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Race Row or...

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posted on 27/6/12



There does seem to have been a real overreaction - if it was a white player then it wouldn't have been given a second look. Yes, racists sometimes refer to black people as gorillas, but it's painfully obvious that it's not racially motivated.

Being opposed to racism is one thing, and properly concerted efforts to curb racism are commendable. However, I often feel that activist groups go out of the way to be offended - since it's pretty much certain that:

A) There was no racial offence meant

and

B) There wouldn't be an issue of it were a white player

Then what does this kerfuffle serve to do, other than ironically highlight the differing ways that these activists feel people of different skin tones can be portrayed/commented on?

posted on 27/6/12

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posted on 27/6/12

Come on, if it were a white person, they would not have drawn this picture!

posted on 27/6/12

What if: the cartoonist had provocative intent in his heart but inadvertently created a cartoon which shouldn't really be upsetting, for the reasons TOOR listed?

posted on 27/6/12

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posted on 27/6/12

comment by Dr Seven Grater - Farewell Biscan, we're ... (U13441)
posted 1 minute ago


There does seem to have been a real overreaction - if it was a white player then it wouldn't have been given a second look. Yes, racists sometimes refer to black people as gorillas, but it's painfully obvious that it's not racially motivated.

Being opposed to racism is one thing, and properly concerted efforts to curb racism are commendable. However, I often feel that activist groups go out of the way to be offended - since it's pretty much certain that:

A) There was no racial offence meant

and

B) There wouldn't be an issue of it were a white player

Then what does this kerfuffle serve to do, other than ironically highlight the differing ways that these activists feel people of different skin tones can be portrayed/commented on?
----------------------------------------
Exactly my thoughts on the matter.

If a white person was portrayed as King Kong, we'd be saying it's due to the mis-understood nature of King Kong and that he's not really a bad guy but has a good heart and the resemblance. However when it's a black person, people are comparing him to a black monkey. I find it racist, that people are doing that.

posted on 27/6/12

I am not saying the artist is a racist, but he is clearly an idiot or someone who wants to cause a debate.

posted on 27/6/12

Im with Makar

posted on 27/6/12

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 27/6/12

There is a heck of a lot of delusion on this thread.

They picked a Gorilla out of the hundreds of possible things because of the connotations highlighted recently in the press. Let's all just admit that that is exactly why they depicted him so.

posted on 27/6/12

comment by Cobnob (U12084)
posted 5 seconds ago
I am not saying the artist is a racist, but he is clearly an idiot or someone who wants to cause a debate.
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I believe the comparison he makes is excellent. Everybody who speaks about Balotelli, including Mancini tells us of a guy who is misunderstood, who is actually a good guy but sometimes does things which we cannot understand, in the heat of the moment. One moment he's helping a poor child who's being bullied, the next he's stamping on Parker's head. The comparison with King Kong is an excellent one. Race shouldn't come into it.

posted on 27/6/12

comment by makar - Thread Killer (U4260)
posted 10 seconds ago
There is a heck of a lot of delusion on this thread.

They picked a Gorilla out of the hundreds of possible things because of the connotations highlighted recently in the press. Let's all just admit that that is exactly why they depicted him so.
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No. They didn't pick a gorilla. They picked King Kong, for reasons I mentioned above.

posted on 27/6/12

http://www.sport.co.uk/public/AI_BaleMonkey.bmp

Its quite offensive that they've made Bale look like a monkey in this photo.

posted on 27/6/12

comment by FatJanMolby (U4297)
posted 14 seconds ago
http://www.sport.co.uk/public/AI_BaleMonkey.bmp

Its quite offensive that they've made Bale look like a monkey in this photo.
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Racist!

posted on 27/6/12

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posted on 27/6/12

No. They didn't pick a gorilla. They picked King Kong, for reasons I mentioned above.

--

Do you not realise how pedantic and ridiculous that sounds? King Kong / Gorilla / Monkey / whatever! I guess it is possible that the illustrator had no idea about the racial connotations and monkey comparisons in the past and I guess it is also possible that out of the thousands of ways of depicting a misunderstood man, they picked a gorilla and never once thought about how this could be controversial. It could well be that the illustrator is a complete idiot.

But I don't think so

posted on 27/6/12

There'sOnlyOneReds (U1721)
posted 41 seconds ago
comment by FatJanMolby (U4297)
posted 14 seconds ago
http://www.sport.co.uk/public/AI_BaleMonkey.bmp

Its quite offensive that they've made Bale look like a monkey in this photo.
----------------------------------
Racist!

---

Yea because Welsh people have often been likened in both appearance in action to monkeys in the past and are often dismissed as no good to society because they're no better than primitive primates. Good comparison

posted on 27/6/12

TOOR

I see you have neglected to read the rest of the article you posted where it says there is "A popular racist allegory has been that of Kong as the black man seeking to dominate the fair haired white woman and how society rightly destroys Kong, the black man, for his defilement of the pure white woman"

Whatever he meant, the artist should have known that this portrayal was going to cause offense, if he didn't, then I am afraid he is clueless.

posted on 27/6/12

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 27/6/12

TOOR, The racist allegory of King Kong is quite a common view - commenting on White America's view of the African American at the time the film was made (1933), and a comment on slavery - capturing an enslaving Kong, taking it away from its original habitat, across to America, for the benefit of the the white masses. Sound familiar at all?

Think of Alonso Harris' quote in Training Day - "King Kong ain't got **** on me". Said by a black, corrupt, Police officer who seeks control over the black gang-land neighbourhood - said to the very people who he sought to oppress as said people turned against him.

Kong represents the enslaved black man, turning against his oppressors (the original King Kong was released 9 years after the Immigration Act was passed in 1924, which was passed to ensure the restriction of immigrants into America). The film ending with Kong escaping his captivity, going on a destructive "rampage" thoughout Manhattan, before climbing the Empire State Building, where he was gunned down to his death.

posted on 27/6/12

Comment deleted by Article Creator

posted on 27/6/12

comment by Cobnob (U12084)
posted 4 minutes ago
TOOR

I see you have neglected to read the rest of the article you posted where it says there is "A popular racist allegory has been that of Kong as the black man seeking to dominate the fair haired white woman and how society rightly destroys Kong, the black man, for his defilement of the pure white woman"

Whatever he meant, the artist should have known that this portrayal was going to cause offense, if he didn't, then I am afraid he is clueless.
-------------------------------------------------
That's not what he was doing however, as evidenced by the cartoon. Just because Balotelli happens to be black doesn't mean it's racist. In fact it's racist, in my opinion, to suggest, it does.

posted on 27/6/12

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 27/6/12

comment by RipleysCat (U1862)
posted 2 minutes ago
TOOR, The racist allegory of King Kong is quite a common view - commenting on White America's view of the African American at the time the film was made (1933), and a comment on slavery - capturing an enslaving Kong, taking it away from its original habitat, across to America, for the benefit of the the white masses. Sound familiar at all?

Think of Alonso Harris' quote in Training Day - "King Kong ain't got **** on me". Said by a black, corrupt, Police officer who seeks control over the black gang-land neighbourhood - said to the very people who he sought to oppress as said people turned against him.

Kong represents the enslaved black man, turning against his oppressors (the original King Kong was released 9 years after the Immigration Act was passed in 1924, which was passed to ensure the restriction of immigrants into America). The film ending with Kong escaping his captivity, going on a destructive "rampage" thoughout Manhattan, before climbing the Empire State Building, where he was gunned down to his death.
-----------------------------------------
I didn't get that from the film at all. Although I see how that can be what people took from the film. Regardless, it's not what the cartoonist was getting it, only what people want to say he was getting at, in order to be offended, in my opinion.

posted on 27/6/12

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