<p>amen, hyeon! tell it. </p>
<p>i find it hard to comprehend the level of flat out ignorance (or is it willful blindness?) expressed on this thread. more likely, a sorry combination of both. </p>
<p>btw–if your kid doesn’t know a thing about blackface, then there’s a problem. is there no discussion of history going on in american homes??? i wonder how they made it to a university, frankly…</p>
<p>there’s no way to defend this mess.</p>
<p>^^ calimami - Like I said, I may be wrong, and I’m not including my own kids in this assessment, but I just wouldn’t be surprised at all if a majority of HS/college kids today don’t really know anything about The Jazz Singer, Minstrel shows, and maybe even the connotation of ‘blackface’ as opposed to what it appears these kids (withme not really knowing the details of course). I’d be happy to be wrong. Try asking some random HS/college kids if they know what all of these are.</p>
<p>They must live very sheltered lives if they’re not aware that there’s controversy over wearing blackface. That knowledge is something most people absorb from society as they grow up, like knowing what the Trail of Tears is, that there are stereotypes about black people and watermelon, or recognizing Charlie Chaplin. Maybe you’ve never watched a Charlie Chaplin film, but when you see him you think, “Oh, it’s Charlie Chaplin.”</p>
<p>Yes, Naturally, you’d think there should be a certain level of “cultural literacy”. You can’t be a dummy & get into Lehigh, right? </p>
<p>Reading this thread made me ask my 15 year-old son if he thought dressing as these students did was appropriate. He looked at me like “are you serious?” and said no. I asked him why and he said painting his face black would be “racial”. (<em>relieved mom here</em>)</p>
<p>I saw a few halloween costumes this year worn by kids that included a mask of Obama. Would that be considered racially offensive on Halloween? </p>
<p>These were costumes nothing more and nothing less…it is pathetic that this has become a racial issue. It did not seem to be intended as anything more than two guys dressing as two famous female tennis players who happen to be African American.</p>
<p>momma three: even if we assume the best or most innocent of intentions of these Lehigh guys, it doesn’t take away from the fact that their actions crossed boundaries of cultural taste and sensitivity in the opinions of many people.</p>
<p>You may call it pathetic that this has devolved into a racial issue. I see it differently. As soon as those guys walked out of their room, it was a racial issue. </p>
<p>The fact is non-blacks dressing as blacks has deep cultural implications. And it would be very different of two black men had dressed up as the Williams sisters. Yes, that’s right-- because while potentially tasteless, no one would misconstrue any “minstrel” aspect of it.</p>
<p>I’m Asian. If a white person dressed up as an Asian celebrity, I wouldn’t be offended. Why? Because there’s no deep and scarring history related to whites mimicking Asians (sure Charlie Chan movies were annoying but not damaging or offensive)</p>
<p>Remember when Britain’s Prince Harry wore a swatika arm badge at a costume party? A non veteran or non-jew might not be offended (I’m neither) but it doesn’t take much deep analysis to see the stupidity of that move.</p>
<p>I think that cases like this (when people keep insisting that college kids probably don’t know about the racially-charged connotations of blackface) are perfect proof of why the old canard about a post-racial society where we don’t need to talk about or think about race and racism anymore is ridiculous. Just because you prefer to ignore something doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen, and cultural illiteracy doesn’t really erase the effects of racism.</p>
<p>HOWEVER, and I’m going to say this as a black man – I don’t think that all instances of white people dressing up as black people are racist. I do not believe that Lehigh is full of racists – I’m sure it has its problems, but like all American college campuses it is populated for the most part by pretty decent, hard-working, hard-playing kids. I do not feel as if these young men, based on the story presented here, are racists or had the intent of offending or mocking black people in general. Their choice of costume might be somewhat insensitive to some, but I do not consider these guys to be racists.</p>
<p>
To me, this raises the question of when something has faded far enough into the past that it no longer has that kind of power. Obviously, blackface hasn’t faded enough (as it were), but I do think it’s true that a lot of people haven’t had any *personal *experiences that show them why it’s bad. When, if ever, does a symbol lose its meaning? I think some can fade pretty fast–I think today’s teens would be perplexed by a joke based on the idea that Polish people are stupid, for example.</p>
<p>I dunno, if someone dressed up as a generic Polish guy (whatever that outfit would be, I’ve no idea), and then had a caption leading from his face that said "DUH…HHHH) you’d probably find lots of people, even teens who are upset about it.</p>
<p>(I never got that whole thing in the first place, but that’s neither here nor there).</p>
<p>On the other hand, if someone dressed up for Halloween as Lech Walesa, and put on a phony moustache because Walesa has a moustache, I don’t think many people would be accusing them of insulting Polish people.</p>
<p>Well, the SNL wild & crazy guys were from some generic eastern european country. I guess the overly sensitive could find their antics insulting.</p>
<p>"Yes, naturally, you’d think there should be a certain level of “cultural literacy”. You can’t be a dummy & get into Lehigh, right? "</p>
<p>I think this is the key here - “cultural literacy” is not an absolute, it changes with time. I don’t think these students thought about the historical context of their costumes. I think they may be aware of the historical context, but are very much removed from the emotional response that the “older generation” attaches to it. They thought it would be funny. </p>
<p>For “character day” at our HS my raised Jewish, but now agnostic boy wanted to dress up as Jesus. My DH and I said, “Absolutely not.” My otherwise smart and fairly sensitive DS asked why not. He did not see how disrespectful it was to choose Jesus as his character. He thought it would be funny. He was going for the funny. He did not dress up as Jesus, but apparently several other kids did.</p>
<p>geogirl, at my mother-in-law’s school, a kid dressed up as Jesus and had a pair of “heelies” on… enabled him to roll down the hall as if he were floating… my MIL is a devout Catholic but she thought it was hysterical. Apparently the principal felt differently, though.</p>
<p>If I asked my 2 kids what “blackface” is, I’m not sure they’d know the answer, and they are fairly well-educated 18 and 21 year olds. My 18 year old might assume I was referring to the eye-black that football players wear. But maybe I’m underestimating them… perhaps I’ll ask and find out.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>It is extremely insulting that some parents here think college-educated young adults don’t know what blackface is. Every single one of my friends knows what blackface is. I have never met a person at UMCP, ever, that does not know what blackface is. I will admit I’ve never watched the Jazz Singer though :p</p></li>
<li><p>It’s also extremely insulting to call this group of activists “agitators” who are “trying to make a name for themselves.” Calling any kind of activist that reeks of backwardness. It sounds like something a grandma would say! “Oh those darn kids stirrin’ up trouble.” Considering the incident after Obama’s election and other incidents at Lehigh, I think it’s fair to say they don’t seem like “agitators” to me. They are responding to real problems.</p></li>
<li><p>My friend and I both dressed up as different black celebrities for Halloween. Neither of us painted our faces black because we knew some people would be sensitive to that. Yes, it would have made a better costume if we did, and we wouldn’t have meant anything by it, but is Halloween really that big of a deal that you’re going to go and do something that you know is so charged? Weird judgment call on those guys’ part that brings up some serious questions.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You’re insulted, because some really old guy isn’t sure what you kids have been taught and what you haven’t been taught?</p>
<p>You get insulted pretty easily.</p>
<p>I’m amazed at some of the things my kids don’t know.</p>
<p>“I’m Asian. If a white person dressed up as an Asian celebrity, I wouldn’t be offended. Why? Because there’s no deep and scarring history related to whites mimicking Asians (sure Charlie Chan movies were annoying but not damaging or offensive)”</p>
<p>Off topic, but I disagree with this. That simply is NOT true - whether or not you are personally offended or not offended does not matter, but there is a “deep and scaring history.” It’s called “yellowface” in Asian American Studies courses. Charlie Chan is not the only example of yellowface - the first Broadway opening of Miss Saigon created a huge stir among Asian Americans because there were no Asians playing Asian roles. This is true even in today’s society - look at recent movie The Last Airbender! While those actors are not technically in yellowface (slanted eyes, painted yellow skin, etc.), this is just a form of racism that is allowed to occur in society because people’s lack of recognition of it as racism. And personally, I am offended and damaged by Charlie Chan …heh I was teased like almost every Asian American in the playgrounds by people pretending to be Asian.</p>
<p>I’m curious to know how many people at Lehigh (and campuses across the country) dressed as Snooki and The Situation and people thought it was hilarious? I’m not Italian, but I wonder how many Italian Americans are offended by them?</p>
<p>^^ Well dressing as sterotypical Italians is O.K because the pain of those sterotypes are being put upon a group of people that do not make a huge public statement about the educational and social injustices that have been perpetuated upon them. I have no doubt many Italions are deeply insulted that they are portrayed as trashy, ignorant, and uneducated people in the media. There are so many shoes that have been aired that are considered very offensive by most Italians.</p>
<p>I wonder how many people associate Jersey Shore with Italians? Even though they were marketed as Guidos, Jersey Shore has become it’s own stereotype.</p>
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</p>
<p>This is an extremely insensitive.and equally ignorant remark. Almost makes me feel that even adults, not just college students, need full awareness raising training. </p>
<p>Now blaming the victims for yelling “ouch”, aren’t we?</p>
<p>The sensitive reactions to the hurtful AND DNAGEROUS stereotypes based on hundreds of years of slavery of an entire race that resulted in mob lynching, hanging, and, even in this day and age, killing of unarmed persons by the over reacting police, cannot possibly be put in the same context as the bruised sensibilities of Italian Americans for the guido images.</p>
<p>“I am offended and damaged by Charlie Chan”</p>
<p>I mean I’ve heard that before, lots of people ae upset by it. But I don’t really get it.</p>
<p>He’s portrayed as the smart guy who solves all the crimes. That’s not a bad thing is it??</p>
<p>What people make fun of is his immigrant accent. But y’ know, my grandma from Poland had a heavy european accent that she took with her to her dying day. If someone made a series about her, the actor would have had a heavy accent that people could make fun of. But she didn’t solve any crimes.</p>
<p>IIRC, his Americanized son didn’t have an accent in the series.</p>
<p>Anyway I see the accent thing as more immigrant oriented than race-oriented, and not intended to be mean-spirited, just funning. But that’s me I guess.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure I’ve seen shows from back then with Irish immigrants with Irish accents, and Jewish immigrants with Yiddish accents, etc.</p>