Funny that everyone knows Willie Horton, who here remembers Angel Medrano?
CMC fnord!
Pete Hoekstra is bringing out the big guns.
Yes, he has drafted Herman Cain to come campaign with him.
Because Herman Cain? Proven winner.
Closing out an earlier question, the actress has now apologized.
The appearance of racism is something any decent american would avoid. Something about that I just don’t like. The way it tosses aside actual intent in favor of the simple appearance of something unpleasant. Doesn’t matter what was meant. Just what it looks like. Seems to suggest that one need not dig deeper or think more. The surface is enough.
The “decent Americans” bit doesn’t help. Classic “us vs. them” there. There’s “decent americans” and then there’s…indecent americans.
Because cheap as hypocrisy is, it matters. If someone is, at heart, a racist but feels social constraints that forbid his free expression, so much the better. At least he knows that much, that his views are no longer acceptable for American society at large.
Of course sincerity is the ideal. Failing that, grudging compliance will have to do.
So we must root out anything that even appears to be racist. Whether or not the person or act in question is racist be damned. And don’t go thinking too hard about that sir or madam. Just go ahead and let that knee jerk as much as it wants. It’s better for society as a whole if they are protected from the appearance of dangerous ideas.
You’re a Russian spy aren’t you?
Well, you say it later on but it seems to be designed to appeal to the racist elements in that area.
Oh shit, you really ARE a Russian spy.
I don’t think the extent of the racism would be obvious to everyone but I don’t think I would go “well, gee why would anyone ever have a problem with that” either.
I kinda see that as racist.
No, I just don’t have that much interest in watching movies. When I do, I prefer comedies or scifi. Matrix is sort of scifi, but since my husband hasn’t brought that one home (I can’t do movie theaters any more) I haven’t seen it.
Neither would I since I’m well aware that there are folks out there that are ready to yell “racist!” at anything.
What you quoted I said? Why?
Yesterday I saw a Vonage commercial and the Indians sounded like… wait for it… Indians. Or were they Pakistani?
It is racist because the Chinese chick is so much more attractive than the bald guy that comes after. It’s horrible stereotyping of white males that they have to be portrayed so ugly, like Asian chicks are supposed to be some kind of Ubermench. Well perhaps they are. Otherwise a good ad.
Were they talking about taking jobs away from white people like Ma Bell?
A few years ago I saw a very intellectual stimulating American teenage film about some college students travelling Europe. Tasting various beverages on the way. I’m sure everybody can imagine my horror and shock when the group of very nice young blonde and well-endowed ladies described as Danish turned out to be in fact speaking Swedish. American racist filmmakers can’t even be bothered to know the difference between the different Scandinavian countries and cultures, thinking we’re all alike. Very hurtful.
You can’t fool me, you’re just waiting for Putin to reconstitute the USSR. 
And that’s what you think this is? A baseless kneejerk reaction by people who look for reasons to accuse others of racism? I don’t think we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this.
They were probably speaking Swedish so nobody would think they were Danish.
That’s like pretending to be a dead bloated pestilence carrying sewer rat so nobody would think you’re an ermine.
Oh, no doubt! If I met some hot, shapely blonde women but then found out they were Swedish, I would be like, totally, ewww! gross!
Understandable so. Who wouldn’t.
Does it matter? Is the argument about racism or content?
“Avoid”, not “root out”. Why is that even controversial? Why would anybody want to appear to be racist if they’re not?
Racist behavior isn’t “dangerous ideas”, it’s just gratuitous dickishness. Anybody who thinks that they ought to be able to ignore the racist connotations of certain words and actions and be given the benefit of the doubt for it, on the grounds that they might not personally be a racist, is a self-absorbed wanker with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement.
For instance, I personally happen to think the nickname “Sambo” sounds kind of cute, irrespective of its historical racial connotations. But when I meet with an African-American student of mine named Sam, I don’t call him “Sambo”.
Not because I’m smotheringly trying to “protect him from the appearance of dangerous ideas”, but just because I’m not a dick.
In the line quoted, the phrase “grudging compliance” was used. To me that indicates at least coerced avoidance. And supposing we’re talking about unintentional racism, would the best approach be to point and shout “RACIST” at the top of ones lungs?
So what in this commercial is racist? The rather light accent? The bike? Are we to give an asian woman a swedish accent and have her come down in a jet pack to avoid any and all racial sensitivities?
What in the commercial we’re discussing is the equal of “sambo?”