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So, I'm still not making the connection in how dressing in blackface in order to take on the character of a black person is racist?
Please read comments, it has a deeply ingrained connection to the concept of the inferiority of blacks in comparison to other ethnic groups in this country.
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In most cases, racism is in the eye of the beholder and those looking for it.
Please read comments, in America, people know that black face is considered racist, if you do it then don't get offended when people tell you that you are racist.
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I'd tell you to 'grow some thicker skin' but you'd probably spin that to somehow involve slaves and whipping.
Please read comments, I was not offended. You and the other posters though are offended due to me saying that people who support dressing in black face are ignorant and stupid and racist.
Again, all I think about people who dress in black face is that they are ignorant or stupid or racist. Simple as that. I am not offended by it.
Are you offended by me expressing my view of your OP?
Seems like it to me.
And why would I say anything about slaves and whipping? Neither slaves nor whipping have anything to do with black face and Halloween.
I actually don't buy the argument that "black face is bad because of the history of its use in this country." As if any black person today under the age of... 80? 90? has any memory or history of minstrel shows. That appeal to history is not a compelling reason to gauge whether someone's actions TODAY should be deemed racist.
Ideally, INTENT and CONTEXT should be key. But because Americans aren't too keen on such quaint notions, I think a rule should just be, don't lighten or darken your skin ever. A blanket rule, or no rule at all.
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Immitation is the best form of flattery right? Is this what everyone got bent outta shape about? He's not acting sub human , why offended? You cant even don an obama mask like a nixon or bush... smh
I actually don't buy the argument that "black face is bad because of the history of its use in this country." As if any black person today under the age of... 80? 90? has any memory or history of minstrel shows. That appeal to history is not a compelling reason to gauge whether someone's actions TODAY should be deemed racist.
Ideally, INTENT and CONTEXT should be key. But because Americans aren't too keen on such quaint notions, I think a rule should just be, don't lighten or darken your skin ever. A blanket rule, or no rule at all.
LOL, so are you offended by my comments as well?
Black Americans along with a majority of Americans in general, including yourself have a pretty good knowledge about minstrel shows and black face in general. Those who are ignorant of it probably are not racist, but I don't know anyone who doesn't know that it is a taboo thing. The OP knows as do you and the others posting. Those who know, yet still support it, as stated, are stupid and support racist ideologies.
FWIW, its pretty funny that the OP and others think that black people and other non-wanting to dress in black face Americans, are "offended" when in reality it is just that the OP and others want to be free to do racist things without being called out for being a racist.
I'm not offended. You need to pay attention to what is being said. I think your reasoning is facile and juvenile.
I also stated that people shouldn't lighten or darken their skin to "go as" some other race. Just like if you're going to wear a kimono you shouldn't tape back your eyes to look more Japanese.
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Originally Posted by residinghere2007
Black Americans along with a majority of Americans in general, including yourself have a pretty good knowledge about minstrel shows and black face in general. Those who are ignorant of it probably are not racist, but I don't know anyone who doesn't know that it is a taboo thing. The OP knows as do you and the others posting. Those who know, yet still support it, as stated, are stupid and support racist ideologies.
That's cool. And if minstrel shows were still a thing they'd be condemned as racist. Putting on the black face isn't what's racist. It's not what was racist about the minstrel shows, either. It was putting on the black face WHILE acting a fool and having laughs at the expense of blacks. Is it the MAKEUP or the ACTIONS that are/were problematic?
If a white actor put on black face and recited the works of WEB Dubois, is that RACIST?
If a white actor did NOT put on black face but adopted black vernacular speech and started acting a fool and everyone knew he was trying to imitate black people... is that NOT RACIST because of the lack of makeup?
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Originally Posted by residinghere2007
FWIW, its pretty funny that the OP and others think that black people and other non-wanting to dress in black face Americans, are "offended" when in reality it is just that the OP and others want to be free to do racist things without being called out for being a racist.
Super funny IMO.
I think what people are not understanding is that you are trying to make a "per se" argument against black face without context or intent being part of the mix. I think you are at least consistent in that you don't want anyone to darken or lighten (I could be mistaken).
Where it gets stupid is where people make exceptions: Say, excusing the movie "white chicks" because of appeal to the same "minstrel history" justification that you rely on, and then pretending like they actually are affected by historic minstrel shows. You're not. Nobody is. 99% of people have never even seen a minstrel show except in learning about how minstrel shows were bad.
How about: People generally don't like when people from other races dress up like them in parody?
Now granted, if you're dressing up in blackface with the intention to be offensive, that's different. But, lets say you're white and you want to be Stevie Wonder or Michael Jordan for Halloween, Are you not allowed to darken your skin?
How is that offensive.
Seriously, some people need to quit making it their life's work to search out ways to be offended.
I think it is okay to paint the face black in order to be Michael Jordan or Stevie Wonder on Halloween. I wouldn't paint my face black just to be a black person on Halloween because I don't want to be accused of being a racist or stereotyping another person from another race.
If I want to dress like Lucy Liu, I would have to do something with my eyes (I have big hazel eyes) and perhaps add some freckles on my cheek in order to be realistic. But If I want to dress like an Asian person, I won't necessarily make my eyes slanted because not all Asians have slanted eyes.
My little nephew (five years old) dressed like a Marine last Halloween, he wanted to be Michael Jackson this Halloween. Obviously, we won't make a big deal out of it. If he wanted to dress like the young Michael, we might have to paint his face a little darker in order to be realistic.
My nephew has blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His skin is pale. All he has to do is wearing a pair of Michael glasses and some wig.
I think it is okay to paint the face black in order to be Michael Jordan or Stevie Wonder on Halloween. I wouldn't paint my face black just to be a black person on Halloween because I don't want to be accused of being a racist or stereotyping another person from another race.
If I want to dress like Lucy Liu, I would have to do something with my eyes (I have big hazel eyes) and perhaps add some freckles on my cheek in order to be realistic. But If I want to dress like an Asian person, I won't necessarily make my eyes slanted because not all Asians have slanted eyes.
My little nephew (five years old) dressed like a Marine last Halloween, he wanted to be Michael Jackson this Halloween. Obviously, we won't make a big deal out of it. If he wanted to dress like the young Michael, we might have to paint his face a little darker in order to be realistic.
My nephew has blond hair and piercing blue eyes. His skin is pale. All he has to do is wearing a pair of Michael glasses and some wig.
It is Halloween.
just put black polka dots on his face. jackson had vitiligo.
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