rolling "Is This Racist?" thread

I have a question. If a white was to cover a song by a black artist, which specifically deals with issues in the black community, it would be problematic to change the words to refer to a more general group, right? Say, The Bottle, by Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson; changing "See that black boy over there, runnin' scared" to "See that young boy over there, runnin' scared".

Obviously alcoholism is a problem in many communities, but something about the re-appropriation makes me uncomfortable. And a white artist singing the original lyrics sounds like an accusatory outsider.

No big deal, just wondering what people's thoughts are.

Meant to be "If a white artist", of course.

well you could argue that changing the lyrics shows disrespect to the author so

i'm generally an "intent-over-content" guy when it comes to taboo language (erring on the side of not intentionally pissing people off for no fucking reason) so my inclination would be to respect authorial intent. i think chris rock's routine about white people singing along to rap may apply.

there's something problematic about removing blackness from a text in order for a white artist to be able to perform it but

well you could argue that changing the lyrics shows disrespect to the author

this isn't what's problematic about it. people covering songs change up the lyrics all the time and it's not "disrespectful," gtfo w/authorial totalitarianism, personalizing a song by changing the lyrics up a little is as totally ok. but when race is a factor, then the question gets a little thorny. (gender too maybe.)

my war against "so" at the end of a sentence continues in all cases

aero, your response seems to be "eh, change it if you want; author doesn't get to make you say what they want to but race and gender may make it complicated", which given that was the point of the conversation in the first place (unless i'm reading this wrong) doesn't really address the issue at all
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/gabriel-peter-so-300x300.jpg...

I think the point was more "make sure the change says what you want it to say" and that sometimes erasing mention of color says something you don't intend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkLTwX0duY4

write a new song, bros

^^^^

gourdsplayingginandjuice.youtube.com

(gender too maybe.)

You have an issue with female singers gender-flipping lyrics so they're about guys?

no I just really hated "I Am Man," feel like it really missed the point

personally thought the Oran Juice Jones version of Bobbie Gentry "Fancy" was a lil awkward

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0ov9082a1c

though i suppose me'shell self-identifies as bi, just always thought that would be a fun song to gender flip

Always wanted to do a cover of "Johnny, Are You Queer?"

Melissa Etheridge's comeback single: "Hello Lucille, Are You a Lesbian?"

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/711rXz-SD1L._SL1000_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71iZedLLhDL._SL1000_.jpg

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/516CX-%2BTixL.jpg

kinda lol, prob racist

eh, accurate enough, let's face it

love dude's hi top fade

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51OQOhWHWGL.jpg

it's the combo hi-top fade/AIR FORCE sweatshirt that kills me

It looks like you're racially segregating. Would you like help?

trying to do a clippy / afro joke; not working when i type it out
or even conceptually really

how about that katy perry video?

don't make me search bro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KSOMA3QBU0

racist against ancient egyptians

holy shit that is the best youtube preview image since "I Miss You"

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/youtube-to-remove-katy-perry-s-dark-horse-video-depicting-name-of-god-allah-youtube-to-remove-katy-perry-s-video-dark-horse-from-their-website

Dude's wearing like 10 necklaces. 90% of all necklaces are god-related. Odds are, one of his necklaces is gonna be someone's god.

jesus christ idiot prop people, stop selecting necklaces at random without checking whether they say the name of a currently-worshipped god

the crappily drawn red circle

it's the combo hi-top fade/AIR FORCE sweatshirt that kills me

― sent as gassed to onto rt dominance (DJP), Thursday, February 20, 2014 4:20 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

He's getting hyped because office is so fly

i don't think so. your hair doesn't get like that when you become excited.

Fuck you, Nathan Deal

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/georgia-governor-okay-confederate-flag-license-plate-part-cultural-heritage-our-state

Fucking horrible.

omg. "hopefully those who are offended will look at history" - um i think thats why they're offended ya horses ass

unsure if this is more racist or sexist

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/03/11/rush-limbaugh-admits-republicans-refuse-work-obama-black.html

Why choose?!

I'd vote neither tbh

just kinda dumb

Not sure how long the comeback has been in effect, but hi-top fades were noticeably more common this year in Twin Cities secondary schools.

Windbag blows wind.

is the word "denigrate" racist

http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/28/magazine/on-language-dark-words-of-disapproval.html

The etymology of the word denigrate was promptly called to my attention by a media colleague, who wondered whether the Mayor was unwittingly using a term that illustrates how racism is buried in the language.

Niger is Latin for ''black''; denigrationem is Late Latin for ''a blackening.'' The de- does not mean ''the opposite or reverse of,'' as de- so often does; in this case, as in denude and declaim, it means ''completely''; thus, denigrate is rooted in ''to blacken completely.'' The term was picked up as a verb in Old French meaning ''to blacken'' and transferred to English in the 16th century in the sense of ''darken a good name,'' or ''defame.''

Historically, black and dark have signified ''bad'' (Satan was called the Prince of Darkness long before the self-styled meanie, Robert Novak, was born), and white and light have meant ''good'' (none but the brave deserve the fair, meaning ''light-colored'').

whoa

white/black, right/left go way back