# Would you consider this bottle opener racist? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584 "2016-05-12T00:46:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/21 "2016-05-12T13:11:44Z")
Not racist and anyone who thinks it is needs to get over themselves and see this for what it is: A stupidly silly caricature of the president. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/22 "2016-05-12T13:23:20Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Not racist and anyone who thinks it is needs to get over themselves and see this for what it is: > > A stupidly silly caricature of the president. And nothing new. [Heeeere’s Jimmy](http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-1919466/t578-vintage-president-jimmy-carter-happy-mouth-beer-bottle-opener-1976.html)! Or if a bottle opener is not your thing, how about a [Richard Nixon shower head](https://www.etsy.com/listing/267773154/former-president-richard-nixon-shower?ref=related-1)? ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/23 "2016-05-12T13:28:13Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > Tacky as hell. Not sure why it would be considered racist, unless the mere caricature of black person is now taboo. Yes, I believe you’ve hit on it. I’m curious why some think it is not racist but it is offensive. I get tacky and dumb, but offensive? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/24 "2016-05-12T13:29:26Z")
When a black man’s features are caricatured, it is going to have racist overtones because of the history of minstrel shows and the like. Not caring about those overtones is a little bit racist, even if that was not the intent of the caricature, in the same way that having a greedy Jewish banker character is anti-Semitic even if the selection was made by rolling dice. Ironically, I think discussion of racism would probably be improved if people stopped believing that being racist is all-or-nothing and the worst insult in the world. It’s pretty hard to avoid racism given our racialized history. That doesn’t mean everyone who says or does something racist is a Klan member. The very high bar set for “accusations” of racism also makes it harder to talk about things like implicit bias. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/25 "2016-05-12T14:00:55Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > How do you know it is a caricature of Obama? Is the skin color a clue? That’s what color the man’s skin is, right? So how do you make a caricature of someone, it it doesn’t look like him? Maybe it’s just me, but for me, the facial resemblance was a major clue. I then cross-referenced this with the title of the Amazon product listing, and when I saw that it was “\*\*\*Obama \*\*\*Bottle Opener,” I knew I was on to something. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/26 "2016-05-12T14:01:38Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > When a black man’s features are caricatured, it is going to have racist overtones because of the history of minstrel shows and the like. Not caring about those overtones is a little bit racist, even if that was not the intent of the caricature, in the same way that having a greedy Jewish banker character is anti-Semitic even if the selection was made by rolling dice. > > Ironically, I think discussion of racism would probably be improved if people stopped believing that being racist is all-or-nothing and the worst insult in the world. It’s pretty hard to avoid racism given our racialized history. That doesn’t mean everyone who says or does something racist is a Klan member. The very high bar set for “accusations” of racism also makes it harder to talk about things like implicit bias. I agree with most of what you said but it sounds like you’re opinion is that the art form of caricaturing is by default offensive to black people. The only thing that’s really overly exaggerated is his mouth and that’s got to do with the functionality of the bottle opener, not a comment on Obama’s mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/27 "2016-05-12T14:11:01Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > And nothing new. [Heeeere’s Jimmy](http://www.antiquesnavigator.com/d-1919466/t578-vintage-president-jimmy-carter-happy-mouth-beer-bottle-opener-1976.html)! Or if a bottle opener is not your thing, how about a [Richard Nixon shower head](https://www.etsy.com/listing/267773154/former-president-richard-nixon-shower?ref=related-1)? I don’t know why I clicked the second link after I saw the first one. Those things are going to star in my nightmares. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/28 "2016-05-12T14:14:55Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > I don’t know why I clicked the second link after I saw the first one. Those things are going to star in my nightmares. Just be thankful they put the shower head where they did, and not where they might have done, considering what Nixon did… ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/29 "2016-05-12T14:46:39Z")
> [@esox lucius](#): > > no, the racist would be the one who uses it as an opportunity to be racist, as some undoubtedly will. > > Me, i’m outraged that the role model-in-chief is enabling the consumption of demon alcohol. If we needed any more proof that he’s the worst president in 13.7 billion years, this is it. worst. Muslim. Ever!!! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/30 "2016-05-12T16:54:31Z")
> [@astro](#): > > [Here’s Hillary](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cisNnL4PL._AC_UL320_SR200,320_.jpg) > > [and Bill](http://www.coolpeopleshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bill-clinton-corkscrew.jpg) Just when I think all the Monica Lewinsky jokes are played out… Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/31 "2016-05-12T17:17:18Z")
Not racist in the least. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/32 "2016-05-12T18:01:29Z")
Add me to the “tacky, but not racist” group. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/33 "2016-05-12T18:02:32Z")
Copyeditor’s Nitpick: an inantimate object cannot be “racist”, which is an adjective describing an attitude of bigotry or superiority based upon a person’s “racial characteristics” (which is a whole other bag of semantics), or a noun describing someone who holds views that are regarded as being racist. An object like a bottle opener may be offensive because of its asthetics, but it cannot be racist any more than it can be charming, belligerent, loquacious, et cetera unless the speaker is ascribing metaphorical anthropomorphic qualities to it. And thus, I’ve used up my store of $0.50 words for the day. No I can speak in just one syl…syl…uh, small words. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e47774/32.png) [@quiltguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/34 "2016-05-12T19:03:54Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Just when I think all the Monica Lewinsky jokes are played out… > > Regards, > Shodan Now that there is just funny, I wanna’ tell you. [said in your best Larry the Cable Guy voice] ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/35 "2016-05-12T20:57:23Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > The racist would be the person who considers it racist. No! The racist would be the person who considers the person who considers it racist racist! WHAT NOW!!! (And to forestall the obvious objection to my argument, you’re wrong, because the racist would be [(the person who considers)times infinity plus one] it [(racist)times infinity plus one]). ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/36 "2016-05-12T21:27:00Z")
Not at all racist, not the same zip code, not the same planet as racist. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/37 "2016-05-13T00:00:21Z")
It does give off a slight minstrelsy vibe, but mostly it just looks ugly as s\*\*\*. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/38 "2016-05-13T00:32:31Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > I agree with most of what you said but it sounds like you’re opinion is that the art form of caricaturing is by default offensive to black people. The only thing that’s really overly exaggerated is his mouth and that’s got to do with the functionality of the bottle opener, not a comment on Obama’s mouth. Personally I’m a bit :dubious: that the only two “Big Mouth” politician bottle openers I could find are the woman and the black guy. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/39 "2016-05-13T02:26:43Z")
Somewhere I’ve got a set of de Klerk and Mandela salt and pepper shakers. Is the de Klerk salt shaker racist? Is the Mandela salt shaker racist? Is one racist and not the other? I get the whole history around minstrel shows, but it seems to me that caricaturing political leaders is just part of the deal. Yes, President Obama is black. But he’s also the president. A bit of caricature comes with the territory. And it can be done in a way that isn’t racist. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584/40 "2016-05-13T03:18:38Z")
Ehhhh. See the thing is. By itself it isn’t racist, but the person whose kitchen that is generally found in is soooooo racist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-consider-this-bottle-opener-racist/754584.md?page=3)