Adam

quote Originally posted by JeffMN: Your certainly entitled to your opinion but understand it is completely, wholly and totally racist. Somehow you've managed to convince yourself that television networks care more about what color you are than how much money they can make.

Interesting that when people get to object to BET programming because it is cash driven in a specialty market. They get their panties up in a wad and wish for "WET" with no comment from the gallery or you Jeff. I presume that BET has same rights to create profit driven programming, just like Univision? Someone must be paying to get a piece of that market not being intelligently addressed by the networks. Is what is good for NBC/CBS/ABC not good for BET because that network targets a minority market?

Jeff, help me to understand who the network programs shows for where Blacks, Hispanics and Asians are for the most part portrayed as buffons? If you watch the commercials that go with many of those shows, it seems clear that they do target ethnic groups. Money isn't exclusively an Anglo thing.

So, do you feel better now that you have called me a racist for having an issues in regard to major network programming when it comes to minorities? Next time cut to the chase if you don't like my opinion instead of backing up why you think I am a racist with an argument as strong as a wet paper bag.

By the way, the airways that they use are public airways, supported in part by we, the tax paying citizens. Last time I checked, we all pay off the same tax tables. No box to check that gives breaks for ethnic heritage. On top of that, BET is on cable. I figure I have every right to express my dismay as long as the networks get a free ride on using the airways. Especially when those networks target groups with ignorant programming that furthers stereotypes. Again, I doubt WET will happen, not because someone's idea of sensitivity will be offended, but because there is no market for it. Instead of whining about BET, fund your WET!

So far the talley of insults in response to my opinion have included some of the usual, albeit restrained creative stuff. Thin skinned, moron, Anal, racist, and stuff completely deleted, etc just because I have my own opinion. Personally I am glad to have waded in on the "joke", for a few reasons, here many have disagreed in an articulate fashion and a few prefer to just hurl.

Edit for grammer and shouts to my bud Steve
: Howdee Plainfield, NH! Thanks for the shouts, if you need my nomex, you can have it. Since this thread has started, it has gotten pretty warm here in S. IL and I haven't needed to chuck a log into the stove. That was a fine road trip up your way in NH!

This is the precise root of the racism in your arguments; you choose to group people based on their race. From there your arguments blossom into further distinctions all based around race.

The rest of your post is beyond the worth and dignity of a response.

Bye.

-Jeff

Secondly, I have a great sense of humor. I even make fun of myself and my own race. That's why I didn't have a problem with the joke. I just think you're getting worked up over nothing...at least to me it's nothing.

If you're offended, so be it. Have a sense of humor, it was just a joke. It wasn't meant to do any harm. If it did, that's because you let it. You don't have to dissect everything you read.

He obviously didn't think about what he may stir up if he posted it. I agree, that joke would definitely offend some people. That's just a fact of life though...someone is always going to be offended.

I do respect your opinion and see where you're coming from. This is obviously a touchy subject for you.

What shows are you watching? That was certainly true 20 years ago, but I don't see it now. I know there are several mostly black sitcoms... I just watched "My Wife and Kids" tonight. Sure the characters are silly, but then it is a sitcom... white people are silly on sitcoms too {ever watch Three's Company ? ).

Some of my favorite dramatic shows (ER, Third Watch and CSI for example) have serious black main characters. Several episodes have even focused primarily on their character.

People can & do make fun of themselves as sterotypes, such as Asians with cameras. It's not uncommon to see Japanese movies where they poke fun at themselves in that manner. I see people here in Texas telling "Texan jokes" that highlight our stereotype frequently.
The text we are talking about is making fun of an ill percieved and rude belief that one specific segment of our population is less intelligent or less educated than another, and that is where the offensiveness arises.
It's not dialect, it's well, just as I said above. I doubt that the current rap or gansta speak will ever be considered offensive, say in 50-75 years down the road, anymore than the cliches of the beatnik or hippie generations will be. It may be looked upon as odd, but not offensive because it doesn't imply ignorance, as the posted 'joke' does.

Like I say, just my 2 cents. Feel free to disagree, but I won't back off of it.

I would. I don't find this offensive. This deals with the fact that White people change color and Blacks don't, or should I say it's not as noticeable. Jokes are based on differances which we all have. Some of these differences are amusing some aren't.

What I am tired of hearing is the race card constantally being thrown out by the black community. You don't hear things like that from the Hispanics who are now the "majority minority" which has the black community all upset politically. Latinos are hard working people who are very close to thier families. It's not like that in the black community as a whole in my opinion. They are to busy killing and stepping on each other to try and make a easy buck.

I wish this one thing which is very simple. The black community needs to get off thier butts and stop acting like whites owe them something, we don't. The slavery thing was a hundred years ago in the United States. Hell it's still going on in other countries. If the black community is so upset over that issue how come they aren't over there doing something about it? Simple there is no money in it for them.

Am I a racist...........hmmmm, Yes to a degree, but who made me this way? The black community did by it's actions, not my parents, teachers or friends. It was the Blacks and thier constant bitching and over all laziness that has caused it.

I do have friends and nieghbors that are black and we've had this conversation and we get along very well. One has his son in Boy Scouts with mine and he is great on our midnight hikes. Why, simply because he is black and blends into the background at night when we go snipe hunting. Thats another story.

I'm finished now, was it harsh, yes, but I need my say also.