Is this Racist?

[Jon Shannow]

I'm so sick of that goddamn video clip. Listen, straight young white guys, can you not see how you don't understand? Since when has anyone persecuted you?

Well i'm a first generation immigrant and Jewish. Through school I received at least a moderate amount of abuse over the immigrant part, though the Jewish part was more just light-hearted jokes every once in a while. And you know there was that thing about 70 years back were lots of white people got persecuted.

 

[orangeban]

The bottom two shirts are racist, and the "Buddha Bash" shirt is a bit... odd. I'm not to sure how a Buddhist would react to hit, but it just seems really strange to have a religious icon on a shirt and to make it a jokey kindy shirt. So I reckon all three shirts are probably racist.

 

[spartan231490]

That isn't racism. People just like jumping on that button now because it gets them lots of attention and maybe even some cash. Too bad they don't realize that's one of the biggest sources of racism left in "the West."

 

[SnootyEnglishman]

The Necklace? Eh not so much on the look but could go without using "Oriental"

The Buddha shirt? Questionable but the image of a fat Buddha has been around for a while and most have gone with it.

The last two? A bit of a line crosser but still shouldn't be made a big deal of.

 

[gazumped]

"Oriental is an outdated term"... the fuck?

Just because a term is old doesn't make it racist. Besides, now that Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi people refer to themselves as asian, how are we supposed to differentiate between them and people of, for example, Chinese or Japanese descent? They're clearly very different (and admittedly broad) ethnic groups. I don't think referring to people as oriental asians does anything other than place their ethnic origins to a smaller group of countries.

It was used for a while by Europeans with the same kind of inflection as n***er, a term to suggest something foreign, alien and somewhat beastly/inferior. Of course, with far less historical tensions between East Asians and Europeans than between black people and white people, hardly anyone gives two craps about this word these days, but it raises the hairs on the necks of people who are aware of its historical connotations.

 

[InvisibleMan]

Here's a rule of thumb: if you have to write down a long and complex explanation about the object in order for people to feel offended, then it is most likely not prejudiced. If it hits someone's sensitivities at one glance, then it is probably offensive and prejudiced.

As for being specifically racist, if the target of the message is not race, then obviously it is not racist, but that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't prejudiced in some other way.

 

[crazyarms33]

No. Not at all. If people cant take jokes about stereotypes I dont want to live on this planet anymore.

 

[Mandalore_15]

"Oriental is an outdated term"... the fuck?

Just because a term is old doesn't make it racist. Besides, now that Indian/Pakistani/Bangladeshi people refer to themselves as asian, how are we supposed to differentiate between them and people of, for example, Chinese or Japanese descent? They're clearly very different (and admittedly broad) ethnic groups. I don't think referring to people as oriental asians does anything other than place their ethnic origins to a smaller group of countries.

It was used for a while by Europeans with the same kind of inflection as n***er, a term to suggest something foreign, alien and somewhat beastly/inferior. Of course, with far less historical tensions between East Asians and Europeans than between black people and white people, hardly anyone gives two craps about this word these days, but it raises the hairs on the necks of people who are aware of its historical connotations.

Interesting, I didn't know about that. I've been using the term oriental to refer to things or people from Eastern Asian countries for quite a long time now (to differentiate them from Western Asian people/countries, such as India). I've never heard a complaint from anyone about it, so that's quite surprising!

 

[DannyBandicoot]

Nope.

Not even slightly.

People LOVE to be the victim, and will ***** and moan about anything. I'm not sure why though, makes them look a bit pathetic.

This is exactly what I was going to say. I agree completely.

 

[KnowYourOnion]

I'm of south east asian descent and I couldn't care less about these, some people will make a fuss over anything.

Though I'd in part agree that oriental is an outdated term (as well as just a dumb term anyway), its not offensive. A little ignorant perhaps but not offensive.

How can Oriental be outdated?! It means from the East, if someone called me Occidental I couldn't be offended because that's simply what I am! I'm Western therefore I'm Occidental.

From what I can read on the tops they don't seem that offensive, it's like portraying an Englishman saying 'GOOD SHOW!' whilst holding a cup of tea. Yes it's stereotypical but it's not offensive.

 

[Gigano]

Not in the slightest.

For it to be "racist", it'd have to intendedly carry some kind of message that some races are better than others. Which this obviously was never intended to do, and cannot be interpreted to do by any reasonably sane and worthwhile human being.

If this is what could inspire claims of racism these days, then there's obviously no longer any actual problems left.

 

[Pipotchi]

I thought the family that owned Forever 21 was Chinese American?, seems like they can make the call about wherrever Oriental is acceptable or not.

My girlfriends BBC and she doesnt mind Oriental, and her and her sisters all call me a Gwai Lo (Sp)

My two cents anyhow

 

[Filiecs]

Racism is "power plus pregidous" that is used to try and support the fact that one cultural or ethinic group is greater than another.
Stereotypes are just generalizations. A dickish thing to rely on but not racist.

 

[ztara]

Probably a little, although clearly not motivated by hatred so it's hardly a problem. More importantly, who the fuck cares? It's been a while since I posted this video actually...

This clip needs to die.

Steve Hughes is a comedian, not a philosophy.

Thank god, someone agrees with me. It seems to be anytime Political Correctness or offensive behavior comes up this clip gets thrown up as a pretty weak defense for those who don't have the verbal dexterity to argue them selves.

Very funny what ever, but racism (and i'm not really saying if this one way or the other) can't be defended by a quip. A bit of cheap wit doesn't make you correct.

 

[PunkRex]

I know this is always a stated thing but why do I get the feeling that the people complaining weren't Buddists.

I was actually talking about the term oriental with my friend at college today. I don't see people really getting super-offended at it but it does sound like something you order over the phone like food, furniture... a bride.

I don't really see whats racist about the shirts. Budda seems like a charming fellow, Wok and roll doesn't seem racist to me but I dont get the Wong Brothers reference so derp.

 

[PunkRex]

Also, even if they wanted to argue that the images are racist I dont know how they could when Asia itself is pumping out media monsters like this:

: Asian cities are filled with these cutesy mother fudgers!

 

[Belaam]

I like T-shirts that loudly proclaim the wearer's bigotry, insensitivity, or sexism.

They clue me in so I don't make the mistake of talking to the wearer.

 

[Soviet Steve]

Huh, so something being outdated is good a good reason to hate it now? Grab your pitchforks everyone, I smell a windows XP user nearby!

Also for the fun of it: I'm occidental. Oooouuuuuh self-racism!

Captcha: Lunatic StatedH

 

[James Crook]

Am I the only one in the world that doesn't like Abercrombie and think it's just another overpriced brand?
BACK TO THE OT, starring Michael J. Fox: Nope, not racist. AT ALL. Why are people so neurotic about racism?

 

[DanielBrown]

People are way too easy to offend these days...