Posts Tagged ‘racism’
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Controversy Tuesday: Same Dip, Different Shit
July 22nd, 2008 | by adminPosted In: Controversy Tuesdsay
IS ARCHIVE
Americans often find themselves on the business end of criticism over having very little knowledge or understanding of foreign nations, including the European continent to which many of them have fairly recent blood ties. They’re often accused of not having an accurate picture of the differences in culture between the myriad European states, or even being able to identify many of them. I’ve spent some time in Europe, in various places, and I have one feeling about this stereotype at this point. Good lord, do pots enjoy calling kettles black.
Complaining that Americans can’t tell the difference between Sweden and Norway is like complaining that Norwegians don’t know the difference between Texas and Oklahoma. I’ve met myriad Europeans who weren’t aware that the USA is split into several well defined regions, each with its own politcal and social preferences, not to mention local culture. I’ve heard a lot about double morality, a phrase that requires a scoff to correctly pronounce, but not so much about the differences in the North Eastern, North Central, Mid Western, and Northwestern accents. I’ve heard people complain about Madonna and Eminem invading European charts, but I haven’t found more than two people in Europe who’d even heard of artists like Jurassic 5 or the Reverend Horton Heat.
What bothers me is the acrimony with which these fucked up notions are brought out. There’s a pervasive sense of classism, even imperialism in these kinds of comments. They carry a sort of secret nationalism that’s a poison to the listener. Even the people most disatisfied with their home country manage it: “Well, I maybe be disaffected in a shitty nation of jerks, but at least I’m not American.”
The moral here? “Fuck you” is the same in every language. And if it’s not in your native language yet, don’t worry. It’s getting there.
Love,
Captain Cussy Pants.
Comment
IS ARCHIVE
I was thinking about how to open a door with only one arm and a bag full of delicately fragile groceries when I realised that this is arm racism! Okay, some people only have one arm. They either start with one arm or they somehow lose one arm, which makes it sound like they leave it on the bus the way I left my wallet one time. Don’t ask.
So if you have one arm you wander around looking at two armed people all the time. The two armed people try not to mention your one arm, mostly, or some of them might say, “Hey! What happened to your arm?!” Clearly it’s arm racist to mention the lack of an arm. But is it arm racist to open the door for a one armed person with a bag of delicately fragile groceries? Probably! If I don’t point it out when somebody has one arm, I’m just politely trying to ignore the fact and that’s also probably arm racist! So maybe one armed people can just enter rooms and announce, “I have one arm.” Why not? You don’t have to answer the announcement, it’s just there for your benefit. From now on I’ll announce the number of limbs I have. I’ll say, “Nine limbs!” Thusly I have escaped more racism?
I also want to point out that USA Independance Day/Fourth of July is an excellent holiday! And it could probably provide you with the opportunity you need to answer my arm racism questions! I call it: The Explodiest Holiday.