8 year old boy kicked out of class for dressing as Martin Luther King Jr. for school project - Polidicks

[QUOTE=Kalibos;36060519]nobody's doing that actually[/QUOTE] Actually, they are. They are equivocating a child putting on makeup to resemble another human being to immensely racist and malicious activities in the past. They are effectively calling him (or his parents) racist when they make this comparison. The offense they are drawing from the situation implies that he intended to offend. If he didn't intend to offend and had no knowledge of what the symbol implied, how could it offend anybody to a degree that it should have consequences or say anything bad about the child or his parents and their personal character or judgement.

[QUOTE=teh pirate;36060527]Then what [I]are[/I] you doing? What is this about? It doesn't make any sense.[/QUOTE] At some point they figured they couldn't blame the kid, so now they blame the parents

[QUOTE=teh pirate;36060527]Then what [I]are[/I] you doing? What is this about? It doesn't make any sense.[/QUOTE] it's about the parents not recognizing the sensitive cultural connotations of a white person painting their face to look like a black man and getting pissy when the school calls them out on it, and the media exploiting the fervor of privileged white people getting up in arms about how the kid was a victim of bullshit reverse-racism. the kid isn't at fault here. the parents are.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;36060503]Hablo espanol. Creeme, comprendo And who the fuck are you to tell me what I should and should be allowed not say?[/QUOTE] Tengo serias dudas de que pueda hablar español muy bien. Intenta, sin Google Translate. Además, soy el uno de que le dice que usted es una giganta racista.

[QUOTE=FreakyMe;36060538]Actually, they are. They are equivocating a child putting on makeup to resemble another human being to immensely racist and malicious activities in the past. They are effectively calling him racist when they make this comparison. The offense they are drawing from the situation implies that he intended to offend. [B]If he didn't intend to offend and had no knowledge of what the symbol meant, how could it offend anybody?[/B][/QUOTE] are you fucking joking?

[QUOTE=TheHydra;36060566]are you fucking joking?[/QUOTE] I misspoke. How could it offend anybody in the sense that it should have consequences or say anything bad about the child or his parents and their personal character or judgement.

[QUOTE=FreakyMe;36060538]Actually, they are. They are equivocating a child putting on makeup to resemble another human being to immensely racist and malicious activities in the past. They are effectively calling him (or his parents) racist when they make this comparison. The offense they are drawing from the situation implies that he intended to offend. If he didn't intend to offend and had no knowledge of what the symbol meant, how could it offend anybody?[/QUOTE] How is the "symbol" offensive at all? It's [B]not fucking blackface.[/B] He's trying to represent Martin Luther King Jr. for a school project.

[QUOTE=Paul McCartney;36060512]For the last time it isn't fucking blackface[/QUOTE] Sí lo es, capitán que llamo-los-negros-"negroes"-en-ingles [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=teh pirate;36060576]How is the "symbol" offensive at all? It's [B]not fucking blackface.[/B] He's trying to represent Martin Luther King Jr. for a school project.[/QUOTE] by bringing back vaudeville.

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060579]Sí lo es, capitán que llamo-los-negros-"negroes"-en-ingles [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] by bringing back vaudeville.[/QUOTE] [img]http://puu.sh/wb83[/img] [img]http://abagond.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/a-golliwog-illustration-001.jpg?w=500[/img] One is deliberately offensive and one is [I]fucking facepaint for a school project.[/i] Can you tell them apart? I can.

[img]http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/148/declubrtl.png[/img] Look at all these racists with their blackface Jesus, never knew how racist my country was... We have a massive parade with thousands of the guys every single year, what will the Americans think :o

[QUOTE=teh pirate;36060576]How is the "symbol" offensive at all? It's [B]not fucking blackface.[/B] He's trying to represent Martin Luther King Jr. for a school project.[/QUOTE] I understand that, but the problem is other people do not. They are interpreting it to be a symbol, because it is one to them. It would be the same as criticizing a child who knew nothing about the world or it's history for drawing a hooked cross (which is commonly associated to be the swastika). Simply because he independently created something that resembles a symbol does not mean he had the intent or supported the beliefs that are associated with the symbol.

yet again, poorly painted blackface is still blackface. the parents should have stopped that. They were there. They were given a choice by the school to either remove the blackface or leave. They decided to leave in a huff. Nobody got kicked out, the dumbass parents just got stubborn.

why doesn't anybody read my posts :'C

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060606]yet again, poorly painted blackface is still blackface. the parents should have stopped that. They were there. They were given a choice by the school to either remove the blackface or leave. They decided to leave in a huff.[/QUOTE] I'm sorry and you're going to shout ad hominem and claim that it makes my opinion irrelevant but you are either completely fucking stupid or pretending to be completely fucking stupid. There's no way any sane person could draw those parallels here. Find me one black person offended by this kid trying to authentically replicate an important historical figure. [U]Please.[/U]

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060606]yet again, poorly painted blackface is still blackface. the parents should have stopped that. They were there. They were given a choice by the school to either remove the blackface or leave. They decided to leave in a huff. Nobody got kicked out, the dumbass parents just got stubborn.[/QUOTE] I still fail to see the racist or offensive charge behind it. It's possible the parents did the same. To be a racist symbol it must be intended as such. This is bloody innocent facepaint to look like a character the kid was portraying. Blackface itself carries the assumption that it's a racist stereotype from the term itself. This is not the same. [QUOTE=mobrockers2;36060602][img]http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/148/declubrtl.png[/img] Look at all these racists with their blackface Jesus, never knew how racist my country was... We have a massive parade with thousands of the guys every single year, what will the Americans think :o[/QUOTE] Different culture background and subtext to be honest.

[QUOTE=wraithcat;36060626]I still fail to see the racist or offensive charge behind it. It's possible the parents did the same. To be a racist symbol it must be intended as such. This is bloody innocent facepaint to look like a character the kid was portraying.[/QUOTE] At its fucking core, granting you your thesis (which is wrong,) the school was still fully within its rights. Motherfucker there is no free speech in school. You do what they say or you get the fuck out.

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060606]yet again, poorly painted blackface is still blackface. the parents should have stopped that. They were there. They were given a choice by the school to either remove the blackface or leave. They decided to leave in a huff. Nobody got kicked out, the dumbass parents just got stubborn.[/QUOTE] It's not blackface. It's not blackface. [I]It's not blackface.[/I]

[QUOTE=mobrockers2;36060602][img]http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/148/declubrtl.png[/img] Look at all these racists with their blackface Jesus, never knew how racist my country was... We have a massive parade with thousands of the guys every single year, what will the Americans think :o[/QUOTE] what the fuck dude that is legitimately racist

[QUOTE=Protocol7;36060642]It's not blackface. It's not blackface. [I]It's not blackface.[/I][/QUOTE] Say it as much as you want, doesn't change shit. The dude's face was painted black. That's sort of what blackface is. [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=TheHydra;36060645]what the fuck dude that is legitimately racist[/QUOTE] Yeah I was about to say, unless that's some kind of satire then apparently vaudeville racism is alive and well.

that post actually explains a lot tbh

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060640]At its fucking core, granting you your thesis (which is wrong,) the school was still fully within its rights. Motherfucker there is no free speech in school. You do what they say or you get the fuck out.[/QUOTE] Oh we're not arguing that the school wasn't in the right. We're arguing that what they did was stupid and thinking of creating a special class about teaching eight year olds what are and what aren't racial stereotypes is even stupider. [QUOTE=Lankist;36060647]Say it as much as you want, doesn't change shit. The dude's face was painted black. That's sort of what blackface is. [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] Yeah I was about to say, unless that's some kind of satire then apparently vaudeville racism is alive and well.[/QUOTE] It's a traditional, I think christmas, character over there. Similar like people here dress up as angels, devils and saint nikolaus. Completely different cultural and historical context and subtext.

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060647]Say it as much as you want, doesn't change shit. The dude's face was painted black. That's sort of what blackface is.[/QUOTE] No, it's black face paint. Blackface is much more... stereotypical. And used to portray African-Americans in a demeaning manner. I've said it before. I don't give a shit what the history of it is, for one, the kid's paint doesn't resemble it and the context that makes blackface offensive does not exist in this scenario.

[QUOTE=wraithcat;36060659]Oh we're not arguing that the school wasn't in the right. We're arguing that what they did was stupid and thinking of creating a special class about teaching eight year olds what are and what aren't racial stereotypes is even stupider.[/QUOTE] what's stupid about promoting cultural awareness

Is it really that hard to grasp that doing this could be construed as "offensive"? TBH, I think anyone would get the same response if we had someone covering an Asian figure (like Confucius), then using tape or something to give themselves slanted eyes. Is that really necessary? I really don't see how highlighting a [i]physical[/i] characteristic of a historical figure is necessary. MLK wasn't important because of the color of his skin, but the actions he did. Frankly the parents should've known the response they would have gotten- I'm sure they were aware of their child's appearance if not applied the feature onto him. I don't know, maybe I'm too "PC", but I find it incredibly tasteless. The situation could have been handled better, sure, but blackface isn't acceptable.

mlk was kind of important because of the color of his skin but that's neither here nor there

[QUOTE=wraithcat;36060659]Oh we're not arguing that the school wasn't in the right. We're arguing that what they did was stupid and thinking of creating a special class about teaching eight year olds what are and what aren't racial stereotypes is even stupider.[/QUOTE] Why? Why NOT teach about racial tensions at a young age so a room full of kids, all of different races, can hear about that shit together. So that they can develop empathy for one another. So that they can all be like "that is the dumbest shit, we aren't going to do that." Racism is born in a vacuum. Pretending it doesn't exist only perpetuates the problem. I know the first time I realized racism existed was when me and a couple of friends were chilling out and some older kid started listing off slurs for each of us (save for the white kid who was super confused.) We were all like "the fuck is he talking about" and asked an instructor. We totally learned about racism, together, at like six years old. And we were fuckin' fine. Although I think the white kid might be a meth addict now im not sure.

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060647]Say it as much as you want, doesn't change shit. The dude's face was painted black. That's sort of what blackface is. [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] Yeah I was about to say, unless that's some kind of satire then apparently vaudeville racism is alive and well.[/QUOTE] no, they're kind people that climb down the chimney to put presents in children's shoes, and as a result get Ashes on their face. You really do see racism in anything don't you?

[QUOTE=wraithcat;36060659]It's a traditional, I think christmas, character over there. Similar like people here dress up as angels, devils and saint nikolaus. Completely different cultural and historical context and subtext.[/QUOTE] where is this again? because america isn't the only place that has ever had a culture steeped in racism. [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=mobrockers2;36060693]no, they're kind people that climb down the chimney to put presents in children's shoes, and as a result get Ashes on their face. You really do see racism in anything don't you?[/QUOTE] When I see blackface, yes. We're talking about America here. In a thread about blackface. It's sort of a mark of shame for our entire society. I don't particularly give a shit what someone does elsewhere because this shit es sobre los Estados Unidos

[QUOTE=Lankist;36060702]where is this again? because america isn't the only place that has ever had a culture steeped in racism. [editline]22nd May 2012[/editline] When I see blackface, yes. We're talking about America here. In a thread about blackface. It's sort of a mark of shame for our entire society. I don't particularly give a shit what someone does elsewhere because this shit es sobre los Estados Unidos[/QUOTE] Sweden I think? Maybe Holland. A northern state

[QUOTE=wraithcat;36060732]Sweden I think? Maybe Holland. A northern state[/QUOTE] Point being that this isn't Holland. This is the US. And blackface in any form carries an extreme stigma that everyone should be aware of by this point. I'm sure there's some gris-gris in Holland that's fairly common elsewhere. But we aren't talking about Holland.