Over the weekend there was a story running on CNN about a racially insensitive Barack Obama cartoon that really disturbed me. The story centered around a fake food stamp which had Obama’s face surrounded by a bucket of chicken, watermelon, ribs, and kool-aid.
The cartoon was put out in a newsletter by Diane Fedele, the president of the Republican women’s club in San Bernardino County. Here is what Diane had to say in her defense; “If I was racist, I would have looked at it through racist eyes,” she said. “I am not racist, which is why it probably didn’t register.” Club member Kristina Sandoval agreed. “None of us are racists,” she said. The use of watermelon, ribs and fried chicken was innocent, she said. “Everyone eats those foods, it’s not a racial thing.” Fedele’s daughter also came to her defense by saying her mother can’t be a racist because she married a Mexican man. Aaah the old marry a Mexican to hide your rampant hate for colored people trick. I’ve seen it a million times.
Unfortunately stories like this have become a very real part of this election. We all remember the whole Obama waffles fiasco, there have been bitter squabbles about Barack Obama’s religion (he is Christian, but we all know how he’s been portrayed as Muslim as if there is something wrong with that), and he has been repeatedly associated with terrorism because of his Arab descent (even though we have all heard McCain say by now that he is not Arab, “he is a decent family man.”). Now someone would have to be pretty naive for any of this to really surprise them. This is exactly the type of thing I envisioned (and worse) once Obama was declared the democratic candidate. Still somehow I am still amazed at people like Diane Fedele who are so blatantly and unabashedly racist and have the nerve to claim that they are in fact not.
Chicken, watermelon, ribs, kool-aid. These are all stereotypical images that have over time become associated with the word “nigga”. Niggas sure love them some fried chicken and watermelon. That is what black people hear when they see this cartoon. Nigga. I’ve seen a black dude I work with refuse to eat watermelon in front of white people because of this association. I ate the shit out of that watermelon, but I could see where he was coming from. Here’s the bottom line on this. Stereotypes are a big part of what fuels racism. Chicken, watermelon, ribs, and kool-aid are good examples of how ridiculous most stereotypes are. Once we are able to sit back and realize how ignorant adhering to these ridiculous stereotypes are we can take all the power from the people who keep them going.
I’ll leave you with this pearl of wisdom. Go forth and enjoy the shit out of that watermelon.
Against the Grain 
Dammit, my dating a hispanic to hide my inherent contempt for all people of different cultural backgrounds trick has been EXPOSED. DAMN YOU.
So, I saw the picture before I started to read, and I started to breather hard, and then I kept breathing hard, also giving myself heart palpitations as I kept reading. Oh my gosh, this makes me so angry, SO angry. I was JUST commenting on a non-Obama supporter’s page the other day who had a quote on a picture that read “Don’t Drink the Kool-aid” and no one was understanding what I was trying to say about the reference.
I happen to me more of a popeyes chicken fan myself.That has racism screaming all over it. Some people just don’t think they will be caught. although, what would be on mccain’s food stamp? and even if it was racial content on it would there be a big uproar like the obama image? probably not.
…darn purple drank.Good post here sir. We need to get over all this stuff. Immediately.
Mmmmm. I think I’m gonna get me some fried chicken for lunch. Or ribs. Maybe some watermelon. Definitely some mac and cheese. Oh wait, I had that last night. This white girl loves her some southern cookin’.Seriously, the problem is that nobody thinks they are a racist. (The first stage is DENIAL…) It’s a really hard thing to admit–first to ourselves and then to others. So let me start: I have racist tendencies, and I have to fight them every day. I prefer people who look like me, talk like me, eat like me, smell like me, clean their homes like me, dress like me, believe like me, think like me, walk like me, listen to music like me. I’m convinced that most people (white people) who hate Obama don’t even realize it’s because of his skin color. But it is.
Wow, that’s pretty ridiculous. And what is it about Koolaid that is so “ghetto” or associated with black people? This isn’t the first time I’ve heard it but it was only recently that I have. I love koolaid more than life itself. Racism and stereotypes disturbs me greatly.
I wonder what secret I’m hiding by dating a white guy? Ah well… these people are everywhere (but most are smarter than that). I was going to make beanie wienies tonight, but I think I’ll have to register my protest and make enchiladas, to show my hidden contempt for all things Swedish.
*applauds* Gone ‘head, Dave, tell this shit! Everyone needs to realize that you CAN’T judge a person by their race and the things that surround it, and if they don’t, too damn bad for them!
Wow, that’s insane. I never even knew of these stereotypes happening in the states until a few years ago (and I even lived there for many years). So, I’m not kidding you – but right now, I brought a Kool-Aid Jammers for my lunch, i have watermelon in my fridge and I JUST ate fried chicken a couple days ago…oh and I LOVE RIBS…btw. I’m Korean – what does it ALL MEAN?? I bet the members of the Republican club have never stepped outside of their small, insular city :(.
@Drakonskyr – You can’t fool me dude. I see inside your SOUL!@AlterEgo909 – Yeah there were a bunch of articles flying around saying don’t drink the Obama Kool-Aid like that shit was cool. Google Obama Kool-aid and you’ll see just how many writers thought there was nothing wrong with it.@iStephanieMarie – McCain’s food stamp would have adult diapers, metamucil, pepto bismol, and denture cream. And it would have been funny, unlike this shit. @TheBigShowAtUD – More watermelon for me.@theblackspiderman – WTF is juice man?
@vanedave – Hah, I don’t have a soul. IN YOUR FACE, SOUL-SEER
i don’t do watermelons at all. never have… or anything watermelon-flavored.i’m raging against the stereotype machine.
@weedorwildflower – I think I remember you doing a post along these lines and I couldn’t agree with you more. Always refreshing to here a more honest take on it.@StewieIsMyHero – The thing with Kool-Aid being associated with black people is what people think of is poor black people buying those ten cent packets and making a gallon out of it. Then pouring a bunch of sugar in it to make it taste less like water. It’s a class thing.Although I agree that a well made glass of kool-aid is the shit.@MlleRobillard – It’s about time someone put those swedes in their place.@Evolutionary_21 – Just tellin’ it like it is sista-girl.@Oribi – Yeah what’s funny is that all of these things are delicious. It’s just the association that’s bad.
Stupid is as stupid does my friend. Even in our government you can’t legislate the stupid out of people.
I saw this story last weekend; and I thought the same thing: “Does this woman think we’re STUPID?” Really? We’re expected to believe that it was just a COINCIDENCE that those particular foods were chosen for this design? And, really, because she married a Mexican she MUST NOT BE a racist? Oh, for goodness’ sake! She DOES think we’re stupid!!OH, and I love the hell out of fried chicken, watermelon, ribs and Kool Aid; but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the stereotype people have associated with those particular foods. I hate that some hateful people have caused your friend at work to stop eating something he loves. I’d forget what anyone else thinks and just enjoy what you like. I’m eating junk food in Paris right now… and I could care less what those skinny French chicks think of my diet right now. Screw ’em!
@Shirlann – I missed you these past few days. I try to write thought provoking things so that I can actually hear what people think about these things. We are on the same wavelength on this one (as is so often the case).
Good Post!! I don’t get stereotypes and they really piss me off. Why must people judge on the color of skin and not on the character of the person. That cartoon just shows the igorance of the ones that made it and published it. I personally love all the foods you listed and eat them regularly.
@vanedave – Awww, I’m touched that you missed me! I’m going to have to tell ABD to make sure he gets on Xanga and keeps you company when/if I’m too busy to get online and comment while I’m on this trip. It’s almost 9 p.m. now; and I guess I should get some dinner, huh?
Yes it was a low blow…if the table was turn and if this was a cartoon about McClain on a walker…would you’d of laughed…Not that that is racist but that would be along the lines that….Diane Fedele was trying to make…in my opinion
@Erin_Noelle_20 – I would have laughed, but it does not have the same negative connotation. The simple fact of the matter is that McCain is old. This does not define him as a man or a candidate, and is not really relevant to the election, but he is old. The images in this Obama cartoon are stereotypes associated with a very derogatory image of black people (i.e. Obama is a watermelon, ribs, and fried chicken eating, kool-aid drinking ni##a), which he does not portray. This is way more irresponsible on Ms. Fedele’s part than it would be for someone to make fun of McCain’s advanced age.
Oh, no, ignorant racism is the worse there is. “We aren’t aware that we’ve grown up horribly racist, so we can’t be horribly racist! There’s no way!”
there’s actually significantly more to the racist undertones of this particular example than a appeal to racial stereotypes. The fact that these stereotypical symbols are juxtaposed on a ten dollar bill makes it a far more sinister fear mongering symbol. IT suggests that the “blackification” of the United States will occur if Obama is made president and that you should be afraid of that, because it will make us all stupid and a joke. Hence it says that black people are a joke and not to be taken seriously and that we should be afraid of letting one of them become leader. Unless the creator was specifically doing this to make fun of those kinds of prejudices it’s very clearly not satire but racist propaganda. And black people have been dealing with the sea sawing perspectives of the black man as being A. ridiculous and B. beastly/monstrous for centuries. Both have come up in droves during this election cycle. I don’t even know what to say about the donkey body.It’s really all quite sick.The ultimate irony of all this is that if Obama gets elected it will be hailed as a sign that we’ve COMPLETELY overcome racism. Give me a break!
The woman may have been trying to make a point, but people use things that are ultra sensitive to a lot of people to make a point. That is when people get hurt and upset. It isn’t even about being too sensitive, it is the fact that they are all known stereotypes and if it were stereotypes about any other people, people would still be upset. I try not to let stereotypes bother me too much and just remember I’m better than that.You gotta love stereotypes. You will not catch me eating ribs though and I prefer Popeyes or Bojangles chicken! mmm.
LMAO…the whole time I read this, all I could hear in my ear was Dave Chapelle and his quote that “Black people are genetically pre-disposed to love chicken”. The fact that this woman tried to look at this picture and pretend there was nothing racist about it at all….that’s just amazing…..”I ate the shit out of that watermelon” – priceless
Pretty sad that in this day and age, someone does something so stupid. And, of COURSE she’s not a racist!Kathi
It’s time for this to stop. My favorite foods: Fried Chicken, Watermellon, BBQ ribs, greens, corn on the cob. My heritage: doesn’t matter…..I’m obviously not black. In fact, coined as white….yes I am white in “color.” That’s a misinformed nomination however, the blonde hair puts it out. But my mother is almost full blooded native american, she remembers the tales her grandmother tells of moving to a reservation. However, I say my favorite foods and what do I get in response? “Haha, those are token black people foods! You’re funny” It just doesn’t make sense….
I can’t believe she pleaded she wasn’t racist! Holy crap. Your words of wisdom taste good, Dave.I don’t like watermelon, but I’m Canadian and I eat a whole lot of Kraft dinner!
It has been a long tine since I have seen something so blatantly racist. Yet she had the gall to deny it? Does she think people are stupid or something? grrrr…..
I can’t believe she tried to pass this off as not racist. When it comes to political cartoons, everybody should know what their freakin’ symbology means, or else it’s not really a joke. And heck, you don’t have to be racist towards all races, just one or two is enough.I just realized, though, that I love chicken, watermelon, ribs, and koolaid. Sweet, now I can go pick me up some white chicks!
I, for one, will eat the shit out of some watermelon in front of anyone I trust and know. I will only eat cubed watermelon in front of people I don’t. And I won’t eat watermelon at all if someone has the audacity to say something. (Quick plug for Spike Lee’s “Bamboozled” if you don’t understand the disgust.)As for whether she’s a racist or not: Hell yeah, she is! But, I wouldn’t be that surprised if she is being completely sincere when she says that “She isn’t a racist.” Fact is, some of these stereotypes have been around so long that, for some people, they can’t comprehend the full weight of the stereotype. It might be as simple as the application of a stereotype, which is as seemingly benign as, say, the “hippie” stereotype or the “rock star” trope. The stereotypes are socially ingrained. They’re embedded so well that some people make the associations without seeing them as anything other than reality; as “facts” like: white people have straight hair. It doesn’t mean that there isn’t racism inherent in it. It doesn’t mean that the racism has ‘disappeared’ like the lady had wished, simply that racism–at least against black people–has existed so long that it doesn’t take any consciousness to be a “racist.” If the lady didn’t really “get it” then it only shows how easy it is to be a “racist” without even knowing what is racist. In addition to that, the narrow definition which far too many people apply to “racist” doesn’t really fit the complex racial environment that we live in. I personally believe that the definition which gets used for “racist” in the context of “reverse-racist” is far more inclusive in hopes that white people can shift the guilt from the failures of the Civil Rights Movement away from themselves (see the rise of Neo-Conservative thinking and look at the voting numbers). On the other hand, the definition for “racist” has been narrowed to be only the obvious cases (such as this one) and not the more subtle ones. Concepts of racism, for some white people, has become the field where they play out their fantasies of social innocence while feigning social-consciousness. If you asked Mrs. Sandoval to define the word “racist” she would probably give you a definition which excludes herself. If she were able to define “reverse-racist,” I’ll bet that it happens to include people like me. Racism has become a definitional game played across the media. Whoever controls the media controls the most common definition. If you don’t believe me, just go back to Obama’s speech on race, and look for both the inflammatory speech by Jeremiah Wright and then look for his speech “The Audacity of Hope” (a brilliant speech) and read the coverage of them from different networks. When you do that, get back to me about what you see. @nephyo – sir or ma’am…thank you. i’m glad you caught that and said something about it. i was slipping when i heard about it and missed that depth.
I am sorry. Either their IQ is below 80, or they think the general public’s is. ugh.
This is awful. Really awful.
That’s just disgusting. I never knew about the watermelon or kool aid thing, actually. I guess I make it a point not to seek out stereotypes… and wow, this is offensive. Like… I don’t even know what to say. She should get jail time.
Yea, that shit makes me crazy; when “they” potray black people as mindless gits who go mad over fried chicken and watermelon. I have to personally admit that there’s no way in hell that I would go out of my way to buy a watermelon, but if it was in my refrigerator I’d eat it; but fried chicken gives me a migrane so I always pass on that. About “ribs” i don’t eat pork, and Kool-Aid is unherd of in my household, because ever since I was little my mom told me that “Kool-Aid is for ghetto people”. True, I do like alot of things people would assume that I would such as Hip-Hop/R&B and I do own a platinum Grill, but my favorite song is “Versions Of Violance” By Alanis Morissette, a Canadian Alternitive Rock Queen. So stereotyping people does nothing but makes the person handing out the stereotypes look like a complete and utter dunce bucket. Simply, when people pull out all of these stereotypes about someone who’s trying to actually better our country, they simply make themselves look bad.
Please she’s an idiot. God doesn’t like liars, nor does he like ugly.
And I see more white people in line at KFC than black people..matter of fact they always be trying to skip me to get to the front of the line first…that is why I laugh everytime I hear that stereotype.
Not that it makes this Any better but Sarah Palin has taken more personal Feminist punches from the media than this'[@weedorwildflower – . I’m convinced that most people (white people) who hate Obama don’t even realize it’s because of his skin color. But it is.I am Sorry that is probably one of the Most Racist things I have ever Heard. Most of us that don’t like Obama can’t stand the fact that he has pretty much Zer0 experience in things like Running a Government..& the fact that his own VP thinks he isn’t ready!! There are some stupid heads out there making signs like this but groping up people as a majority is JUST as Racist as you are claiming.& I am assuming you are a woman by your name..where is your gut that rises up against the behavior & treatment of Sarah Palin? No matter how you feel about her as a Governor who happens to have had years of expereince& has an 80% approval it Is Wrong to treat her that way ..Her treatment deserves criminal cases but NO Main Stream Media talks about That!So Dear poster I Ask You to Please Be Balanced & write one about the Unfair treatment of Palin too & I will gladly rec both.~Kris
Yeah that fake food stamp was pissing me off. And I’d like them to tell me what’s wrong with being muslim. Bleh.Oh, and I ❤ watermelon.
Stereotypes are so lame. Why can’t anyone come up with original stuff?I love fried chicken, watermelon, and kool-aid. And I am going to eat the shit out of it.And I have a hell of a white ass.
@AlterEgo909 – I think “Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid” is a reference to the Jonestown cult where they all drank cyanide-laced kool-aid and committed mass suicide… but I can see where it can be confused with a racist remark if you’re not familiar with the phrase’s origins.
That’s very out of line, stupid and ignorant this bitch has posted on her so-called Newsletter. Too bad she’s going to deal with it once Obama is in power and racism has been mostly obliterated… I’m still have my dream…
M’kay, let me get this straight, OBAMA has ties w/ Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Louis Farrakhan, & Father Pfleger, who are ALL RACIST’S who hate WHITES and you’re worried about a cartoon?? William Ayers hates Americans so much he BOMBED his country and you’re worried about a cartoon?M’kay…
BTW, If you were keeping up w/ the election news, you’d understand why she compared home to “food stamps,” – Economist have called his TAX PLAN nothing but welfare on Steroids.
True dat, dave. Congrats on being featured….again…….
That woman is an ignorant bitch.That said, I would love a piece of watermelon right about now!
That is horrible! And her horrid attempt at explaining it away just sickens me. Of course she knew it was racist, that’s why she included those foods.On a different note, Do those pictures of the food make anyone else hungry? Or is it just the fact that I haven’t had anything to eat besides candy since breakfast? But those are probably the best foods ever… (And, for the record, that Kool-aid flavor is RED, not cherry. There is no such thing as cherry Kool-aid. Wow, that was a really odd tangent I found there…)
You all would LOVE my latest post on my personal site, http://www.xanga.com/sataincxlullaby.It would make alot of peoples blood boil, check it out!
Want to know something really bad. Xanga put up a “fear” ad from McCain about blacks being racist on this post. The McCain camp is just plain immature. Why do they think that their mean spirited childish ways are funny? If she didn’t know those things were racist it just shows how insular she is.
Not to mention that I would rather fund food stamps than hand outs to GOP contractor friends. When’s the last time poor people started a war?
I would’ve thought that the picture was funny, but I cant because that is NOT newsletter material and I’m shocked that a grown mother would make that. I enjoy racist jokes just as much as the next guy but that’s a terrible influence on your children and you shouldnt flaunt your blatant racism around. That woman is going to have a really hard time for the rest of her life, I bet she’s pissed off alooooooooot of people.
I never saw that Obama buck, but once I saw, I got very angry because I know about those sterotypes. BARACK OBAMA ’08 baby!
come to my web site, I have a Mccain Joke
Truly I’m not surprised…. Racism will never die, stereotypes will never cease and therefore (not to piss on your parade but i believe) this whole post is irrelevant… why bring something to people’s attention if nothings going to be done about it. It can and will become worse as election time draws closer since (excuse my lingo) were living in “white America” Truly Obama becoming president changes nothing…. Not saying I do not believe in change… and not saying I don’t believe in what he’s representing what I am saying is that majority rules… so even when he becomes president that majority already in the white house (which have been there even longer than he’s been a senator might I add) will do to the death what must be done to sabotage his vision for change… (not saying this will thus omit his purpose) But if you may, think about this… the greatest accomplishment in American history (in my eyes) would have been OBama & Hilary vs whoever the republicans throw at em… and the reason for this not happening is cause when it all comes down to it Diane Fedele is not a racist and the south would vote for both a female democratic candidate and a minority…… HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! That’s a good one!!!!! Truly I’m not surprised…-PS Ill still give you props cause I totally agree with your Point of view…Take it ez!
Yeah, it’s so close to election day I’m not getting mad at a lot of stuff. I would have gotten mad about that dumb chick who carved a backwards B (for Barack) into her cheek by using a mirror (obvi) and made herself up a 6’4″ black man who assaulted her for being a McCain supporter, but that mess was just too funny. Oh yeah, I also like how she threw in that she was fondled, for good measure.But yeah, I must agree…this is so obviously racist. Why would these foods be on a food stamp? “These are foods that everyone eats, we’re not racist.” So what was the point of the cartoon? Why put Obama’s head on a food stamp? By saying that you weren’t at least making a CLASSIST distinction with the foodstamp, then the cartoon has no meaning, no point. Do people need to put two brain cells together and make a synapse or what?…oh yeah, and I love that comment about eating the shit out of some watermelon. As Chris Rock said in “No Sex in the Champaign Room,” “Cornbread…ain’t nothin’ wrong with that!”I wouldn’t get mad at the cartoon, though. I would just laugh at stupid people who can’t lie…thus taking advantage of my future, “elistist school” degree, apparently…Nice post.
Fried chicken and watermelon is delicious. Thank you white people for ruining good food.
She has a good point; everyone loves those foods. I wish the racist connotations would just drop.As for being an Arab, he’s not. He’s partially north African, but those peoples aren’t Arabs, just groups conquered by them in the age of Islam’s expansion who thus share the ties of language.McCain’s response was just as bad, though. Ethnicity has nothing to do with being a “decent family man”. Can you imagine what the response would have been if she’d accused him of being Chinese? “He’s not Chinese; he’s a decent family man.” Yeah, that would have been bad. I’m pretty sure American Arabs would agree.
Wow. Just … wow. I guess I must be secretly African-Canadian, then. Since I love all those things, too. Silly me. (MmmMMMMmmmm … fried chicken! One of my favourites! Srsly!)Did you see my pulse on the other creepy thing that a McCain supporter did? Whew. This election has been SO crazy, I’m not sure anything the McCain Camp does would surprise me any more. Which is kind of sad, now that I think about it. I grew up in what would be considered a very “white-bread and mayo” type of neighbourhood, but my parents made a conscious decision that they would not pass on racism to me (their parents were all very uptight that way. Not that they’d ever be rude to anybody! Ever! But, ya know, they wouldn’t want their daughter or son to marry one … ). I was pretty insensitive as a teenager (just didn’t realise what would be hurtful, truly) but since then I’ve become much more conscious of my own thoughts and behaviour. And I, too, made a conscious choice not to pass on any racial “attitudes” I may have acquired to my children. And so far (fingers crossed, knocking wood) it seems like every generation is getting better that way. My younger son’s friends are all colours, body-types, intellectual levels, genders, (and … already) sexual orientations … all that jazz. To him, if a person’s nice, they’re nice. If they’re a jerk … well, then they’re a jerk. Which has the virtue of honesty, at least.You go, Dave! We’re all with you on this one!
well said I appreciate it.
you are fucking stupid. how the fuck did this get recommended?!
@AlterEgo909 – That cartoon is awful, in every sense. However, I myself am not an Obama supporter and I have used the term “Obama kool-aid”. The phrase has NOTHING to do with the man’s race. When people say “don’t drink the kool-aid” it is in reference to the Heaven’s Gate cult that followed their leader (a crazy white guy) blindly into drinking kool-aid laced with cyanide.Eitherway, a love of kool-aid shouldn’t be limited to just one race, its a delicious treat that millions of us grew up on! 🙂 Anyone who uses the term in a racial reference is clearly ignorant and shouldn’t speak in public.
I most definitely agree. When I originally saw this story it reminds me how this kind of stuff makes me so angry, especially when people feign ignorance, that really ticks me off. But how can you argue with dishonest people? Like picking ribs, chicken and watermelon were a random selection of foods..give me a break!
I don’t see it as racist, I see it as stereotypical. And besides, its wrong because he is not black, he is mixed. No one likes to bring up his white mother….
Shit man, I like all of those things, I must be black. ;] That was a really immature thing for them to do. If they were choosing foods everyone ate, why choose THOSE ones? Seriously. I hate people sometimes.
@neyinwonderland – Probably because it’s actually NOT fucking stupid.
oh hells yes i will enjoy the shit out of the watermellonand the other stuff in that cartoon i also happen to like.. except koolaid.. too much sugar.. but damn. it’s really sad to see how low politics is getting nowadays..
What a shame that they’re playing the race card so blatantly and then completely denying it. “But I married a Mexican man!” Well, Obama is not Mexican. The accusation was not that she was racist against Mexicans, but African Americans. That is like me saying, ‘But I’m dating an Asian! How could I be racist against Brazilians?’ Good post!
if she didnt think she was racist, why didnt she put white associated food on the thing? you know, like tasteless meatloaf, disgustingly injected chicken mcnuggets, and hoity toity mineral water? yeah. exactly, stupid woman! besides. im asian and i happen to LOOOOOVE fried chicken (though i prefer church’s chicken, which is undeniably the best), ribs, and watermelon. kool-aid not so much, but its a personal choice. expect a blog from me when an asian candidate decides to run for president and some stupid ignorant woman makes chink-bucks with rice, rice and more rice on it.
Wow. I’m disgusted at that person’s ignorance.I really have no words for this.This kind of hits close to home. My high school is predominantly white, and it’s hard for me because they assume that I fufill every stereotype. There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t hear people asying the n-bomb or asking me what I had for dinner,or things of tht nature. They’re extremely rascist. So I tend not to eat fried chicken, drink Kool-Aid, or eat watermelons in front of them. It gives them less to stereotype with. Y’know?*sigh* It’s pathetic to see the level to which McCain’s party has stooped to.Legit blog!
@AlterEgo909 – maybe I missunderstand, but I think the “don’t drink the kool-aid” refrence is talking about following a charismatic leader even to the point of suicide suicide.I myself am not an obama supporter, and I hate that people like the ones who come up with the above “food stamp” are on “my side”… guess each side has it’s share of fools, perhaps the right has more. either way. whatever.I do like the closeing wisdom-pearl
I love watermelon as much as the next person… and I’m white! I understand why people would be offended by that though.Also, while we are on the subject…I was told that saying “colored folks” or “colored people” was a bad thing… but I noticed you said it. Was I misinformed?
Imagine how many times that Mexican dude she’s married to;has to correct her ignorant views about his people
@Drakonskyr – He never said that ALL people that date hispanics use it as a cover up but he said that some do.
❤ I will enjoy the hell out of that watermelon! And i ate myself some fried chicken too!
Imagine the outrage if a Democrat put out a dollar bill with McCain’s face surrounded by Tubes of Preparation H, Viagra, Ensure, and a Rascal Scooter.On second thought, they’d probably love it since it’d give them at least 3 days worth of complaining about that instead of talking about the economy.
Jesus. How in the fucking hell is that not a racist image. Pardon my language, but wow.
I ❤ KFC!!!!!
excellent post.
@Oribi – Isn’t it hilarious, I lived in the USA for a few years and the watermelon and ribs part are completely new to me and the thing is I’m black…lol. Its all new to me. I live in Japan so the watermelon part was even crazier because someone asked me if they eat watermelon where I am from since watermelon are way popular in Japan during the summer. And now I’m craving a koolaid jammer, why aren’t there koolaid jammer in Japan!?!When I go home for Christmas I’m bringing back a ship load of koolaid and eat me some Popeye’s chicken.But the republican party had to know if they were on a food stamp, seeing as food stamps itself means something. btw noone uses food stamps anymore they have upgraded to cards like a debit card.
It’s ultimately a thanks to the generational cat and dog thing, we need to remember Dr. Martin Luther King! Set aside the white and black animosity that hasn’t died since the civil war of america! Those who deny racism use it as escapism from admitting they are, I don’t support Obama but I ain’t going to make a comment about his race! I comment on what I studied he stands for and has history of, his race means little! I have black friends, yet even today I still see the cat and dog hate respite my willing acceptance!
ok, there’s no way you cannot find this depiction racist. as for the whole muslim thing, who gives a shit? a candidate’s religion has nothing to do with their qualifications for office. and, OH WAIT, he’s a christian. fuck, i’m an atheist, but i donated money to and proudly supported both the kerry and obama campaigns. so for all i care, obama (or mc cain) can be christian, muslim, hindu, or one of Tom Cruise’s religious friends. but please people, support or bash candidates for their policies and visions for our nation’s future, not something so fucking irrelevant like religion, race, or stereotypes. all the stereotyping has made me hungry for watermelon, fried chicken, ribs, and kool-aid though.
(Nigger,you mean nigger. Nigger I usually associate with stereotypical imagesoffered in an offensive light. Nigga on the on the other hand I see tobe a word used for brotherhood. Though I care not about their use, I amunsure about how I feel about using them myself even though I continueto use both.)Ah, white people, and their conveniently naievety on the issue of race. I don’t think the racial or socioeconomical majority ever really knows how it is to be the minority, and the negative connotations that are associated with being such. I mean, I never offended by it all, but I don’t think white people know what jackasses they make themselves out to be when they say things like that.
Man, I want some fried chicken right about now. I’m asian, by the way. (=Good post. This election is full of stereotypes. Living in the south, it’s clearly apparent that a lot of the white people here are opposed to Obama because he’s black/muslim/arab/a terrorist/. I hear it all here. I mean, there may be a lot of people here who are against Obama for his views & his political principles & not for the color of his skin, which is understandable. But it’s typically rare to find a person like that over here. It’s a shame. Racism sucks.
True the comic was a little generalizing and insensitive (plus, Obama is only half black… and that black side is from Africa, which is completely different from Afro-American). I’m Chinese, if someone were to talk about me eating fried rice, chow fun, beef tongue, won ton… well I do and I enjoy it. I think the issue here is that this is aimed towards Afro-Americans, and basically being racist toward them is pretty taboo. There are a lot of negative stereotypes, but I can’t stereotyping diet is bad (I love KFC too).
props
haha props bro
What is wrong with those kinds of foods. They’re delicious! Now, I do not like Obama to be president of the USA but he seems to be a prettygood person in general with some questionable “friends” (ie. Ayers andDorhm, Al-Monsour, etc…). But I don’t see the racism much, I mean Obama is notonly black, he’s white too. So if there were any racism AT ALL I doubt I would even know about him, perhaps, in 1 year time as the first “Mr. Almost Black President” when the information reaches print in Asia. Anyway, people victims of racistcommentaries (the least) are ironically racist themselves.
What do Barack Hussein Obama, William Aires, & Louis Farrakhan have in common? And it has nothing to do with race.
Having lived in the States for a relatively short time, I didn’t understand the watermelon and the Kool-Aid, and still am trying to understand even after I’ve read the comments on this one. But I know enough to understand that sly, snide remark about that donkey.Racists would be an understatement. They’re bigoted people who can’t even admit that they were being stupid– they can’t even own up to their actions. At this rate, the racist side of America won’t be gone in a hundred years, because people are being so DUMB.
I am not black and I love watermelon. I eat the shit out of every watermelon and canteloupe I see. In fact, I love all juicy fruits. In fact I love all of those foods. I want those Obama Bucks, but Im still not voting for him. haha.
I have read your blog and if you read mine you just might get a glimpse of the real Obamathe genocide of the tribe of Cush is just the tip of the iceberg (so to speak) this man makes what Adolf Hitler did to the Jews tame by comparison.Do some research and find out just how immoral and wicked he really is God have mercy on all of us should he get elected.Over the years I have seen the effects of a morally corrupt government upon our society in general but especially in the black community, having spent 63 years of my life in Philadelphia, and most of it working in the inner city, within or near the black community. Abortion mills, disguising themselves as Planned Parenthood, using propaganda such as educating the masses on sexual and birth related topics; while their main objective is to snuff out innocent lives. Their marketing strategy is for all who could be lured, but primarily focused on the black community. This is evident by the vast majority of abortion mills located within the black community and close to schools. Brothers and sisters, the killing of these precious souls is being done with our tax dollars, and the blessings of our elected officials. In April, the annual report of Planned Parenthood Federation of America revealed that the abortion mill giant had a total income of $1.02 billion—with reported profits of nearly $115 million. Taxpayers kick in more than $336 million worth of government grants and contracts at both the state and federal levels. That’s a third of Planned Parenthood’s budget.The total numbers of babies burned alive in their mother’s womb, and torn limb from limb are more than an estimated 50 plus million which include, some figures saying, 16 million black babies. These figures grow at an alarming rate of 3-4 thousand innocent lives a day being brutally slaughtered. Pure eugenics, with the sugar coated thyme of a woman’s right to choose. This makes Hitler’s eugenic slaughter of 11 million, some 6 million being Jews seem tame.The bloods of these innocents cry out for justice. It will be granted when this country answers to the Almighty at the Judgment Seat for their crimes against his creation. What about us Christians in this matter? These killers have taken our silence as acceptance and we’ve even become known as the silent majority. Our Silence is deafening, it starts from the pulpit, the leaders of the church down to the least of us. Does our silence absolve us from any guilt in this matter? NO! Even man’s law states that if a person witnesses a crime and does nothing to stop it or report it, that same person is guilty of conspiracy in the commission of that offence. We find proof of this 3 times in Ezekiel, where the Lord tells Ezekiel that the blood of the sinners will be on his hands as well, if he fails to warn them. Some of us even vote for elected officials knowing they support these atrocities. Isn’t the blood of these innocents on the hands of these voters as well? We as the body of Christ must pray for divine intervention in this matter. We must also become vocal on this issue and active in the political arena, even if nothing more than voting. Why are they targeting inner city and primarily black areas? Read on! The answer will astonish you, but more so should infuriate you. The following are excerpts from several sites regarding the abortion issue, from which much is related to our black brothers and sisters. They have addressed it with more incite and clarity than I can ever hope to. Much of what is written is by Rev.Dr. Clenard Childress founder of BlackGenocide.org. Other sources are; Abortion facts.com and Christians for Social Justice. Source: Abortion Facts .com In an article dated August 12, 1996, in US News and World Report, results about abortion from the Alan Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood’s research arm, were reported. According to this report, “Blacks who make up 13.7% of all childbearing women, have 31% of all abortions and whites, who account for 81% of women of childbearing age, have 61%”. Since Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton over 16 million African American babies have been sacrificed for any reason or no reason in “clinics” offering “safe” and legal abortions. What has caused this shift in attitude? Has this phenomenon happened haphazardly or has there been a conscious effort external and internal to the Black community to effect such a change? I argue that there are historical precedents both external and internal to the Black community that has shaped present day attitudes. The search for an answer leads to the number one abortion provider in America and internationally, Planned Parenthood Federation and its founder, Margaret Sanger. Abortion as birth control and a solution for an unwanted pregnancy has its genesis in two movements that have been prevalent during much of the 20th century: the birth control and women’s movement (particularly the feminist movement). There can be no doubt that women have had and continue to have legitimate concerns about their sometimes negative status in this country and abroad. But both of these movements must, moreover, be viewed in the historical context of the ideology of eugenics; neo-Malthusianism and socialism which Margaret Sanger promoted. Eugenics is the science that seeks to improve races through the control of hereditary factors–encouraging reproduction from those who are assumed to have the best genes. Neo-Malthusians of the 20th century based their ideas on Robert Malthus’s 19th century view of population growth which was “population will always grow faster than available food supply.” Therefore, a stable population requires that 2 individuals produce no more than 2.1 children: 2 to replace themselves and 0.1 to make up for those people who remain childless. I haven’t figured out you can have a 0.1 child. Early on the Black birth rate was identified as a problem. In issues of The Birth Control Review, Margaret Sanger’s magazine, dating from the summer of 1932, many of the so called prominent leaders in the Black community contributed articles articulating their views on the solution of the “Negro” problem. Dr. W.E.B. DuBois, Professor Charles Johnson of Fisk University, Dr. W.G. Alexander, general secretary of the National Medical Association of Negro Physicians, Newell Sims, and others helped “throw light on the need for birth control among the underprivileged Negroes.” Dr. Dubois wrote that large numbers of children were a handicap to those Negroes “who were striving to improve their economic positions,” and that “there was a clash between those for better economic position and those whose religious faith made the limitation of children a sin.” DuBois’s recognition that the church played an important role in the community not only for spiritual guidance but also for community information on various subjects prompted him to say that “the churches are open for the most part to intelligent propaganda of any sort, and the American Birth Control League and other agencies ought to get their speakers before church congregations and their arguments in the Negro newspapers.” His suggestions would be acted upon in 1939 with the formulation of the “Negro Project” developed by Margaret Sanger with help from Clarence Gamble (of Proctor and Gamble) and others. In the June 1932 magazine issue, Elmer Carter, a magazine editor, wrote an article titled “Eugenics for the Negro” in which he states “that the race problem in America is infinitely aggravated by the presence of too many unhappy born, sub-normals, morons, and imbeciles of both races. Therefore, those fighting for birth control must take eugenics into consideration.” From his statement, it is obvious that the so called Black elite wanted the gene pool of the “unfit” to be eliminated. As can be seen from above, some influential Black Americans had begun to believe in and spread the doctrine of birth-control as an economic necessity and as a way to improve or cleanse the race by the practice of eugenics. Sanger, at the forefront of this thought, summarized the ideologies by saying “eugenics without birth control seemed a house built upon sands … The eugenists wanted to shift the birth-control emphasis from less children from the poor to more children from the rich. We [birth controllers] went in back of that and sought to stop the multiplication of the unfit.” Thus, she made this a class issue as well as race issue. I would like to think that the early Black leaders who promoted birth control devices were thinking more in terms of contraceptives used for family planning and that they would be appalled to see that today abortion is considered by many as a form of birth control which is different from family planning. Subsequently, the seeds of the eugenics movement of which abortion is only one way it is manifested, are bearing a bountiful harvest today, for every 3 Black babies born, 2 are aborted. Every month more than 133, 333 babies are aborted; more than 41,000 are Black Americans. It is no accident that 78% of abortuaries are located in or near predominately minority neighborhoods. Source: Christians for Social Justice – Black Genocide Several years ago, when 17,000 aborted babies were found in a dumpster outside a pathology laboratory in Los, Angeles, California, some 12-15,000 were observed to be black.” –Erma Clardy Craven (deceased)Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions.According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, black women are more than 3 times as likely as white women to have an abortionOn average, 1,452 black babies are aborted every day in the United States. Sen. Obama had a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood (an organization whose founder called blacks “human weeds”) for his support of abortion.By his advocacy of abortion Sen. Obama has done everything to promote the killing of the most vulnerable members of the African American community – the preborn.This incidence of abortion has resulted in a tremendous loss of life. It has been estimated that since 1973 Black women have had about 16 million abortions. Michael Novak had calculated “Since the number of current living Blacks (in the U.S.) is 36 million, the missing 16 million represents an enormous loss, for without abortion, America’s Black community would now number 52 million persons. It would be 36 percent larger than it is. Abortion has swept through the Black community like a scythe, cutting down every fourth member.”A highly significant 1993 Howard University study showed that African American women over age 50 were 4.7 times more likely to get breast cancer if they had abortions compared to women who had no abortions. Source: Christians for Social Justice – Eugenics Margaret Sanger Would Have Loved Barack Obamaby Rev. Clenard H. Childress, Jr.Revelations of eugenic ideology and the racist practices of Planned Parenthood are unfolding more and more. The public is just beginning to believe what people of conscience have known long ago. Planned Parenthood has diabolically perpetrated their murderous plot to surgically eliminate those they deem undesirable. In other words, kill the babies of unsuspecting minority women by aborting their children .Then, tell them this is a “good thing” for you and your people. No other ethnic group in the United States has been decimated more by abortion than the Afro-American community. The war being waged upon innocent captives in the womb is led by Planned Parenthood. What is the strategy? Convince the targeted community to accept their eugenic racist plan by selecting one from their ethnicity to promote it. One of Planned Parenthood’s earliest known projects was in 1939. It was called the Negro Project. A project designed to control the birth of “human weeds” which was how Margaret Sanger referred to colored people. A project designed to introduce abortion, sterilization and different forms of birth control. This is what a co-eugenic wrote to Margaret Sanger to make sure the “Negro Project” was a success: Clarence Gamble, the Heir of Proctor and Gamble, wrote a memorandum in November 1939 entitled “Suggestions for the Negro Project,” In the letter he suggested black leaders to be placed in positions where it would appear they were in charge.” This is a letter to Clarence Gamble, from Margaret Sanger, which she wrote, “We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” For those of you that don’t know, Barack Obama became a “minister” of Planned Parenthood a long time ago. He’s so good at carrying out their racist murderous agenda against Afro-Americans and society at large that they gave him a 100% score on his voting record. Planned Parenthood is following the strategy of their racist founder Margaret Sanger to the letter. Planed Parenthood is saying ‘We have our poster boy’ get him out in front as a lure for their women and men. Get them into our abortion clinics and dismember their children by the millions! You say absurd? No Way? Planned Parenthood’s Valentine cards were sent out to hundreds of thousands of young people in the nation. Whose face is plainly seen waving to them with a big smile? Whose endorsement is given to this racist and calloused organization? Who is used to lure children and give credibility to its hideous plot? Barack Obama, that’s who! “Thank You, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, ($) Thanks to all of you at Planned Parenthood for all the work that you are doing for women all across the country and for families all across the country-and for men who have enough sense to realize you are helping them, all across the country. I want to thank Cecile Richards (national president of Planned Parenthood) for her extraordinary leadership. I am happy to see so many good friends here today, including Steve Trombley and Pam Sutherland from my home state of Illinois. We had a number of battles down in Springfield from many years and it’s wonderful to see that they are here today.” The first friend mentioned is Cecile Richards who he commends for extraordinary leadership in killing babies who are disproportionately black. The second is Steve Trombley ; he is the president of Planned Parenthood Chicago. You can imagine how many of our young women have been victimized and whose pre-born children were killed under his supervision. His third friend he mentions is Pam Sutherland. She is the State CEO of Planned Parenthood for Illinois. America needs to know how much these folks were and continue today to be into the head and actions of Senator Barack Obama. How much did he compromise his own values? Dr. Martin Luther King, from his last Sunday sermon before his death, said “There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right. I believe today that there is a need for all people of goodwill to come with a massive act of conscience and say in the words of the old Negro spiritual, We ain’t goin’ study war no more” This is the challenge facing modern man.” When the challenge came to Barack Obama to call on conscience, he refused. What most Americans would say no to, he chooses to say, YES. He refused to do what the Dream called for, to allow your conscience to tell you what is right and what would be wrong. You may ask why but always remember this observation. Abortion is a lot like slavery. If it was not lucrative it would not have been legal! Pam Sutherland of Illinois Planned Parenthood told ABC News, “We worked with him specifically on his strategy. The Republicans were in control of the Illinois Senate at the time. They loved to hold votes on ‘partial birth’ and ‘born alive.’ They put these bills out all the time … because they wanted to pigeonhole Democrats. …” Let me interpret. We, Planned Parenthood, told him what to say and how to say it so we could continue to kill infants. Babies just a few inches from birth and those completely out of the womb that we missed! Our “colored minister” was well prepared by Planned Parenthood. Partial Birth abortion, which I will not describe here but know that 80% of Americans don’t want this barbaric act practiced here in this country, Barack voted to keep it legal. The Born alive victims act is a law to protect a child that was born alive after a botched abortion. This is a law that would require that the child would receive medical assistance. Barack Obama voted against it. Barack Obama, with an “engaging personality,” is being used by the leading abortion provider in the United States to promote and execute infanticide of predominately minority babies. And what are most Afro-Americans saying, “Yes We Can, Yes We Can!” They are ignoring conscience. They are ignoring the Dream! I have a Dream that one day, my four little children will live in a world where that they won’t be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Yes, I believe it would be wonderful to have a Black man as president but it’s more important for there to be God’s man as president. That his or her character would reflect my values, values that are reflected in the 10 Commandments and our Declaration of Independence. Most African-Americans are applauding him for the color of his skin. They have failed to look at closely the content of his character. Martin Luther King, while sitting in a Birmingham jail , without the internet, cell phone, library resources or communication from the outside, penned that famous prophetic letter to answer some local Pastors who questioned his use of public demonstrations. Martin, in a portion of his letter discussed the responsibility of the church to address social issues, he said, “the early church put an end to such evils as infanticide” Martin Luther King wrote from the passion of his spirit. That spirit fought for justice and equality. Martin called infant killing evil. Barack Obama calls it a women’s right. Martin Luther King made his observation from a jail cell having been put there for defending the civil rights of those whom had been denied. Barack Obama has made his from caucusing with those who profit from the destruction of babies in the womb. These are men and women whom ignore the silent screams of a lost generation. Can we trust Obama’s judgments? I think not. Another quote form Dr. Martin Luther King that would be so appropriate here is “The Negro cannot win if he chooses to sacrifice the future of his children for immediate comfort and safety.” It is now imperative that we all hear the words of this great prophet of God. It is obvious that we must reject the Barack Obama’s that have placed us in great danger by their ideologies. A position Martin Luther King warns us we cannot expect to win! Yes, Margaret Sanger would love Barack Obama. Her protégés certainly do. Christians for Social Justice, and ObamaNation.com is not affiliated, endorsed, authorized, or funded by any candidate or candidate’s campaign committee.
Omg my husband is Mexican and I like Kool-aid, what am I to do?
So should I do my part and eat extra watermelon to help dispel the stereotype?How anybody could look at that photo and claim that there was nothing racist about it is beyond me. It really truly is.
@ThisGirl527 – “Drinking the Kool-Aid” refers to the mass suicide at Jonestown, Guyana by cyanide-laced Kool-Aid. The Heaven’s Gate cult committed suicide via barbiturates and vodka along with plastic bags secured over their heads to induce asphyxiation.
Hi, I just came across this particular entry and felt I needed to comment … I have used the Kool-Aid comment myself, but had always thought it referred to Jim Jones and the Jonestown Massacre. I had used this comment in the context of telling people “not to drink the Kool-Aid” when they seemed to blindly follow someone in power without asking any questions. And, other than learning just today about the negative connotation about using Kool-Aid to insinuate a racial slur, I can say I honestly never knew. I had heard of the fried chicken/watermelon insult and thought that was stupid and I think people do it for their asinine attempt to put people in a box. So, I guess if I use this comment in the future about “drinking Kool-Aid”, I’ll always be sure to clarify to my reader/listener that I’m referring to Jim Jones, etc. Thanks for educating me!
@indyzona – You are correct that “don’t drink the kool-Aid” refers to Jim Jones and I find nothing wrong with using it the way that you do. Kool-Aid also has racist connotations in relation to black people, so I have a problem when syndicated media outlets put headlines out saying Don’t drink the Obama kool-Aid. It is irresponsible for a professional journalist to ignore the double meaning behind this phrase. I honestly wouldn’t say you did anything insensitive.
The worst thing about the woman’s comment is that she is lying. Anyone who would group stereotypical images together and then deny that they were not done so with a purpose is lying. I have never understood folks who use stereotypical images to be racist and then deny it claiming that people are too “politically correct.” The problem with her argument is that those images have been used to belittle an entire group….just as other images have been used to do the same for others. This process is dehumanizing and more than painful, for it rips at one’s soul. Shame on her. Shame…shame.Thumbs up for your post and your ability to rise above her by making intelligent rebuttal of her lack of humanity.
Holy shit, I eat watermelon…I love ribs…and I’m basically addicted to kool-aid….I MUST BE BLACK! Oh hell yes!!! That means I know how to dance! I can play basketball!! I CAN SING AFRICAN SPIRITUALS!!! *ammmmmaaaaaazzzzinnngg graceeeeee, howww sweeeet…* Seriously though, great post, these types of blatant racists make America look ignorant. Kudos, good sir.
“Black people like watermelons” is a stereotype –I don’t understand how it’s racist. No one actually thinks that ALL black people like watermelons… right? If I ask a black friend if he likes watermelons, I’m not asking to try to insult him. I’m trying to satisfy my curiosity about a certain statistic. Interpreting that as an insult wouldn’t even make any sense? Sure… I’m pointing out that he’s black. Is that bad? I’m not implying anything beyond that he’s black at all. To interpret the fact that I’m calling him black as racist is to say that you are equating blackness with something undesireable… meaning that interpreting a black stereotype by itself as racist… is racist.On the other hand… filling a political cartoon with black stereotypes seems to be saying “Don’t vote for Obama… he’s black!”, or more specifically “Obama is only going to help the poor because all black people are poor” which are clearly racist.Race is a total non-issue in politics, as far as I’m concerned, and anyone who bothers bringing it up is ignorant.
@AlterEgo909 – It’s my understanding that the Kool-aid refers to people following Obama like a cult, not his race. “Don’t drink the Kool-aid” became famous in the 80’s after the leader of a cult in Guyana had all the followers drink Kool-aid laced with cyanide. As further evidence, the phrase was first used by (black) mayor of DC, Marion Barry. Anyway, don’t get too bent out of shape over a typical popular culture reference. “Kool-aid” comments are making fun of the way people seem taken by Obama and are blindly following him (in the opinion of the people who use the phrase). They aren’t using Kool-aid as a metaphor for blackness to discourage voters from choosing Obama.
Its not even so much about being racist…shoot. Hate all the races if you want to. Maybe the lady who made that cartoon isn’t racist. I mean, just for a second, lets go with that. But even a child would understand that would be offensive to African Americans, and trying to say that its okay to do something hurtful and offensive just because “your not racist” is probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard from a grown woman.
@rhinosaur767 – You’re right, my bad. I need to double check my historical facts before commenting on others! 🙂
Yeah I’m sure that she did this for the racism and not for the lulz… Did that occur to any of you? That maybe she just made a really stupid, inconsiderate, and overused joke? She’s probably just a moron or seeking attention. Obviously she shouldn’t have done it, but running this on CNN just spreads the stereotype… This says a lot about the American media, actually, when stories about some backwater women’s club’s newsletter make national headlines…
@CallMeQuell – The donkey body is because the donkey is the democratic symbol (the elephant being the republican symbol), it’s probably the only thing on there that isn’t racist and the only reason you are an idiot.
Hmmm, I think that this cartoon was seriously racially insensitive….the lady was just plain crazy if she didn’t think people were going to take it that way. Thing is, the way this election has been going, there is racism on BOTH sides of the party. We just need to stop with all of that because it solves nothing and all it does is divide us as a nation. But BOTH sides have to stop with the racism. Now as far as Obama is concerned, I think he’s extremely smart, very eloquent, probably a good dad and family man. I think with some time for us to get to know him he would make a good president. However I dont think right now he is experienced enough. Some of the ideal’s he has, for me, are a bit too far left leaning and it makes me question where he wants to take the united states. His healthcare policy is awesome….his tax policy isn’t really adding up though. Although if you were to get particular, McCain’s doesn’t either. For a long time I have wanted a minority in power. Whether it be someone of color (ANY color not just black) and or a woman. But I cant just pick someone because they are a person of color. I have to believe in what they stand for. And there is a lot of stuff Obama stands for that I as a person just dont agree to. As for McCain is concerned, I feel he has a lot more experience. He seems to know his stuff and he has been around for a long time (obviously) lol. He also seems like a decent person, like Obama. And we’ve seen a little more of what he’s about in the senate. He has undermined his own partisan to go for what he thought was right. Which a lot of Republican’s did not like. He is a little more open about his past tendencies…whether it be good or not. There is a longer list of why and why not to vote for the candidates this year that I have. To me, each are legitimate reasons. But the one thing that sucks is someone telling me that I am not voting for Obama because of his color. That just pisses me off big time. Because I do know there are people who are voting for either side just based on color and not because they have educated themselves on their candidates policies.Anyway back to the cartoon it sucks plain and simple and that lady was just retarded. Oh and to @CallMeQuell – The donkey body represents the democratic party. Because the dem’s are donkies and the republicans are elephants. It’s just a symbol. But it looks just about horrible on a cartoon like this 😦
I live within walking distance of the most racist town in the USA; Denton, N.C..In fact, it’s where my grandmother grew-up. She once told me of the time when her preacher had to stop his sermon to escort the KKK out of the church. A white, Southern Baptist church standing up to the KKK, in the town where the former Head of the Entire KKK now lives. That in itself shows that stereotypes toward anyone (black, white and everyone in between), are completely irrelevant to a person’s “True Colors” on the inside; regardless of the outside.
god i’m so sick of people throwing around the word “racist” like they know what it means. “stereotyping” and “racism” are two different things. just because a person is stereotyped, doesn’t mean the person stereotyping them is racist. racism is “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” saying “i hate all black people” is racist. portraying in a cartoon that black people eat fried chicken, ribs, kool-aid, and watermelon is not racist. everybody eats that stuff. so it’s time for everybody to get a grip now and stop claiming that everything is racist.
Great post! I think it can be said that the majority of people who claim not to be racist just don’t realize how internal it is for them to think certain ways about minorities. I hadn’t seen or heard about that “Obama Bucks” cartoon until you mentioned it in your entry, and it both infuriated me and made me sad…it’s really pathetic that in this day and age we’re still having those same problems. Thanks for making us more aware! ^_^
People are such idiots some times. Like she thinks we wouldn’t realize it’s racist?! I mean, I can be pretty oblivious some times, but COME ON. Even I could see that. But I’m gonna argue with the Kool-Aid. I always think of that as a “cult” thing, not a race thing. But that could be because I’m a religous studies major. 🙂
Have a wonderful coming week!!
“Go forth and enjoy the shit out of that watermelon.”I LOVE YOU.
I think those stereotypes are just plain stupid and come from the greatly aggravating and ignorant population. A lot of people who aren’t black like those foods too, and for someone to say that they’ve married a Mexican person is their justification for why they were “obviously” not racist against the black population is just a great display of ignorance.
@Wildangel78 – Uh, I didn’t say a thing about the donkey body.
Some White lies….1. “Our ancestors came after slavery, so we can’t be racist!”Yes you can. everyone can become racist towards anyone, even after such things.2. “We’re liberals, we can’t be racist!”Refer to #1.3. “I have a S.O. that’s another race than me, I cant be racist.”Also, another misconception. one could easily be racist/discriminate towards another race, even if they are dating someone of another race than theirs.This “nigga” bullshit has been talked about on the internet so often, that you really can’t hide the fact that this was obviously racism.It wasn’t even intelligently hidden either, which reflects the creator.I know what I said was a bit in your face in the above, but its something I’ve heard a LOT amongst whites.And I live in the south, where it is still painfully prevalent to the people of our society.I’m considering making a McCain/Palin buck with pickles, a jar of mayo, cheese, a bottle of gin and a “Journey” cd and seeing what response I get out of it.Seriously….what a load of shit.
@dfarrell – I didn’t say anything about donkeys! What are you people talking about?!
I’m from up north and totally don’t get this post. Chicken, ribs, watermelon, and kool-aid are standard foods up here.
@Gerald_Washington – Yeah because doing the exact same thing will really help the problem rather than push it further. It takes a great deal of idiocy to be able to think that will be a solution to anything, and I feel sorry for those that do. It’s like that black guy calling for the extermination of the whites… Stuff like that just spreads more racism and tells the racists that the other race is not only inferior, but also a threat.
It’s a bunch of (fill in the blank) whose perception of Black people created that “parody.” They don’t know any better, and are possibly not intelligent enough TO know any better. Kind of like a voluntary ignorance. I feel sorry for their children.
ugh people just don’t get it…
What the…?!At least have the guts to admit that you used foods associated with the Black community.Good grief, woman.
@MaryVerina – Lucky. I’m in Alabama. We’ve advanced greatly in so many areas, but racism is still pretty prevalent…
I don’t plan to vote for Obama, but it’s not because of his race. It’s because of the issues and his voting record. I have no problem with a black person being president. I’d take a black conservative over McCain if offered the choice. But I should say I’d look at the issues and his/her record and not just the label of “conservative”.
Thanks to all the half dozen people who felt the need to “inform” me, however, I don’t need a history lesson, at least not the same one over and over. Thanksies.
I live on chicken, watermelon, ribs, kool-aid. Does that make me a nigga?I certainly hope so. I love black people haha wouldn’t mind having a footlong youknowwhat either. lol
@Erin_Noelle_20 – thank you. I think everyone is so accustomed to seeing certain things in certain ways. if a black group came out with a magazine or food stamp picture with McCain with anything stereotypical of a white person, then it’s not newsworthy but once its about a black person, it becomes controversy. I see it all the time living in NYC. The moment something involves black people it’s racists but they can say whatever they fee like. so what if these pictures have Obama’s face on it, isn’t it true most black people eat watermelon, drink kool aid and eat fried chicken? I think it is, so how is that a stereotype?
Here’s what I don’t understand. Its supposed to be a stereotype, but it really is true that many, many african americans actually really enjoy those foods, and really do talk that way. And yes, many african americans really don’t like white people and express it in many ways every day. At least the majority of the ones I come into contact with, and have for years now, in several different states no less. No, people shouldn’t be pre-judged based on the actions or behavior of others, particularly about stupid things that don’t matter. But lets be real here.
I’m not going to lie, I joke around with my black friends when it comes to all that. At the end of it all though, it’s all fun in games until someone actually uses things of that nature to hint at a racial stereotype. Sure I joke around about purple drank, watermelon, and fried chicken. Sure they joke about me eating rice, plowing the rice field, and making chikehn flied lice. We had a mutual understanding, were all friends. Unless she’s friends with every single black man and woman then what else was she trying to say? I like fried chicken too, I’ve grown up drinking Kool-Aid when I was little, and in summer what was my favorite snack? Watermelon. I really don’t see why anyone would try to associate stupid ass things with black people. Don’t even get me started on Wing Stop, that place is the shit. She’s already ruined it for the Republicans. If she really thinks she can be naive enough to put those images along with Obama and expect them not to be racist, well I think someone is in denial here. I don’t even understand how people like that become politicians. I don’t like either, but this makes me want to vote for Obama just to see what people get pissed off. I don’t view these things as the foundations of any black American. My first best friend was black and dayum did they make some bomb ass food. Brandon Johnson, his dad worked on those big merchant ships and his mom was a nurse; two very respectable jobs.Shame on people for making fun of it. In all honesty if Obama were to become President I’d like to see people like her out of politics forever. When it comes down to it all equality for ANYONE began with Martin Luther King. Asians, Hispanics, Latinos. Why would this sound like she was trying to make a point? It’s blatantly a racist gesture. I go to a school that has mostly white people. A few times on occassion I heard the “nigger” term dropped. Pisses me off. I’d ask them if they had a fuckin problem then they shut up. It’s just about that time were we need someone (maybe Obama) to make it clear that in this day in age cultural acceptance is a must. 2008 and there are still KKK members, Neo Nazis, and Confederate flags? Yet, no one has done anything to eradicate that from the United States? Maybe we do need a change. I don’t agree with Obama with somes things completely, but maybe…just maybe this is what we need.ps. Popeye’s and Wingstop goes great with some bomb ass rice!
Racist or not – it makes you wonder why these people have nothing better to do than sit around putting together insulting cartoons. Looking at the cartoon, I was trying to figure out what point they were trying to argue more than anything. It just looked pointless altogether to me! I am not black, and I don’t have a problem with a black President (if he’s the right man for the job!) but I do know better than to put something like this together and then get that deer in the headlight look and say “What? How is that racist? Oh! It didn’t even register!” The amazing, and perhaps scary, thing is – this woman is the President of something? Are you kidding me?! Also – just because it was mentioned in the post – it was referenced that Obama is a Christian. He does make that claim – but I have heard him speak about different issues, including some things in the Bible. I am a Christian woman, and I don’t believe his claim of Christianity simply because the things he says do not go with what the Bible says. I don’t know his heart as the Lord does…but I know if what you are saying doesn’t match up with what God says – it’s likely you aren’t serving Him. Many people say he’s a Muslim – but there are many of us Christians who don’t believe he’s a Christian either! I have never heard him claim to be a Muslim, so you kind of have to take that as rumor or speculation unless he comes out and says otherwise. Many people in my family are not Christians – it doesn’t make me the same just because we are of the same family.(By the way – I won’t be voting for McCain either!)In closing – the cartoon is offensive but just a word of advice – don’t be TOO offended by it! It just shows the stupidity white folks can have at times! Just as we are not all the same because of our blood lines – we are not all the same because of our color lines, either! There are two races of mankind – the saved and the unsaved!God Bless!
stereotyping allows people to “know” what someone is like without actually spending time to find out what that person is actually like- so stereotyping sucks, whether it’s applied to race or any other category you can think ofI love fried chicken, watermelon, ribs and koolaid. Heck it’s a whole meal right there!
That picture’s really upsetting and the fact she can dare to claim that she isn’t racist is even more upsetting. The notion that just because she’s married to a hispanic man doesn’t mean she’s not racist. The fact she added those things into the picture obviously are signs that she is. Because if her claim of “Only those racist would see it as racist” means many of us upsetted by it are. That’s ridiculously stupid. The next time she gets the nerve to make a picture like that, I hope she has better excuses as to why she’s still not racist that these ones.
Mhmm. If it wasn’t racist then why did she pick those items? She knew exactly what she was doing, no point in trying to deny it.
First let me say, with that wig in your profile picture – I’m assuming it’s a wig! – you remind me of Nick Nolte’s mug shot – don’t be offended, I think it looks funny. OK, as for Obama – I am definately NOT a supporter, I don’t trust the man, based on alliances, his worldview, his experience, his voting history and his stances on issues. I’m a Christian and would not consider him a Christian. He believes that there are many ways to heaven- this is definately in conflict with Christian doctrine. I’m not judging him, that’s for God to do, I’m being discerning. There is racism on both sides, unfortunately it’s always going to exist. I consider people who are voting for him because he is black as racists, also. Vote on issues, experience, plans, alliances, track record, world view, not on skin color. Voting for Obama because he is black is voting for him based on his skin color, not on the content of his character. That being said, I agree, the picture you posted does seem racist, at the very least, intentionally offensive, the ladies who did this should be ashamed.
Lmao, i didnt see the racial stuff in that fake foodstamps. I get it now, lol. The racism has got to end. But I doubt it will. :l
yea so i must be black, caz i saw all these foods right here, and i said oh man I WANT SOME, NOW. right after i had this other AMERICAN fave, a HAMBURGER. wonder what was in their minds not to put THAT up there!!!!!!! how horrible!!!Besides. If Barack was raised by his white grandparents, who says he would have eaten any of it?get over colors, America. Obviously you forget yours are RED WHITE AND BLUE!!!!!!!!
They’re beyond racist…they’re just ignorant as hell. And not even worth the anger.
Oh come on. That image is kind of funny. Go forth and eat watermelon; yeah… learn to laugh at things. The fried chicken/watermelon stereotype is harmless. Why not make a little ironic humor with it?
i am not a racist (i have 2 uncles that were adopted that are black and i love them to pieces) but the fact of the matter is that racism goes 2 ways in todays world. we’ve become so conscious of racism that we arent even allowed to ask questions about a candidate for president. Like what do all these radical friends of Obamas see in him that makes them wanta hang out with him? I’m not at all opposed to a man of color being president, but i would like to see a man that is a little more patriotic and in line with the views of his country than Obama is. I am one of the middle class ppl making $42,000.00 or less but i dont want a bigger goverment that hands me a check every year. Will MCcain be much better? I doubt it, but we need someone in power that will return this country to its foundation. That is to say LIBERTY, COMPLETE Justice, and the pursuit of happiness. And true happiness only comes from making your own way thru life, not thru hand outs. Peace
@vanedave – No, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid” is a reference to Jim Jones leading a cult into the middle of the desert and having them drink poisoned Kool Aid.
It’s funny how people such as Diane, perceived as an intelligent woman by her “president” title can say such things. And do people realize that OBAMA IS PART WHITE! If anything he should be considered more white than black since he grew up with white people and obviously, not in tha hood. Therefore, he is not a “nigga”.
“I’m not racist….I talk to several black people!””I’m not racist…my sister married a half black, half mexican man…but he’s not invited to family dinners…neither are their children…but we’re sooooo not racist”I wonder if an Obama supporter did something along those lines for McCain…I wonder if they could get away with the, ‘i’m not racist…because I said I’m not racist’, excuse.Hm…life…funny ain’t it?Now I want some fried chicken
Now, I kinda want some watermelon… with some Kool-Aid. Or, purple drank as it is sometimes called@iStephanieMarie – me too.. something about their biscuits with honey on top. *mmm*@nephyo – Exactly! If Obama is elected, everyone will tout America as the most tolerant nation given our history.
Yes I was raged when I heard this on the news. What really made me mad was when the lady said her mother is married to a Mexican…I’m like “*itch!!! we talking about black people not mexicans!!!” They really think we are shallow & stupid…this is ridiculous.
I dont get it, but then again I’m not American.
Ugh. So she’s not racist, she’s just perpetuating racist stereotypes because she’s so evolved that she’s completely oblivious to racism? Lovely.
Only a feeding frenzy of political correctness would find anything racist in that picture.You ate shit out of a watermelon?
That is absolutely ridiculous. Fedele is an idiot who is protected by the first ammendment. I wish something could be done. I have been SHOCKED at the amount of racism this political race has brought out, from both black people and white people. I live in Alabama, and there are a great many white people who aren’t voting for Obama because he’s black. On the flip side, however, I know a good many black people who are voting for Obama ONLY because he’s black. People are only seeing a color. They aren’t looking at the issues. I just wish people would choose a candidate based on political platforms, not the way a candidate looks. But, yes, it’s really just been shocking. They are actually having KKK meetings in certain towns in the southern states. It’s infuriating.
@CallMeQuell – Sorry about that CMQ, I meant to link the person who had commented below you. For some reason I lag terribly on this page 😦@nephyo – was who I was trying to link about the donkey body.
Thanks for writing this..
@RandomxBlinkingxLight -Its a stereotype just because people think thats true about a certain group of people. You have to look at the offensive racial back ground. Where did it come from that Black people like chicken and watermelon? Did this just pop up? Have you ever heard a watermelon refered to as a “nigger apple”? Did you know that it was believed that Black people liked watermelon because it was a fruit with bright colors, and that Black people, like children, were attracted to reds and greens and all those things? So yes, this is a stereotype because its not true about all Black people, and its a negative stereotype because its hundreds of years old, and it does not depict black people in a way they like to be depicted. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Scrub_Me_Mama_watermelon.JPG . Pictures like this are offensive. They can be racist too because of what you imply. Connecting black people to watermelon is saying that black people are child-like, simple minded creatures which in turn implies that thet are somehow inferior to other races. That is racist. Are all white people hateful people who do anything for money? Do they all love cheese and Mayo? Are all Asians bad drivers and good at math? And even if you don’t think anything bad at all about any other races, and you believe everyone is equal, you’d be an idiot to be mad at someone saying that you’re racist since you really didn’t care about offending people. @NYC – It is unfair what is news worthy and what isn’t. It goes both ways tho, based off of race. Do you even know who LaToyia Figueroa is, off the top of your head? How about Tamika Huston? But I bet you know who Laci Peterson is.
@BronzeSugar – May I just say that I love you. I will see you on your page very soon as I must come read you now.
@KageOokami – Great comment. I think if you and your friends joke like that it’s cool. You guys have that understanding and it’s between you guys. Associating this kind of shit with a man who is running for president of the United States is entirely different. @ProfessorTom – You are correct, but in this case it’s a bit more complicated. I addressed this in my last entry “just to Calrify”. I hope you’ll read and give me your opinion.@JENNYTANGISBLOGGING – It’s got absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he is part white. Would he be a nigga if he were full black? I am doing a post later this week about what a nigga is. I hope you’ll come back and read.
@RandomxBlinkingxLight – Stereotyping is a form of racism. What the fuck does Fried Chicken, Ribs, Watermelon and KoolAid have to do with anything. I hope you read my follow up to this blog. “Just to Clarify.” @WrongEraSara – Thank you so much. Glad you enjoyed.@Gerald_Washington – There is bullshit all around us. It’s attacking us from all angles.@kkong1028 – lol. that was terrible.@NYC – What the fuck does that have to do with Barack Obama and this election?
This is incredibly racist and ignorant. She shouldn’t have been sending it out. What bothers me is how Republicans keep saying racially charged things then coming back and standing behind the things that they say and defending themselves as not being racist. It bothers me that people accept stuff like this as being okay.
Even if they’re not a racist and what they said about it not registering is true, those particular Republicans are incredibly naive and probably should not be in charge of a newsletter. From what they said, anyone who is offended by that cartoon and understands the references are the ones who are the racists. I did not know that about myself.Thank God they brought our immorality to us lesser people’s attention.
@Koolou – Find me one person, black, white, or otherwise who does NOT enjoy those foods, haha.Kool-Aid? I mean, really! What little kid doesn’t like Kool-Aid?!
Wow, and to think I drank Kool-aid once. I promise I’ll do penance for the rest of my life. Please forgive me. I’m a worm.
racism gets so old
that is just plain wrong.
I love ribs, KFC, watermelon, and Kool-Aid. In that order.I’m Asian. I grew up in Alabama. It’s not what you look like, you are not what you eat… It’s who you CHOOSE to be, the things you say,and the actions in which you partake.
I’m a black girl… I don’t like watermelon that much. Not bc of the hidden racism behind it, but simply because I hate the blil lack seeds! Can ya see that?!?! Lol… With the foodstamp, it was OVERTLY racist and to try and deny knowing it was racist or having anything to do with the publicity of the racial tones is ridiculous. I’m appalled! not because it was produced, bc that is a given and it was bound to happen with a black man running. but for the sheer fact that she didn’t even seem apologetic about it?!?! thass the breaking straw for me. It is an old one. Fried Chicken and watermelon. It’s antiquated. Get something new to use folks… there is a black man running for president. And then there will be the argument that he is half-white… well I remember there being a statement that was something like if you had 1% of black blood in your body, you were black, end of story, period – point blank. But it’s a new day now… I guess. sorry if i ranted…
oh come on! are you seroious?? you act like ppl dont make fun of mccain for being WHITE! you act like DEMOCRATS dont make fun of republicans or something like that! yes i know you are posting something about people being racist, but its all in fun! its OKAAAAAAY. breathe.
It makes me sad that in the 21st century race and gender are still even issues. I’d like to know what exactly skin color has to do with being qualified to lead the country and why so many people are making such a big deal about it one way or the other. Or particular genitals, for that matter. Palin and Obama, providing bits of the population the opportunity to shine in backwards close-mindedness, that these perfectly qualified individuals would be seen for “what” they are instead of who they are.(steps down from soap box)nice post, btw
The sad and scary thing is that the denial doesn’t end with this woman and her lame food stamps joke– there’s all kinds of unexamined bullshit that is just disrespectful and quite legitimately leads to misunderstandings and verbal altercations and violence, every day. And both parties can walk away feeling as if they’ve been misunderstood. We are far from being an enlightened nation, and racism is so deeply rooted that it’s invisible to most folks. And it’s not just from our tumultuous history either– immigrants from all around the globe come here and pick up on our racism very quickly. Sometimes they amplify it. Their ignorance of how to appropriately “play it off” makes for some pretty scary racist theater, and most of them suffer from prejudices against them, so it makes no sense. I think our nation is in for a pretty scary ride, no matter whom wins the election– if we’re lucky it will be a bumpy enough ride that most of us will take our heads out of our asses and take a look around.
How would you feel if your next president wasn’t AMERICAN? I hate to burst your bubble, but the Constitution clearly states that a non-natural born citizen can’t become the president. At the moment, Obama can’t produce a birth certificate. Talk to me once the media publicizes that, and America wakes up to the fact that the founding fathers put the clause in there about natural born citizens for a reason. Ladies and gentlemen, this election will be epiiiiiic.
Stereotypes are funny. I don’t find them offensive at all. Especially when they’re directed at me.
i’d like to throw a watermelon at that lady’s head……but when you stop and think about it, why would I wanna waste one of the best fruits ever created?this was a damn good post, Dave.btw, i love the interracial dating promotional just below your entry… hilarious!!!
Dope! I also refuse to eat Watermelon and even so far as to say Fried Chicken at Public Events. I’m assuming you saw the story of Skin Heads Trying to Assassinate Obama on a target list of 144 other African Americans Right?
What was more amusing than the post was that there was an ad on the sie that asked if ack people could be racist. Then the fact that there is so much shit on your page that my browser is running slower than some fat ass guy. I can’t believe this was a featured post.
I simply don’t understand how what food you eat determines what race you are.I love all that shit & I’m white last time I checked.Therefore, why the hell is food determining what we are?!It’s interesting that those club member ladies are perfectly fine placing an irrational stereotype upon black people..but MUST defend themselves from those the cartoon putting a ‘racist’ REASONABLE stereotype upon them. That just makes them racist & hypocritical. I’m just gonna stick with what I learned in preschool.’If you can’t say something nice, don’t say it at all.” & “Treat other how you want to be treated.” 😀
Good post, good point! Good grief, gimme some of them ribs, man!
Excellent post – this is so ridiculous to suggest this wasn’t racially motivated. This type of “how low can you go” method of politics is so disgusting. Can’t we just stick to the political issues?
Chicken is good, not two ways about it. Kool-aid … it’s probably better if we keep our kids off it. My kids developed a hankering for Jell-O, and I bought it for them for a few months, maybe six months, until I quit, thinking it was probably not so good for their health. Up until a year or so ago, though, they never knew Jell-O existed. They still don’t know about Kool-aid, a blessing from the Lord. Watermelon? That is good stuff. We ate ourselves bocoodles of it just the other day, bought two small ones for five dollars. And even though it is fall here in South Korea, they did not taste bad, but tasted like they were grown out in the sunshine.
“Aaah the old marry a Mexican to hide your rampant hate for colored people trick. I’ve seen it a million times.”…classic!
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I’m sorry, I think the cartoon is kind of funny, although distasteful coming from where it did. Of course they’re stereotypes – they’re the same stereotypes I see coming from hilarious black comedians like Dave Chapelle. What bothers me, though, is her response to peoples’ reactions. Saying they aren’t racist or stereotypical because everyone eats them is a load of bull. They’re obviously stereotypes, and it’s a joke for her to say that they’re not. But I don’t think that makes her terribly racist. Everyone is a little bit racist (just like the song from the hit comedy-musical Avenue Q says) and really, it’s okay. I don’t think racial jokes are necessarily a bad thing, but they have a place and time. I can turn to my boyfriend and pull back my eyes to squint at him (he’s Viet, so it’s to make fun of him) and he’ll just laugh and give me a kiss on the cheek. And then he can make jokes about me being a whitey, and then we can all go and watch Dave Chapelle and Russell Peters while they make racial jokes as well. That doesn’t mean either of us are going to walk into a store and make a joke at someone we don’t know, and it also doesn’t excuse things like this Obama joke. Stereotypes are fun to make fun of, as long as you remember just what they are – stereotypes.What I’m more concerned about is the stereotypes that Hollywood perpetuates that people actually follow. For example – Asian women as loose, Asian men as nerds who will never get laid, black men as thugs or scary, etc. These are what really bother me, as well as things like the hatred of Muslims that you talk about in your post. It bothers me when I hear armymen call mideasterners “Haji’s,” or when people like McCain call Asians/Viets/Koreans “gooks.” It bothers me when people are downright racist, and it’s not a joke. It’s for real. There’s still so much racism in America – but we’re focusing on the wrong kind.If that flyer was produced by Comedy Central, people would just be laughing and most people probably wouldn’t think a thing about it. The problem is, it came from a Republican women’s group – and that’s not good. Groups like that shouldn’t produce racially-sensitive things like this, leave that to comedy networks and comedians, thank you. The second problem to that is that she thought there was nothing racist about it. If she had said, “hey, it’s stereotypical, it’s untrue, but it can be funny,” that would be a long ways away from saying “but there’s no racism in this.” People can disagree and say “if you can be racist I can be racist too,” but when you get down to it, it DOES matter who is saying it, and where, and when. And, in fact, being with someone outside your race DOES change things. I know being with him has made me more relaxed about making racial jokes, and it’s common now, but it still has a place. Of course someone in love with a Mexican/Asian/black person can still be racist, but it’s still different, and it’s not “hiding your hate for colored people.” That person has more than likely been made more aware to problems of racism. And, depending on the person they are with, they may have learned to be more open to little racist jokes, but they have also learned to understand what’s going on with these jokes instead of accepting stupid stereotypes for truth. Although, I can’t excuse what this woman did from her position, or figure out where she’s coming from.Also, I suggest everyone read the book “Black Like Me” and other articles by John Howard Griffin. And sorry if I made any of this difficult to read, because I became pretty tired in the midst of writing this. Blaaah.
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It’s not surprising that she didn’t admit she was racist. I mean, I wouldn’t admit that I BM to the entire country even if I knew I did. The relation you ask? That “cartoon” and BM are both SHIT! I especially love the argument made by her daughter. Even if her mother married a black man, it does not cancel out the fact that the cartoon she made was RACIST and offensive.
I remember McCain saying that.”He’s an Arab!!””No, no, Obama is a decent family man.”Because, clearly, all Arabs hate their families.
Ok even if she wasn’t racist and didn’t make the connection of the images, SOMEONE should’ve realized it and said how inappropriate it was.I understand that being politically correct can be taken overboard, and I’ll be the first to tell people to grow some thicker skin, but that sort of thing was blatantly deliberate.
Is she for real??? I mean, seriously….
Don’t you just love the “I’m not racist, I (insert their quantification of how many ___ friends, lovers they have/had)”And if she weren’t racist, she would have put more culture-neutral foods … broccoli, appples lmao.
I hate racism so much. It irks me even more when racist people deny they’re racist. Not cool at all Ms. Fedele
On one hand i see your point of view. On the other hand i’m sick and tired of hearing all this crap about racism. I don’t see color. I don’t understand why race even matters, but the people who tend to bring up the race issues the most are black from what i see. Why is that? Martin Luther King Jr. said that he wanted his kids to be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Why have so many people in the black community lost sight of that? I spent almost the entire past year in Aurora, CO (a suburb of Denver) which has a large black community. I made a lot of friends but a lot of their perspectives unnerved me. Not all of the black people i knew, but a lot of them, were incredibly racist. They talked crap about white people and mexicans and basically everyone that wasn’t black. Why is it socially acceptable for a black man to vote for Obama because Obama is half black, but if i said i was voting for McCain because he’s white there’d be a huge backlash? Why is it socially acceptable for black people to call one another “nigga” but if a white person says it it’s world war three? These double standards are getting really irritating and they divide the people of this great country. I have friends from all over this country and a few around the world and i don’t care about their skin color. I love them all equally and i think that America needs to really get over the race issue. Whether you’re white, black, brown, yellow, or other, we all bleed the same blood in the end.
Racism blows… If that cartoon isn’t racist I don’t know what the hell is.I’d like to see McCain’s cartoon… adult diapers, a gun, millions of babies crawling around everywhere, a woman being beaten… stereotypical pub. Racist McCain supports can bite my ass and stop the mud slinging before I beat them over the head with a led pipe.
@weakest_strong_girl – Yeah… see, racism does exist in the black community. However, in result of the white race enslaving them and treating them like shit for a number of years, that’s why it’s pretty much more acceptable than white racism. Not saying it’s right, just saying I’d rather see a racist black person than a racist white person.
@AlterEgo909 – I totally feel you on this, but I was under the impression that the Kool-Aid reference was to the Jim Jones Peoples Temple cult in the ’70s. Where the followers all bought new Nikes and drank cyanide-laced grape “Kool-Aid.” I mean, this doesn’t make the reference any better . . . being likened to a mass-suicide-promoting cult leader is highly offensive and a dangerous association for any politico . . . but it certainly changes it.
I am appalled…really… clearly this is racist and who the fxxk cares who the hells she married because she didn’t marry a black man so her mexican spouse doesn’t have anything to do with it…. Everyone eats alot of things but why pick these four stereotypical items? hmp, she’s full of shxt.It’s so ignorant and I would expect this from a red neck or maybe a nazi leader but a president of the Republican women’s club? I would just expect more class then that..
Of course she’s not racist she married a Mexican.LMAOIdk why Kool-Aid is considered “ghetto” (?) it was the shizz where I was born.And what’s wrong with being an Arab? Or any other race for that matter?Good post 🙂
You know as a low ranking person in the army (E3 and below), and are married or have kids, you can qualify for food stamps…she forgot about that one too.
The fact that someone may have thought this wouldn’t be concieved as racist is kinda funny. I mean people that naive deserve their own show. It’s all very Michael Scott.That being said – there isn’t a thing on that ‘stamp’ that doesn’t look delicious. Save Obama, I’m sure he’s tasty but I’d rather shake his hand than lick it.
It’s really sad that this is even an issue. Why can’t people just see a great man running for president and vote for him? Support him! Then there’s the other side of the coin where many people of his race are voting for him *only* because of his color. I just wish we could get beyond all that. But I realize that just isn’t going to happen anytime soon. Interesting post.
@EndlessCycleof_Me – My exact thoughts. She knew what she was doing. She was hoping she could get away with it by pulling the ignorant card.
@nothinbutajthang – i think your response is hilarious! “i’d rather see a racist black person than a racist white person”. Wow. I’d rather not see racist people. I think MLK would be ashamed, not gonna lie. And as for the slavery thing….i’m really getting sick of hearing that. I’ve never owned a slave, my parents never owned a slave, my grandparents never owned a slave, my great-grandparents never owned a slave…WHY the hell is that an excuse?! The slaves were freed almost two hundred years ago in this country. How long will people be able to use that as a cop-out for racism? Yes, slavery is horrible and unacceptable and I’d never condone it, but i fail to see how that has any bearing on the black community today. I don’t support Obama, but he’s never used his race as an excuse for anything and i can respect him for that. I’d like to see more people take after him.