Michelle Obama racism row—what’s it based on?

CMI ^ | December 8, 2009 | David Catchpoole, Ph.D.

[GodGunsGuts]

This recent BBC News header[1] was typical of the news headlines worldwide on the story:

Michelle Obama racist image sparks Google apology

Apparently, the image referred to was a photograph of Mrs Obama that had been manipulated to give her the facial features of a monkey. I say “apparently”, because the mock-up photo no longer appears as the #1 ranking on Google’s list of image search results for “Michelle Obama”.[2]

It is very clear however from the news reports of the “race row”[3] that in the last days that the picture was Google-accessible, it stirred many people. Such was the furore, Google executives issued an apology, even though they themselves were not responsible for the photo.

--snip--

However, it seems there’s a key part of the story that has been left unreported—at least, in the numerous mainstream media reports. What’s missing is an explanation of why likening America’s First Lady to an ape or monkey is considered “racist”.

After all, when the previous president of the United States, George W. Bush, was likened to a chimpanzee on various websites,[6,7] the mockery was never referred to as being “racist” in nature...

[metmom]

....and if you don't see the difference in calling Bush a chimp and likening a black person to a monkey........YOU'RE A SUPID SUMMABICH!!!

Enlighten me. Why is it not racism to liken Bush to a chimp but it is racism to liken a black person to a monkey?

If it's racist to liken a black person to a primate because of skin color but not racist to liken a white person to a primate based on skin color, that strikes me as racist thinking as well. The determination is being made strictly based on skin color.

How is preferential treatment based on skin color NOT racism?

[ElectricStrawberry]

Enlighten me. Why is it not racism to liken Bush to a chimp but it is racism to liken a black person to a monkey?

I already explained it. If you need further education on the matter, I don't think I can help but I'll try. It's about intent. The intent of calling Bush a chimp is to point out his intellect level as being that of a chimp. The intent of calling a black person a monkey is to make them sub-human........just like whitey's done for centuries of recorded history.

If it's racist to liken a black person to a primate because of skin color but not racist to liken a white person to a primate based on skin color, that strikes me as racist thinking as well.

That's is not happening AT ALL, but nice to know you have the intellect of a chimp. Hint: They are not calling Bush a monkey based on his skin color, Dippy....it's based on him having a lack of intellect.....having the mental abilities of a freakin' chimp.

The determination is being made strictly based on skin color.

OK, can't help you there but I can try to point it out again. Hint: the "determination" is based on a long history of TREATING black people as nothing more than animals....selling them, owning them, beating them, killing them....and a long history of calling black people "monkeys" or "jungle monkeys" to keep them as "subhuman"....you know...3/5 human...so they can be treated differently and whitey doing the treating could feel better about it than if whitey thought they were the same species.

Calling Bush a chimp because he's a stupid summabich with the intellect of a chimp doesn't even belong in the same discussion.

How is preferential treatment based on skin color NOT racism?

....because it's not what is happening. The history of calling black people monkeys was to make whitey superior to black people so whitey could treat them like animals. Calling a white guy a chimp to specifically reflect his lack of intellect is a different animal altogether.

[Agamemnon]

Not much point in reading further (and I didn’t) — I am sure you entertained yourself with your insult-laden rants.

Yes, I am sure I entertained other readers at your expense and I did take great pleasure in exposing you for the evo-racist libtard you are at heart, freedumbSchickelgruber.

Couldn't come up with any evidence of racism in chemistry, or physics in the late 19th century either, because as you tried to sanitize by an implied "but they all did it -- back then" comaprison to today's clearly racism laced-"science" you were just talking out your stupid freeDUMBASS the whole time!

Busted. (**sticks in the knife and twists**)

You're just another evo-phoney. Get lost.

[metmom]

The intent of calling Bush a chimp is to point out his intellect level as being that of a chimp. The intent of calling a black person a monkey is to make them sub-human........just like whitey's done for centuries of recorded history.

So, you're basing the motive of the person doing the comparison on the race of the person receiving the comparison.

Still sounds like it's racist thinking to me.

Calling Bush a chimp because he's a stupid summabich with the intellect of a chimp doesn't even belong in the same discussion.

Not a Bush supporter, were ya?

[ElectricStrawberry]

So that's the 2nd time you've referred to me as a racist, without ever showing taht you have an inkling as to what "racism" is. If you have nothing to say but "I'm too stupid to get it, but you're a racist"....screw.

I'd not go calling any black people "monkeys" to their face if I were you.

I will not attempt to explain it a 3rd time for you to be a dilhole about it and call me a racist a 3rd time.

Heard this before and if you need an explanation as to why that is racist......YOU'RE A STUPID SOB!!! ....and if you don't see the difference in calling Bush a chimp and likening a black person to a monkey........YOU'RE A STUPID SUMMABICH!!!

Stupid is as stupid does, Forrest.

[freedumb2003]

>>Yes, I am sure I entertained other readers at your expense and I did take great pleasure in exposing you for the evo-racist libtard you are at heart, freedumbSchickelgruber.<<

Yes, you and your kind can only “win” through childish insults. That is all you have.

You are exposed as an idiot and a jerk. And, clearly your lack of intelligence and misplaced arrogance makes you a libtard, since you “argue” like one. It ms be painful to be as stupid as you.

Get bent and go away, raggiemember!

[castlegreyskull]

You cannot really compare a White person to a polar bear. The skin of a polar bear is very dark, and the hair is actually clear and reflects light. So your comparing a White person’s skin color to hair.

[JDblackjack]

That’s not how it works. Um, all races have started mating with each other in an explosion of interracial sex, which is the forecast for this century. It kind of disrupts your list of distinct races. Besides, Darwinism would say that all existing races are the product of successful survival.