I know NBC says their ad placement of Animal Practice was inadvertent and apologized for showing a monkey doing gymnastics immediately after Gabby Douglas won the gold medal. I am not sure I believe them. They just made a very quick and terse apology and said that was sufficient. I think they wanted to generate some controversy so people would actually watch that show. It does not matter when they showed the ad, Gabby Douglas was expected to win gold or silver in the all around and that has been known for months and months. Why would you even agree to film a monkey doing gymnastics when you know that Gabby was going to be competing?
I think it is weird that racists associate monkeys with black people. It's a bit of a stretch of the imagination for me.
ReplyDeleteThis goes back centuries ago when Caucasian "scientists" believed that blacks were descendants of Monkeys and Gorillas. That is scientifically laughable but was used as propaganda for racists all over the world and obviously still prevails today... Mostly by undereducated, insensitive white folks.
DeleteI agree with you, @Hunter. I don't get that, and when someone brings it up, it reminds me that I've never understood it in the first place.
ReplyDelete...What I find more offending is that the african american community is going after her because she didn't do her hair. She just won a gold medal, she didn't have time to think about making her hair.
ReplyDeleteYahoo had a great article about it. Still makes me chuckle a bit.
i saw that too and i was like are you kidding me?! what was she supposed to have beyonce type hair or something? those people saying stuff about her hair are just idiots that's the only way i can classify them
DeletePlease dont associate a few comments on the internet with millions of people. black people are not "going after her". Damn, i hate shit stirrers.
DeleteIt seems like someone is making mountaims outta mole hills. That show looks hilarious and Justin Kirk is in it and I'd watch him take a nap. Yeah he makes me wanna be creepy.
ReplyDeletewhat does a monkey have to do with Gabby? Can we not show monkeys anymore when we think black people are around? It would have been ok if Gabby wasn't competing?
ReplyDeleteI think you are racist for presuming people equate monkeys to black people.
I agree, it just seems like someone is trying to start controversy. I would have never associated this with Gabby, or any other African American.
ReplyDelete@hunter its because of they way that very small minority of black people act. Most black people are awesome and good people, its that small minority that gives them a bad name, which is why they are associated with monkeys...no manners, can't talk proper english, fight at the slightest provocation..etc.
ReplyDeleteYour reasoning is wrong and actually sounds pretty racist to be honest.
Delete@ Kelgela. No. Just no.
DeleteAnd what shall we call the white people that can't speak proper english, have no manners, and fight with little or even NO provacation?? Cave dwellers? Albino Gorillas??
DeleteYour statements are very ignorant and racist in itself but alas, as an African American I expect to encounter this level of unintentional racism.
I honestly think its a matter of both blacks and whites being properly educated on the truth behind His-Story. Even then some people will hold on to their own ideals no matter how illogical or in factual they are....
Sigh...
@ Magnus. I agree. I can't handle the "but there's a few like that so that's where the stereotype comes from! Not from me!" stance. It makes me so sad when people drop racism and act like they didn't. No one should have to expect hate.
DeleteSweet jesus! I am speechless.
DeleteI like albino gorilla.
DeleteWow! Is it just me or are crazies taking over the comments? What a bunch of nonesense Kelgela!
Delete@Hunter, very offensive isn't it. It's actually been around since at least the late 1800's. I collect old folktales and I've noticed that some of the earliest ones depict the theme of foolish children as black, and their bodies are often bow legged, hairy and their faces have wide set eyes and huge mouths with big spaces between their huge teeth. So offensive.
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same thing. It's imagery as old as the slave trade and European colonial days.
DeleteAs a person who writes TV commercials, this is a shame --
ReplyDeletepeople have very strange minds to make this connection
Its a shame that people in your field aren't educated enough to make the connection to history.....
DeleteBut then in your field....controversy sells. I get it.
Get over yourself
DeleteSuch smart people on this board. I didn't even notice the monkey commercial - no connection. Why teach new generations that old, old racist BS? That hair to-do, however, was ridiculous. Gabby is beautiful and talented - a role model for all.
ReplyDeleteHi again, yes it IS very offensive. I also missed Random Photos P3 yesterday and wanted to say that Gabby is AMAZEBALLS and I got all teary-eyed watching her performances & interviews online yesterday.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful girl, amazing body, incredible talent. USA!!!
I really upset that she accomplish something few people in life and in gymnastics will ever achieve but people want to talk about her hair and have a monkey doing gymnastics. She is a gold medalist gymnast so just let her be great and enjoy her moment because she deserves it.
ReplyDeleteI also think the commercial was in no way meant to have anything to do with anything and the people making a kerfluffle are the ones causing the problem.
ReplyDeleteOMG, can we not have a repeat of the 'grain of rice' blog?!!!!! Hunter is not a racist for stating his benign opinions! Besides, there is absolutely a historical precedence for this. He's picked up on an age old element of racism in our culture. He is not wrong.
ReplyDeleteMembers of the current generation will probably scratch their heads at the association but I'm old enough to remember and be offended.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Twitter hashtag #nbcfail for a reason.
As for the hair thing I can't. I just can't.
@kelgela, I spoke too soon. Blown off of my ass by that comment. I don't want any part in devolving this page into a 'you're a big racist' conversation, but I am curious as to what comparable stereotype you have for white people (I'm white) who act like wild animals? Because we do too.
ReplyDeleteO.K. so fire the asshole who O.K'd the ad....
ReplyDeleteThat's the thing though, the on air promo person probably isn't old or worldly enough to know the associations much like most people who've posted thus far hence their confusion as to why it would be offensive. Most of the imagery that I've seen was while I lived in Europe and probably only because it was a country that had African colonies at one time (apparently having a direct connection makes you more racist not less.) However, I'm sure the African American community still remembers the association.
Delete@Diana you may very well be right. But Im really persuaded that this imagery is so pervasive in our culture, silently but visually, kind of a stealth form of iconography that people pick up on it unconsciously and don't realize what an important connection they made. Years ago I went to the Museum of Tolerance in LA and they had all these interactive games you could play. It was fascinating because when you were done with the
Deleteyou realized, continuously, that we have deeply seeded assossciations in our minds. They had two doors--one said 'racist' and the other said 'not racist' and you had to choose one based on whether you had any unconscious stereotypes in your mind. It turns out the 'not racist' door was locked. I love the name of the museum--tolerance--we can learn or try to appreciate our cultural differences, or is it really about not challenging the old, just putting up with it?
I haven't been there in over ten years. It was so sad I cried multiple times especially at the end. That feature must be new b/c I don't remember it at all. I just remember pulling my card and finding out at the end that my little girl had died.
Delete@Diana, so was mine. I don't see how you can go in there and not see the workd differently. I cried in the shockingly ''elegant' gas chambers. I think those stark walls are meant not only to shock you with their actual meaning but also because they were strangely beautiful. But that's the museum for you, keeps you off balance and gets into your soul.
Deletere:my previous question to kegela, read that as 'stereotype you can recall about whites.' I do not mean to imply that you are part of generating that or have your own racist assosciations. I just mean to point out that there aren't any.
ReplyDelete@misspoppypants I don't know what stereotype there is apart from 'hillbilly.' That definition of why people associate blacks with monkeys came from my friend one day when we were discussing race and why only a handful of people make a whole race seem so bad.
ReplyDeleteits heartening that people will doubt the intention was there, but anyone over a certain age will know its not coincidental. ugly america :(
ReplyDeletei hope gaby, like many young people,has been sheltered from such nonsense.
I'm old enough to remember the associating of black people/monkeys. I'm also intelligent enough that when I saw Gabby and then saw the commercial, this association didn't occur to me. I didn't even think of it until I started reading the articles about it online.
ReplyDeletePersonally, monkeys/chimps/apes etc just creep me out for some reason. So I won't be watching this new program.
As for the hair thing - I'd hate for anyone to see how bad my hair looks after I've worked up a real sweat.
I don't think using a certain type of animal in a commercial would be used by advertisers to reflect on the ethnicity of an athlete.
ReplyDeleteAdvertisers are pleasers, so why would they spend millions of dollars to insult people they are trying to convince to buy their products. I just can't see anyone doing that. They are trying to sell products, not insult the people they are advertising to....
The only time I've seen an insulting commercial recently is the Lipton Tea commercials, where Black people are in the field working in colourful outfits and there are four (Honkies) relaxing on the patio sipping their iced drinks. Colonialism is out now.
The fact that an animal may have been mistreated bothers me, though.
I have very wavy hair, which is very long now. When it was shoulder-length, if I put it in a ponytail like Gaby has, it would just curl up and go into a bun-shape, like hers does. It doesn't need to be pinned even. It's not going to move very much.
I see one lock of hair out of place in one picture, big frickin deal. Maybe it happened when Gaby was spinning or twirling upside down?
My Gawd people will complain about anything.
She's a beautiful looking girl, she won a gold medal.
The Olympics used to be about sports. It's turned into a beauty contest just like everything else. I suppose there will be a new reality show called The Athlete Makeover Show or Get Your Beauty into Shape or something stupid.
I'm a Canadian btw.
Lol... I remember that Lipton commercial.
DeleteI don't think it was intentional by NBC it was in poor taste. Honestly, I think it was subconsciously that they related Gabby to a Gorilla.
They could've had the Monkey Swimming... Or Cycling, or Skiing, but nooooooo. The monkey is doing gymnastics, which like ENTY said... Everyone expected her to win for months! It was no secret.
Like I said it was insensitive and in poor taste and likely a result of the pervasive underlying association with Blacks and Gorillas over the years.
Sigh...
I'm with Susan B. I am certainly old enough but did not make a connection in any way. This is just stupid.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it is nice to see that many people are perplexed by the association. HOWEVER, it is a terrible association/insult that has been around for hundreds of years and sadly is currently used by many racist people today. I have heard it used as recently as a couple years ago in South Carolina by a white guy against a black guy on a basketball court. During European soccer matches (including just a month ago during the European cup) racists frequently throw bananas on the field to insult black players. It is a very well-known insult and NBC should have known better. I'm very disappointed in them.
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with Kim's World. Gabby joked in a recent article that she immediately started googling herself after her win. I don't want her seeing any of this negativity nonsense. I want her to read about how proud we are of her and what an incredible athlete she is. Go Gabby D!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't lie. I am a bit racist. But it is more geared towards my own race, Latino. I have known that calling black people monkeys has historical meanings, but most people my age do not know. They associate it with the way they are portrayed in the media.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against black people.
I didn't think you did but to hear your reasoning which is so far off-based on where the association comes from came off as a little racist. I didn't mean to accuse you as a person as a 24/7 racist where it's embedded in your heart but your reasoning did come off as racist. I was shocked to be honest.
DeletePeople need to realize that there are times when they say racist, sexist, bigoted things (myself included) sometimes with the intention of being funny even when it's not (even if there are those who do support the 'humor'), and that pointing that out doesn't necessarily mean that they are being accused as a person of being a bigot. They can give their reasoning for why they made the comment but should also take responsibility for what they saiNdebele confronted by multiple people pointing out the reasons why something posted was bigoted and own up to the fact that, "hey, yeah I guess that did come off as a little racist. Sorry."
Take responsibility for what they said especially when being confronted...
DeleteThanks a lot iPhone, you asshole!
Kelgela...step one is stop letting the media educate you. If I let the media educate me, I would think all Latinos do is pop out babies, drink Coronas, and sneak into the country illegally to put up drywall.
DeleteThat is an inaccurate and unfair stereotype of Latinos because it's not representative of your ENTIRE race. Same goes for blacks.
Think about that the next time your inner racist rears it's head.
It's probably because the Russian gymnasts had full on eye make up and sparkles in their hair. Guess what? They didn't go home with the gold. Two Americans won and they looked fresh faced and their ability is what stood out as opposed to their hair and makeup. Last I checked it's the Olympics not Toddlers & Tiaras so people who have a problem with it need to get over it and celebrate Gaby for what's important and what she's accomplished. I love that girl and she's so pretty she doesn't need the makeup anyway.
ReplyDeleteMaybe people are looking at this wrong. Maybe it is a good thing that "this generation" hasn't clue why this would offend people.
ReplyDeleteSeriously some black people are trashing Gabby about her hair?! Please tell me that is just idle gossip.
Now if the moneky from the heavily promoted show was wearing a leotard while on the rings.. then I could see the possible connection. (me personally) I think it was just really really bad timing for it to run.
I guess I don't get it, and that is a good thing. It means I don't see color, I just see people.
The monkey commercial probably did not have any racist undertones, but given the racist associations mainstream( white society) has made between blacks and primates that is what makes the commercial airing after Gabby Douglas' performance distasteful.
ReplyDeleteHow many times has Barack Obama or Michelle Obama have been referred to as Monkey with the undertones to be demeaning during our President Obama's term. TOO MANY Times.
Therefore the monkey and black ( African American) association is not something of the past and to even suggest this is a solipsism on the account of white folks. Just because the issue of primate association to your race as a way to demean your humanity does not affect you does not mean it does not resonate feelings of passive aggressive racism.
I think it is further problematic to suggest because you do not see the connections "its a stretch.
"
@JoElla The wonderful world of twitter is full of tweets about her hair.
ReplyDeleteHere, here Magnus! What utter bullshit. Black people associated with chimps and apes, etc has been going on since our ancestors were dragged to these shores to justify our alleged inferiority and thus being slaves. It has no more to do with a small group of Black people who have never done a damn thing to make me or I'm sure you look bad. But that racist ass who wrote that certainly seems to use it as justification for whatever shit they've had to say about Black people. It's interesting how some white people think everyone just automatically sees them as civilized, educated and well-bred and don't take into consideration that the same could be said for their ignorant masses!
ReplyDeleteSorry to be so brutal, but that type of shit pisses me off.
Yep it's so frustrating considering that some of the most disgusting, uncivilized, brutal acts in the history of mankind, are very quick to point the finger and call others savages and refer to other countries as "third world".
DeleteIts so sad it's hilarious!
Meant to say those disgusting uncivilized brutal acts are commuted by the same race that is quick to point the finger.
DeleteSorry but Im typing from my phone and pretty pissed.. Lol
On the late freight....for the record, I would just like all of you non-blacks to know...no matter if it was intentional or unintentional, based on the history of this country & its treatment of AA, it is Absolutely Unequivocally OFFENSIVE to show, refer to a monkey anywhere near an AA. Period point blank. I saw the commercial after Gabby received the award & did not even make that connection consciously. However, I KNOW that this type of advertising reinforces self-hatred/hatred within our community & within the american community as a whole (subconsciously) & has been going on from time immemorial. It also subliminally reinforces to non-blacks that it okay to think that way. I worked in entertainment- one of the most racists industries - and know these fuckers know exactly what they are doing & they think it is funny. Please people don't assume you know what it is like to be black & see/hear something like that....you have no idea. It is not only hateful, but the misplaced shame that is felt is emotionally debilitating & it does not belong to us. We are still not working on a level playing field. So just please stop it. We deserve a fucking apology stat!
DeleteThis thread needs Paul Mooney. He can break it down for you better than I can.
DeleteThat race card & victim mentality is well justified....we were & are still the victims of some truly atrocious shit on every level. Yes, we are moving past this as a culture; however, contribute to the healing don't pour salt on the wound. - I'm talking to you NBC.
DeleteWe are all hominins & we all diverged several million years ago from the same ancestor. In fact, it is well known that the entire human race can trace their roots back to the Sudan. Newsflash- we are all descendants of Africans. So when you disrespect us, you disrespect yourself.
@kelgela, we are ALL a bit racist and we may not even know it. We are not bad people but people do tend to generalize the actions of a small group to a whole and then label it. I will probably get attacked for saying that but Im ok with that. Its a product of generations of ideas being unflitered, maybe even benignly, and never challenged. Because so many of us are unaware. But I will say I catch my thinking and I will not believe one person who says they have no racist bones in their body. Again, they can be the nicest people on earth but they group and they do it without thinking.
ReplyDeleteand when those actions of certain people are highlighted EVERY SINGLE DAY, you can't help but think they are all the same.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, no more from me on the racism issue, people get pissed off at me for stating what most people think.
I found the yahoo article on her hair.
http://shine.yahoo.com/team-mom/defense-gabby-douglas-hair-191700322.html
The girl that did the near perfect vault has the same hairstyle as Gabby. The hair thing is irrelevant. Gabby rocks!
ReplyDeleteAs for the ad placement, ITA w @Tuxedo Cat.
And Kelgela, how are you racist against latinos when latino isn't a racial designation? There are latinos who look like Cameron Diaz and Donald Trump, Cicely Tyson and Oprah Winfrey and JLo and Ricky Martinez, so I'm quite curious who in this group you would discriminate against.
ReplyDeleteIt's not really about the skin color its more about what country you come from. Some puertoricans might look down on Mexicans for maybe being illegal, Argentinians look down on other south Americans because they don't have the same European ancestry most of them have, I know a lot of other Hispanics look down on puertoricans because puerto Rico is dependent on the US and not independent like them. It's really sad because we should stick together and look out for one another
DeleteThis!!!!
DeleteLoveseveryone are you referring to me?
ReplyDeleteIf so, you really are not living up to your chosen name for this site.
Just because you do not like what I had to say, doesn't make it any less valid.
Not everything for everyone is soaked in racism.
That monkey has been in all the AP commercials with Olympic themed content. Of course they will show the gymnastics related commercial during the gymnastics finals. I really don't think there was any intent behind it.
ReplyDeleteI know that's an age old horrendous analogy made in the early part of the century. However, I think it's refreshing that some new, probably young ad execs don't even associate the two and probably thought nothing of it until someone got upset.
@Kelgela - I'm not pissed at you. I'm just sad that you think the way you do. I can't change it. But I can realize my privileged position in American society and stand up for the injustices I see and have been lucky enough to not have to endure based on the skin color I have.
ReplyDeleteYou do not speak for me.
Thank you for your comment @misspoppypants (fyi I'm female, doesn't matter)
ReplyDeleteAs for Gabby's hair, I thought her hair looked fine in all the things I watched, must have missed the moment it looked terrible. OFF TO GOOGLE!
@LoveEveryone: "How many times has Barack Obama or Michelle Obama have been referred to as Monkey with the undertones to be demeaning during our President Obama's term."
ReplyDeleteI don't know. never seen it. How many? This is news to me. Is this like when Obama was portrayed as Heath Ledger Joker version, it was called racist?
Let me show you how many times George Bush was referred to as a Monkey:
https://www.google.com/search?q=george+bush+monkey&hl=en&prmd=imvnso&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jlsdUO_ZKaOo2wWc4oDoBw&ved=0CDwQ_AUoAQ&biw=1536&bih=757#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=george+bush++monkey&oq=george+bush++monkey&gs_l=img.3..0l2j0i24l2j0i5i24.3398.3398.5.4092.1.1.0.0.0.0.60.60.1.1.0...0.0...1c.yb45lJRQsxY&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=45ef29157d5e2111&biw=1536&bih=757
I have my reasons for being racist against my race.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised to read that some people have never heard or seen racism that connects black people with primates. Unfortunately, I have heard it numerous times, both in my home country and in the US. Outrages me every time but I have for sure encountered it. And I'm in my 20's.
ReplyDeleteYup - sure enough - people are dicks.
ReplyDelete@kelgela, that wasn't what I was conveying at all. I dont think most people are group thinking such extreme thoughts. And if they are, its 2012, time to rethink. And white people engage in behaviors that could be labelled too but people do not generalize 'us' to a whole body. Im half middle eastern. I get grouped. I group the people who do it to me. This is what I mean. I was attacked in high school for my looks and statements constantly. I once said the Japanese internment camp was racism based on heritage in my 12 grade civics class. The people (small town in the South, very patriotic group think) who were of the same mind, I am not kidding, stood up and screamed at me and threw paper balls at me. The teacher laughed. I went to Berkeley. I was called 'white girl' by my friends which was dismissive of my full identity (though I refer to muself as white here due to census and clarity) and my experience. At Berkeley. Supposedly the most liberal school in America. Hypocrites. Every religion was tolerated except Christianity. people called Jesus 'J.C.' in my art classes and everyone laughed as if, haha, so funny this little man. They would make a big show of piling up trash cans with Gideon Bibles when they came. They were guilty as hell.
ReplyDeleteIn defense of the advertisers what other animal exhibits gymnastic qualities other than our (black and white, red and yellow) primate ancestors? I can't think of one. A gazelle or leopard would be an appropriate animal for running too as another example. if anyone associates monkeys with humans they just need to stfu, it's as dumb as equating a person with a gazelle and these people who are offended make me seriously wonder about their underlying intentions.
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't the have a monkey swimming, or skiing, or playing water polo....monkeys can swim. They don't just climb and swing. But I don't think Michael Phelps would've appreciated that connection! Although he kinda looks like a chimp from certain angles... Lol
DeleteI saw the same type of commercial with a penguin swimming
Delete@Hunter, sorry! I thought immediately after I wrote that, did I put Hunter in the wrong 'group'? ;)
ReplyDelete@Brakewater
ReplyDeleteTrue but Bush's race has nothing to do with the comparison to a monkey it was his intelligence people questioned... So my friend i think there is a little difference.
Seeing that George Bush Jr. a white man who perceived to be an Anglo Saxon man there is not really the same history that his race was closer to the monkey species because white people were inferior. That card was handed to blacks as well as other European ethnic groups south of the caucasus mountains during the 1700s- 1900s:
BONUS- here are the reference to OBAMA being referred to as the FIRST MONKEY PRESIDENT
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ie=UTF-8#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=barack%20obama%20referred%20to%20as%20a%20monkey&oq=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=4b2fa0daf45284f&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1380&bih=665
Back to my pain point: The airing of that comerical after Gabby Douglas win was distasteful!
What Enty left out is that immediately before the commercial, Bob Costas said that not only was America proud of her but he imagined there were "little African American girls thinking, 'Maybe I can do that, too.'" And then boom--the image of a little monkey doing gymnastics.
ReplyDeleteYou totally get it. Thank you!
Deletei call my kids "monkeys". one of the modt common passwords is "monkey". like top 5, so they say you shouldn't use it. i think they used a monkey because people LIKE monkeys. the end.
ReplyDelete@Bubbles, where did you get the idea Latino was not a racial designation? The Fafsa? Census? College apps? Hispanic is the general name, however Latinos are not technically Hispanic. Latino generally refers to those of non-Spanish decent, most of Latin America and other parts of of non-european countries. Maybe I misunderstood your question. Apologies if so.
ReplyDeleteRacism is ugly, revolting and still pervasive to this day throughout the world. This promo for a new show IS NOT an example of racism. The fact that people are perceiving it as racist gives us a look inside their minds and attitudes. Kelgela probably meant well, but her statement was akin to the old saying, "there are black people and then there are niggers."
ReplyDelete@bookjacket, thank you for sharing that. I did not even know that part. That's even more compelling.
ReplyDeleteI'm not black, but this smells off to me. I think I may be offended if I were black.. they have to deal with this shit all the time, even tho its 2012!
ReplyDeleteYou totally get it. Thank you.
DeleteWelcome:)
Delete@hairydawg, or it simply denotes that we are aware of underlying themes in advertising and culture. Awareness of a stereotype is a benign event. The spplication of the stereotype is what is rife with meaning. Just because you did not perceive it as racist is fine, but it does not cast a negative light on people who caught it. No one is saying you are a bad person or that you are racist. But you are grouping us without acknowledging historical fact.
ReplyDeleteCan we all agree that racism is BS and shouldn't tarnish Gabby's amazing achievement? As far as her hair goes...REALLY?? She's an elite athlete, a jock. The condition of her hair after competition matters not.
ReplyDeleteps
I earned my BS in Advertising from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and spent most of my career as an ad exec. I am aware of underlying themes in advertising, and I still stand by the innocense of this particular promo.
Bye everyone! Im going to go find candy for my brain now. :) Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteThis is a stupid post by enty, probably to get traffic to the site. Enough with the racist bs. Get over people. It was a stupid monkey commercial. End of story. If you don't like it or take offense, write a letter to NBC or don't watch it over and over again on you tube. Stop making nothing into an issue
ReplyDeleteThis whole manufactured outrage is just as stupid as the kerfuffle over Gabby's hair. NBC has aired that promo multiple times during the Olympics, and had scheduled it to run in that ad break long before anyone knew Gabby would win the all-around. Another ad for the show, aired during swimming, depicts a dog swimming in the Olympics -- should people be all butthurt on Ryan Lochte's behalf, because he's a player and a "dog," apparently, when it comes to women?
ReplyDeleteYes, I am old enough to remember the whole black people/monkey bullshit. But honestly, it never even occurred to me to link the ad to that. I think the people who are, are the type who enjoy being offended and claiming victimhood. This whole thing is dumb.
to LoveEveryone...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you re: monkey images of President Obama vs. President Bush. With Bush, it was about the intelligence level, not skin color/race. Even more unfortunate have been images of Michelle Obama as a gorilla or monkey. I'm white, and I know about the historical significance of this imagery of African Americans. It's racist and I it's wrong under any circumstances. And as for NBC, at the very least, they're ignorant. I assume their employees are not idiots who live extremely sheltered lives; a little forethought and sensitivity would have been appreciated.
Sorry for typos earlier. I am not on an iPhone, just typing too fast ; )
ReplyDeleteAny network that has Matt Lauer can't be very smart.
ReplyDeleteI still don't get why people are talking about her hair? What was wrong with it? It looked great! I must have missed all that kerfluffle.
ReplyDeleteAs for the commercial. It was inappropriate yes, but I don't think they did it on purpose at all.
I'm 32 and lived in South Carolina for seven years. It's disgusting what is said there, not by everyone, on a regular basis by people who think they are better than everyone. I heard this shit for many years and I still would never have associated these commercials with Gabby winning. I also never would have even thought about her hair. She is a beautiful young girl who did an amazing thing, win a gold medal! That's all that should be concentrated on in my opinion...
ReplyDeleteTo Texshan, I respectfully disagree. I've had to tell off relatives and co-workers who've made remarks offensive to me about about ethnic groups, sexual persuasions and religions that I'm not even a part of. And as for my friends who are from these very groups who tell me the crap that's been directed at them, far from enjoying the offense, their reactions have ranged from anger to fear to shame. And none of them are victims or play that card. They're normal, everyday folks, just like me.
ReplyDeleteA lot of ppl may be too young to understand how blacks might view the commercial. But does anyone remember when sports announcer Howard Cosell said during a football game (regarding a black player) "Look at that little monkey run."? It created such a brouhaha about him being a racist and that he should be fired. But, in fact over the years, he referred to many players and even his grand kids as little monkeys. It's all in what your background is in how you take these things.
ReplyDeleteMy dad (a black man) used to tell us, "Get your lil monkey asses over here!" when he needed us to do something.
DeleteWhat brakewater said. I don't been have to read the other comments. The person that thinks this is racist is the person having the racist thought. Give me a break.
ReplyDelete@JoElla
ReplyDeleteFirst off I just saw your response and I indeed would like to clarity: that my statement was not about you.
i have been following this blog for a few months and this is the first time I have ever commented on any blog post.
Back to the matter at hand, I think you have mis interpreted my comment it was not meant to target your comment or you.
Secondly, me addressing my concerns that people dont get racism because they dont see it does not mean I do not LoveEveryone.
However, I will address that people's overall sentiment in the comment section suggested that they do not see the connection between monkeys and black people anymore as racist which is problematic. That is history which left an entire race's generation to feel inferior and less than human. Now that might not have been the advertisers' intentions to re-ignite such a discussion or history but I do believe African Americans and other black ethnic groups do have to right to ask why was that particular comercial aired after Gabby's win.
You might not see the racist connections but that does not mean other do not nor does it mean they are nick picking. Having healthy discussion about the subject matter as well as address why they felt uncomfortable about that allows people to address what they feel by certain imagery.
I do not appreciate your comment suggesting that you comment was not valid. Its a very valid comment because it can gives me insight on how other cannot makes racial connections.
I think it is racist that people would associate a monkey with an african american. $hit - do you look for racism everywhere? Why would that even be in your mind?
ReplyDeleteEast Village, I think perhaps I should clarify: I do not dispute that there ARE very racist images and speech out there in the world. It would be stupid to pretend there weren't. What I'm saying is, this WASN'T an example of racism. It certainly never occurred to NBC that anyone would be offended, and I don't think it would have ever occurred to 95% of the population to read any racist connotations into the ad. However, there are people out there who LOVE being offended, be they black, white, male, female, liberal or conservative. They actively look for excuses to get all butthurt. Some people love playing the victim, and in my opinion, these are the people who would read racism into this ad.
ReplyDeleteNo excuse for NBC. I remember being taught what water fountain to drink out of.
ReplyDeleteHate is learned. You can also learn to reject hate.
Misspoppypants, Latino is not a racial designation as saying someone is Latino at most tells you that they speak spanish or had ancestors that did. Please see below that neither are specific to racial designation or being non spanish.
ReplyDeleteThe term Hispanic may refer more to the heritage, nationality group or lineage. It can also refer to the person’s country of birth or that of the person’s parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States. A person who identifies him or herself as Hispanic may be of any race. In fact, the definition of Hispanic or Latino used in the 2010 Census was as follows: “Hispanic or Latino” refers to a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race.
The term Latino may refer more to a cultural aspect. The Latino culture encompasses multiple characteristics such as language and traditions. Usually, people identify themselves as Latino when they have been born and/or raised in the United States while their parents, grandparents or ancestors were born in a Latin American country. Also, the term Latino is strongly adopted by people who believe they are bi-cultural.
@kelgela, even before your racism, your first issue is that you think "Latino" is a race. #biggestheaddeskfacepalmEVER
ReplyDeletethere are black latinos, caucasian latinos, indigenous indian latinos...*gasp* the list goes on from there. *sigh* #jesusgimmepatience #educationisimportantpeople
regarding the lovely gabby douglas, her hair was no different than any of her teammates or competitors...all wore a slicked back bun/knot/ponytail variation. i don't get the criticism. all lovely and brilliantly talented young ladies.
as for the commercial, definite placement by design. these 'slipups' labeled 'accidents' rarely are. trust me. and nbc should be very, very ashamed.
"I think you are racist for presuming people equate monkeys to black people."
ReplyDeleteCosign.
Texashan, you really think NBC didn't think anyone would be offended by that ad? Unless they employ 12 year olds who have no sense of historical reference or context, there is no way they could have thought the ad wasn't going to piss people off and in poor taste. And they may have been running it all along, but I have a feeling it's going to be shelved. I have a feeling if there was a Black person anywhere near that process of decision making, I promise you they told them it might not be the smartest of moves. But unfortunately, when you're talking about decision makers at NBC, I'm sure many Blacks don't hold those positions or noone bothered listening to what they had to say.
ReplyDelete@Texashan, 100% wholeheartly agree!
ReplyDeleteIn contrast to a couple of the other ad pros commenting here, I actually have worked in the African American segment as a TV commercial producer for the past 14 years on brands such as Verizon, AT&T, Toyota, P&G, Sears, General Mills, etc.... however I'm not African-American.
ReplyDeleteThis ad, coming right on the heels of Gabby's win, as noted by others *is* highly inappropriate given the history of the usage of primate imagery by racists.
No one I work with would have allowed this to air.
Additionally, being well-coiffed is a big deal in the community. This, too, is based on history. Those who aren't AA would be surprised at the shots I have to fix in post because one strand of hair isn't in the right place.
So incredibly racist - and the sad thing is, this country has A LOT of them. It's very disturbing.
ReplyDelete100% what Texshan said at 11:16.
ReplyDelete@brakewater - people have been calling African American's "monkeys" for a long time in this country. It IS racist and the people the slur is directed towards know this all too well. A little sensitivity wouldn't hurt.
ReplyDeleteoh my God. I only read half these comments before I couldn't take it anymore. Did anyone notice the commercial before you read Enty's article? How many of you read or even got sucked into the 50 shades of Rice thread? Are you all enjoying arguing over who is racist? Do you not see that Enty posted this article on purpose knowing everyones blood is still boiling? And the hair article in Yahoo? Isn't Yahoo the only place you saw anything about Gabby's hair? Please stop reading this instigating crap and move down to the Courtney Stodden article like you came in the first place for. Go read the blind reveals and see if you were right. This is such a bad way to discuss race relations. Half of us are anonymous, there's no moderator, all that will be accomplished is feelings getting hurt. If Old'ady's story didn't squash all the petty beefs than nothing will. You can't even reason here bc it's anonymous and there's no consequences. Now I'm dying to see if that blind about the drunk diva is Rhianna like I guessed!
ReplyDeleteThis ^
DeleteAgree!
DeleteWell, I'm just glad Gabby has been more worried about perfecting her art than she has been about perfecting her hair. Her name will be remembered in history long after people worried about being acceptably coiffed.
ReplyDeleteTo katsm0711,
ReplyDeleteI believe people have the right to speak up when they find something to be racist.
If racism isn't discussed, then people never learn how to change the ways in which they are offending others.
I don't know if what happened was intentional - I sure as hell hope not, but many people were hurt and angered by it.
Bubble, no, I REALLY don't think NBC thought anyone would be offended by that ad -- again, because that ad was scheduled to run LONG before Gabby even made it to the all-around. They didn't see that she was going to win five minutes beforehand and then say, oh, let's put the monkey commercial on! Won't that be funny? Advertising doesn't work like that.
ReplyDeleteThat promo was scheduled for that time slot weeks ago. Anyone who thinks that NBC purposely put the monkey promo in that slot to draw a parallel between Gabby and a monkey is completely ignorant about how advertising works. It's not a last-second decision. Ads are planned weeks in advance for specific commercial breaks. No one at NBC had any idea Gabby would win the prelims, the team, and then the all-around medal when that ad was scheduled to air.
Also, 100% Texshan at 12:08. (you win the internets today, sir/ma'am)
ReplyDeleteWhen "racism" is continuously screamed about the most innocuous things, real racism gets lost in the noise.
And are we now really arguing about why some groups are not homogenous enough to be subject to racism and why one group has more reason to be offended than the other? How about we just use the generalized term "discrimination" and call it a day?
At the risk of repeating myself:
ReplyDelete^^^^Texshan.
I am sure it has been said dozens of times, but count me among those for whom the black people ---> monkeys connection is so ridiculous as not to merit deep consideration. Except obvious situations when some dumbass sports commentator directly calls a black player a monkey or some such. Stupid.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I neglected to mention was that I don't see the ad as racist but I do think it's culturally oblivious and a stupid decision. NBC should have known that anthropomorphism of a monkey could be a sore spot when a top team member is African American and should have written a different promo.
ReplyDeleteHopefully a little enlightenment came from this.
@kelgela A certain segment of "misbehaving" black folks are not making a whole race look bad - it's actually that too many people are wrongly/ignorantly correlating the crap behavior of a small number of people to their race and ethnicity, when really a lot of poor, uneducated, etc. people of all colors behave in the ways that you outlined. (It also happens that - as the result of actual, institutional racism - a disproportionate number of the black population is poor and ill-educated, which also influences the impression.)
ReplyDeleteVery well said.
DeleteThank you. :)
Delete@selock
DeleteGreat comment, Selock. I have said this in other threads, but I get so sick of people (pundits, families, blog commenters etc) arguing without coming up with solutions. We need to see more movements like Geoffrey Canada's Harlem Children's Zone in other poorer areas where kids have little chance of success because of their lack of resources or support systems. I read somewhere the government was going to use the HCZ as a model for others to follow suit, and money was supposedly going to help subsidize these efforts but I personally haven't seen anything happen yet. Perhaps I need to do a little more research.
BTW, I saw some goofy tagline during an Olympic commercial (bringing it back to commercials!) that said Solutionism is the new Optimism. I kinda like that :)
I like that, too - Solutionism! I have been very interested in the HCZ too, as I do some work in that sphere - I got to hear to Geoffrey Canada speak at an event and got to meet him briefly - he's great was great. I am excited to see how his work plays out over the years but I am still skeptical. Isolation is a major factor in the continuation/worsening of negative cycles and models trying to interrupt them in relative isolation are VERY expensive, as is the HCZ's work! Either we have to suck it up and raise taxes to pony up a lot more on Education to spread that kind of programming, or we have to become more integrationist as a society...which is a cheaper approach that improves outcomes faster, but is hard right now as middle class + people have become afraid of public schooling, not unjustifiably. Look up the Century Foundations research! :) (Sorry, you pinged my social interest area!!!!)
Delete@selock
DeleteThanks for the great link. SoIutionism! I read some of the articles about healthcare and education reform, as well as some more of my own research on the HCZ.
That is so cool that you got to meet Mr. Canada! I saw him on both Oprah and Larry King and I have so much respect for how dedicated he is to this cause, the children, and his "2 generation approach" for long-term success and change. I know there are obvious economical challenges, but from my very naive standpoint I see it as such an invaluable investment in America's future. Private sector funding would have to exceed government dollars, but maybe we could earmark some of the $ that all these billionaires are promising to give away :)
P.S. I am embarrassed to say I still haven't seen Waiting for Superman. I have 2 small children and by the end of the day I just like to watch fluff shows. Oh the shame
I haven't watched Waiting for Superman, either! Half on purpose...I am not big on Michelle Rhee's work (I've read too much Diane Ravitch, perhaps) or overly blaming teachers/unions for the failures in high-poverty schools. :P Private ventures in public education have become very profitable for some of the usual suspects so it is good to always follow the money...its all gotten very complicated in recent years!
DeleteAt the end of the day, though - the only thing we know that doesn't work for SURE is not doing anything differently for the neediest kids. :)
Theres a difference between racism and ignorance. Doesnt mean people cant be just as offended. Now back to the fun posts.
ReplyDeleteI watched the editorial and then the commercial and I made no corelation until the news mentioned it! People just love to make a stink when in reality there was no stink intended!!
ReplyDeleteI am wondering about the African American tag. I notice when black athletes from other countries win, they are just called British or French, they don't say the black or African Brit they say the Brit or the French guy. Why aren't your athletes just be called American, why do they always have the African adjective added? To me it seems like a separate distinction and I wonder why.
ReplyDeleteI'd say from my experience living there, those countries have historically expected a certain level of assimilation to Britishness and Frenchness of all citizens, and people who succeed in those societies tend to put their national identity before or closely alongside their ethnicity. Those who do their part in being British/French tend not to be held at arms' length, at least nominally. Probably pretty true in Canada as well. I think it has something to do with those countries' more socialist models and the expectations of their citizens that go with that. (Canadians, French & Brits feel free to contradict my impressions!)
DeleteWe Americans kind of like our exceptions and labels and all of that and a number of ethnic subgroups cling to their labels...Irish Americans, Italian Americans - groups with big identifiable stories in our social history, maybe?
I think African American is weird. Do we mean just "slave-descended Americans" by that, because lots of black people in this country are immigrants from other places. And I know the black side of my family haven't been residents of Africa for at least 200 years, prob quite a bit more. Yeah, it's weird!
I agree astrogirl I'm so glad u said that and I'm white and American! I'm not comfortable saying African-American bc I can't tell sometimes if the person is from the Caribbean. I tried asking a black guy once but I was too uncomfortable saying what I really meant so he didn't understand me lol.
ReplyDeleteI can't be the only one who's old enough to remember the time CBS ran a Sominex commercial right after a 60 Minutes piece on Judy Garland's death about 40 years ago, am I? This reminds me an awful lot of that--in all likelihood, nobody intentionally meant anything by the juxaposition, but OY..... *cringe*
ReplyDeleteAnd people are really giving Gabby grief over her HAIR?!? WTF?!? She's an Olympic gold medal-winning athlete, FFS, not a beauty pageant contestant! (Mind you, she's certainly pretty enough to be one, but sheesh...) Were there that many people who thought they had to tear her down because her hair wasn't up to their standards? Never mind it was the same style as all her teammates....aaaaaaaaarrrrrggghhh... *goes off to bang head against wall*
"I guess I don't get it, and that is a good thing. It means I don't see color, I just see people."
ReplyDeleteOh, my. You do know that the "I'm colorblind" argument is also racist, right? Or maybe not. Here...
http://www.stcloudstate.edu/affirmativeaction/resources/insights/pdf/28ToolsChange.pdf
yoisthisracist.com/
ReplyDeleteyoisthisracist.com/
yoisthisracist.com/
yoisthisracist.com/
Seriously, educate yourselves, people! In this day and age, there is no excuse for this kind of ignorance and bigotry!!!!!!!!
It's seems like there's no winning. We have to be so careful to not be racist that we are being even more racist, if that makes sense?
ReplyDeleteI hope one day we can live in a world where skin colour wouldn't be a conversation topic.
"I hope one day we can live in a world where skin colour wouldn't be a conversation topic."
ReplyDeleteWhy? There will always be different races, and we need to be able to admit that we are different in many ways as well as alike in many ways. We should embrace, respect, and learn from our differences, and have this open and honest dialogue. When we don't talk about it, we're trying to say that racism doesn't exist, and that the experiences of people of color don't matter. (See my link above.) If we're not even acknowledging it, we can't fight it. Merely wishing it away won't accomplish anything good and positive.
That's not how I meant it. It was more of a hopeful statement that I wish no one had to face discrimination. Same way I wish we could all carry a rainbow in our pocket and ride a unicorn.
DeleteAnd really, every person on this earth is a person of colour. Unless they're albino.
No one pigment is better than any other.
@Mooshki
ReplyDeleteThat is my new favorite website.
This cracked me up:
25th Jul 2012 | 70 notes
Anonymous asked: So, this "Romney is Anglo-Saxon and Obama is not" thing. Are the Republicans just going to get more and more explicitly racist from now on, or what?
Yo, they are, yes, that is kind of their main thing, along with how much they love them some homophobic fried chicken sandwiches.
LOL.
So completely off topic, but I wanted to leave this thread on a happy note. God forgive me:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.usmagazine.com/uploads/assets/articles/54284-olympic-swimmer-ryan-lochtes-rise-to-fame/1342454680_ryan-467.jpg
Amen again, @Selock! Enjoy the rest of your weekend. And I'm glad there are representatives like you in education :)
ReplyDeleteSame to you - have a great one! :)
Delete"IF, WHEN YOU SEE A COMMERCIAL WITH A MONKEY, YOUR FIRST THOUGHT IS “BLACK PEOPLE,” then you just might be a racist."
ReplyDeleteh/t Instapundit.
I laugh at monkeys. Monkeys are funny. I understand the history of black people and monkey correlation. I don't need to be educated on that thank you.
LeBron James posed on Vanity Fair as King kong and it was called racist. why? He posed for it.
Should we ban all monkeys from commercials for fear they follow a black athlete?
Let's just ban all monkeys. That is easiest. Think of all the poor monkeys and monkey handlers out of work.
Thanks @Sunny! At least it was fairly civil today. I think a piece of my heart broke off after Thursday's debacle.
ReplyDeleteLove Solutionism! Can that be my new religion / political party? I'm read to stop the endless debating and get something accomplished for a change.
@astro - American are individuals first and countrymen second. It's kinda weird and I totally agree with your point. Still want to move to Aussie land or somewhere else warm & sunny :) I live in the Pacific NW of USA
"And really, every person on this earth is a person of colour. Unless they're albino."
ReplyDeleteIt's not a literal term. It's the preferred sociological term for anyone who isn't White/Caucasian. I didn't personally create the term.
That was suppose to be lighthearted. :-)
Delete@dia
ReplyDeleteI am right there with you, lady. After the Thursday debacle, I was about to start my own happy blog Mildly Average Days and Nights. I understand the importance of these conversations, but I wish they could be done in a respectful fashion. I'm so embarrassed that with my ridiculously un-diverse (word?) upbringing, I didn't know Latino wasn't a race. I have a lot to learn along with everybody else, so I appreciate the people who have taken their time to calmly and respectfully explain their points.
Have a good weekend darlin. (And I hate myself for thinking that dude is Hottie McHotterson)
Sunny, your comment -- "I have a lot to learn along with everybody else" -- is very wise and should be the final word here. We ALL have a lot to learn about racism and race relations. Every day. And for the rest of our lives. None of us can EVER be completely culturally competent. It's nice to strive to be as much so as we can, though.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's okay to say that we don't have all the answers -- so don't feel embarrassed about the Latino/race thing -- or that we don't always say the exact right thing even when we mean well. A desire for more knowledge and respect for all can go a long way towards these issues.
Ah, see, CanadianMiss, there was no smiley. Mea culpa. I've had a Benadryl. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI may be a day late and dollar short on this post but I just wanted to personally thank Bubbles for always coming through LOL!!! Honestly I lurk more then I comment but I PROMISE everytime Enty post something related to race the true ignorance of some comes shining through SMH!!
ReplyDeleteYes its racist. Yes people were offended and it wasnt just BLACK FOLKS who were making comments regarding Gabby's hair!!
Anywhoo thanks again Bubbles for expressing my exact thoughts on this and other matters!!!
AKM - I came back to say something similar but you already said it so well. Perfect! *My phone died earlier :(*
ReplyDeleteTo second Sunny, I learned a lot here today too. At the core I think we really all want the same things - happy family, good friends, gainful employment. And deep down we're all the same, just slightly different packaging. I keep remembering what @himmmm said several weeks ago - to love more and have compassion for each other. I think that's what makes America a great place to be.
Beddy bye for me. Love you CDaNers!
I am suffering a little bit from tl;dr right now. I just wanted to say that the white person considered less-than-evolved would be called a Cro-Magnon or Neanderthal. We might not have been as offended if, for instance, Bob Costas wondered out loud if there was a little boy dreaming of being the next Michael Phelps, followed by a commercial showing a Neanderthal swimming. Someone would have made the connection, though, and it would have been talked about ad nauseum. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, and Gabby looked beautiful. Her megawatt smile and positive attitude are the only accessories she ever needs. I would bet her hair was the last thing on her mind.
Well this turned out better than the discussion the other day and why? Because intelligent people had civil discourse and no one started calling people awful names and screaming fuck you!
ReplyDeleteI learned here that we all guage racism differently. (I remember the references to AA being monkeys ergo I may have thought the commercial poorly placed as well-didn't see it honestly.)
I think we all KNOW racism is wrong, on some level believe we could be more equanamious towards racial differences and dream of a better world where past cultural malignments just disappear.
But overall it was nice to see how kind most people were. Hey wait! There may be hope for us yet.
Selah
Amen!
DeleteIt's really annoying that people are calling this commercial racist. I haven't seen it because I live in Australia, but does no-one in America remember that we come from primates?
ReplyDeleteAnd also that if you know even the slightest bit about chimps, then you would know that they climb trees, run around and do somersaults, swing around, etc. Where the heck do you think gymnastics comes from? We developed those abilities from being primates.
sXc brunnette, coming from Australia, I'll assume you don't know the US' racial history and the imagery often used associating Blacks with savage beasts and wild jungle animals which was pervasive at one time.
ReplyDeleteAnd I know nothing about Lebron James "posing as King Kong" on Vanity Fair. He posed as a strong, mighty athlete with Gisele on the cover of Vogue, not Vanity Fair and the King Kong tagline that was on the cover I promise didn't come from him, trust me.
Ok, Texashan, I'll give you that about commercial time slots being paid for in advance and running times planned in advance. But working in network television, I do know networks have the power to change things based on relevance of what's going on or newsworthy. And they knew when they made those commercials that a Black girl was on the gymnastic team and if they had no idea anyone would take offense they're dumbasses who all need to take a course in advertising imagery 101.
And I certainly don't think my 86 year old grandmother is looking for trouble by being offended. Especially as a woman who remember when in most Black households, NBC stood for No Blacks or Coloreds! I promise you, if you see a Black person of a certain generation and ask them where they were and what they were doing the first time they saw a Black person on television and it wasn't a crime news story, they can tell you with precision accuracy who it was and what show it was. That's just how invisible we were from the media landscape at one point in this country and anyone who wants to deny the truth, fine. But just keep your head buried in the hand and shut up because you really shouldn't be speaking with a mouthful of sand. That's what my grandmother always told me at least!
And for the above poster with the kind remarks regarding my posts, thanks so much! I just call it like I see it and I notice certain little subtlties (did I spell that right) that resonate with people especially a child. It reminds me of when I was a kid of about 3 or 4and it was a Sunday night before the Sonny and Cher show, so I'm pretty sure it had to be the local CBS affiliates Sunday night news. I can't remember exactly what the story was about, but I know the imagery was so negative, I walked my little self into my mothers bedroom and with the innocence of a child said, "Mommy, are we colored"? She looked at me wondering where this was coming from and said that we were. I said "I don't want to be colored, I want to be white". That's how strong imagery can be and the affects it can have on the mind of a little child and I'll remember that until the day I die!
obviously with a mouthful of sand your head would be buried in the sand, not your hand. LOL
ReplyDeleteTG Fox was not hosting the Olympics.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bubbles, Urban Rosebud and Magnus for helping me to understand what I can't possibly understand -- that is what it is like to be black in a world which is still run mostly by whites. I don't even know whether to use a capital on 'black' or not, and stuff like that bothers me...because I would never want to cause anyone even a keystroke's-worth more pain.
ReplyDeleteSome of the people on this thread find it a nuisance or a waste of time, or a buzzkill to talk about the commercial.
Everytime someone doesn't take the time to listen, slows down the 'solution'. The solution is self-education about American history and listening to firsthand experience, like we are getting here.
When someone says "This hurts" we need to say "Why does it hurt?"--not "how can that possibly hurt?"
I didn't want to believe that ad was put up intentionally or as a joke, but I realize now I was being naive (lifelong problem).
So what is the solution? I was not raised in the U.S. and do not currently live in a country where people correlate monkeys with people so I suppose myself and others in this situation should read up on African American history? And then what? We will have a better understanding to be tolerant of certain phrasing, etc. but will that be enough? I truly think that in order for people to better themselves they need to move on and not cling to the past so tightly. Even Oprah did that and she had not such an ideal start in life, she is a great inspirational example of how a person can overcome many different obstacles. She does not dwell on the past, her focus seems to be more on developing herself as a human being which I think we could all strive to do.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying forget the past, but does it do any good clinging to bitterness? I think it reinforces stereotypes but that's just my opinion. I seem to think all people need to figure out what they want in this life and make it happen, we all have excuses for not being motivated but blaming your race is a very lame excuse. I know first hand that certain parts of the U.S. aren't tolerant but this does not represent the entire country or the world and I think it's easy to assume otherwise when you have no exposure to different environments.
Regarding the hair thing, I have a good friend who was born and raised in Rwanda and she and her friends do not understand what the fuss is about Gabby's hair. it seems to me this is an internal African American slur against Gabby perhaps? So rather than be proud of her achievements, her hair is the only thing that some people choose to focus on? Do not over think such things and dwell on negativity. It will not change the past and it will not make the future brighter.
I totally missed the racist slant of it, I guess. I was thinking the problem would have been hinting that gymnastics is so easy that a monkey could do it!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNever made the association. Aren't we past the racist stereotypes?
ReplyDeleteYeah, if you see a monkey and the first thing you think is "black people" then YOU might be a racist.
ReplyDeleteTell me what other animal could even semi-realistically do gymnastics....
ReplyDeletean elephant? Giraffe?? Hippo maybe??
This is just stupid.
Yes, let's keep seeking out others racist comments to fulfill our own racist thoughts. *eyeroll*
I think most people are unaware or in denial of their own racist or discriminatory thoughts. Whether you think the far-right defines all Republicans, the far-left defines Liberals, white people are either racist or white trash, Christians are crazy or anyone with a turban must have a bomb. There are small groups of people within every race, culture, religious or political group that satisfy the stereotypes given. We're talking MINUSCULE numbers of people that in no way represent the masses.
By the way, I was blindsided once by a white girl who called me a racist because I wasn't voting for Obama. Yes, that MUST be the reason. Idiot.