These are some comments about a Forum post I saw on Adult Swim.com about the Boondocks cartoon show a while back. Now I know you should never get too upset over anything you read on a forum, but every now and then you see something that really burns your biscuits. This is what happened on my particular day...
OK. So I never really listen to the people who don't like Boondocks, because they are usually not Black, and therefore do not get it. Which is not to say that white people do not get it, because these forums are full of white people, and full of people who love Boondocks. What I hate is people who can't discern the purpose of what different characters in a show mean. For instance, on all in the family, Archie Bunker was a racist, but there were a lot of other characters on the show who disagreed with his stance on things. But a stupid person could look at the show and say since he was racist, the show is racist.
Now I personally don't feel that Huey is racist, because I agree with a lot of the things he says. Huey is just full of opinions, as am I. What people who are stupid don't see, is that Huey’s views often make it hard for him to enjoy the nice things in life. Maybe it isn't the stupid people's fault, Caesar hasn't been on the show. He is a good foil for Huey, and does his best to get Huey to Lighten up. People who think that Boondocks is against white people do not know anything about Black culture. The overwhelming theme of Boondocks on television has been that Black people are our own worst enemy, not white people. But stupid people would only see what their stupid, racist minds will allow them to see. I am at the point where I don't think I could be friends with someone who doesn't get Boondocks, because that means that they are not intelligent enough to understand what is going on, and I generally dislike stupid people, unless they are hot girls, but that's my own personal hypocrisy at fault there.
Basically, if you get Boondocks and disagree with a certain character's point of view, I can talk to you. For every opinion that is expressed on that show, you can find a dissenting one. In fact, Riley never agrees with Huey, and teases him mercilessly for his conspiracy theories. So saying that the show is one way or another is quite possibly the stupidest thing one can say. Though racism and stupidity often go hand in hand, because you have to be an idiot on at least some level to be racist, I believe that this particular topic was started by someone who is less racist than just a complete idiot.
5 comments:
As you know, I am against all forms of discrimination except absolute misanthropy. But it seriously bothers me when people in any position try to play gotcha games with cries of prejudice. I think people just like being able to feel indignant. The new trend is for people in majority positions to do this. Whites, males, and Christians crying out against their unjust oppression does strike me as kind of funny. This is not to say, of course, that I advocate discrimination against them (being at least white and male myself, it would be self-defeating), but I would prefer people focus instead on not being dicks to each other, rather than a tally sheet of who has it the worst.
Also, The Boondocks kicks ass.
"The Itis" episode is one of the more amazing things I've seen on television.
I do agree that people who don't get Boondocks don't get Black culture. However, I wouldn't classify *all* of them as stupid. Some people were never taught about the cultural differences. They genuinely are in the dark about different cultures.
I notice a lot of immigrants (especially who come from a largely "uni-cultural" or "uni-racial" country) who come to America don't get a good enough education about the history of this nation and end up biting into every. single. stereotype out there. I was one of them. Fortunately I got smart enough to question everything in my college years and I did my own research- on my own time.
Honestly, had I not had the chance to go away to college, I just might have gone through my mundane life, still believing all the stereotypes to be true. Not everyone has that chance. So while some people are racist and some are ignorant and still others stupid, some just haven't had the chance.
Everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I'll give you that the show isn't just stupid nonsense, but I think the comedy falls flat. Different strokes.
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