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the full marley?

  • 11-06-2015 12:24AM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,434 ✭✭✭


    listening in on a radio discussion to do with a guy turning up to a fancy dress party dressed as bob marley, complete with dark face paint. And it's been debated as to whether it's racist.

    Now, we're aware of the blackface history and it's use in the past (minstrels), taking that into account, has it any bearing on today? is it truly 'racist' to incorporate dark makeup to complete a costume and go for full authenticity?

    it was said in the discussion that you'd have to look at the intent, which I agreed with. Turning up with the purposeful intent of causing trouble by opting for the dark makeup is of course racist, but what about just looking for the aforementioned authenticity and completing the look?. perhaps insensitive at it's absolute worst, but if you're doing it for cosmetic and not offensive reasons, what about that? do we just need to get a sense of humour and let go of the shackles of the past?


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    Has not been one of these for a while -Gets Popcorn-


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,389 ✭✭✭NachoBusiness


    Personally I think it's racist to think it's racist.

    It's implying that somehow black / brown skin is offensive in some way when it isn't.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭Bongalongherb


    It's a complement to remembering Bob Marley. I love Bobs music and always did from the early eighties and see no problem with this.

    The real problem is the fcuking race-card again and again, it's a true reflection of the amount of idiots in this country, please fcuk-off and do something constructive to your lives instead of the same old crap. Basically get a life, but that probably isn't possible concerning the intelligence of some idiots out there.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,618 ✭✭✭The Diabolical Monocle


    This would have gone out on comedy central or some other us network

    or at very least on dvd.

    so .... equality.




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭harry Bailey esq


    Some clown started a thread last Halloween because he took umbrige at some some other clown who decided it would be 'original' by donning an SS uniform at a fancy dress.If stuff like that was what kept me awake at night, I'd be a lucky man.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,389 ✭✭✭NachoBusiness


    The real problem is the fcuking race-card again and again, it's a true reflection of the amount of idiots in this country..

    In fairness it's everywhere and hardly ever is it black people that do the moaning. It's always someone getting offended on their behalf. Like when a famous American Hockey player (Raffi Torres) black faced as Jay-Z for a Halloween fancy dress party. Didn't hear Jay-Z complaining or many members even the black community. In the main, yet gain, it was people getting offended for him.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,382 ✭✭✭AndonHandon


    Media sources provide too much airtime to non-issues such as this thereby artificially inflating the event and creating a false impression that, firstly, there is an issue and, secondly, it is as bad as the likes of the Holocaust.

    /godwin


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,259 ✭✭✭él statutorio


    Some clown started a thread last Halloween because he took umbrige at some some other clown who decided it would be 'original' by donning an SS uniform at a fancy dress.If stuff like that was what kept me awake at night, I'd be a lucky man.

    An SS uniform is a pretty snappy uniform to be fair.

    They might've been genocidal b@stards but dammit, they looked smart while doing it!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,564 ✭✭✭passremarkable


    Fm 104 is it


  • Posts: 26,920 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Someone I know dressed as Geodie LaForge from Star Trek: The Next Generation, complete with black face paint. It was an absolutely fantastic costume and oh so funny.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 24,461 ✭✭✭✭darkpagandeath


    What I don't get is if the person you are portraying has a particular skin tone why that is not considered part of the costume. It's not like dressing up as a minstrel.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,814 ✭✭✭harry Bailey esq


    An SS uniform is a pretty snappy uniform to be fair.

    They might've been genocidal b@stards but dammit, they looked smart while doing it!

    Hugo Boss dont you know...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭Cold War Kid


    It's a complement to remembering Bob Marley. I love Bobs music and always did from the early eighties
    With a username like Bongalongherb, I never would have guessed it.
    An SS uniform is a pretty snappy uniform to be fair.
    Yes, it's quite snazi.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,353 ✭✭✭Cold War Kid


    Probably an argument to be made that those who aren't black cannot fully appreciate the ramifications of it, but all I see it as is emulating a physical trait, like wearing a blonde wig if you don't have blonde hair and want to dress up as someone with blonde hair.

    I know people might say skin colour is imbued with so much more etc, but some people only see it as a physical trait, nothing more, no big deal - that's pretty positive I'd have thought.

    As for blackface, well isn't intent/context worth bearing in mind? Darkening your skin to look like a famous black person (Bob Marley with white skin would be useless as a costume) has no malicious, subjugating intent; it's literally just an attempt at looking as much like a famous person as possible.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,434 ✭✭✭Robsweezie


    Personally I think it's racist to think it's racist.

    It's implying that somehow black / brown skin is offensive in some way when it isn't.

    bang on. funny you should say that, I was thinking the same, racist to think its racist.

    a couple of years ago in the London Olympics complaints of racism were made over an advert depicting a monkey was broadcast just after a black athlete had performed . I remember the 'racist to say it's racist' line was brought up and it couldn't be more apt. the complainers themselves were happily making the association between black people and monkeys, so its their own issue really.

    the link to story http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a397409/london-2012-olympics-nbc-forced-to-apologise-after-monkey-commercial.html


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