13th July 2009, 9:03 PM
Oh come on Lazy, you're honestly going to pretend that racism isn't racist or something? You're wrong.
American WWII propaganda was EXTREMELY racist against the Japanese. That picture's plenty of proof, but if you need more, just compare how the Germans were treated and depicted to how the Japanese were. The Japanese were rounded up and put in concentration camps, and in the media they were depicted as animalistic savage killers who stab you in the back, look like monkeys, and are all identical.
The Germans, in contrast, were treated like comic fools. Hitler was a buffoon, not a serious threat, in American propaganda. The Japanese, or Tojo? Completely evil. We now know who was worse... but you'd never have figured that out from seeing WWII American propaganda. America was far too racist to even realize that it was acting racist, actually; even Americans opposed to racism against blacks were fully in support of the stereotypes against the Japanese.
Now, the best counter-point to that is to simply point out that the Japanese were just as bad. And indeed, it's true; Japan was very racist against Europeans before and during the war. But does that excuse either side? I'd say no.
Do you actually believe this comment, or are you just trying to set people off... either way, it works. If you're going to try to act like that kind of stereotype, particularly when combined with the watermelon, isn't an extremely, extremely racist image, then there's really nothing I can say. It's a very old stereotype of black people, and it's most definitely not a good one. The very dark skin with bright red lips one is similar, and it too is most certainly not meant to just be a caricature; it's meant to be an insult, of course. Or at least, it's a stereotype made up by racist people... but that probably amounts to the same thing.
Seriously though, very old stereotyped black kid with watermelon? There's pretty much nothing about that image that ISN'T racist.
Oh, and you're right, make the kid white and there would be no racism, probably... unless it used some other stereotypes for some white ethnic group of course, then it would be (and such things certainly exist, for just about any ethnic group!). But that's not what it is.
Quote:An exaggerated charicature of a Japanese soldier obviously aligned with Nazi Germany telling Americans that when you take a shit, it lands in Japan. This is WW2 Propaganda, it's not racist - It's hate of the enemy and morale boosting fun. That slant eyed bucktoothed Jap is begging to be shot for his alignment to Germany, look at his arrogance of some stupid little island people who thinks they can best the Fucking States, what better way for anyone, even little Johnny, to do his part in the war then to send his feces to Japan while in the restaurant, movie theater or whatever that sign was hung in.
And dont try to tell me the way he's depicted speaking is racist, that's how Japanese people sound, and that's why it's funny. Do Indians try to sue Fox over Habib in the Simpsons? What about Asian Reporter Trisha Takanawa in Family Guy? This is a funny image and a lighthearted approach to dealing with the world wide political views and madness of war to stay sane in insane times.
Its hateful, its low-brow, it's funny, but it's not racist. Prove me wrong.
American WWII propaganda was EXTREMELY racist against the Japanese. That picture's plenty of proof, but if you need more, just compare how the Germans were treated and depicted to how the Japanese were. The Japanese were rounded up and put in concentration camps, and in the media they were depicted as animalistic savage killers who stab you in the back, look like monkeys, and are all identical.
The Germans, in contrast, were treated like comic fools. Hitler was a buffoon, not a serious threat, in American propaganda. The Japanese, or Tojo? Completely evil. We now know who was worse... but you'd never have figured that out from seeing WWII American propaganda. America was far too racist to even realize that it was acting racist, actually; even Americans opposed to racism against blacks were fully in support of the stereotypes against the Japanese.
Now, the best counter-point to that is to simply point out that the Japanese were just as bad. And indeed, it's true; Japan was very racist against Europeans before and during the war. But does that excuse either side? I'd say no.
Quote:Picaninny (or any other spelling) is a term for an unkept wild child, for anyone from the south they know this term and it is used generally to any kid who looks like a mess. Black children being poor as a standard in early American history is something that is a fact, so seeing an unkept black child and refering to him or her as a pickaninny was meant in harmless fun. Rugrats, Bushbabies, carpet sharks, wildboys, ruffians, hooligans, etc are all part of the same lexicon. Watermelon, as a general rule, is cheap. Poor people eat cheap food, even when we didnt have dinner we had watermelon when I was growing up. LOL A NIGGER EATING WATERMONllOLOLOLO OMG has always been somewhat of a disappointment for me as its much funnier when they are buying menthols or selling crack to our white daughters. This image, is a simple ad talking about watermelon ice cream, sold to children. With a picture of a messy looking kid using the artstyle of the time which Dragonball Z paid homage to. Because its an artstyle.
Do you actually believe this comment, or are you just trying to set people off... either way, it works. If you're going to try to act like that kind of stereotype, particularly when combined with the watermelon, isn't an extremely, extremely racist image, then there's really nothing I can say. It's a very old stereotype of black people, and it's most definitely not a good one. The very dark skin with bright red lips one is similar, and it too is most certainly not meant to just be a caricature; it's meant to be an insult, of course. Or at least, it's a stereotype made up by racist people... but that probably amounts to the same thing.
Seriously though, very old stereotyped black kid with watermelon? There's pretty much nothing about that image that ISN'T racist.
Oh, and you're right, make the kid white and there would be no racism, probably... unless it used some other stereotypes for some white ethnic group of course, then it would be (and such things certainly exist, for just about any ethnic group!). But that's not what it is.