"Blackface" isn't ok for Halloween?

Anti-Party

Anti-Party

Tea Is The New Kool-Aid
All over Social media this year I saw this "Blackface isn't ok for Halloween!".. Google "blackface not ok for Halloween" and pick your source if you didn't hear this.

I felt like I was the only one wondering why.

Most people dress up as someone or something they are not for this occasion. I've never heard of a line crossed until this year. You can't go "blackface"....

Most Halloween Costumes are of something people desire to be. A cop, a fireman, a princess, a doctor ETC.

Share your thoughts on this. Is it offensive? And why? I am not racist and always think people should be proud of who they are. If someone mimics me, I feel flattered. Why is black bad and can blacks go "whiteface"?

Maybe I just don't understand it because I was raised redneck and was taught to be racist from a VERY young age. I broke the link...
 
My brother went as Flavo Flav and it was an epic costume. He was blackface. I don't get why it was racist in any way.
 
Because historically black face was inappropriate which depicted Black Americans with prominent atypical facial features along with the perceive attitude of inferiority. Along with this stereotype came with the perception that all blacks eat chicken and watermelon. Black Face is not just offensive but it is a constant reminder of a racist
past in American history.
 
Furthermore, the fact that people know that black face is historically an offensive depiction of blacks and yet
people continue to fan the flames by going out and painting their face black is a negligent, and a lack of
concern for what is actually offensive.
 
Sun Devil said:
Because historically black face was inappropriate which depicted Black Americans with prominent atypical facial features along with the perceive attitude of inferiority. Along with this stereotype came with the perception that all blacks eat chicken and watermelon. Black Face is not just offensive but it is a constant reminder of a racist
past in American history.
Click to expand...

What were those "atypical facial features"?

I'm smart. I'll agree that people in the past may have dressed up as blacks to clown them or even more recently dress up as a black clown for a rodeo....

But shouldn't each case be different? Shouldn't it be ok to be black now??????? Shouldn't it be something to be proud of?
 
I know racism is still out there and out of control. But this is the case for both skin tones in the majority of the matter, black and white. Thugs and bikers. Same thing, different color GENERALLY SPEAKING.

I just think that if you are poked at for being who you are you should own it and not shame from it. Only then are you an empowered person.


Note that Louis CK is Mexican.....not white.........not many know that.
 
Anti-Party said:
What were those "atypical facial features"?

I'm smart. I'll agree that people in the past may have dressed up as blacks to clown them or even more recently dress up as a black clown for a rodeo....

But shouldn't each case be different? Shouldn't it be ok to be black now??????? Shouldn't it be something to be proud of?
Click to expand...

Atypical features such as big lips and jet black skin. Black face is a gross misrepresentation of what the average African-American looks like. As far as answering your question on whether it is acceptable to be black today, well, that is actually besides the point. It is one thing to appear as a person for satire it is another to knowingly portray yourself as "black" along with the stereotypical attitude along with that while being aware that your portrayal of being black can be offensive.

For example, just recently there was a group of guys one dressed up as Trayvon Martin, and the other dressed up as Zimmerman. They even took to Twitter and made a comment about it in a joking way. I personally
saw nothing funny about dressing up as a dead kid. Some people don't realize that, that was someone's son
or brother, or whatever. I believe for purposes of the historical impact of the gross portrayals of African-Americans is still something that ought to be recognized.
 
Anti-Party said:
I know racism is still out there and out of control. But this is the case for both skin tones in the majority of the matter, black and white. Thugs and bikers. Same thing, different color GENERALLY SPEAKING.

I just think that if you are poked at for being who you are you should own it and not shame from it. Only then are you an empowered person.


Note that Louis CK is Mexican.....not white.........not many know that.
Click to expand...

But nobody here is stating that the dislike of black face amounts to shame. As I said previously the disliking of black face is largely due to the iconic representation of the history of racism in the United States. For example black face typically, and historically relates largely to the book "The Story of Little Black Sambo."
 
Sun Devil said:
Atypical features such as big lips and jet black skin. Black face is a gross misrepresentation of what the average African-American looks like. As far as answering your question on whether it is acceptable to be black today, well, that is actually besides the point. It is one thing to appear as a person for satire it is another to knowingly portray yourself as "black" along with the stereotypical attitude along with that while being aware that your portrayal of being black can be offensive.

For example, just recently there was a group of guys one dressed up as Trayvon Martin, and the other dressed up as Zimmerman. They even took to Twitter and made a comment about it in a joking way. I personally
saw nothing funny about dressing up as a dead kid. Some people don't realize that, that was someone's son
or brother, or whatever. I believe for purposes of the historical impact of the gross portrayals of African-Americans is still something that ought to be recognized.
Click to expand...

I didn't hear about the people dressing up as Trayvon until now. Zimmerman was only found innocent because Florida had a different definition of "stalking" than the general Dictionary. That is not ok with me.

Big lips, jet black skin? So what. Big butts too. If a blackface has a big buldge is it racist? Maybe I don't get it because I don't get racism and the reasons. Black people have bigger lips. If me saying that is racist your are ignorant. So what though? "Omg, he said I have big lips". Who cares really?

The general basics of junior high is "Love who you are. If someone makes fun of you and you take it to heart, they will keep making fun of you"

But I DO recognize that you think "blackface" is different than painting yourself black. Maybe that was my confusion.
 
Anti-Party said:
I didn't hear about the people dressing up as Trayvon until now. Zimmerman was only found innocent because Florida had a different definition of "stalking" than the general Dictionary. That is not ok with me.

Big lips, jet black skin? So what. Big butts too. If a blackface has a big buldge is it racist? Maybe I don't get it because I don't get racism and the reasons. Black people have bigger lips. If me saying that is racist your are ignorant. So what though? "Omg, he said I have big lips". Who cares really?

The general basics of junior high is "Love who you are. If someone makes fun of you and you take it to heart, they will keep making fun of you"

But I DO recognize that you think "blackface" is different than painting yourself black. Maybe that was my confusion.
Click to expand...

I think your confusion comes from the fact that you're outside that ethnic demographic and are excessively trying to rationalize something offensive to someone other than yourself, such preoccupations are similar to that of the "N word" debate. I don't think it's difficult to respect the fact that some people's pain is still too fresh. I personally think any portrayal of any member of an ethnic group outside your own for the purposes of being foolish and acting in a prejudiced and stereotypical manner associated with that ethnic group.

While on the subject of offensive costumes what about a person dressing up as a Nazi soldier? Would such be appropriate in the company of fellow Jews, or would this matter be respected because we respect the feelings of Jews more? Why is there a preoccupation to dress up in "black face anyway?" It seems people are trying to blur the lines while being aware that it is an offensive thing to do.
 
The purpose of blackface is to be racist. That is the only reason why people have historically worn it, kiddo. To say otherwise just highlights how ignorant you are of the world. Try turning off Fox.
 
Sun Devil said:
I think your confusion comes from the fact that you're outside that ethnic demographic and are excessively trying to rationalize something offensive to someone other than yourself, such preoccupations are similar to that of the "N word" debate. I don't think it's difficult to respect the fact that some people's pain is still too fresh. I personally think any portrayal of any member of an ethnic group outside your own for the purposes of being foolish and acting in a prejudiced and stereotypical manner associated with that ethnic group.

While on the subject of offensive costumes what about a person dressing up as a Nazi soldier? Would such be appropriate in the company of fellow Jews, or would this matter be respected because we respect the feelings of Jews more? Why is there a preoccupation to dress up in "black face anyway?" It seems people are trying to blur the lines while being aware that it is an offensive thing to do.
Click to expand...

I think sensitivity can get out of control and can turn into manipulation. Why can one person say a word that another can't? And is it ok if I leave off the "er"? I don't use the term but that term originated as "The Plow Master". The hardest worker in the field. Pimps could joke of this "plowmaster" term but I digress.

I think the term "Sensitivity" comes to play here. At what point are we equal?
 
Threedee said:
The purpose of blackface is to be racist. That is the only reason why people have historically worn it, kiddo. To say otherwise just highlights how ignorant you are of the world. Try turning off Fox.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing "blackface' is different than dressing up as a black person at this point.
 
Anti-Party said:
I think sensitivity can get out of control and can turn into manipulation. Why can one person say a word that another can't? And is it ok if I leave off the "er"? I don't use the term but that term originated as "The Plow Master". The hardest worker in the field. Pimps could joke of this "plowmaster" term but I digress.

I think the term "Sensitivity" comes to play here. At what point are we equal?
Click to expand...

Well trying to rationalize and dictate a reason to say the "N word" resembles the kind of dictation that plantation "masters" implied upon black slaves but I digress as well. I learned early that if I'm cognizant of things that can be socially offensive to people I therefore ought to not assume that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I have friends who make racial jokes but I choose to not partake in that because everyone is different when it comes to a perception of racial comedy. In today's age we are still not at a point where American society is beyond racism. We aren't, and the displays that I see now demonstrates that.

Which is why I said earlier that you being a member of the outside demographic have no room to dictate what you ought to do in conjunction with another member of a demographic. Rather, if you know that certain things are offensive and especially if these people are not in your remote circle of friends why would you want to still dress up what is perceived socially offensive? Just because the Holocaust is over doesn't mean I can turn my entire house into a huge oven and with a sign that says "Jews Enter."

It's not that long ago before Jim Crow was abolished as unconstitutional and the various gross depictions of what African-Americans looked like didn't plague the social media airwaves. I guess the way I see things I'd rather respect the sensitivity of a culture and not be offensive as opposed to me having a "F*ck your feelings, get over it" kind of attitude. Such behaviors like the latter are the reasons why some people have sustained racial hatred towards Caucasians because some members within that demographic are continuing to push the envelope.
 
Anti-Party said:
I'm guessing "blackface' is different than dressing up as a black person at this point.
Click to expand...

Let me ask you this.....

With thousands of costumes why would someone want to be a member of an ethnic group? I mean you could be the Koo-Aid man, a pokemon, one of the Mario Bros....There is a plethora of ideas of what to be. Why would a Caucasian want to paint their face black to imitate Trayvon Martin and think that kind of stuff is funny? The only purpose I see is to try to stir the pot and piss people off.
 
Anti-Party said:
I think sensitivity can get out of control and can turn into manipulation. Why can one person say a word that another can't? And is it ok if I leave off the "er"? I don't use the term but that term originated as "The Plow Master". The hardest worker in the field. Pimps could joke of this "plowmaster" term but I digress.

I think the term "Sensitivity" comes to play here. At what point are we equal?
Click to expand...

When was the last time you had a need to use the word?
 
Sun Devil said:
Let me ask you this.....

With thousands of costumes why would someone want to be a member of an ethnic group? I mean you could be the Koo-Aid man, a pokemon, one of the Mario Bros....There is a plethora of ideas of what to be. Why would a Caucasian want to paint their face black to imitate Trayvon Martin and think that kind of stuff is funny? The only purpose I see is to try to stir the pot and piss people off.
Click to expand...

Are black kids ok to be superman or batman? If they paint their face white is it racist? I think the answer is there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top