Google Racism - Black Olympian on Watermelon? (Vanity)

Google ^ | 080612 | Self

[P.O.E.]

I've been wondering that a lot of Google's Olympic banners have been showing white (-ish) looking folks. I was a bit startled to see when they finally put up a black person, he's running on a track that looks awfully like a watermelon.

I demand Google issue an apology.

[patriot08]

Ray-cest!!!
Where’s Sharpton? Where’s Jackson?

[liberalh8ter]

That really is too watermelon looking to be a mistake. I'm calling the NAACP. They took care of Hallmark for the ‘black hoes’ card; I know they'll be all over this!

[Windcatcher]

I must have lived a protected life, because the only connotation I’ve ever heard for “watermelon” has to do with environmentalist wackos (green on the outside, commie red on the inside). What does it have to do with black people? I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a juicy watermelon.

I honestly don’t get it.

[P.O.E.]

Also noticed not a single Asian (if I were China, I'd ban Google)

Gallery of Google Doodles

[cripplecreek]

Looks like the track they've been running on.

[JoeProBono]

[Calvin Locke]

Historically, there are numerous depictions of blacks eating watermelon slices.

The watermelon/enviro-wacko connection is very much more apropos in the current culture.

I supposed one could extend the racist watermelon reference to include the reality shows that use watermelons as targets.

[P.O.E.]

Harks back to the early 20th century - a black (usually child) eating a watermelon was a relatively common advertising image. It has since been decried as stereotypically racist.

Go to google images and type in “black eating” and it will auto-complete with the word chicken. Type in an additional “W” and it will auto-complete with watermelon.

[Delta 21]

How come the black runners are ahead of the white runner? Thats not fair!

[rightly_dividing]

1732 doesn’t look much like a gurl.

[TomGuy]

The NBC Olympics Monkey-on-the-Rings says you are reading too much into that graphic.

:)

[jimmyo57]

Harks back to the early 20th century - a black (usually child) eating a watermelon was a relatively common advertising image

I remember a story about Bill Clinton sending a post card with that image. Anyone else?

[P.O.E.]

Bill's (Racist) Postcard To Forget (Clinton haunted by "Watermelon" Postcard)

[P.O.E.]

Where’s Sharpton? Where’s Jackson?

Fairness is the lesson of the Olympics (Jesse Jackson)

Al Sharpton's Epic Dressage Rant: 'HORSE BALLET ISN'T CHEAP!'

[lacrew]

I thought the exact same thing....and the guy’s got a little bit of a ‘fro.

[Ronald_Magnus]

[squidward]

I couldn’t stop watching that. Hilarious!

[Boogieman]

It was common in years past to depict “Little Black Sambo” sitting around eating watermelons. So now, it’s offensive to associate any black person with a watermelon, or something like that.

[ro_dreaming]

There are no black spots (seeds) on that actual track, as there are in the Google Doodle.