Okay. Some anonymous commenter has accused us of being racist because we posted these pictures about Michaelle Jean.
Of course, if this person (persons?) had actually read the post fully, s/he would have seen this link, which goes to the very fun explanation concerning lolcats at Slate.com. Or even these links here, here, here, and here. That's what we were doing--making a lolcat about Jean. (Well, to be fair, my much-funner-than-me colleague did.) (The commenter also said s/he/it wasn't going to follow our links. Yes, because educating yourself would have undermined your point. It's always best to knowingly refuse to learn the facts before taking a hard line position on something you know nothing about. Works in my legal practice all the time.)
And anyone who's ever read this Blog (all 5 of you (thank you!)) must be fully aware of just how much we revere Jean. And Clarkson. But not Harper (the white dude.)
But this obscures the broader issue: Posting something humourous about a black person/minority isn't always racism. What, you can never make fun of a minority because it's automatically racism? Only white people are fair targets? (Incidentally, whiteboys get targeted too. For example, lolpresident.com.)
This reminds me of my last year in law school. I taught legal research to first year students, and one of my students was friends with a bunch of southern black baptist girls. She sent them that joke email to Dr. Laura (should I stone my neighbour, etc.) and cc'd me. One of them responded something to the effect of homosexuality is wrong immoral evil because God says so, which is simply not something I would let lie. I replied, basically calling her stupid and saying it was a good thing we had lots of people like her in the law school to take up the bottom half of the grade curve.
Well. Suddenly I'm racist. Huh? Here's a girl who invokes scripture instead of any kind of rational argument, and when she's called stupid (which, incidentally, I think of anyone who invokes the Sky God as justification for anything) she pulls the racist card?! Please. There's no limit to stupidity--black people, white people, asians, homos, breeders. Indeed, I think we're on record too for saying that the overwhelming majority of people in the world are pretty brain dead.
So, anonymous commenter: Since you flew off the handle, accused us of being racist WITHOUT EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INVESTIGATION, consideration, thought, or question--You're probably pretty stupid too.
And, Mr. Anonymous, if you'd like to explain, NOW, after you've hopefully clicked those links above to see exactly what lolcats are, how it's at all racist, please, go ahead. 
2 comments:
Ok, I think you and anonymous should call a truce . . . really.
I don't think you meant any disrespect - though I have to admit the first glimpse of the first photo in the first post caused a double-take at my computer screen too.
In retrospect, even if the photo order was different on that first post it might have set the "intent" out on a clearer note . . . not everyone is so hip to the lolcat phenomenon. And I like to think I know about such things but thought your links were hilarious. I had seen a few but didn't realize just what a trend it was.
Imagine your anonymous reader was the same, so no need to go questioning pure intellect. Sounds like a bad day, like we all have. Cut them some slack, willya?
But as for you, Anonymous, please chill as well. We have lots of real issues - REAL ISSUES - in the world these days. Let's be fighting the real enemies and cut each other some slack on the unintentional toe stepping, please?
If more creative, I'd try to end with some cutesy loljoe quote, but I'm a bit tired today.
But still wanted to build a little bridge if I could.
Ciao
Joe,
I getz ur purnt. And appreciate trying to talk some sense into the anonymous guy. But really, we can't be blamed if the guy deliberately chose not to educate himself, and we did quite clearly put a link for an explaination. And then for him to fly off the handle and call us racist is simply beyond the Pale.
That said, I hope we've opened ur iz to the joy taht r lolcats.
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