Blackface

[Dedicated Mind]

Originally Posted by pelathais

I think that the whole "Black Face" thing arose because "Black" music and singing styles were so popular amongst "White" audiences, but Blacks were forbidden to perform in White venues. So, daring White artists introduced these forms of music by "imitating" the Black artists in the Vaudeville halls.

As far as I've been able to see, it wasn't intended originally to be racist; it was intended to be a form of rebellion against segregation. Later of course, the rise of the "Black Face" comedians (Opie & Andy, etc.) and when cartoons came into being, images that are more disturbing to us today were produced "for laughs."

I suppose it's important to point out that ALL races were subject to this "abuse," however, so a case might be made that it wasn't intended to be "racist" either. The Japanese and other Asians suffered at the hands of comedians and cartoonists and this caused a great deal of offense in those communities.

But, why haven't "White men" risen in protest over their portrayal? Homer Simpson and Peter Griffith consistently get a free pass to mock "white guys."

I suppose it's a difficult subject. I'm not comfortable with much of it, but then again, I don't hold myself up as the paragon of cultural sensitivity either. If I see someone else's face fallen or other signs of hurt over these images, then I feel badly. Not so much because of the image, but because of their affect on others.

... just imho, as always.

homer simpson is white? doesn't his wife and bart have a fro?