Would these black characters by today's standards be changed

[Hellspawn28]

It's not like Star Officer Black was a Caucasian person cover in black make up like the people in The Birth of a Nation (1915). Even as a kid, I knew that he was a African American character.

[Attitudefan]

It's not like Star Officer Black was a Caucasian person cover in black make up like the people in The Birth of a Nation (1915). Even as a kid, I knew that he was a African American character.

And oriental people came up with his concept lol.

But honestly, Black's character model isn't racist, at least to me. Never thought it was.

[TRL]

I think we live in a time now where it should be ok to portray a black person comically. And that means sometimes he'll look ugly or stupid if he's not the protagonist of the show. Otherwise you're just perpetuating this victim role.

It makes me think of this story a while back where a white kid wanted to dress up like his hero Barack Obama for some kind of party at his school or something. He made his face black with shoeshine and when arriving at school, the principal and teachers threw a huge fit and expelled him immediately. The poor kid didn't even know what he did wrong and had never heard of black face before.

[Kingdom Heartless]

Times are changing when it comes to racism. It's at the stage where we're walking on eggshells to avoid offending people, while people ignore the fact that racism against Caucasians is constant in the media.

It brings to mind a quote I love: "It's all right to make a movie called White Men Can't Jump, but try making a movie called Black Man Can't Swim."

That's not intended as a racist comment, it's just to show that tolerance is a two-way street.

There's nothing racist about Black's design or character. If anything, one should take note of the fact that the white guy he worked for was an incompetent short guy who he was able to steal control from.

Do I believe that some other designs could be taken the wrong way? Yes. Do I think that makes them racist? No. Racism is about intent.

[TRL]

while people ignore the fact that racism against Caucasians is constant in the media.

Come on! You think it's your turn to play the victim now? My point was the term racism shouldn't even exist anymore. People need to stop thinking in terms of race.

[VegettoEX]

If you're seriously going to bring white oppression into the mix, you're probably not suited for discussion on this forum.

[Fionordequester]

Shouldn't we at least hear him out though? I mean, I think he's wrong to bring up issues of white oppression as well, but I think she should at least get a chance to share his views.

[Akumaito Beam]

Won't someone think of the privileged white heterosexual male!?

[Kingdom Heartless]

If you're seriously going to bring white oppression into the mix, you're probably not suited for discussion on this forum.

I'm not saying white people are oppressed. Not at all. What I'm saying is that if people are going to complain about slightly (if at all) exaggerated characters from the '80s, then they should also be willing to take a look at the fact that "you ever notice how white people-" is also not an appropriate way to entertain.

I'm not trying to be the victim. But I'm not going to ignore that stuff like this:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-f ... ama-386240

...is just as offensive as a lot of racist things I've seen.

I don't want there to be any racism. Hell, me not tolerating people talking crap about minorities has caused me problems personally and even soured me on friends.

You don't think I'm well suited for posting on this forum? Fine. I'm just tired of living in a world of hypocrisy, where the politicians fight for the "sanctity of marriage" while screwing around on their wives. Where comedians can complain about racism in the same set that they talk about how small an Asian guy's wang is.

Maybe I have trouble putting my feelings into words (I often do), but in the end, I just want people of all sexualities/colours/etc to be on equal ground. To not feel persecuted by everything. To look at a picture like these, and not see something malicious, but see a silly little cartoon for the '80s.

I don't think any of the characters pictured should be edited, and I have no issue with editing if something is genuinely offensive, like in Fantasia, or even Popo (though my issues have more to do with his voice than his appearance).


I agree "racism against Caucasians" wasn't the best choice of words. I guess the best way to describe what I meant was "Things that would be deemed inappropriate if it came from the other side."

[Kingdom Heartless]

Won't someone think of the privileged white heterosexual male!?

What does sexuality have to do with anything?

Or being privileged, for that matter. Which would be a pretty big stretch.

[dbboxkaifan]

I honestly didn't mean for this to get how the conversation is now.

[Rocketman]

Maybe I have trouble putting my feelings into words (I often do), but in the end, I just want people of all sexualities/colours/etc to be on equal ground. To not feel persecuted by everything. To look at a picture like these, and not see something malicious, but see a silly little cartoon for the '80s.

In an ideal world, sure. But this is not an ideal world.

We are less than five decades removed from "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!". The march of history is not so quick that we can declare that to be past. Much of this country remembers that. Some of them cheered for it. Some still do - look at all the racists that popped up when Obama was elected and then re-elected.

I think your heart's in the right place, but it's not for idealists to decree "racism is over! now we can all get along~".

[mattymoron]

Maybe I have trouble putting my feelings into words (I often do), but in the end, I just want people of all sexualities/colours/etc to be on equal ground. To not feel persecuted by everything. To look at a picture like these, and not see something malicious, but see a silly little cartoon for the '80s.

In an ideal world, sure. But this is not an ideal world.

We are less than five decades removed from "segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!". The march of history is not so quick that we can declare that to be past. Much of this country remembers that. Some of them cheered for it. Some still do - look at all the racists that popped up when Obama was elected and then re-elected.

I think your heart's in the right place, but it's not for idealists to decree "racism is over! now we can all get along~".

I think the best way to end racism is to just stop talking about it. If you stop paying attention to the ignorant, foolish people then they'll cease to matter. They only have the power we give them by paying them any mind.

[Fionordequester]

Just so you guys know, I was in Kingdom Heartless's corner, and thought that VegettoEX was responding to TRL. I agree with Kingdom Heartless, and that all should be treated equally.

[Rocketman]

I think the best way to end racism is to just stop talking about it. If you stop paying attention to the ignorant, foolish people then they'll cease to matter. They only have the power we give them by paying them any mind.

Bullshit. They have power because they vote. They're weakened, yes, but they aren't defeated.

We must talk about racism, to constantly keep the light shining into every dark shadowy corner the bigoted fucks hide in.

[mattymoron]

I think the best way to end racism is to just stop talking about it. If you stop paying attention to the ignorant, foolish people then they'll cease to matter. They only have the power we give them by paying them any mind.

Bullshit. They have power because they vote. They're weakened, yes, but they aren't defeated.

We must talk about racism, to constantly keep the light shining into every dark shadowy corner the bigoted fucks hide in.

We fundamentally disagree on this issue. I will pursue it no further. Good day to you, sir.

[Jackal puFF]

Mr. Popo is already turning blue. Which to me is even worst..

[Fin]

We can't just stop talking about bigotry because it still currently impacts people in very real ways. And as Rocketman pointed out, we aren't that far removed from a time when barefaced bigotry was acceptable. That stuff has an impact of a society's values, and it won't go away completely without a lot of work. Bigotry doesn't thrive just because of the people who believe in it ideologically, there are also the people, many of them good people, who simply accept without thought a lot of the nastier common wisdoms of a society. That's still a problem at a time when the majority of us accept that race-, gender-, sexuality- or whatever-based discrimination is unacceptable, because our cultures are so steeped in nasty history that many of those bigoted ideas are still around in subtler forms.

[TRL]

Well talking about when it actually occurs is fine. But the hypersensitivity to see it in a children's cartoon does more harm than good.

[Rocketman]

Well talking about when it actually occurs is fine. But the hypersensitivity to see it in a children's cartoon does more harm than good.

Do you think racism can't express itself just because something is designated "for children"?