Japanese McDonald's Makes Fun of White People
- Thread starter Keane Ng
- Start date
I think the primary reason why they are complaining is because of the fact it promotes stereotypes that make it more difficult for foreigners who intend on being permanent residents there to be accepted. In japan foreigners are seen as either casual or temp. visitors as a result they are not seen as being able to speak japanese fluently, can't eat chop sticks, etc. Anyone actually intends to stay longer or stay permanently is seen as weird and as a result hostility, although not necessarily violent, begins to escalate against them and they start to become shut out from the society. You will notice that the groups mentioned in the article that are complaining are those that represent foreigners in japan who intend on staying there permantely or for several years like a decade.
This is what one of the commenters said on debito blog
"Having read all of the commentaries here and everywhere I can see that most of the people just don?t get the real issue with macj ?Mr. James?. The problem is not about racism, he could have been african american too, the problem is that it promotes a stereotype of foreigners in Japan, they can only speak in katakana, they are goofy enough to be treated by their first names and they are crazy about the ?cool? things they discover in Japan (as with the NHK program).
As long as this stereotype remains the foreign residents are not going to be treated fairly and with equal consideration other than being casual or temporary visitors in here."
Here is another comment:
"One interesting note about the ?Mr. James? ads: There aren?t any in the McDonalds across from Kamiyacho Station, just down the hill from the Hotel Okura. This is a gaijin-heavy area, with lots of us staying in the hotel or working in the offices nearby. If the ?Mr. James? ads are so inoffensive, why is McDonalds Japan keeping them out of its restaurants in foreigner-heavy neighborhoods?"
This is what one of the commenters said on debito blog
"Having read all of the commentaries here and everywhere I can see that most of the people just don?t get the real issue with macj ?Mr. James?. The problem is not about racism, he could have been african american too, the problem is that it promotes a stereotype of foreigners in Japan, they can only speak in katakana, they are goofy enough to be treated by their first names and they are crazy about the ?cool? things they discover in Japan (as with the NHK program).
As long as this stereotype remains the foreign residents are not going to be treated fairly and with equal consideration other than being casual or temporary visitors in here."
Here is another comment:
"One interesting note about the ?Mr. James? ads: There aren?t any in the McDonalds across from Kamiyacho Station, just down the hill from the Hotel Okura. This is a gaijin-heavy area, with lots of us staying in the hotel or working in the offices nearby. If the ?Mr. James? ads are so inoffensive, why is McDonalds Japan keeping them out of its restaurants in foreigner-heavy neighborhoods?"
Personally the only problem I have with this is that they resorted to using a negative stereotype, not so much the whole racism part.
but no one really cares if white people are made fun of.
It may not surprise many of you, but there is a huge double-standard for racism. Its "ok" for a black comedian to make a joke about white people, but if a white comedian makes a joke about a black man, hes up on the chopping block. The same standard applies to all minorities vs majorities.
Now, I'm not saying that such a premonition is undeserved, because honestly when was the last time "whites" were persecuted en-mass for their skin.
But what I am saying is that no-one is going to give a crap about the ad, no matter what race they are.
But honestly are any of us surprised?
Japan is pretty racially insensitive, just look at resident evil 5.
but no one really cares if white people are made fun of.
It may not surprise many of you, but there is a huge double-standard for racism. Its "ok" for a black comedian to make a joke about white people, but if a white comedian makes a joke about a black man, hes up on the chopping block. The same standard applies to all minorities vs majorities.
Now, I'm not saying that such a premonition is undeserved, because honestly when was the last time "whites" were persecuted en-mass for their skin.
But what I am saying is that no-one is going to give a crap about the ad, no matter what race they are.
But honestly are any of us surprised?
Japan is pretty racially insensitive, just look at resident evil 5.
Hay we invented 2G1C...don't forget it.Cliff_m85 said:
the funny part of racism is that its arbitrary. No matter how you think of a different race someone is going to have a opposing opinion. So why even worry about what the Japanese are doing to stereotype white people. In all fairness if the American branch of McDonalds aired the Japanese commercials it would probably condemn the entire Japanese American population into a mass immigration to Canada.
(summary: love it hate it people are going to complian no matter how much we embrace other cultures/races. I dont live in Japan so I wont tell white people living in Japan if they should complain or not)
(summary: love it hate it people are going to complian no matter how much we embrace other cultures/races. I dont live in Japan so I wont tell white people living in Japan if they should complain or not)
they better straighten up before we gods decide to nuke them again.
but srsly, i think its lulzy.
but srsly, i think its lulzy.
I'm a white American who can't speak Japanese and loves McDonalds.
...I don't really see the harm in the ad.
I want some McChickens now though.
...I don't really see the harm in the ad.
I want some McChickens now though.
It seems cheecky not a bad marketing campaign at all especially if they have a blog that keeps getting updated for a trip around Japan. To me it seems like a charming little inside joke for an entire country. I truly doubt anything malicious was meant to be made of this. To be honest racism is half the fault of the people that get offended by it.
The guy is actually making an honest attempt to not suck at the language at least he didnt show up and demand to be accommodated and insist that everyone speak english now that would be racist. People need to not worry so damn much and just sit back and take a joke.
Edit: As an added note now that I am really thinking about this I have met a handful of people that have traveled to the land of the rising sun and they have all said that it was a really nice place. People were generally polite and did their best to get over the language barrier even in bars and nightclubs. Like they say no matter what language you speak everyone can get drunk.
The guy is actually making an honest attempt to not suck at the language at least he didnt show up and demand to be accommodated and insist that everyone speak english now that would be racist. People need to not worry so damn much and just sit back and take a joke.
Edit: As an added note now that I am really thinking about this I have met a handful of people that have traveled to the land of the rising sun and they have all said that it was a really nice place. People were generally polite and did their best to get over the language barrier even in bars and nightclubs. Like they say no matter what language you speak everyone can get drunk.
Hahaha, fun stuff. Oh, us silly white people. We've started using stoners in commercials, so race isn't too far off if it hasn't already begun. If Taco Bell ran a campaign about mexicans saying how good their food is, wouldn't it have more of an impact, what with that whole "oh, they know what they're talking about for Mexican food, they're Mexicans!" thing. White people like burgers. It's not that hard to go for, really.
And yes I know most people like burgers--White people are the ones to build a culture around it, stereotypically, though.
And yes I know most people like burgers--White people are the ones to build a culture around it, stereotypically, though.
Excuse you but in America white people are the group that's most discriminated against because every time something happens to a minority they automatically blame racism and Al Sharpton goes for a march and the NAACP tries to get the person fired.Sparrow Tag said:
Racism this and racism that did it ever occur to anyone that a minority group could have racists in it?
An example of this is at my job. I'm a lifeguard and whenever I enforce the rules to a white kid the parents step in and they understand but whenever a minority child breaks the rules the parents flip out on my and call me a racist, they call me a "honky" and a "cracker" but someone cant say back can't say "spick" or a "******" or "_____" (fill in blank with whatever other term you can come up with) even when they open up with the racism.
Why is it that minorities can call ME racist names and that makes ME a racist?
The real question is what is "fair"? Is fairness a way to get back at someone else? Isn't that revenge?
so he loves Mc Donalds yet hes not obease okay fat, i mean, larger than normal, I smell a conspiracy.
O.T. I can't beleive anyone would take offence to this, anyway America needs to be made fun of, we seem to make fun of everyone els and yet we can't be made fun of.
O.T. I can't beleive anyone would take offence to this, anyway America needs to be made fun of, we seem to make fun of everyone els and yet we can't be made fun of.
God more of this crap.
It's like a few months ago when Miley Cirus made her eyes slanty in a photo having a bit of fun with some mates... OUTRAGE! OFFENSE! NOOOOO!!!!
Oh wait.. ask any asian person how they felt: they don't care.
If people want to laugh over stupid crap then they're more then welcome..
It's like a few months ago when Miley Cirus made her eyes slanty in a photo having a bit of fun with some mates... OUTRAGE! OFFENSE! NOOOOO!!!!
Oh wait.. ask any asian person how they felt: they don't care.
If people want to laugh over stupid crap then they're more then welcome..