(Good thing all that "inside baseball" stuff gets taken down right away, wouldn't want to tarnish the image of Deadspin with jokes people don't get. Outright, blatant racism? Whatevs)
Let me preface this with something that really bears no mentioning: Nickly is terrible. That is a given.
But this comment really isn't that bad. Referencing the Lin article from yesterday in conjunction with the stuff mentioned in Drew's post (Super Mario and his Gawker exploits) and tweaking him for those things may not be the funniest thing in the world, but I fail to see how it is outright and blatantly racist.
Seems to me that it's a reaction to the words used. Is it the word that makes it racist, or the feeling behind the word? I think if you just say the word "nigger" or any of it's variants are by default racist, it kind of trivializes actual, blatant racism. Besides, you can be racist without ever having uttered the word "nigger."
Again, it was not a funny comment, but I don't think it is, on its face, racist.
Not to defend Nickly's unfunny comment, but I don't see how it's any more offensive than the questions in the funbag he's referring to. That guy just threw "wop" out in the Mario e-mail like it was nothing.
To whoever and such: those words are not comedy props to be thrown around haphazardly. To do so, while perhaps not as virulently racist as using them to slur someone directly, certainly bespeaks a certain indifference to some pretty horrific events in our history. If you want to play the "it's not racist if I'm not wearing a white hood" game, that's your right. I see the issue differently. This is not delicately using a word to make a point with value, it's a much more sophomoric "look, I used a word I'm not supposed to, heehee" shit that says, at least to me, that the speaker does not value the word he is using to make his point. To me, that's racist.
I don't believe I was playing the it's not racist if you're not wearing a white hood game. Just pointing out that, pardon the pun, not everything is so black and white. And, that this particular comment was not without context. Racism is much deeper than words and clothes.
People have a tendency to rush to call something that superficially appears racist, sexist, homophobic or whatever other offensive "ist" you'd like to include in order to demonstrate how progressive and tolerant they are. Its usually always well meaning, but again, comparing something like this to, say, European businessmen buying and selling human beings because they were deemed to be subhuman trivializes just how terrible the slave trade was. To knee jerkingly call someone a racist because you want to play the Internet White Knight game belittles those "horrific events in [world] history."
Similarly, just saying any use of a particular word is outright, no questions asked racist, devalues the word and racial sting attached to it.
I'm not attempting to stick up for the guy. like I said, I think he is not a good commenter. I'm also not trying to get inside his head, but I just do not see how a guy referencing things in the post and previous posts is blatantly racist.
Forgive me, as I don't have the time for a complete response and an iPhone is a messy tool. I did say that this was less virulent than directing a slur at another person, and that it betrayed a casual indifference to the genuine suffering that word still inflicts. I also allowed that there may times it is appropriate to use that word to make a point, or even a joke, as Louis CK does so well, if adequate thought and deference is given to its history. Yes, I think casually tossing it around without regard for that betrays an indifference to racial issues that I would describe as racist. Perhaps we're having a semantic or philosophical debate about what the word racist means. Blithely ignoring the suffering of others to make a cheap joke is hardly the same as sanctioning slavery, but it is still racist to me. You are surely entitled to your own equally valid opinion.
Jesus.
ReplyDelete[nods vigorously]
DeleteI like how people think that if they repeat something that someone else said or wrote, that makes it okay.
DeleteWait, are you taking about Nickly or Jeff?
DeleteHe he, +1 IMG.
Delete(I was talking about Nickly for the record)
That guy has amazing awaness.
DeleteHoly shit! How long is that going to stay up?
ReplyDelete(Good thing all that "inside baseball" stuff gets taken down right away, wouldn't want to tarnish the image of Deadspin with jokes people don't get. Outright, blatant racism? Whatevs)
-Someone
Let me preface this with something that really bears no mentioning: Nickly is terrible. That is a given.
ReplyDeleteBut this comment really isn't that bad. Referencing the Lin article from yesterday in conjunction with the stuff mentioned in Drew's post (Super Mario and his Gawker exploits) and tweaking him for those things may not be the funniest thing in the world, but I fail to see how it is outright and blatantly racist.
Seems to me that it's a reaction to the words used. Is it the word that makes it racist, or the feeling behind the word? I think if you just say the word "nigger" or any of it's variants are by default racist, it kind of trivializes actual, blatant racism. Besides, you can be racist without ever having uttered the word "nigger."
Again, it was not a funny comment, but I don't think it is, on its face, racist.
-Someone else
Not to defend Nickly's unfunny comment, but I don't see how it's any more offensive than the questions in the funbag he's referring to. That guy just threw "wop" out in the Mario e-mail like it was nothing.
ReplyDeleteTo whoever and such: those words are not comedy props to be thrown around haphazardly. To do so, while perhaps not as virulently racist as using them to slur someone directly, certainly bespeaks a certain indifference to some pretty horrific events in our history. If you want to play the "it's not racist if I'm not wearing a white hood" game, that's your right. I see the issue differently. This is not delicately using a word to make a point with value, it's a much more sophomoric "look, I used a word I'm not supposed to, heehee" shit that says, at least to me, that the speaker does not value the word he is using to make his point. To me, that's racist.
ReplyDeleteThat was sloppily written, but I think the point is clear
DeleteI don't believe I was playing the it's not racist if you're not wearing a white hood game. Just pointing out that, pardon the pun, not everything is so black and white. And, that this particular comment was not without context. Racism is much deeper than words and clothes.
DeletePeople have a tendency to rush to call something that superficially appears racist, sexist, homophobic or whatever other offensive "ist" you'd like to include in order to demonstrate how progressive and tolerant they are. Its usually always well meaning, but again, comparing something like this to, say, European businessmen buying and selling human beings because they were deemed to be subhuman trivializes just how terrible the slave trade was. To knee jerkingly call someone a racist because you want to play the Internet White Knight game belittles those "horrific events in [world] history."
Similarly, just saying any use of a particular word is outright, no questions asked racist, devalues the word and racial sting attached to it.
I'm not attempting to stick up for the guy. like I said, I think he is not a good commenter. I'm also not trying to get inside his head, but I just do not see how a guy referencing things in the post and previous posts is blatantly racist.
-Whoever and such
Forgive me, as I don't have the time for a complete response and an iPhone is a messy tool. I did say that this was less virulent than directing a slur at another person, and that it betrayed a casual indifference to the genuine suffering that word still inflicts. I also allowed that there may times it is appropriate to use that word to make a point, or even a joke, as Louis CK does so well, if adequate thought and deference is given to its history. Yes, I think casually tossing it around without regard for that betrays an indifference to racial issues that I would describe as racist. Perhaps we're having a semantic or philosophical debate about what the word racist means. Blithely ignoring the suffering of others to make a cheap joke is hardly the same as sanctioning slavery, but it is still racist to me. You are surely entitled to your own equally valid opinion.
DeleteI've wanted to say Whoever and Such's 1:27 pm comment for a LONG time.
ReplyDeletef-leaverher