Do you consider this racist?

blizzard · #1 07-25-2008, 09:39 AM

Ok, a bit of a storm in teacup has reared its head in the last couple weeks in the form of this:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hNoyyjD0pGc

Quote:

http://herald-zeitung.com/story.lass...401815d224b5d0

Mary Alice Altorfer isn’t black, but two of her grandchildren are, and Altorfer believes they were the intended targets of a homemade sign posted Sunday outside her neighborhood pool.

The sign featured a pixelated color drawing of a black man in a suit and tie with the words, “POOL’S CLOSED,” written below theman in block letters. The outline is fuzzy and the man’s Afro is fake — cut-and-pasted, apparently, by the sign’s creator.

The pool was not actually closed on Sunday.

So do you think her claim that it was a racist is valid or that she is just over sensitive?

IMO, I can see where she is coming from and it is within her rights to be concerned. However I do think she is being over sensitive and that its only a racist attack because she took it to be one. To me there is nothing that suggests that its racist, most likely if it was a white person on the sign there would have been nothing said. What I am annoyed at is the fact that the media decided to run the story, it just seems like a poor choice of actions. Let me finish up by saying that its a great thing the local police department didn't waste their resources on following this up so that they can solve some real crimes instead.

ps. If you look on the newspapers site there are more stories concerning this

moomoocajoo · #2 07-25-2008, 09:41 AM

It's not racist in intention, its just yet another internet joke.

(Its to do with some Habbo hotel thing...check encyclopedia dramatica.)

Mark Latimour · #3 07-25-2008, 09:44 AM

I don't know whether it was intended to be racist or not, that would depend on me knowing what was in the mind of the person who put the sign up, but I can see how someone could reasonably feel that it was intended to be racist. Particuarly if they grew up during a time and a place where signs like that were more common and were intended to be racist. Not saying that's necessarily the case here.

blizzard · #4 07-25-2008, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moomoocajoo

It's not racist in intention, its just yet another internet joke.

(Its to do with some Habbo hotel thing...check encyclopedia dramatica.)

Yeah I realise its origins, but I thought it would be interesting to get the reaction of people who are most likely not aware of the origins.

Dr. Cheese · #5 07-25-2008, 09:50 AM

If this is an area that is predominately white, why would the poster depict a black man with a pasted on afro, unless the author wanted to make fun of a certain racial image? Given the history of Texas, and the rest of the South, a reasonable person could see where that image would be seen as offensive, especially if it only was posted after two mixed race children started using the pool.

Mark Latimour · #6 07-25-2008, 09:52 AM

I think of it like this. Imagine there is a small town in the middle of the country where there are two bars. One bar is owned by the White family and the other bar is owned by the Black family. These two families have been feuding for decades, like modern day Motagues and Capulets. They despise each other. Next to the door in each of their respective bars, they have a sig saying "No Whites allowed" and "No Blacks allowed". Now, everyone in this town knows what these signs mean and the history of the family feud. One day, an African American family are driving through town on their way across the country and they decide to stop to use the bathroom. They pull up in front of the bar and see the sign that says "No Blacks allowed".

Is the sign racist? No.

Could you see how, to the person looking at the sign, it might appear to be racist? Yes.

Should the families perhaps have thought a little harder about whether putting up the sign might be a good idea?

Maybe that third one can be left open for the OT public.

CRONOS · #7 07-25-2008, 09:57 AM

Ha Ha Ha my brother showed me that last weak It's on 4chan.org There called Anonymous there just people that laugh at other peoples expenses. They did this thing on a kids internet game a long time ago the all made black characters with Afros and the pool on the game is always hard to get to but they all surrounded the pool saying pools closed. then it got famous and someone put on a pool and they are Anonymous. fox news are trying to call them hacker terrorist it's all fake it is just people playing around on web sites There maybe a few hackers but there not part of the group and they don't make treating phone calls. Fox just needs something to complain about.

blizzard · #8 07-25-2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Is the sign racist? No.

Could you see how, to the person looking at the sign, it might appear to be racist? Yes.

Should the families perhaps have thought a little harder about whether putting up the sign might be a good idea?

I think you summed up the situation pretty well but I will pose another question.

Should it have been picked up by the media?

Dr Cheese, I can see what your point however given the body language of the guy it suggests to me that it would mean the opposite of what she took it to mean.

Mark Latimour · #9 07-25-2008, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blizzard

I think you summed up the situation pretty well but I will pose another question.

Should it have been picked up by the media?

What is the role of the media?

blizzard · #10 07-25-2008, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRONOS

Ha Ha Ha my brother showed me that last weak It's on 4chan.org There called Anonymous there just people that laugh at other peoples expenses. They did this thing on a kids internet game a long time ago the all made black characters with Afros and the pool on the game is always hard to get to but they all surrounded the pool saying pools closed. then it got famous and someone put on a pool a lot of people and they are Anonymous. fox news are trying to call them hacker tourist it's all fake it is just people playing around on web sites There maybe a few hackers but there not part of the group and they don't make treating phone calls. Fox just needs something to complain about.

You pretty much hit the nail on the head with your description but I would like to add there was reason for their actions which is that. It was protest because Habbo Hotel used to ban anyone with identifiably Negro traits (ie afros, dark skin) from going into the pool.

Visirale · #11 07-25-2008, 11:24 AM

Well, it may not be inherently racist but the place it comes from is. It's all 4chan. They're lifeless idiots who find humor in racism and a lot of other less than wholesome subjects. When they leave their house long enough to get in the real world and do something like this, they get a ton of media attention and think they are the bee's knees.

IMO, the whole internet would be better if they shut that site down.

69nites · #12 07-25-2008, 11:33 AM

I think it's racist against disco....

FL Knifemaker · #13 07-25-2008, 11:57 AM

I'm offended

CRONOS · #14 07-25-2008, 12:05 PM

You thank that is offensive You should see the other stuff they do. But a lot of it is funny just so you no a good bet of black people do this to. They don't hurt any maybe a few peoples fillings but their usually the preppy cry babies that are smug to other people. Just saying I'm not one of them but I know a lot of them and are friends with them.