karellan wrote:Ballistic90 wrote:The big 'ears', big teeth and illiterate aspect of these characters are the spitting image of the 'Sambo' stereotype created back around the late 1800s, during the Jim Crow times, to affect social control on African Americans.
http://www.amazon.com/Ren-Stimpy-Show-Seasons-Half-ish/dp/B0009CTV4U/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1246158314&sr=1-3While that may have been true a hundred years ago, you need to look at it in context today. Not every instance of "big ears, big teeth and stupid," is a black stereotype. Even putting urban slang in the mix doesn't necessarily imply blackness, since every video game, movie, TV show, and song today that's trying to be cool and hip uses that language.
In cartoons, like the Ren and Stimpy I linked above, when the artist wants to depict "stupid," the first thing they do is add big ears and big teeth. Skids and Mudflap are basically cartoons, so their look isn't surprising at all.
The fact that 'other people are doing it' doesn't excuse it or explain it away at all. In fact, you could be point out that a surprising number of cartoons over the years have been racist, which is probably more true than anyone is willing to admit. You're also forgetting the gold tooth that kind of pushes it way beyond that train of thought. Gold teeth are associated with rappers more than any other group.
"First off, you don't know me from the next person on the internet, so you can't say that it doesn't affect me personally.
Second, racism affects everyone personally, as a human. So I don't just let racism "pass." To me, it's fairly offensive that you would suggest that I would do that. Just because I don't see it here doesn't mean I ignore it elsewhere.
I could look at a tree and see a danish if I tried hard enough. I'm not saying your wrong, I'm just saying that the fact that this issue is not clear cut proves this isn't a simple case of "Song of the South" racism. There's a good case that it's not there at all."
First, I can tell that you are a white man by what you just said. To you, it's theoretical. To others, it's real life. It doesn't affect everyone the same way. You want to see how it affects people? Here. Let me help you REALLY understand.
http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/caricature/http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/men.htmhttp://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/newforms/more/http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/newforms/http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/cartoons/Although I will note that it's more 'big lips' generally in these examples, big teeth is also a big part of it.
"I heard about this. Personally it gave each robot a certain character and that made it better. We live in a world of stereotyping and we have to overcome it. Michael Bay shouldn't have to defend this "Robo-Racial" issue. Excellent movie and excellent characters! Thanks for giving the nation something fun to look forward during hard times!
"
A dumb black stereotype isn't a 'flavor'. He should have to defend it. Along with the rest of the crap in the movie.