I post as a Canadian and I'm embarrassed by a lot of things he does, particularly when he deliberately breaks international law and sends the whole country into a goddamn tailspin.
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This? I'm just not sure it matters that much. It's not a good look, but so little of what people do is. Has he acted with racism in other acts, particularly in modern times? If not, then was this even a racist act to begin with? Was he doing this to mock people, or simply to express part of their culture in a poorly thought out manner?
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And if you try to tell me it's offensive because it has to do with skin color alone, why is it okay when people paint their faces white? Dye their hair blonde? Whether for costume or actual mockery? Because there isn't the same history of racism there? Does that matter? Is it less racist if the person's ancestors were never found to be racist in the past?
If intent doesn't matter then we have far greater problems in our society than this picture.
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Be embarrassed if you like, but if you're going to demand others feel the same way then the very least you could do is provide your reasoning rather than try and force it on someone on the basis that they live in the same country as this guy. I think Trump is embarrassing 8 days a week (Trudeau usually pulls in at a solid 7.5 days, though that number is going up) but I'm not about to demand every single American agree with me on that front
Not gonna defend him in particular, but I'll never understand why so many people get offended by people darkening their skin when they dress up.
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Bear in mind I'm not talking about when they dress up the way they used to in those old theatres with the makeup on their lips as well, turning them into grotesque caracitures. I mean genuinely just using it to better authenticate a costume.
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People paint their faces all colors of the rainbow, and I always think it's great when people are really dedicated to making themselves look as close to whoever they're dressing up as as possible.
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In this particular situation I haven't even seen anything FROM that gathering that indicates any of the people there were offended. That does not mean they weren't, of course. Maybe something will come out.
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Guess I'm just not sure why so many unrelated people who aren't even part of the issue (particularly white women) act like this is some egregious attack on them and every person in existence
And Guest_, if you turn up here, I'm gonna warn you my attention span is not great these days. Not saying don't leave a long comment, or don't make your points, or anything at all really. Just warning you I may not be able to follow along as well if it's not super concise. And yes, I say this well aware of the irony of doing so after posting two novel-length comments of my own on this post
It’s a complex thing and as you mention- worthy of a long response. But it really comes down to context, and even at that- we can judge a persons actions without judging them as a whole. Many groups have a sensitivity about things like skin color because of its historic and present associations and politics. Many minority groups have had their appearances be made a label or a joke, many are also sensitive about majority cultures who have “taken” from them taking more. You’re black friend may laugh at racist jokes you tell in good spirit or you may call each other the n word (likely soft “a” version-) and in that relationship that’s fine. An outsider overhearing such things might think certain things about you based on that and not knowing the relationship and context.
But in short- is there other evidence to support this man is racist or racially insensitive? Do his actions legitimately effect his ability to do a fair and quality job, or seriously give reason to question his treatment of constituents of a given group? When was the picture taken? You’d be foolish to do “black face” in the last 30 years- a moron to do it in the last 20, and completely daft to do it in the last 10. But not necessarily racist. Just ignorant or plain stupid.
Haha I hope I didn't make you censor yourself overly. I really wasn't trying to discourage your commentary. Just saying *I* personally have an issue following along sometimes. Not just with you, mind you. Hell, there have been times ive gone back and re-read my own comments and gotten lost.
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Anyway, that's a thing though. I've seen people launch entire campaigns against someone for a pic of them doing blackface as an inside joke with their black friend. The friend in question was fine with it. But then others got ahold of it and suddenly they paint people like they own a working plantation in Georgia and beat 500 black people on the daily.
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I get people are sensitive. Tbh, when it comes to GENUINE blackface - the one intended to exaggerate and mock - I can understand. I'm still not sure I'm ready to launch a grenade at their face, but I can see history behind the hurt.
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The rest just feels like kicking a dead horse. There are so many issues people struggle with these days, including racism. Someone darkening their skin because they want to look like a person or character for a joke or costume accuracy seems like it's just distracting from things that are actually intended to do harm
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This? I'm just not sure it matters that much. It's not a good look, but so little of what people do is. Has he acted with racism in other acts, particularly in modern times? If not, then was this even a racist act to begin with? Was he doing this to mock people, or simply to express part of their culture in a poorly thought out manner?
.
And if you try to tell me it's offensive because it has to do with skin color alone, why is it okay when people paint their faces white? Dye their hair blonde? Whether for costume or actual mockery? Because there isn't the same history of racism there? Does that matter? Is it less racist if the person's ancestors were never found to be racist in the past?
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Be embarrassed if you like, but if you're going to demand others feel the same way then the very least you could do is provide your reasoning rather than try and force it on someone on the basis that they live in the same country as this guy. I think Trump is embarrassing 8 days a week (Trudeau usually pulls in at a solid 7.5 days, though that number is going up) but I'm not about to demand every single American agree with me on that front
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Bear in mind I'm not talking about when they dress up the way they used to in those old theatres with the makeup on their lips as well, turning them into grotesque caracitures. I mean genuinely just using it to better authenticate a costume.
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People paint their faces all colors of the rainbow, and I always think it's great when people are really dedicated to making themselves look as close to whoever they're dressing up as as possible.
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In this particular situation I haven't even seen anything FROM that gathering that indicates any of the people there were offended. That does not mean they weren't, of course. Maybe something will come out.
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Guess I'm just not sure why so many unrelated people who aren't even part of the issue (particularly white women) act like this is some egregious attack on them and every person in existence
.
Anyway, that's a thing though. I've seen people launch entire campaigns against someone for a pic of them doing blackface as an inside joke with their black friend. The friend in question was fine with it. But then others got ahold of it and suddenly they paint people like they own a working plantation in Georgia and beat 500 black people on the daily.
.
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The rest just feels like kicking a dead horse. There are so many issues people struggle with these days, including racism. Someone darkening their skin because they want to look like a person or character for a joke or costume accuracy seems like it's just distracting from things that are actually intended to do harm