Question to younger DUers: Do you recognize racism? I ask because of this

[sinkingfeeling]

thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7046122

Would you say this image is racist? Were you taught about the stereotypical descriptions of blacks that existed 50 years ago, and if so, was it taught by your parents, your school, or your church?



http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/the_intelligencer/the_intelligencer_news_details/article/92/2009/october/27/mother-says-school-work-sheet-is-racist.html

The teacher responsible is described as 'young' and he claims he didn't know the picture would be offensive.

[phantom power]

1. Good christ, somebody actually did that?

[LeftishBrit]

2. Yes that is racist - and I think would seem so to both young and older people.

Unless they are either racist themselves, or just thick as two short planks.

[YOY]

3. I've seen 'hippo man' before.

Basically in a comparison from that picture to a hippo (for sake of the teeth.)

It's on LOLCATS.

Never really thought of it as racist so much as a dude who needed to talk to a dentist years ago...but didn't.

I guess looking at things historically it can be taken as racist. It might be a case of 'accidental racism'...or perhaps not. At any rate it's not as blatant as some images (I am not going to mentiona any) because lets face it...plenty of bad teeth pics on the internets.

Google 'faces of meth'.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. Thanks.

[Kali]

5. hell I have seen that HERE

I see it as horribly classist as well. Still, I could see someone young not "getting" it. Need more info on the individual.

[TCJ70]

6. I think that picture is being used...

...to express surprise at the fact that multiplication and division are possible. It's actually a lolcats if you take the spelling into account. I'm 25 and we didn't really discuss racism growing up. Went to schools with pretty well mixed racial populations. When I read the story in the original thread, the first thought that went through my mind was, "Why aren't they focusing on the student that was picking on other student?" Seems he's the one with the problem...

[ZombieHorde]

7. I could see how someone would think of that picture as a picture of a silly man.

A teacher should know better though.

[slackmaster]

8. Any image that exaggerates AA features is racist on DU, unless it depicts Condoleeza Rice

:nuke:

[cali]

9. are you saying toothlessness is an AA feature?

[slackmaster]

10. No, but a large mouth and wide nose are

Nice try.

Toothlessness is a feature associated with poor people. Poverty is associated with being African-American.

But I know what you were trying to do there.