Is this cartoon racist?

[Left Coast Lynn]

Poll question: Is this cartoon racist?

A mod at another sire dismissed it as 'satire'.

[patrice]

1. Looks like someone trying to have their cake and eat it too. n/t

[wtmusic]

2. Satire. Not very funny though. nt

[jeffrey_X]

29. The definition of satire....

sat·ire (săt'īr') pronunciation
n.

1. A literary work in which human vice or folly is attacked through irony, derision, or wit.



Where is the irony or wit in this cartoon. It is flat out racist. I didn't need to read any further than the caption of "this is a black man, he steals cars"

What fucking world are you living in????

[Caliman73]

49. Completely agree. This is not satire.

As I write this I am watching Colbert. He just did a great satirical interview in which he cornered a Representative from Illinois regarding his "pro-life" and "pro-gun" stances. He asked questions about whether fetuses were considered people and if so should they have the right to bear arms. That is satire. This cartoon is just racist.

[uppityperson]

3. racist, sexist, satire. also depends where and why it was posted.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. other

It's impossible to tell without understanding the context in which it was presented.

[BillZBubb]

7. Yep, context is everything.

Just seeing it as it is, I'd take it as poor satire. It's is a little iffy though because white males (except the Brit) get a pass.

[TroglodyteScholar]

5. Couldn't say whether it's racist...

...but it sure-as-shit is stupid.

[TwentyFive]

6. Scientific research has shown that 'satire' like this causes racism

Neural pathways in your brain, once made, tend to repeat themselves. Even though people know its satire, it is still bad. Whoever came up with this should have their pencils taken away from them.

[mcscajun]

8. Context is all. On surface it is Appallingly Racist, No Question about it.

But where and when was it posted, and with what intent and accompanying text?

It might make some small difference to the viewer's perception and judgment.

I'll abstain from voting for now, but my gut reaction still screams "Racist!"

[RagingInMiami]

9. Yes, it's racist

What may not be racism to some, may very well be racism to others.

And I know for a fact none of my black friends would find it satirical. They would find it offensive.

Especially considering that there are three cracks against black people; stealing cars crack, the "ooga booga" crack and the watermelon crack, while there are only single, much tamer cracks against the Asian, the women and the white man.

[Boojatta]

12. Isn't the joke that the imaginary author is revealing racist attitudes

while trying to educate people against racism and while not being aware of having racist attitudes?

there are three cracks against black people; stealing cars crack, the "ooga booga" crack and the watermelon crack

To take the watermelon crack as a crack against black people, are you relying on your prior knowledge of racial stereotypes?

Suppose that there are more and worse cracks directed against black people than against others. Does that indicate that the author really is racist or does it indicate that the imaginary author is racist?

[RagingInMiami]

16. I have no idea what the author's intent was

But I do know how some black people would perceive the comic strip if you happen to present it to them as it was presented here, without context.

For example, if this was a skit performed on the Dave Chappele Show, then it would be satire. But if this was a comic strip read on the air by Rush Limbaugh, it would most likely be racist.

And yes, the watermelon crack is an old stereotype.

[madinmaryland]

10. I'm not exactly sure what the point of the cartoon is.

It is very racist IMO. Is this supposed to point out racism?

Whatever the point is, its not funny and to me, it is very offensive.

[kenny blankenship]

11. Satire isn't excluded from being racist in intent and attitude

I don't see indications that the racism is presented ironically--meaning that author intends for the audience to see a different or opposite meaning from what appears on its surface. Except for a short detour into sexism, it seems to be all racism.
More context might be nice, but I'm having a hard time imagining the context in which this cartoon isn't making racists laugh.
What would be the non-racist reading? That diversity pamphlets in the workplace are themselves guilty of presenting minorities and women in derogatory stereotyped forms and catchphrases? In the first place I doubt it's a big problem in the world that diversity pamphlets unintentionally reinforce supremacist stereotypes. Second, the only thing this cartoon does wrt diversity training pamphlets is mock their whole intent--so all in all I would say "I can't believe it's not racism."

[Boojatta]

13. Does it mock the intent of some diversity training pamphlets or does it

mock the insincerity of some diversity training pamphlets?

[Bucky]

28. Maybe, if you assume diversity training pamphlets are made by racists.

Part of the stupidity here is that the author doesn't understand what it is he's making fun of. It's just potty-mouth humor.

[Boojatta]

14. From Encyclopaedia Britannica 1969

From article entitled "Logogram and Syllabary" (an article about writing systems):

Writings of Modern Primitive Societies
Several systems, such as those of the Cherokees and Alaska Eskimos in America and of the Vai and Bamum Negroes in Africa, were developed in modern times under the influence of western civilization. Starting as a primitive logography, they passed through a logosyllabic stage, ending with syllabaries consisting of 85 (Cherokee) to 226 (Vai) signs.

Note the word usage: Primitive Societies versus western civilization.

Do you think the author and editor were actually rolling on the floor laughing or do you think they were simply patting themselves on the back for their work?

[AverageJoe90]

55. IMHO.........

The sincere morons & dupes were mostly patting their back; the racists, on the other hand, were probably mostly laughing their asses off. That's just how I see it.

[Erika]

15. It is also sexist n/t

[rosesaylavee]

17. Racist, sexist and stupid.

I don't care if its satire or what context it is shown in.

[Hekate]

18. Racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, unfunny -- what was the question?

Ewww. :eyes:

Hekate

[Tenseiga]

19. Misanthropic

Also, not very funny

One thumb down

[Quantess]

20. It sure isn't funny.

Anyone seen the TV show "The Office"? It reminds me a little of "Cultural Sensitivity" episode, where the manager held a meeting about diversity, and ended up offending everyone.

Now, that show is funny. This toon isn't.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[LeahMira]

22. Satire is supposed to be clever...

This is not clever.

If there's some point, like poking at diversity training, there has to be a better way of doing it.

[agentkgb]

23. Axewound.com?

Axewound.com sells axes and knives (and, apparently, medical equipment). It's not exactly a site devoted to political satire.

[jacklambert]

31. Axewound is a euphemism for female genitalia.

Just want to go on record so that everyone is aware.

Personally, I think the comic is pretty damn funny. But I am a white male and I know that I'm not supposed to think things like this are funny but are instead hurtful.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Is this racism or satire?

It's satire. It's satire of racism, but it's still very much satire. It also happens to be very clever and funny. But you can't tell just from looking at it because it's completely removed from its context.

[freestyle]

39. Bamboozled is a brilliant film

I would not class it as satire as much as rather sharp education.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

41. Satire is a form of sharp education.

In fact, Lee goes through the trouble of defining satire in the opening shot of the movie.

[intheflow]

25. I just saw something very similar on a repeat of "In Living Color."

Is there an assumption that the author/artist is white? Would this be perceived as less offensive if the originator was a person of color, or a woman? Would knowing that a person of color and/or a woman created this more clearly define it as political satire? I guess in the end I have to go along with everyone else who said it really depends on the context in which it was first presented, and perhaps other information not readily available such as race and gender of the author.

[Bucky]

27. I don't know if the author is white or black, but I do know he's an idiot

Sure, it's intended as satire. But it doesn't really satirize anything, except the possibility that people of different backgrounds can get along. It's the kind of humor a 3rd grader would come up with--and get in trouble for. This is the intellectual equivalent of potty mouth. Maybe the target of the parody is "all white people" and the cartoon is making the important point that all white people are racists. But the real problem is that it's satire that doesn't have a point and isn't funny.

Oooga-booga. What is this, the 1930s?

[Jamastiene]

26. I think it is very racist. n/t

[jeffrey_X]

30. Agreed...this is absolutely racist.

Anyone not seeing this is either in denial or one of those people that start off racially sensitive issues with the words...

"I'm not racist, but....."

I can't belive 22 people have voted this as not racist. Oh wait....yes I can.

[SenorSanchez]

32. its a joke

I think this meant to be funny depending on the source. Diversity is seen as a grave and hard thing and this cartoon provides a little comic relief.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

33. Of course it's not racist

It's blatantly obvious that the cartoonist doesn't share the racist attitudes the characters are expressing, and assumes that the audience doesn't either. It's clearly mocking rather than promoting the stereotypes it refers to.

I don't think it's particularly clever - it's just listing and slightly exaggerating the steryotypes, without doing anything particularly imaginative with them - but it's not racist.

[mattfromnossa]

34. I didn't find this funny.....

mostly because I am forced to put up with real people who believe these asinine stereotypes.

[VforVicarious]

35. Context is key

Blatantly racist at first, but I dunno if it's trying to do to destroy stereotypes.

Remember, Borat does exactly the same thing

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

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[rollopollo]

36. In some ways

...advancement in race relations has created a market for this kind of material. Overt racism is less common these days, so people may laugh at something like this, not because its funny or they share those views, but because its so startling to see these kinds of remarks being made. The anti-PC people have been winning the argument as of late, and unfortunately some of them that means making tasteless, race jokes and writing them of as anti-PC.

[ThomCat]

38. If that is intended to be satire, then it fails.

Maybe the idea was to present stereotypes as funny. Instead it presents the stereotypes as if the stereotypical people are funny, not the people who believe the stereotypes.

[ChrisdemW]

40. hoodwinked. bamboozled.

was the spike lee movie "Bamboozled" racist?

provide what came before and after the cartoon for a rational answer from anyone.

[wonderment]

42. Racist and illiterate

Making fun of the black man's use of language while committing a grammatical error is unintentionally hilarious: "They are very much like you and I" should be "you and me."

[Boojatta]

47. "unintentionally hilarious"

Are you sure that it's unintentional? "They are very much like you and I" seems to be an example of a kind of error made by people who are self-consciously trying to obey prescriptive grammar rules that they normally ignore.

[noiretextatique]

43. it's racist and sexist

in spite of the inclusion of the irish character. the perspective is totally from the angry white man as the norm, and everyone else as the other.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

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[Racecar60]

45. No.

I think it is satire and is kinda funny

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

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[Summermoondancer]

48. Satire? Have they lost thier minds?

It is disgusting another piece of garbage by the ultra Christian right...

[benedictinator]

50. no just good satire lol

[dicenator]

51. no just good satire

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

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[DeadEyeDyck]

53. South Park has done worse n/t

[liberalSEAL]

54. Holy crap.

Please tell me that this wasn't actualy releaded. That is awefull, jeez that is just a horrible thing to do.

[dipsydoodle]

56. Tragic might be a better description

Peace : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xjPODksI08