College students protesting "racist" Halloween costumes vol. C'mon man

[Methodical Management]

Saw this, and the parodies (some funny) and i just knew meth wasn't gonna be having this when it hit NT.

NikeTalk began as a community service and it has evolved into a social business whose primary function is to give back.  
Our community has character.  It is enabled by diversity and it deeply values diversity.  One of the driving motives for creating this community was in response to the uninhibited racism that made it so unpleasant to visit existing sneaker communities.  It's not just a generic forum and, the day it sinks to that level is the day I'll quit.  We're not about to let a bunch of spoiled teenaged nihilists whose lone concern in life is their own selfish amusement run roughshod over everyone and everything else.  

For once, I'd like to see a NikeTalk thread take a turn for the better.

We should be better than this stupid, lowest common denominator garbage that circulates around the rest of the web, "viral" in terms of both its spread and its and effects.  NikeTalk has standards, and chief among them is respect.  Not everything has to be a big joke.  "ha ha ha rape!"  "ha ha ha pedophilia!"  "ha ha ha slavery!"  "ha ha ha racism!"  If you don't care about anything other than yourself, then it's hard to imagine that you're leading a life worth living.  

We can use the Internet to do great and honorable things, too, you know.  If nothing else, the infantile meme factory represents a failure of imagination.  It's fine to use forums like ours to relax and let loose, but are you really so uncreative that you can't figure out a way to amuse yourself without abusing others?  

Great humor often challenges deeply held values and assumptions, but as a prompt to pause and reconsider, as independent thinkers, what we believe.  This is just a bland, hackneyed, and boring reassertion of racist stereotype.  

It's funny how people show you who they really are on the Internet.  

Often times, you have adults sharing forums with 14 year olds - and what happens?  Think about somebody you respect, someone successful, coming back to the elementary school where they attended classes as a child and interacting with the students there.  What does she or he do?  We've all seen the "NBA Cares" promos, we see athletes giving kids advice, running basketball drills with them, trying to inspire them to be their best (and, often, receiving plenty of inspiration themselves in the process.)  We don't see Ray Allen in the corner with the 8 year olds saying, "oh man, wait 'til Timmy finds out I put boogers on his backpack!"  You don't see Cornel West beating up the new kid to prove he's tough.  And yet, here are all these "grown" men and women on Internet forums with teenagers.... acting like children, drawing crude pictures, staring at boobies, making racist/sexist jokes, ganging up on someone different and bullying them.  

"C'mon, son" indeed.

 

[a55a5in11]

im wondering if you find it racist meth when white people where Jamaican hats with the long dreads on them

 

[mytmouse76]

Originally Posted by hugebird

The lack of critical thought of some of the members of this board is astounding. I respect Method Man for having patience, but at this point, I just can't.

I don't know if it's immaturity or lack of the ability to be empathic, but it's upsetting to see the attitude of some of the board members.

this goes for a lot of topics posted on here

 

[uptownsdotnetstacky]

Salute to Meth

 

[sw00shm4n]

Word, meth layin it down on NT.

 

[10 piece nuggets]

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

 

[hankmoody]

Every day I come by Niketalk and I check the general forum. And I go through the day's pages. I have a few thoughts, and a few laughs, and it's great. But you know what the best part of my day is? For about ten seconds, from when I get to the site and when I get to the general forum, 'cause I think, maybe I'll get to the forum and I'll see the first page and Meth will have posted something new. No anti-religion bs. No WSHH . No nothing. Just Meth with something insightful. I don't know much, but I know that.

 

[swish 22]

Meth, It's halloween buddy. Relax. You are blowing these things way out of proportion.

 

[solecity]

I dont blame them honestly.. culture and backgrounds should not be considered costumes.

 

[frink85]

to add my 2c here, is it possible to distinguish just dressing up as a nameless, broad, typeless "culture" like "going as a mexican dude" or "going as a black guy", as opposed to "going as an Aztec" or "going as a cowboy" or "going as a samurai". if you bring it down to a specific group with a defined look/image, and you give the costume its proper respect then that should be fine then, no?

 

[frijo sneaker]

 

[th0ugh]

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Meth, It's halloween buddy. Relax. You are blowing these things way out of proportion.

^^^ this is EXACTLY what meth is talking about. Very ironic that they say WE are the soft ones for being offended.

. It's a god damn shame. Of all things to be for Halloween, you want to be something so controversial. These people choose these costumes SOLEY to poke fun at a whole race/religion/nationality. How is THAT ok? Some of you NTers TRULY disgust me, man. Seriously. This generation....My generation is so submissive.

 

[keepzdasneakz]

Originally Posted by frostythepoptart

Originally Posted by Method Man

Originally Posted by Nktran001

the difference is the context. the whole thing is stupid and overly sensitive. we're a culture and not a costume. Yeah so all these "stereotypical costumes" become representative of your culture. pure jokes. i don't get how people let others dictate your life because of stereotypes. They're offering fried chicken but I'm not gonna ask cause its stereotyped to my race. I like this car but I can't buy it cause its stereotypical of my race. Screw that live life enjoy it have fun. Yeah most of the time its hard to decipher between intent and action but no one is dressed as a geisha to sit at a party and make fun of asian folks all night.

These people might, themselves, not be racist or aiming to provoke those they dressed as...but at the same time they're perpetuating a system that's all around us. To paraphrase malcolm x, racism is like a cadillac...new models every year. This is what its become in today's age.

 

[wade187]

Where are you guys getting these "examples" from? I watched the video and didn't see $@$#, and meth keeps pointing out how people are using the weakest examples. From what's on this thread $@$# is just people being over sensitive. Whatever else is being brought up isn't really relevant. You guys are really being extremist, there is a middle ground. I don't think anyone is saying it's cool to be racist, people are just saying from what OP posted nothing was really offensive like that. Bunch of generalizing in here

 

[BANLEU]

So if I am Hispanic and I don't find the Mexican/Donkey costume offensive does that mean I don't have a spine?

I know I don't talk for all Hispanics, BUT many of us find some stereotypes about our cultures funny. In fact there are a lot of running jokes, flame wars, etc between the different Hispanic cultures that it's not that big of a deal. Mexicans with pointy shoes, for example, might be very funny to other Hispanics. Does that mean that if I wear dress up with pointy shoes I'm going to offend all Mexicans? No, it doesn't because it isn't representative of all Mexicans let alone Hispanics.

 

[th0ugh]

Some of y'all really don't get it.

. NTers are pathetic.

 

[kiendienn]

it's the intent and motive of the messenger that empowers the message or in this case symbol/costume; it's college kids getting drunk being silly, if they want to be labeled "racist" by others that aren't in the spirit of dressing up, then it's on them

i don't see dave chappelle or the other numerous numbers of comedians that make their bread solely off stereotypes being chastised. it's because they're just joking around, they have no real racist motives or harmful intent

 

[10 piece nuggets]

Originally Posted by th0ugh

Some of y'all really don't get it.

. NTers are pathetic.

Again.

Not dat srs. Like the other person said, there is a middle ground.

 

[celticsfan9783]

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

Well not according to NT. Apparently dressing up like someone from a different race is an attempt at sparking WWIII and setting us back a century

 

[hypebeast mcstreetwear]

Originally Posted by CelticsFan9783

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

Well not according to NT. Apparently dressing up like someone from a different race is an attempt at sparking WWIII and setting us back a century

Instead understanding how this could be offensive, you hide behind laughter.
Ironic post is ironic. 

 

[dathbgboy]

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

How do U know that they aren't though? It's mocking isn't it? Playing off of racial stereotypes isn't it? It's one thing to dress up like a rapper, but to put "black face" on is offensive.  Those that know the history of what is being mocked understand the seriousness. The ignorant ones prance around saying it's not that serious. 

 

[swish 22]

Originally Posted by th0ugh

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Meth, It's halloween buddy. Relax. You are blowing these things way out of proportion.

^^^ this is EXACTLY what meth is talking about. Very ironic that they say WE are the soft ones for being offended.

. It's a god damn shame. Of all things to be for Halloween, you want to be something so controversial. These people choose these costumes SOLEY to poke fun at a whole race/religion/nationality. How is THAT ok? Some of you NTers TRULY disgust me, man. Seriously. This generation....My generation is so submissive.

Controversy is in the eye of the beholder. Just because I choose to dress as Lil Wayne in black face for Halloween doesn't mean I am attempting to digrace/harm/be racist against a whole entire culture/heritage/any other word used to describe background. It could mean I am a huge fan of Lil Wayne and maybe I want to dress like him as a way to show love for his music, but I am a white person and it would look less realistic/really dumb as a pale white person attempting to pull off a Lil Wayne costume. People do not always choose costumes to poke fun at races/religions/nationalities. Relax. I can't believe I wrote more a

 responding to others about 'racist' Halloween costumes. Save your long paragraph responses about the history of black face. I am a social studies teacher. You are all overreacting.

  

 

[th0ugh]

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Originally Posted by th0ugh

Originally Posted by Swish 22

Meth, It's halloween buddy. Relax. You are blowing these things way out of proportion.

^^^ this is EXACTLY what meth is talking about. Very ironic that they say WE are the soft ones for being offended.

. It's a god damn shame. Of all things to be for Halloween, you want to be something so controversial. These people choose these costumes SOLEY to poke fun at a whole race/religion/nationality. How is THAT ok? Some of you NTers TRULY disgust me, man. Seriously. This generation....My generation is so submissive.

Controversy is in the eye of the beholder. Just because I choose to dress as Lil Wayne in black face for Halloween doesn't mean I am attempting to digrace/harm/be racist against a whole entire culture/heritage/any other word used to describe background. It could mean I am a huge fan of Lil Wayne and maybe I want to dress like him as a way to show love for his music, but I am a white person and it would look less realistic/really dumb as a pale white person attempting to pull off a Lil Wayne costume. People do not always choose costumes to poke fun at races/religions/nationalities. Relax. I can't believe I wrote more a

 responding to others about 'racist' Halloween costumes. Save your long paragraph responses about the history of black face. I am a social studies teacher. You are all overreacting.

  

******** are 3-3, though

 

[kiendienn]

Originally Posted by HypeBeast McStreetwear

Originally Posted by CelticsFan9783

Originally Posted by 10 Piece Nuggets

Obviously its racist, but not dat srs.
Its all in fun, no one means to offend in a hurtful way.

Well not according to NT. Apparently dressing up like someone from a different race is an attempt at sparking WWIII and setting us back a century

Instead understanding how this could be offensive, you hide behind laughter.
Ironic post is ironic. 

Instead of understanding how this could not be offense/his stance and perspective, you hide behind laughter.

"Ironic post is ironic. 

"

 

[|A-Man|]

@ the Asian pic.

The Patrice O'Neal vid where he's on FOX talking about attempting to be funny I just watched comes to mind.