# Freepers make racist attacks on Malia Obama for wearing a peace-sign t-shirt **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011 "2009-07-14T18:13:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/261 "2009-07-16T20:31:05Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > First, I never quoted Carlin. Second, I’m glad you’ve finally come around to see that ghetto isn’t a racist word. Third, who said anything about the Freep thread? We’re talking about Chris Perry’s article in the Vancouver Sun, the one that started with 4 nonracist slurs and then stated “these are a small selection of the racially charged comments…” No one said ghetto itself is a racist word. Someone on the previous page used the analogy monkey. Is monkey a racist word? No, but when it’s applied to a black person (especially a very non simian one!), the racist intention is pretty clear. I think by polling your officemates you were being disingenuous. No one here is saying that ghetto is a slur. It’s a way for people who don’t want to say something obvious to still be racist. If they just thought she was dressed badly, they’d call her a slob. But she’s not dressed badly at all–they’re just shitting on her because of the color of her skin. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/262 "2009-07-16T20:32:44Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Oh bullshit. Why did you pass up the most obvious use of the term- poor? Who cares how much money her family _actually_ has? They said it because she looks, in that photo, like she just woke up and grabbed the first shitty clothing she could find. She looks like her outfit cost about $3. She looks like she didn’t care about her appearance. In other words, she looks poor. She looks like _ghetto trash_ or perhaps, I dunno, a _typical street whore_. It’s about what she’s wearing, not what color her skin is. That’s obvious, seeing as how the whole thing revolved around the Tshirt in the first place. She’s an 11 year old girl wearing a t-shirt. Yeah, that just screams “ghetto trash” and “street whore”. I get it now. You’re not trolling at all- you really _are_ that fucking stupid. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/263 "2009-07-16T20:34:23Z")
You’re forgetting the Peace sign thingy. If it had been a “Gosh, Do I Ever Love George Bush!” T-shirt (which must exist somewhere), I don’t think there would have been quite such a fuss. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/264 "2009-07-16T20:35:16Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > First, I never quoted Carlin. I thought you’d said, “Don’t bother my ass none.” Okay, granted, I failed to attribute that correctly. Looks like I dragged that in from someone else from another thread, but it’s hardly here nor there. I was just using that as a stepping off point for my own Carlin quote. That being said … my point still stands, despite the fact that in a thread entitled “Freepers make racist attacks on Malia Obama for wearing a peace-sign t-shirt” you think that that the Freeper thread where they made racist attacks on Malia Obama for wearing a peace-sign t-shirt has no bearing. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/265 "2009-07-16T20:39:20Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > They said it because she looks, in that photo, like she just woke up and grabbed the first shitty clothing she could find. She looks like her outfit cost about $3. What are you, the buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue? It’s just a t-shirt, man. It’s not even a shitty t-shirt. It’s clean, not wrinkled, not stained. What makes it “shitty” is the peace symbol, which for some reason is like red to a bull for some people. > [@](#): > > She looks like she didn’t care about her appearance. In other words, she looks poor. She looks like _ghetto trash_ or perhaps, I dunno, a _typical street whore_. The poor folks and whores where you live sport clean, rather modest t-shirts with peace symbols on them? Aren’t you being, well, more than little disingenuous when you say crap like this? Does it even feel true when you’re typing it? Malia looks like a million other teenagers wearing a t-shirt. She doesn’t look poor, she doesn’t look ghetto, she doesn’t look like street trash or a whore. I’m not defending her because she’s the President’s daughter. I’m defending her because she looks like any other kid who would never be commented upon by anyone EXCEPT for the fact that she’s Obama’s daughter. Everything you’ve said about her appearance is bullshit. Not to put too fine a point on it. You’re not being racist, you’re just being mean-spirited and wrong. I guess that’s OK then. > [@](#): > > You’re making shit up just to get one more salvo against your beloved target, the Freepers. Seems like a LOT of people are just making shit up. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/266 "2009-07-16T20:46:31Z")
Chessic, do these girls look “ghetto” to you? [http://www.justjen.com/image/tshirt-girls-peacesign.jpg](http://www.justjen.com/image/tshirt-girls-peacesign.jpg) [http://fashionista.com/images/pill%20peace%20sign%20shirt%20from%20gold%20saturn.jpg](http://fashionista.com/images/pill%20peace%20sign%20shirt%20from%20gold%20saturn.jpg) [https://www.whatsabouttown.com/womens-1/clothing-35/tops-44/w-a-t-kitson-3312-2995\_zoom.jpg](https://www.whatsabouttown.com/womens-1/clothing-35/tops-44/w-a-t-kitson-3312-2995_zoom.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/267 "2009-07-16T20:46:38Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > We’re talking about Chris Perry’s article in the Vancouver Sun, the one that started with 4 nonracist slurs and then stated “these are a small selection of the racially charged comments…” There’s a Mr. False Equivalence on line one, sir. Something does not have to be one of the classic racial slurs to be “racially charged.” ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/268 "2009-07-16T20:47:37Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Chessic, do these girls look “ghetto” to you? What a bunch of whores! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/269 "2009-07-16T20:48:19Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Chessic, do these girls look “ghetto” to you? > > [http://www.justjen.com/image/tshirt-girls-peacesign.jpg](http://www.justjen.com/image/tshirt-girls-peacesign.jpg) > > [http://fashionista.com/images/pill%20peace%20sign%20shirt%20from%20gold%20saturn.jpg](http://fashionista.com/images/pill%20peace%20sign%20shirt%20from%20gold%20saturn.jpg) > > [https://www.whatsabouttown.com/womens-1/clothing-35/tops-44/w-a-t-kitson-3312-2995\_zoom.jpg](https://www.whatsabouttown.com/womens-1/clothing-35/tops-44/w-a-t-kitson-3312-2995_zoom.jpg) _One of these things Is not like the other ones One of these things Is not… the same…_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/270 "2009-07-16T20:48:55Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > What are you, the buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue? It’s just a t-shirt, man. It’s not even a shitty t-shirt. Aren’t you being, well, more than little disingenuous when you say crap like this? Does it even feel true when you’re typing it? Well of course it feels disingenuous. I’m not the one with those thoughts, the Freepers are. The original authors of the comments are 3/4 retarded and 1/4 stupid. You’re acting like these are _my_ thoughts here. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/271 "2009-07-16T20:51:33Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Well of course it feels disingenuous. I’m not the one with those thoughts, the Freepers are. The original authors of the comments are 3/4 retarded and 1/4 stupid. You’re acting like these are _my_ thoughts here. So your main objection is that the Freepers are being called racist, when really they’re just a bunch of mean-spirited assholes picking on a little kid? I want to be sure I have it straight. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/272 "2009-07-16T20:52:34Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Well of course it feels disingenuous. I’m not the one with those thoughts, the Freepers are. The original authors of the comments are 3/4 retarded and 1/4 stupid. You’re acting like these are _my_ thoughts here. You’re the one who said it looked like she was wearing a three dollar outfit. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/273 "2009-07-16T20:53:23Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > What a bunch of whores! > > :smack: Ho, ho, ho! ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/274 "2009-07-16T21:01:13Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > So your main objection is that the Freepers are being called racist, when really they’re just a bunch of mean-spirited assholes picking on a little kid? I want to be sure I have it straight. Oh, they’re definitely racist. And mean-sprited assholes. But that’s beside the point. My main objection is that someone called them racist _without providing any evidence of it_. My main objection was that: “ghetto thug” isn’t racist. “street trash” isn’t racist. “typical street whore” isn’t racist “get her first abortion” isn’t racist. “America hating Marxist pig” isn’t racist. “mammy et al” I couldn’t even understand, but now acknowledge as racist. “monkey noises” was out of left field and had nothing to do with the photo in question. Then we spent a few pages debating whether the first one was racist or not. Now a few have acknowledged my point that it’s not in itself racist. Some posters have tried to put words in my mouth, but I’m sticking with my original point. Chris Perry wrote a retarded article. Look at what I said in the beginning in Post 51: > [@me](#): > > What the hell? Those aren’t even racist comments. **Does the author of the linked article think** that only black people are street whores? Or that only black people live in ghettos? Or that black people are the only Chicago thugs? How is “America-hating Marxist pig” racist? > > I **f they want to use the term “racist slurs”, they should have quoted something race-related**. Now, maybe there were racist comments on there, but I’m not seeing any in the article. Mean? Yes. Racist? No. Not once did I comment on what I thought of her appearance, what I thought of the Freepers, what I thought about Obama, what I thought of peace symbols or Tshirts, or anything else other than what the article in the OP said. I’d appreciate it if people would quit acting like the target of my attack is Malia or Obama and read what I’m writing. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/275 "2009-07-16T21:56:54Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > No one did, but we can rip her mother for letting it happen while advocating policies which forbid education about birth control, and we can rip Bristol (as an adult), for becoming an activist for the same policy that got her pregnant. Bullshit. Palin no more ‘let it happen’ than the mother of any other pregnant teenager. I’m so far against _only_ abstinence education it’s silly, but that statement reeks. Sure, as an adult if Bristol wants to follow the same silly path, rip away, but the policy, at least conceptually is sound. Abstinence didn’t get the child pregnant, sex did. They’re a simple bunch, the righties, but the “it hurts when I do that” “then don’t do that” mentality is the correct one. Sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/276 "2009-07-16T21:58:34Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > I generally agree with this. However, to me, it doesn’t apply to the most recent round of Bristol comments. See, Bristol chose to use her status as the child of a public figure to become a public figure herself. Therefore, she’s in bounds. > > I’m not going to argue whether the actual comment was tasteful or not (I don’t think it was), the fact is that she has now, voluntarily and by her own actions, opened herself up to commentary including (perhaps especially) commentary regarding the out of wedlock child. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![antoinefinch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@antoinefinch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antoinefinch)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/277 "2009-07-16T22:03:48Z")
The cruel and hateful things that have been said about a little defenseless 11 year old girl (Malia Obama)shows that America is still as hateful as it has ever been.To attack a child of any race in this way shows how far a people have truly come, This shows the true heart of America.May GOD have mercy on us.☹ ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/278 "2009-07-16T22:04:41Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Oh, they’re definitely racist. And mean-sprited assholes. But that’s beside the point. My main objection is that someone called them racist _without providing any evidence of it_. My main objection was that: > > “ghetto thug” isn’t racist. > “street trash” isn’t racist. > “typical street whore” isn’t racist > “get her first abortion” isn’t racist. > “America hating Marxist pig” isn’t racist. > “mammy et al” I couldn’t even understand, but now acknowledge as racist. > “monkey noises” was out of left field and had nothing to do with the photo in question. > Then we spent a few pages debating whether the first one was racist or not. Now a few have acknowledged my point that it’s not in itself racist. Some posters have tried to put words in my mouth, but I’m sticking with my original point. Chris Perry wrote a retarded article. Look at what I said in the beginning in Post 51: > Not once did I comment on what I thought of her appearance, what I thought of the Freepers, what I thought about Obama, what I thought of peace symbols or Tshirts, or anything else other than what the article in the OP said. I’d appreciate it if people would quit acting like the target of my attack is Malia or Obama and read what I’m writing. To the casual observer who knows nothing of American culture and history, what you’ve written makes sense. The freeper drivel isn’t necessarily _inherently_ racist. That said? These ham-sandwich-crazy motherfuckers are (presumably) Americans with at least, if not more than a passing knowledge of history and cultural stereotypes and racism. They know what they’re saying, they know why they’re saying it and not a one of them would have the balls to say that shit with Barack, or for that matter Michelle within earshot about either of those two sweet children. God damn. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/279 "2009-07-16T22:07:07Z")
> [@antoinefinch](#): > > The cruel and hateful things that have been said about a little defenseless 11 year old girl (Malia Obama)shows that America is still as hateful as it has ever been.To attack a child of any race in this way shows how far a people have truly come, This shows the true heart of America.May GOD have mercy on us.☹ Easy there, pal. You can only fit so much drama in such a little space. Frankly, it’s better that these nutbags are out there posting and not gathering in dank basements and backwoods compounds. America is changing. These greasy windbags are the ones being left behind. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011/280 "2009-07-16T22:10:05Z")
Use of the term “ghetto” is contextual. It may also be regional. Someone from Philadelphia or Los Angeles might associate “ghetto” with “low class urban”, but someone from the South who lives in the suburbs, or someone who lives in a region with little ethnic diversity, may associate “ghetto” primarily with what they have seen on TV, i.e. urban Black culture. “Ghetto” conveys the impression of the hip hop culture, with bejeweled “grilles” and gaudy chains and baggy clothes. That is primarily portrayed through rap and hip hop, i.e. Blacks. Ergo, seeing the word “ghetto” conveys “urban run down” and “trashy” but also “Black”. So it’s entirely possible that you and your crowd of associates all are correct and in agreement that for y’all, “ghetto” does not convey “Black”, but then for many of us the opposite is just as true. I will also point out that in the picture of Malia, there happens to be another person. That guy is also Black, but he happens to be wearing even more casual, more run-down-looking clothing. He also has a gold chain evident. I think he is the one being described as a “thug”, not Malia. Some of the comments about “ghetto” might have been more in reference to him than Malia, but then some were directed at Malia specifically. As I said before, there is nothing cheap or run-down or low class about her clothing. She is wearing a casual T-shirt and shorts that you might find on any suburbanite. They aren’t dirty or holey or ripped up. **Freudian Slit** said: > [@](#): > > Chessic, do these girls look “ghetto” to you? The second one does a little. It may just be the glasses. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freepers-make-racist-attacks-on-malia-obama-for-wearing-a-peace-sign-t-shirt/503011.md?page=15)