Another Halloween passed, another idiot white person who thought darkening their skin to be a black person would be a good Halloween costume. How many times do we have to go over this? It’s as if white people have developed Alzheimer’s disease and forget every Halloween that it is not okay to dress up as a black person. Well, it’s 2009…so you know what’s happened.
ARLINGTON, Texas (CBS/CBS11) Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Whitney Isleib has inadvertently stepped into a Halloween controversy by reportedly dressing up as soon-to-be incarcerated rapper Lil’ Wayne in black-face.
Photos of the blonde-haired cheerleader turned hip-hop impresario were posted to Facebook and eventually made their way to sports blog Deadspin.com.
Nice. Being from Texas and all I’m sure being in black face is a tradition. I love the fact that the writeup used the word “inadvertently” to describe this idiocy as if it was an accident and completely unavoidable. Ummm…sorry, but there’s nothing “inadvertent” about using makeup to darken your whole body to look black. Umm, that’s actually pretty deliberate. What’s really sad though is, when you read through the comments and see that people (read: White people) still don’t understand why this is a problem. It’s not really that surprising because most of them commenting are probably from Texas and we know…Texas isn’t very big on education. Just to give you an example of the logic they use:
If imitation is highest form of flattery, why are the blacks so upset? Oh, Right! This makes fun of them, and they have such thin skins they can’t appreciate humor!
I see. We should be flattered. Never mind the history behind white people dressing in black face. Never mind that Harry Connick Jr. very recently explained WHY blackface is insulting and demeaning to blacks (He did it on an Australian variety show). Never mind that we go over this EVERY SINGLE GOTDAMN YEAR. At what point do white people get the message? “Hey, don’t do that shit no more” Do we need to start kicking yall’s asses every time you do it? Would you get the message then? We really don’t care what YOU think it means or what YOU say your intentions were. Its wrong, period. And let’s not pretend. White people who do this know it’s wrong and are doing it for shock value.It’s like me dressing up as Hitler for Halloween. I know its wrong and controversial and bound to cause Jewish people to be upset. But you know what? If I do it, I should be ready to take the heat I get instead of doing what these fools do. “It was inadvertent” or even worse “But I have black friends and they said it was okay.”
And that last part is sadly true. Looking through the pictures you see plenty of black girls who smile and take pictures with this idiot. I recently mentioned Tyra Bank’s idiocy with blackface. Another sad example how our own people don’t recognize the history and significance of something. Hey, maybe that’s the “good” thing in this “post-racial” society. We’ll all become too stupid to realize when something is wrong. So much for the traditional value of “Hey, that’s disparaging to black folks”. Wait…does that mean we can also question the “traditional marriage”? Okay…let me stop.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
It kills me during the “apology” to Harry Connick Jr the host says he knows it’s insulting to “your countrymen.” Um, yeah, it’s insulting anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Even more disgusting? All the men are doctors? Thanks, Australia, no need for me to visit any time soon.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Did you get your panties in a twist over Tropic Thunder then? Or how about Be Kind Rewind? Get over it. It’s the same shit as people dressing as ninjas, or people dressing as eskimos, or the Washington Redskins, or any of that. Get your head out of your ass.
I’m black, and I dont give a fuck.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Tropic Thunder was a parody making fun of the fact that people like you don’t get why this is a problem. Considering how poorly history is taught, if at all, I understand why you don’t see this as a problem. And yes, the Washington Redskins mascot is one of the most racist mascots in sports. Some things aren’t funny or just jokes. But you wouldn’t get that. You’d be one of the idiots in the picture posing with her.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Actually, whats the damn point in being offended by everything? I’m well aware of the history, but at what point do you stop bitching about a Halloween costume and start getting past the trivial and downright petty nature of it all. This instance was a joke. Some are not. Regardless, I think there are far many more important issues than a cheerleader dressing up as Lil Wayne. You sound like an old gossip woman, or a finger pointer, and in the end you’re bringing more attention to something that would ultimately be another slightly clever and forgettable Halloween costume.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. If this is really one of the more offensive things in the world today, then you gotta wonder just whose priorities are fucked.
And for the record, I wouldnt be posing in the pictures, but I’d sure as shit not run onto the internet and condemn her, or the defenders, or society as a whole over a goddamn costume.
Get a clue.
November 5th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Right…great argument. “There are more offensive things in the world” Like I don’t point out those things either. Makes perfect sense. Sorry but last time I checked, when someone did something fucked you…you called them on it. Do we need marches? No. Do we need to harp on it? No. But I do think something this idiotic does require a “WTF were you thinking?” mention.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Don’t be ignorant people, black face has RACIST origins, it was invented by whites to persecute and DEMONIZE black Americans, even today when white Americans don BF it is suspect!
Is this cheerleader a racist because she used BF? NO! But she DID partake in a HISTORICALLY racist practice. Whites in BF is is ALWAYS a bad idea.
True, (((SOME))) blacks are not insulted by this, but then again (((SOME))) blacks did not mind being slaves either.
What about the move White Chicks? White face does NOT equal black face, they have different origins.
January 14th, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Happy scrappy heropup got it right!! Halloween is for anyone who wants to dress up as anybody and anything for FUN. Did U forget that or learn that? I should be pissed and Irate when people dance the Huls or play hawaiian music or wear hawaiian stuff, or have a luau cuz they are not Hawaiian and they are teasing my whole ethnicity and heritage! Get over it chump, thats why it’s a costume. now if she was going into town and passing herself off as a “person of color” or doing stuff to run your “race” in the ground then yeah thats wrong. So what of the historical background. Hey the Japs came and bombed the crap out of Hawaii So I should hate’em for it? if I make a funny voice impersonating a jap then I am trying to bash their whole culture? It’s people like you who continue to keep the issues alive with such pain and hatred. We as a people need to remember all of our history to stop from repeating it’s mistakes, but by all means have some fun. lighten up. And Kris Y is the mascot of the redskins so racist? there really was indian warriors. Thats all they are. Maybe the name could be changed from redskins but Y the indian himself? Maybe we could change the color black itself and call it gibo? Cuz I hate to offend you when I say things like “black tire” or my dirty black t-shirt”. I guess all black people need to just dress up as black people and whites dress as whites and browns do the same….Oh yeah what would that be? do you know, are we all limited to the way we act and dress cuz of our skin tone? Get a clue! Ur driving the hate.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
What I want your dumbass to do is go look up the word “context” then come back to me idiot. Then we’ll see if you’ve learned anything. I know that probably won’t happen though
August 29th, 2010 at 9:46 pm
So what if it has racist origins? How about we move on! I’m black and honestly sometimes black people annoy me with the “lets get offended by everything and make it a bigger deal than it is” crap! Get over it! There are more serious acts of racism out there that still count for something today. You are making this a big deal for nothing. let it go! It’s just a costume. I have experienced real racism. You make real cases lose significance when you get upset over the stupid things.