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Political Correctness


Randall

J. Randall Murphy
There's a lot of political correctness in the world these days. Our Prime Minister was called out for a black-face costume he had put together in his younger years. Now in the wake of that, I ask: Is there any time when black-face should be seen as a legitimate art form in theatre? How about on television? What you are about to watch may offend some viewers, but it totally cracked me up.

Vic Arpeggio - Private Detective In
Black Like Vic


 
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Why would one cast an actor for a role in which they do not match the physical characteristic of the character?
In Black Like Vic, not only was the actor who played the black part cast into that role, he probably helped to write it. In this case the artform is humor in the form of satire, which is often designed to shine a light on particular social or political issues. By doing so in this manner the absurdity of the issues are emphasized in a way that helps to both expose and mock the racist climate of the times. It becomes more than simple humor, but also a form of social commentary. How's that?
 
Do you believe that racists get the message within the satire and are moved by it? Doubtful... To whom is the piece tailored to, then?
Norman Lear’s production of All In The Family satirized the bigotry of Archie Bunker, but half the country believed that Archie was telling it like it is...
The main problem with western culture is that in its centuries long dominance of much of the world they have shown very little regard for those they have subjugated or usurped.
Their arrogance and lack of respect of others that are outside of their cultural group and tendency to argue when others express their distain for their practices, illustrates their justification of their behavior and right to do so.
The fact that the conservative term “political correctness” (Rush Limbaugh) exists illustrates their continued disrespect and self justified behavior. BTW liberals can also engage in bigotry and racist memes as well. I think the better question should be,”why can’t white people simply accept the characterization of committing racists statements and actions and simply stop?”
 
Do you believe that racists get the message within the satire and are moved by it?
Maybe. Maybe not. Either way we get to shake our heads and laugh at how wacko they are ( were ).
Doubtful... To whom is the piece tailored to, then?
It was produced by a comedy troupe called SCTV. Some of that cast went on to become very well known film and TV.
Norman Lear’s production of All In The Family satirized the bigotry of Archie Bunker, but half the country believed that Archie was telling it like it is...
The main problem with western culture is that in its centuries long dominance of much of the world they have shown very little regard for those they have subjugated or usurped.
Subjugation and usurping has been going on since the beginning of recorded history, which BTW, didn't begin in the West.
Their arrogance and lack of respect of others that are outside of their cultural group and tendency to argue when others express their distain for their practices, illustrates their justification of their behavior and right to do so.
I'm not exactly sure what you're saying there. Mocking racists would be considered disrespectful of them, but personally, I'm okay with that.
The fact that the conservative term “political correctness” (Rush Limbaugh) exists illustrates their continued disrespect and self justified behavior. BTW liberals can also engage in bigotry and racist memes as well. I think the better question should be,”why can’t white people simply accept the characterization of committing racists statements and actions and simply stop?”
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but "white people" didn't invent racism. Racism and cultural intolerance exists across all races and cultures to some extent, and the problem cannot be solved by one race blaming another, because that is in itself being racist. The solution is for everyone as individuals to make an effort to treat each other better regardless of genetic inheritance, and I'm confident that a healthy portion of most racial groups share that sentiment. As soon as we start playing favorites, that's when the problems start.

Every Culture Does It - Russell Peters

 
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You’re not “breaking anything” to me… whilst “white” people did not create racism the continent and the southern planter class of United States deftly used it as a tool to control and exploit million of human beings. This is not ancient history of the remote past, the repercussions of that system are still being dealt with today.
I am very familiar the the Canadian production SCTV and enjoyed first run episodes. I seem to recall the skit you are referring to and I found it distasteful at the time of its viewing as well. In spite of this I continued to watch and enjoy subsequent shows.
From Al Jolson to Ted Danzen, blackface is simply disrespectful and always in poor taste. It’s application, taken into its entirety, has been used to demean and mock. If one is of the opinion that the minstrel pays “homage” by expressing this “artistic form” would not a better tribute simply be to allow an actual black person perform?
Again I ask the question, if a majority of people say a thing is offensive and ask you to stop, why can’t you simply stop the behavior instead of justifying its continuation?
 
Again I ask the question, if a majority of people say a thing is offensive and ask you to stop, why can’t you simply stop the behavior instead of justifying its continuation?
The answer to your question, "Why can’t you simply stop the behavior instead of justifying its continuation?" is that exceptions to the rule do nothing to justify the continuation. In fact, they do the opposite. The SCTV example uses the same means ( black-face) to illuminate the problem ( racism ) while making a mockery of racism ( not of black people ). It is throwing the pie back in the racists face. It is only offensive to someone who doesn't get it.

Not to mention that the part of a white detective disguised as a black butler is not a part that can be easily played by a black actor, but it might be funny to see it attempted. It would require the black actor to use white-face to disguise themselves as a very bad white detective in order to get hired to impersonate a black butler. Sorry if you don't find that idea humorous either, but it cracks me up almost as much.

What would be even be funnier is to carry the whole idea to its maximum absurdity, like for an oriental to disguise themselves as a native american who disguises himself as a bad white detective who disguises himself as a black butler who is in reality Russell Peters.

On the topic of slavery, I am personally not a supporter of it, so don't assume that anything I'm saying here is an endorsement of either slavery or racism. However, the fact is that the history of slavery isn't all about white people enslaving black people. Both races have enslaved and sold members of their own race, whites were the first to abolish slavery, and Africa continues to enslave its own people to this day.



It's time to stop blamin' whitie and look at the bigger picture. We all need to work together. Or maybe your one of those who think that if blacks want to keep enslaving blacks in Africa, that it should be up to them because they're black and it's none of whities business? It was a part of their culture long before the transatlantic slave trade. Funny how that doesn't get talked about much. If they had gotten the technology first, the whole situation would probably have been the other way around and they'd have been hauling white slaves out of Europe instead.

Here's something else nobody talks about:

A new study suggests that a million or more European Christians were enslaved by Muslims in North Africa between 1530 and 1780 – a far greater number than had ever been estimated before.

 
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Well, I guess my final word on the matter is simply blackface does not seem to have solved the “race” problem nor has complaining about those who object to it... So if people get their jollies from it, have at it.
I suppose that in some distant future humans may decide upon compulsory in vitro melanin content to dispel the “myth of races” within homo sapiens... One wonders what color they would chose as not to roil the sensibilities of those affected? Grey, perhaps?
 
Well, I guess my final word on the matter is simply blackface does not seem to have solved the “race” problem nor has complaining about those who object to it... So if people get their jollies from it, have at it.
I suppose that in some distant future humans may decide upon compulsory in vitro melanin content to dispel the “myth of races” within homo sapiens... One wonders what color they would chose as not to roil the sensibilities of those affected? Grey, perhaps?
Interesting spin on the "Greys". I would just try to encourage you not to get to cynical about everything. I started this thread off with humor in an attempt to bring some balance and hopefully a laugh or two. Every person in the world deserves respect ( or disrespect ) for who they are, more than just what they are. Whether it's Malcolm-X or Neo-Nazis, the whole racial supremacy gig is BS. But just for the record, on a personal level, I like racial diversity. There's so much more beauty in the variety than if everything were all blah grey. I'm also somewhat biased in favor of certain things that blacks just seem to do better ( generally speaking ) like soul and gospel. It's probably more cultural than racial, but I can't help feel that there is a certain black "sound" that just works. Sue me if that's offensive, but ...

 
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We just watched Tropic Thunder with Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and a host of other names you'd probably recognize. In it Downey is absolutely brilliant, but he also plays a black actor. So does that cancel-out the fact that he plays the part brilliantly? Does that mean the film should be pulled from shelves?

It's filled with political incorrectness, but there were also times I laughed so hard I thought I was going to cough-up a lung. Does that make me a bad person? If so, then I guess I'm just awful :p. Downey is a real life American actor playing the part of an Australian Crocodile Dundee type white actor, who is playing the part of an American Black actor. And like I said, he's totally brilliant


Tropic Thunder Movie CLIP
What Do You Mean, You People? (2008) HD​


 
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