so.

 

[niftydrifty]

No, it doesn't go both ways. The stereotypes themselves are different. what kinds of stereotypes do we have of white people? they're harmless.

but the black stereotypes have often been engineered by whites and are often derogatory. it doesn't go both ways and the situations are completely different and really aren't even comparable.

So why is the above even a story?

Why is anything a story? the media are all affected by a pervasive sensationalist bias. outrage, controversy, etc. there wouldn't be much controversy in "white stereotypes." but there is in black stereotypes.

you also have to consider the nation's history. there are millions of still living people that remember lynchings, after all.

 

[Morrow]

This is why I love FOX news, a clearly editorialized article listed under US news rather than editorials. Some people say that is why they are biased, but it seems to more of a case of complete incompetence, and a total lack of understanding of what constitutes objective media.

Any by the way, that party is the roxxor. Sterotypes pwn.

 

[Morrow]

This is why I love FOX news, a clearly editorialized article listed under US news rather than editorials.

omg CNN did it too. Is there any real media in the US? I'm not sure which is stupider CCN and FOX, or Principal of the involved school.

 

[jallman]

Look, people...this is only an issue if one chooses to make it so. Theme parties are not uncommon among college students and I think they actually help to diffuse the racism rather than promote it. I say good for these students, exercising both their rights to peacefully assemble and express themselves, and in a most humorous and silly fashion. Some people really need to get over this whole racism thing...by raising a ruckus about a non-issue, they are the ones promoting the racist agenda.

 

[americanwoman]

The thing that struck me was remembering a movie not too long ago titled "White Chicks" where two black comics, who also produced and directed it, dressed up as white girls and made a movie about making fun of how they precieve white people act, they stereotyped them. And no one said a thing about it. They were interviewed on TV about their movie. And it played in hundreds of theaters and the guys who made it made money off of it. And no one called it "reprehensible".

HNow you stated you haven't even seen 'White Chicks'. So how can you judge a movie by what it's called and what you think it's about.Because it isn't a stereotypical film about white people in general. It's actually making fun of rich stupid girls like the Hilton sisters. Also in the movie is many types of black stereotypes -ie. the big black guy who only dates white girls, the black girl with attitude.

This was a movie that pocked fun at every type of stereotypes, not just white people. Maybe thats why no one said anything about it. Now those college kids intentionally mocked black history. I can see the difference there.

No, it doesn't go both ways. The stereotypes themselves are different. what kinds of stereotypes do we have of white people? they're harmless.

but the black stereotypes have often been engineered by whites and are often derogatory. it doesn't go both ways and the situations are completely different and really aren't even comparable.

exactly.

 

[Dezaad]

Stinger, if part of your point is that these people have a right to throw such a party, I agree with you. They absolutely do. As Jallman says, they may have just been having innocent fun, or he may be wrong and they may have been purposely making fun of Americans of African Descent (that's a mouthful isn't it!!). Either way, its a free country. In order to protect freedom, we must allow people with inferior views the freedom to express them (or assemble as they see fit).

So why is the above even a story?

I agree with you, the stereotypes of caucasian women in the movie you quoted are probably equally as racist (non-racist) as the stereotypes presented at the party. My view is that all stereotypes are outgrowths of racist thinking.

The reason I wouldn't concern myself with racist stereotypes of white people is that I don't feel threatened, and I don't feel like other Caucasions have need to feel threatened. I don't feel like our lives will be adversely affected in the near or medium term if unflattering stereotypes of white people are portrayed. There is just no sense that the issue is urgent. I feel the opposite with regard to stereotypes of Americans of African Descent. I believe that they should feel threatened by stereotypes. Many of their daily lives are affected by racism.

There seems to be a misunderstanding. Stereotypes are perhaps not the thing that is offensive, in and of themselves. Perhaps it is what the stereotypes lead to, more than anything. That being a perpetuation of the relative disempowerment of a group of people who have been artificially separated based on their skin color. This just isn't likely to happen with regard to Caucasians.

Ultimately stereotypes of any race should be considered destructive, and I would agree that they are in the long term.

 

[Stinger]

HNow you stated you haven't even seen 'White Chicks'. So how can you judge a movie by what it's called and what you think it's about.

I saw enough of it, I didn't sit and watch the whole thing because is was terribly unfunny. So deal with the issue.

Because it isn't a stereotypical film about white people in general.

It was a satire of white girls, it made fun of them.

It's actually making fun of rich stupid girls like the Hilton sisters.

Also in the movie is many types of black stereotypes -ie. the big black guy who only dates white girls, the black girl with attitude.

And the party was making fun of all types.

I don't like either and one doesn't excuse the other if you are going to make a racial issue out it like the school is now trying to do.

This was a movie that pocked fun at every type of stereotypes, not just white people.

Did Blacks make fun of whites in the movie? Yes. And it is accepted. If Whites make fun of blacks in a movie or even at a little ole college party, it makes headlines.

 

[Stinger]

Stinger, if part of your point is that these people have a right to throw such a party, I agree with you.

We agree on that point.

They absolutely do.

The college doesn't think they do even though it was off campus and not associated with the school.

Either way, its a free country. In order to protect freedom, we must allow people with inferior views the freedom to express them (or assemble as they see fit).

Yep which is why people are free to make fun of whites and Christianity without criticisms. If a some white guys got together and made a movie called Black Chicks and did the same there would be outrage.

So why did this make national news.

 

[americanwoman]

Stinger if you didn't find White Chicks funny there is nothing more to say to you.

 

[Stinger]

Stinger if you didn't find White Chicks funny there is nothing more to say to you.

Oh it wasn't at all. Even the kids who were watching got tired of it after a while.

 

[Navy Seal Patriot]

Racism will be prevalent always; your for one race or races or against another; as in this quote:

California, Texas, NM and AZ --official govt. census numbers give whites the minority status for these states. Do we have Al Franken, Rush Limburger, Conservatives, Democrats, any organization, civil rights groups trying to give minority status that would invoke all the privileges of what we give to other minority’s in other states? Nope. Why? Racism. Imagine an analogous organization for whites that the NAACP has done for coloreds. A racist immediately understands giving special minority rights to a white racial class is nauseous and is wrong--just like what your feeling right know--but you won‘t admit it.. DP has in majority the status of racists as most forums have as well as most Americans of any color. Tell me Sherlock, how do your resolve this racist issue for ya? Besides just hiding in the masses? LOL.