That’s right, in it’s search for a man involved in 3 sexual assaults, they described him as bearing a resemblance to the rapper Ice Cube.
I can accept that someone in the police department simply used very poor judgement when writing up the alert, but the local news really takes the cake:
Congratulation to all involved in such a fucking brilliant move.
Gee, and white folks wonder why black folks think racism is alive and well.
Unfuckingbelievable.
I can understand that he (Ice Cube) is not pleased about having his name mentioned (and their subsequent apology), but what the hell does this necessarily have to do with racism? Isn’t there a chance the guy actually does look like Ice Cube, and that was an accurate description?
No, all black people do not look alike. But some do (just like white people), and it’s silly to think that anyone who notices it is a racist.
If he was described as looking like Ice Cube simply because he was black, that’s one thing, but if he actually did bear a resemblance, it’s another.
I saw that last night, and my mind was boggled.
It’d be really funny if he looked EXACTLY like I-Cube only that he had an artificial nose.
Can you imagine a news report claiming that a white crime suspect looked just like Brad Pitt?
If a suspect in a sexual assault was described as looking like you, and the local news folks happened to have a picture of you on file, would it be okay if they showed that picture while describing the suspect?
At the very least, it was monumentally stupid of all involved for it not to have crossed anyone’s mind that it plays right into the ‘all black men look alike’ stereotype - to say nothing of the fact that they did it to describe a violent felon. Their intentions might not have been racist, but it’s a conclusion that is easy to draw and the fact nobody involved thought of it is mind boggling.
And then running a clip from Fight Club?
It’s not that crazy.
I wish I could find a cite, but there was a manhunt years ago and both the press and police mentioned that the suspect bore a strong resemblance to Gary Burghoff (Radar on MASH)
Um, no, I’d clearly be upset by that, which is why I said, “I can understand that he (Ice Cube) is not pleased about having his name mentioned (and their subsequent apology).” This still doesn’t mean it’s racism.
Yes, gobear it would be ridiculous for a news report to point out that a crime suspect looks just like Brad Pitt, just as it was ridiculous to point out that this one looked like Ice Cube. Ridiculous, and yet still not racist.
Well, on the upside, the incident did result in the hilarious AP headline CHICAGO POLICE APOLOGIZE TO ICE CUBE.
The police have warned that if anyone sees the suspect coming, they’d better duck, as he is considered to be crazy as fuck.
Geez, the CPD and TV station that reported it have apologized. Is this really Pit-worthy?
Saying a suspect looks like a specific black man is not racist! Fucking stupid of the CPD to do, but not racist.
Again, all involved have subsequently apologized. Why is this even an issue with you?
Must we have a Pit thread for every stupid news story to hit the wire?
On preview: DoctorJ, that friggin hi-larious!
Happy
Actually I can imagine a broadcast mentioning that a suspect looks like Brad Pitt. The showing of a clip from one of his movies, just like showing one of Ice Cubes music videos, would be too much though. If the victim describes the suspect in terms of a celebrity that may be all the police really have in terms of a description.
Bwwaaaahahahahahaha!!
How about this for a headline:
“GERMAN NUDISTS REVOLTING”
Too bad it was supposed to be funny.
Let’s see, this is worse than the litany of “Black male between the ages of X and Y”, how, exactly?
At least it’s baby steps away from the general in the direction of the particular, and contributes less to that vague, unfocused fear.
I can already see the racial tension easing by degrees down there: “Agh! A black male! And he’s between the ages of 23 and 30. Oh, but he looks more like Jimmy Walker. I guess he’s alright.”
god damn that’s ruthless.
Yes.
**
That’s why.