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General discussion

This is racism? What's wrong with me for not seeing it?

Apr 7, 2016 2:19AM PDT
Gap commercial accused of being "passive racism"

Two things have been noted. One is the taller girl shown leaning on the African-American girls head. The other is that, in the interview, the black girl didn't speak. What I've read is that the black girl is actually the adopted sister of the taller girl shown leaning on her head. All of these girls are part of a practiced acrobatic troupe as well. What I see is kids being kids and sisters acting like siblings. What's wrong with me? I guess I need sensitivity training. This is really stupid.

Discussion is locked

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definition
Apr 7, 2016 2:55AM PDT

what exactly is racism.. looking at people of two different skin colors.. and thinking how could they be related.. and how "okay " you are with it..

or seeing everyone just like evryone

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I'll try to answer
Apr 7, 2016 3:41AM PDT

I see racism as actively and deliberately treating people differently due to race alone. The operative word is "alone". I see racism as being different from prejudice. Prejudice is how one thinks and not necessarily how one acts. I see prejudice as being a quite normal thing and is based on personal experience from what one sees, hears and reads. To have prejudice is not, itself, a fault.

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do these people ever ask themselves...
Apr 7, 2016 9:46AM PDT

....how the black people they target as having been "used racially" feel afterwards? I see nothing wrong with the ad, but the reaction just helps firm my belief there's something very lacking in the soul of black people who feel a need to continually be pulling down on other blacks and trying to make them feel like "uncle Toms". It's even more shameful when they also do it to children.

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These things trivialize true racism, IMO
Apr 7, 2016 10:10AM PDT

I could reverse the roles of these two girls and still find a dumb way to call it racist. If the black child had her elbow on the larger white girl's head, I could suggest it meant that blacks needed to be supported by stronger whites. Since it was mentioned that the larger girl was the "base" of the act, I imagine the smaller African-American child occasionally stands on her shoulders. Oh the horror of seeing that image! To me, what matters is how these kids feel about themselves, their work and their accomplishments. Forget the stupid adults who should be praising and nurturing them but are poisoning them instead. Just when you thought it couldn't get any nuttier, this happens. What's next? (don't answer that)

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It IS reversed and no comments back then
Apr 7, 2016 12:49PM PDT

This is a previous ad with the same 'theme' but with a few white kids where the tall black one is using one of the shorter white girls as an 'arm rest'.....

http://www.fox13memphis.com/news/trending-now/gap-apologizes-for-controversial-advertisement/199298947 (scroll down halfway to see a side-by-side comparison of the two pics.)

This is why so many people get so angry with 'black lives matter' movement crap and immediate cries of 'racism' when there is obviously NONE going on....and having a company publicly 'apologize' for this garbage doesn't help the situation any because these activists are nothing but bullies with threats of boycotts or protests if the apology isn't given. It's become sickening and disgusting.........

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What about these Catholics?
Apr 8, 2016 7:06AM PDT
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Not many of the reporters got it right
Apr 8, 2016 7:58AM PDT

The hooded robe is, as a couple have noted, that of a Dominican brother and not a priest. A priest will be robed during mass or other ceremonies but generally won't wear that attire in public. This just goes to show the ignorance of people who depend on the news media to shape their opinions. But can you imagine the flying tweets and pix should these guys have shown up?

Spanish holy week celebrations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capirote

In this youtube, advance to about 2:45



Happy

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Just watch when Jesus comes back
Apr 8, 2016 8:27AM PDT

And a lot more people are wearing white robes! Wink

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prejudice
Apr 8, 2016 3:32AM PDT

arises due to some reason.. and if you are judging someone differently based on their race then it is racism..

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Unfortunately
Apr 8, 2016 5:41AM PDT

that judgment only seems to swing one way in order to further an agenda that many times is viewed as 'intolerance' and fails to see their own intolerance. It's almost always a case of forcing one side to be silent and accept the new rules that the other side wants in place....and many times results in destructive protests. Dems/liberals always say that 'we need a discussion' when they don't want anything of the kind.....they only want their will imposed on others who don't agree with them so freedoms and liberties only belong to them.