funny ad or stereotyped racist display?

Nick n chris, when my husband and I attended the military social events, (we were both white) some of the most high ranking people were the worst. It surprised us because of all the "safeguards" the military system has in place to weed out the idiots. Here these people are the ones GIVING classes on this stuff and yet needed to be reported for being the worst offenders.

Anywhere is a good place, depends on those involved. May I suggest that you go back over the thread and read the articles linked, to include the nyt article I posted.

Well said, I can relate to a lot of this.

Thanks, I see, another ex-military aparent told me similar. Guess that's why even after 40 plus years..(and in some cases even earlier for the military right? ) civil rights laws are an excellent platform, but still more work, "a lot of work" to change us.

Yes I will definately be looking over those links this weekend. I did some searching on my own over the past few days but I need to look into the ones posted here as well. As for CC people coming off as wanting AA people to 'prove' something they see is racist, that has never been my intent through my posts here, but after people have pointed some things out, I can definately see how I could have come across that way. I know IRL people that don't know me well take me as insensitive because of the types of questions I ask. I like a good conversation and although I try to present myself as just looking for info, I do realize that can come out all wrong. That kinda thing is compounded online I think. Not trying to excuse how I've come across or anything, just don't want anyone to feel like I've been dismissing them. And I do think Caths was just trying to stick up for me in her last post...not trying to put down you or others nickchris. She was pointing out that I haven't been playing some kind of game on this thread.

Groupon has pulled some of their ads that were shown during the Superbowl. People were offended. A major misstep when they were trying to raise money for charity. I agree they crossed the line. [url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/02/11/groupon.ad/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29#]Groupon axes controversial ad campaign - CNN.com[/url] I don't get my panties in a bunch about anything on the forums because it's not real life. I just find it sad that there are so many people in the world who don't take the time to find out how others live or how they are treated.

It was a dig at that particular author, because she was implying that Sarah was being "passive aggressive" though not coming out and actually saying so, so I was just teasing her for that actual remark not for any other of her actual views. After all, she did use the phrase "We're playing the passive aggressive game on this thread" so I was just saying that she wants to consider herself one of those doing so, she can but that I didn't agree. Also, at no time have I never not agreed that you have a lot to put up with. I did say the following in a post. And it does sicken me when I see it. Even though the sort of things Supamodel was talking about hasn't happened in my workplace, it has happened IRL to friends and I am the first to stand up for my friends when it does. I personally would have also liked to slap all those people that said those things to Supamodel. I do think it is disgusting that people say things like that. I will also agree that even if a stereotype does start within a group rather than outside it, it does NOT make it right when people from other groups use it. Btw on this tread, I was really only talking about this one stereotype. Also, all I said was that I hadn't heard of it, I wasn't being skeptical, I just meant, I hadn't heard of it. That does not mean I am ignorant, racist and dismissive of racism in others which seems to have been implied about anyone who hasn't heard of it. I didn't want proof of it, I am happy to take your word for it. I think my problem is that I am a contrary old bat so that when I see a movie where there might be an "angry woman", I tend to think "Good on you, tell that idiot off" because usually the guy is an idiot lol. It has usual been incidental to me that she has not been CC because I've been concentrating on the story and plot. I usually don't think of that woman as being angry but just standing up for herself! So perhaps the stereotype hasn't registered with me because I haven't thought of the person as being angry but just standing up for herself lol. Anyway, now that I know about the stereotype, I will definitely watch out more though when I see it on TV. You have certainly made me think about it so I appreciate that. I was just thinking about ANTM as an example and when I think about it, I suppose you could say that the AA contestants are portrayed in a more "angry" way than the CC ones, even though they may not be necessarily more so. I think when the CC contestants are portrayed negatively, they are usually portrayed as "whiny" lol. I note someone mentioned Omarosa and even though I didn't watch that series of the apprentice, I have heard of her. I do note she said in an interview that she was deliberately portrayed as such bacause she is AA and if so that is wrong.

Here is the problem with TV, especially reality TV. You never see a show where there are various types of AA folks portrayed. Most shows consist of one black person and a bunch of white folks and MAYBE an Asian or a Latino person. For some reason they tend to cast AA folks who behave badly. Many white folks see that and judge the WHOLE race instead of the human being. After all, you don't have other AA personalities to balance it out. I have seen it ALL the time. I am a reality TV fan and I can't tell you how often I see this. On the flip side, you can have and DO have, CC folks acting just as crazy. However, no one judges all CC folks based on that one person alone. AND you have a bunch of other CC folks who behave well and therefore you have a balance. How fair is that? There is a saying that if you are AA, you have to be three times as good just to be equal and I believe that to the core. That is why my kids are always nicely dressed and looking nice. I try to give them every opportunity in the world to get them a leg up in the world. My white privilege will help now that they are young but as they get older, me being their mommy won't make a bit of difference. So when I hear that black people themselves started this whole angry black person thing, it makes me mad. First of all, I believe that black folks have to be a lot stronger than anyone else. If you get mad, you enhance the stereotype of being angry, scary and threatening. You have to try so hard to be treated the same and yes, it gets tiring. Shoot I'm not even black and I can see that. There can be a common understanding among black people but not every black person feels the same way. So because some black producer uses a stereotypical character in their movies, that means it must be ok for the whole race? Or that black people deserve it? There are plenty of movies with all CC casts featuring gangsters in the mob, or serial killers and yet we don't judge the whole race. But if an AA film features gang bangers than AA's deserve to be stereotyped as such? Too often, society tries to turn things around and place blame on AA people for how they are viewed and that is just not right.

First of all, with the post #65 about the ad, I was trying to look at why Pepsi felt it might have been an acceptable ad. I was naively assuming that an international company like Pepsi would think the ad was more acceptable if it had been presented to them by someone AA. I personally would feel the ad is more racist if thought up by a CC person than if thought up by an AA person and I thought that an ad rep might feel that way. That is what I was getting at. When I reread it just now, I can see that it might not have come across the wrong way and I apologise to those that felt I was saying that black people themselves started this whole angry black person thing, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. In regards to reality TV, I try to avoid MTV reality TV shows which I do agree are a bit like how you have mentioned. I do think that the main US reality shows I watch eg ANTM, Rupauls drag race and American Idol have a fair mixture of AA & CC and various different attitudes. On Project Runway and Top Chef there is less of a mixture but I would say AA and CC contestants on those 2 shows aren't overly stereotypical according to their race. To me though, everyone on those shows are American and therefore I also have to think of the American stereotype. The funny thing is that the average Australian watching those shows would probably bunch you all in as typical Americans, whatever the race. Have you actually thought that that might be the case for someone living overseas, that in fact we might think of you all as one nationality and not AA/CC? Btw even though I said when thinking in hindsight about ANTM, I can see how some AA girls have been portrayed as angry, there are enough AA girls on that show that there have been just as many portrayed as sweethearts (who doesn't adore Toccara, Danielle and Nic?). Also, the one music video I thought might be considered as portraying an AA woman as angry is Kanye West's one with Nia Long. I think Nia Long is much sexier than Pamela Anderson and I would be furious as well if I were Nia. I never thought of it as a stereotype before because I thought she was justified to feel angry!

I admit it...I laughed at the fish curry one & the whales one. The wax one was stupid to me. I don't offend that easily on that type of stuff though I can certainly see where it DID offend others.

I understand what you are saying. The only thing I can say in my defence is that the reason I said I hadn't heard of the stereotype was NOT because I was skeptical that it existed and I apologise to anyone who thinks I was. I will now offend everybody on the whole of a.com and say that when I watch American shows, I judge everybody on them as one nationality, that is American, whether AA, CC, Hispanic etc lol. Have you ever thought of that, that many overseas people do judge you all together as one nationality? Don't worry, the judgment is mostly pretty good from my point of view lol. I will take Sbaglio's advice from now on and just read and learn. I have learnt a lot from this thread. I have always felt that AA people have it rough when it comes to gaining acceptance and I am sorry if anyone feels I have diminished their experience. I know I promised to bow out before but will bow out again. You are right, I am not AA, I am not even American.

Well I hope the one you judge us as are the rich skinny well endowed ones?:p Not the greedy, materialistic, entitled and ignorant of all other cultures and countries outside the U.S. ones.;)

The first one of course Crick, it goes without saying lol. (I can only guess about the well endowed bit in half of the population lol).

Caths1964 that's understandable, the race talks is complex and at times its hard to be both the one on the receiving end of said stereotype/ or racism/bias and the teacher. The thread had so many typical angles/retorts, it makes no sense to follow up each individual angle etc; It is what it is. I appreciate you, and a couple of other folks wanting to clarify.

Thanks NickChris. I will be reading and learning from some of your other threads on these subforums as I have always had a lot of respect for what you have to say.