Nic Naitanui urges public to ‘grow together’ after mother paints son’s skin for Book Week parade

[Chief]

History is only a factor when it suits.

The fact is I guarantee most of the people offended by this are white and have absolutely no relation to the history of it.

By the way there is no history of Australians dressing as Australian Fijians.

So you have to be a victim to have a reaction to it?

You really think so?

How do you feel about, say, child abuse? No reaction because you aren't a child?

Say your mum was beaten up? "Wasn't me, nothing to say about it" ?

 

[Chief]

How else is a white kid supposed to look like Nik Nat ?

https://www.bigfooty.com/forum/thre...ook-week-parade.1143170/page-10#post-46311009

 

[dangerwood]

I don't like Lenny because he has brown hair.

Not Lenny?

Not Lenny! Not lenny!

 

[Running Dog]

Because blackface was historically used to demean and stereotype black people and resulted in the continuing proliferation of racist attitudes and perceptions; attitudes which still exist. Blackface still causes offense today and for that reason, should not be done.

Honestly, I roll my eyes at a lot of issues that get blown up in the media by SJWs, but this issue is so clear cut there really should be no debate. It's 2016 for goodness sake; how do people still not understand how poor of taste the act of painting a white person's skin black to portray a black character is?

You sure you want to do that?! I don't mean to give you a hard time Jobe, but just to gently point out that eye rolling was a behavioural caricature associated with African Americans! I won't insert a particular example- you can see it in any number of youtube clips showing old stereotypes.

 

[FRUMPY]

How else is a white kid supposed to look like Nik Nat ?

I tired it once but ended up looking like lead singer from Rage Against the Machine

 

[Chief]

a kid wants to look like his hero and this gets in the news?


**** off campaigner.

You left out a whole lot of details there.

Makes the outrage easier I suppose.

 

[Chief]

You sure you want to do that?! I don't mean to give you a hard time Jobe, but just to gently point out that eye rolling was a behavioural caricature associated with African Americans! I won't insert a particular example- you can see it in any number of youtube clips showing old stereotypes.

I am beginning to think BigFooty is full of idiots.

 

[threesixpio]

WEST Coast Eagles star Nic Naitanui has called for education on racial issues after a Perth-based mother painted her son in blackface.

The mother sent her primary school-aged son to book week dressed as Naitanui, and painted her child’s skin black in a bid to make him look like the Eagles star. The photo was also posted on Facebook.

Naitanui said children needed to be ‘nurtured’ and not ‘tortured’ when it came to education on the historical significance of blackface.

Naitanui said he had encouraged such mistakes in the past but was now educated on the serious origins of blackface.

In a post on his Twitter account he called on all involved to “grow together”.

“The young bloods innocence merely attempting to emulate his hero hurts my heart. Especially when that hero is me!

“It’s a shame racism coexists in an environment where our children should be nurtured not tortured because they are unaware of the painful historical significance “blackface” has had previously on the oppressed.

“I don’t believe the mother had any intention to cause harm, just wanted her kid to simple be “Nic Nat” however may reflect on this and choose an alternate method next time. #Educationisthekey #evenI’velearnt

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...e/news-story/81dc266d7876db0ca5b11c59c3542a87

My son wanted to go black face to school once so he could dress up like Finn from the Force Awakens. Was really hard describing why it was not a good idea. His intentions were innocent as and he thinks Finn is awesome. I reckon I totally nailed it too. He then said "yeah but can I still do it?"

But kids are kids. Wonder what Sam Newmans mummy says to him.....

 

[threesixpio]

I am beginning to think BigFooty is full of idiots.

Lucky for you !

 

[Chief]

Seems innocent enough.

Like, she was totally unaware that doing this might be a bit off.

 

[Jobe Watson]

That just proves my point on words changing meanings and tones.

These days if a white guy has black friends and they say it all the time around him, they in all likelihood won't have an issue with him using it in a way of positivity, not negativity.

As I've said before, context and intent.

Agreed. Friends set a standard for each other and can say things to one another that strangers may find offensive.

So, did this mother contact Nic Nat and ask him if he would find the costume offensive? Is she friends with Nic Nat?

No. She admits she thought it would cause offense (and her Facebook friends told her as much) but did it anyway. She was looking for a reaction and used her little boy to help. How anyone can defend her has me stumped.

The fact people are "outraged" says a lot about a small section of our community with too loud a voice.

If a small kid dressing up as his idol causes the emotion of outrage we need to check those outraged people into a clinic and have them checked over for mental issues. Not give them a platform where their views become the norm that everyone else has to cowtail too.

I'm pretty sure the "norm" view is that painting your skin black to dress up and appropriate a black celebrity is a very kitsch thing to do and it's best to steer clear. Are you racist for doing it? Not necessarily. But the act of doing so is rooted in racism, and you can't tell black people to just forget all about that and move on.

Are you an anti-semite if you dress up as Hilter to a customer party? No necessarily. But guess what the reaction of Jewish people is going to be.

 

[Lach72]

I am beginning to think BigFooty is full of idiots.

I know...you being new here it's an easy mistake...

 

[Plugger35]

What if the people telling them it's offensive get offended by anything and everything? Why is their offense to be taken as the be all and end all opinion?

Are you going to live your life by their views and not you're own?

This Stephen Fry quote sums it up pretty well.

“It's now very common to hear people say, 'I'm rather offended by that.' As if that gives them certain rights. It's actually nothing more... than a whine. 'I find that offensive.' It has no meaning; it has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. 'I am offended by that.' Well, so f***ing what."

If we stop doing things that people get offended by we will stop doing anything at all as there will always be someone these days that will get offended by it.

It's a nonsense.

 

[BlueTucker456]

Nic Nat handled that amazingly. What a legend

 

[MilhouseVsEvil]

Im sure this will get deleted, but I get an infraction for writing facts about Jobe Watson the player to highlight how hypocritical the poster Jobe Watson is and the person ('Chief') who gave me the infraction can bring up child abuse and violence against women? Seems fair

Are you offended?

 

[barmy44]

Coul

Could not disagree more. telling a white person that their injury is less because they are white, you are just peeing in the same puddle as the racist, don't care how many scholarly refs you provide.

It's simple:
-Colour carries NO meaning
-Condemn all discrimination based on it.
-Be happy

individual racial prejudice ≠ institutionalised racism. one can go both ways, the other does not. anyone who tries to equate 'white' experiences of racism with those of 'people of colour' are, in my opinion, well wide of the mark.

yep, we definitely disagree. and thats fine.

 

[Forward Press]

Seems innocent enough.

Like, she was totally unaware that doing this might be a bit off.

I don't think anyone is accusing the mother of intentionally doing a racist thing with her kid, there's a high probability she has no idea about the historical significance of blackface. The problem is that what she did has racist connotations to many people - and whether you agree with it or not or label it as 'PC gone mad' etc, the racist element is real and present. The issue therefore is what can be done to stop this kind of thing happening? NN hit the nail on the head with his response - education and not vilification is the answer.

All other posts in the thread are just wastes of server bandwidth. If you're one of the people that thinks people should be allowed to do blackface then no amount of evidence otherwise will get them to change their view, because it's the PC gone mad crowd.

 

[Blues_Man]

If I wanna dress up as Homer from the Simpsons, I paint myself yellow and it's fine. If I want to be Carl from the Simpsons it becomes an issue. ¯\_(シ)_/¯

That's why you need to educate yourself ..because you simply just don't get it

 

[Chief]

This Stephen Fry quote sums it up pretty well.

“It's now very common to hear people say, 'I'm rather offended by that.' As if that gives them certain rights. It's actually nothing more... than a whine. 'I find that offensive.' It has no meaning; it has no purpose; it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. 'I am offended by that.' Well, so f***ing what."

If we stop doing things that people get offended by we will stop doing anything at all as there will always be someone these days that will get offended by it.

It's a nonsense.

Yes he was talking about racism, too.



I suppose I shouldn't get mad, there are people everywhere who haven't got a clue, and even when the clue is presented to them on a platter they refuse to get a clue.

Why? They have no real power and those in power point at the immigrants and the poor and the indigenous as the source of their woes. And they swallow it whole, while oddly believing they are showing independence!

Weird.

 

[Chief]

Agreed. Friends set a standard for each other and can say things to one another that strangers may find offensive.

So, did this mother contact Nic Nat and ask him if he would find the costume offensive? Is she friends with Nic Nat?

No. She admits she thought it would cause offense (and her Facebook friends told her as much) but did it anyway. She was looking for a reaction and used her little boy to help. How anyone can defend her has me stumped.


I'm pretty sure the "norm" view is that painting your skin black to dress up and appropriate a black celebrity is a very kitsch thing to do and it's best to steer clear. Are you racist for doing it? Not necessarily. But the act of doing so is rooted in racism, and you can't tell black people to just forget all about that and move on.

It was 100% a "stick it up those politically correct extremists" action.

 

[threesixpio]

Seems innocent enough.

Like, she was totally unaware that doing this might be a bit off.

Seems innocent enough.

Like, she was totally unaware that doing this might be a bit off.

People know its not on - including her

 

[Frank Bunn]

I'm guessing the WCE kids won't be wearing Nik Nat masks for his 200th game. Or will the white kids have to wear masks with white faces and blonde dreads?

 

[Quivorir]

That's why you need to educate yourself ..because you simply just don't get it

 

[Bostonian]

Agreed. Friends set a standard for each other and can say things to one another that strangers may find offensive.

So, did this mother contact Nic Nat and ask him if he would find the costume offensive? Is she friends with Nic Nat?

No. She admits she thought it would cause offense (and her Facebook friends told her as much) but did it anyway. She was looking for a reaction and used her little boy to help. How anyone can defend her has me stumped.

I don't think people are defending her in this instance. They are talking issue with those screaming racism.

I'm pretty sure the "norm" view is that painting your skin black to dress up and appropriate a black celebrity is a very kitsch thing to do and it's best to steer clear. Are you racist for doing it? Not necessarily. But the act of doing so is rooted in racism, and you can't tell black people to just forget all about that and move on.

The normal view is nobody gives a shit because it's not that big of an issue in the daily lives of regular people.

In this case the black person doesn't care and it's a bunch of dickhead whites who are fanning the outrage. So we can tell them to STFU if we like.

 

[pantskyle]

I don't think anyone is accusing the mother of intentionally doing a racist thing with her kid, there's a high probability she has no idea about the historical significance of blackface. The problem is that what she did has racist connotations to many people - and whether you agree with it or not or label it as 'PC gone mad' etc, the racist element is real and present. The issue therefore is what can be done to stop this kind of thing happening? NN hit the nail on the head with his response - education and not vilification is the answer.

All other posts in the thread are just wastes of server bandwidth. If you're one of the people that thinks people should be allowed to do blackface then no amount of evidence otherwise will get them to change their view, because it's the PC gone mad crowd.

Listen mate, my Ralph Wiggum sh00p was not a waste of server bandwidth!