Canadian PM Justin Trudeau apologizes after photo emerges of him wearing BROWNFACE

[Dashinka 24,750]

5 hours ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   Time magazine's coverage of this goes into detail about the USA's long and painful history of white performers wearing black face to demean and dehumanize African Americans. Eventually I had to wonder, what does any of that have to do with the PM of Canada wearing brown face. I would ask, does Canada have a similarly long history of demeaning people of Arab descent this way? The answer to that question may give some insight into what the reaction will end up being. People seem to forget, it is not just the act of wearing colored face paint that is considered racist, it is also because of the long history behind it.  

 

   Personally, I don't think Trudeau will do that well in the next election. He might squeak by or he might not. I don't really think his fortunes will turn based on this incident. He is not going to be labelled a racist, because he isn't one. The paint doesn't change that. 

I agree that Trudeau is not a racist, but of course there are many instances of folks being labeled racist by the activist media who are not.  In this case, the majority of the media most likely will not label Trudeau a racist since he is on their side politically.

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Day-o, day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home
Day, me say day, me say day, me say day
Me say day, me say day-o
Daylight come and me wan' go home

[Steeleballz 7,550]

8 hours ago, Bill & Katya said:

I agree that Trudeau is not a racist, but of course there are many instances of folks being labeled racist by the activist media who are not.  In this case, the majority of the media most likely will not label Trudeau a racist since he is on their side politically.

 

   As I mentioned earlier, I have used a term that I later found to have racist connotations. I have heard many people use that term. Most of them are not racist people. We are just repeating a slogan. However once we understand where the slogan came from, it's hard to continue to defend it's use. We now know what it means. 

 

  I feel the same about "black face". Some performers used it to demean African Americans. Many performers were  just using it to perform and play a role, without intending to be causing harm. In Trudeau's case nothing suggests he was using it to intentionally demean. He was also using it as part of a costume. However, the connotation of racism that surrounds and the history of it's use is now ubiquitous. Trudeau can't claim ignorance, even if their was no ill intent.

 

  Anyone who chooses to do this has to understand that there probably will be consequences and they will end up defending themselves against accusations of racism. Or worse. The students at CSU apparently have received death threats. 

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One of the Canadian media sources mentioned how his party had weaponised  this, going back through their opponents media history looking for stuff.

 

I have no sympathy whatsoever for him, live by the sword, die by the sword.

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Boiler said:

One of the Canadian media sources mentioned how his party had weaponised  this, going back through their opponents media history looking for stuff.

 

I have no sympathy whatsoever for him, live by the sword, die by the sword.

 

 

This. Also at the time it was said he did this it was already known to be racist so he did it willingly knowing it was a racist act. Of course he was already considered one of the elite as his father was a Canadian premier so he probably felt immune from what ordinary folk has to endure. He has been Teflon so far as he has had many other things that ordinary people would be castigated for. 

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31 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   As I mentioned earlier, I have used a term that I later found to have racist connotations. I have heard many people use that term. Most of them are not racist people. We are just repeating a slogan. However once we understand where the slogan came from, it's hard to continue to defend it's use. We now know what it means. 

 

  I feel the same about "black face". Some performers used it to demean African Americans. Many performers were  just using it to perform and play a role, without intending to be causing harm. In Trudeau's case nothing suggests he was using it to intentionally demean. He was also using it as part of a costume. However, the connotation of racism that surrounds and the history of it's use is now ubiquitous. Trudeau can't claim ignorance, even if their was no ill intent.

 

  Anyone who chooses to do this has to understand that there probably will be consequences and they will end up defending themselves against accusations of racism. Or worse. The students at CSU apparently have received death threats. 

The interesting thing I have noticed in the reporting of this item is almost every outlet refers to it as "brown face".  Just wondering if that is a method of spin.

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I assume it was intentional, does not look brown, looks black.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

Just now, Bill & Katya said:

The interesting thing I have noticed in the reporting of this item is almost every outlet refers to it as "brown face".  Just wondering if that is a method of spin.

 

    There are a lot more "brown skinned" people in Canada than there are people with darker skin. I don't think they are necessarily spinning it at all. "Brown face" is a term that may be of relevance to significantly larger groups of people than "black face". 

[laylalex 7,300]

8 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

The interesting thing I have noticed in the reporting of this item is almost every outlet refers to it as "brown face".  Just wondering if that is a method of spin.

Well, the first picture of Trudeau that came out was brown face -- wasn't he supposed to be Aladdin? That's probably what they've been leading with. The other pics came later. I wouldn't read much into it. 

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Just now, Steeleballz said:

 

    There are a lot more "brown skinned" people in Canada than there are people with darker skin. I don't think they are necessarily spinning it at all. "Brown face" is a term that may be of relevance to significantly larger groups of people than "black face". 

But these are American sources.  Regardless, sounds like spin to me, if this was a Canadian conservative leader it most likely would have been reported differently.

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"Trudeau was attending an 'Arabian Nights' themed gala at..."

 

Big freaking deal.  It was a theme party.  Wearing brown on your skin to look like an Arab, while in an Arabian costume is RACIST???  Give me a break.

 

if I went to a theme party and dressed up as a Jazz musician like Louie Armstrong, I certainly would not try to do so with my pale skin, I would blacken up.  Just as I would wear white face paint if I were dressing up as Ct. Dracula for a Halloween party.

 

To me, unless one is acting in a way that disparages a particular race, while dressing up as one, then no harm is done.

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1 minute ago, ALFKAD said:

"Trudeau was attending an 'Arabian Nights' themed gala at..."

 

Big freaking deal.  It was a theme party.  Wearing brown on your skin to look like an Arab, while in an Arabian costume is RACIST???  Give me a break.

 

if I went to a theme party and dressed up as a Jazz musician like Louie Armstrong, I certainly would not try to do so with my pale skin, I would blacken up.  Just as I would wear white face paint if I were dressing up as Ct. Dracula for a Halloween party.

 

To me, unless one is acting in a way that disparages a particular race, while dressing up as one, then no harm is done.

You are not woke, Trudeau is.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

2 minutes ago, Bill & Katya said:

But these are American sources.  Regardless, sounds like spin to me, if this was a Canadian conservative leader it most likely would have been reported differently.

 

  I've been looking at a lot of British and Canadian sources. Time magazine use both terms. It goes back to what we discussed previously. There is nothing inherently offensive about the color itself. I actually discussed it this morning with a coworker/friend who is from Ethiopia. I asked him what he thought (about "black face" paint) and he had no opinion at all at first. He had never heard of it. We move on to why it even mattered, and then into a discussion about the history. In the end, he said he understood but wasn't offended at all personally and didn't really care either way. In fact we moved on to another discussion fairly quickly. He did say there are bigger problems in the world. 

 

   On the technical side, Trudeau was dressing up for "Arabian Knights", so perhaps that is where the reference is coming from.