# Laudnem, you're an ass. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 26, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990 "2009-11-26T02:31:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/1 "2009-11-26T02:31:30Z")
For thinking that a blatantly racist image - regardless of the fact that it was aimed at the First Lady - is a “quick giggle”. > **[A quick giggle for you - Michelle Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=541353)** > > Using Google Images (moderate search), google Michelle Obama. The people who google bombed during the Bush era are back. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/2 "2009-11-26T02:41:49Z")
Is a link to said image forthcoming? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/3 "2009-11-26T02:46:47Z")
1st thumbnail: > **[Michelle Obama: Google Buys Ad To Explain Offensive Image](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michelle-obama-photo-goog_n_368760)** > > Michelle Obama: Google Buys Ad To Explain Offensive Image ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/4 "2009-11-26T02:48:54Z")
Well, now my sides need stitching, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/5 "2009-11-26T02:55:31Z")
Did they really delete the image? I’m surprised at that. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/6 "2009-11-26T05:48:22Z")
I have to agree with the OP. I think it’s only humorous if you think comparing black people to monkeys is. Planet of the Apes (2001 version) had several actors in full ape makeup (Tim Roth, Paul Giamatti, Estella Warren, Helena Bonham Carter, and Michael Clarke Duncan) and I can’t recall anyone finding [those images](http://images.google.com/images?q=planet%20of%20the%20apes%202001&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi) to be a quick giggle. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/7 "2009-11-26T06:32:38Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > I have to agree with the OP. I think it’s only humorous if you think comparing black people to monkeys is. Hmmm. I’m willing to cut **laudnem** some slack. It’s completely possible it was a google bomb joke rather than a racist one. If he thinks that photoshoping the first lady to make her look like a monkey is funny, then he’s an asshole. If he’s laughing at the stupidity of someone who took the time to actually do it… well, that’s a different story. There’s this exchange too: > [@A quick giggle for you - Michelle Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-giggle-for-you-michelle-obama/518900/15): > > Urrg, well, [here’s](http://api.ning.com/files/hGLPTlC-OmuQZ0MMQ-onUPfWGzQ6hVfrMWswSyoPI0GFj0OuVLn1HrQ5H2tcN-bGf-8Q6MArtxtp5WZb38kf*xTP-59oqpCb/M) an antidote to that kinda crap. > [@A quick giggle for you - Michelle Obama](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-quick-giggle-for-you-michelle-obama/518900/16): > > I’ve seen sexier pictures of her. Right there he says he thinks the first lady is sexy. Cut the guy some slack. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/8 "2009-11-26T06:54:03Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Did they really delete the image? I’m surprised at that. I’m surprised too. Sure, it’s blatantly racist and offensive but do we really need censorship to protect us from it? This is a path Google should not be going down, no matter what the pressure. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/9 "2009-11-26T07:00:23Z")
> [@A Monkey With a Gun](#): > > There’s this exchange too:Right there he says he thinks the first lady is sexy. > > Cut the guy some slack. I’ll cut him slack because sometimes people are simply unaware of certain racial stereotypes. What’s obvious to you or me might not be obvious to others. One example: The “black person as gator bait” thing. There was a pic of guy at a Florida GOP rally wearing a hat that had Obama being eaten by a gator. When others saw that as racist, I had no idea wtf they were talking about, and I’ve lived in Florida over 20 years. I don’t recall once ever seeing any reference to that particular racist image. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/10 "2009-11-26T08:20:36Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > One example: The “black person as gator bait” thing. There was a pic of guy at a Florida GOP rally wearing a hat that had Obama being eaten by a gator. When others saw that as racist, I had no idea wtf they were talking about, and I’ve lived in Florida over 20 years. I don’t recall once ever seeing any reference to that particular racist image. Me too. So glad I was spared that stupidity for so long. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/11 "2009-11-26T13:44:51Z")
I think it’s hard to live in America and not know the “black people=monkey” racial stereotype. That said, I have to ask, what’s so wrong with what Laudnem did? When Bush was in office there were whole websites devoted to pictures of him lined up next to pictures of Monkeys and we all laughed and laughed and laughed on this board. Laudnem even specifically refers to that very thing in his OP! So comparing person A to a monkey is a joke and comparing person B is horribly racist and makes you an asshole? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/12 "2009-11-26T13:55:13Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > So comparing person A to a monkey is a joke and comparing person B is horribly racist and makes you an asshole? Yes, more or less, because comparing person type A to monkeys ( or rather, apes; chimps aren’t monkeys ) never had a racial component. And it’s unlikely that person type B has anything other than racism as a motive. Although most comparisons of Bush to chimps I came across were out and out insults, not jokes. He was, after all quite stupid. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/13 "2009-11-26T14:05:20Z")
Comparing Bush’s intelligence to a chimp’s, is insulting to chimps! ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/14 "2009-11-26T14:08:33Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I’m surprised too. Sure, it’s blatantly racist and offensive but do we really need censorship to protect us from it? This is a path Google should not be going down, no matter what the pressure. it was google bombed though, so i can see that as a reason to delete it from their database. the image is not funny. delete it, and quietly move on. giving it such attention is exactly what the photoshop troll wants. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Happy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Mr\_Happy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Happy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/15 "2009-11-26T14:09:49Z")
Bush was compared to a monkey because he was a moron, the First Lady is being compared to a monkey because she is black. Get it? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/16 "2009-11-26T17:04:24Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I’m surprised too. Sure, it’s blatantly racist and offensive but do we really need censorship to protect us from it? This is a path Google should not be going down, no matter what the pressure. How is that censorship? Are you thinking that Google is now our government? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/17 "2009-11-26T17:25:32Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I think it’s hard to live in America and not know the “black people=monkey” racial stereotype. Laudenum isn’t American. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/18 "2009-11-26T17:55:38Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > How is that censorship? Are you thinking that Google is now our government? OK, self-censorship then. Still not good. Google actually defended its stance on not removing the results at first, then folded. It should have stood its ground. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/19 "2009-11-26T20:07:04Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > OK, self-censorship then. Still not good. Google actually defended its stance on not removing the results at first, then folded. It should have stood its ground. I actually stopped short of using the c word, because I didn’t want someone to challenge me on the use of the word. But it sure smacks of censorship to me and I don’t like it. Not government censorship. Corporate censorship. Or, something. You know what is funny? Some people really do look like monkeys. I know many black people that look like monkeys. White people too! And lots of mixed people. It is funny to me when a black person looks like a monkey though because, I’m always thinking, “That person looks exactly like a chimp, and no one will ever be able to tell them that.” I don’t think Michelle looks like one. I think she is hot in a strange kind of way. ---
**Author:** ![Laudenum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Laudenum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laudenum)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990/20 "2009-11-26T22:52:14Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > I’ll cut him slack because sometimes people are simply unaware of certain racial stereotypes. What’s obvious to you or me might not be obvious to others. > > One example: The “black person as gator bait” thing. There was a pic of guy at a Florida GOP rally wearing a hat that had Obama being eaten by a gator. When others saw that as racist, I had no idea wtf they were talking about, and I’ve lived in Florida over 20 years. I don’t recall once ever seeing any reference to that particular racist image. I have honestly never heard of that. And, having heard of it, I don’t understand it. I don’t mean that in a morally superior way, I mean I genuinely don’t ‘get’ it. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > Laudenum isn’t American. Nope, Irish born and bred (but there is a good bit of English in there too) I’m more or less posting just to let the OP know I saw this. I did find the fact that someone Google Bombed it funny as opposed to the actual picture, but to be quite frank, none of my ancestors kept slaves (some Irish people were kept as slaves, but that’s another story), we were too busy being oppressed by the British;). In fact until about fifteen years ago, we didn’t really have many minorities (we had a small Jewish community, the travelers, and a decent Asian community). I recall hearing a story on the radio, about how a man was walking down the street when a mother knelt down by her child, pointed at him, and said “look sweetie, a black man”. That’s an extreme example, but I remember when we had a black _Au Pair_ and her family turned up in full tribal gear, people came out onto the street to watch. Racism has only become a problem in Ireland in the last decade or so (though we did have the Limerick Pogroms) with the huge influx of people from Africa and Asia and Eastern Europe, in a very short time. In short, it’s hard for me to walk on the same eggshells as those of you who have been raised in an atmosphere that puts such a strong emphasis on race. I feel no ‘guilt’ towards American black people (Africans are a bit different), and no responsibility for slavery. I find it difficult to get worked up about a picture of Michelle Obama as a monkey, and just found it amusing that someone had gone to the trouble. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/laudnem-youre-an-ass/518990.md?page=2)