Medical Monkey Liberal Liability

[Garpal Gumnut]

This young man Sowden who is being funded by taxpayers to become a doctor has gravely insulted Barack Obama on Twitter, by calling the latter a monkey.

He is a Queenslander I believe and an example of the uphill job that the Liberal Nats LNP will have to wrest government from Anna Bligh.

The Young Liberals in Queensland have traditionally been full of Hoorah Henrys, and quite rightly will be swamped by their Young National Party peers who are larger in number.

The sooner the Queensland LNP is rid of this idiotic behaviour the better. The Young LNP should weed out these outliers from the organisation.

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/if-you-needed-reminding-young-libs-were-out-of-touch/

gg

 

[Whiskers]

Yeah, not good nor smart politicing by the twit... actually the thread title sorta fits the Qld lib leader too. What's his name... he's a dentist on the Gold Coast somewhere isn't he... rarely heard of in the media where I am and I think a significant number of conservatives think is a bit of a liability too.

I've had little opportunity to vote lib, cos my canditates are usually Nat, Independant or Labor, but this sort of direct racial prejeduce, especially towards someone like the US President, needs to be thoroughly rebuked by the leadership if they want to reclaim some credability, be seen to stand for something and willingness to work constructively with others to avoid falling into complete insignificance in Qld again .

 

[Julia]

To be fair to the party, he has been thrown out, so they found it completely unacceptable.
Stupid little git.

 

[springhill]

I'm not defending the guy here, insulting the Pres was wrong & political suicide, but since when did the word 'monkey' become a racial slur? If he called a white man a monkey no-one would bat an eyelid. Or is it PC bullshizzen gone too far again that we see what we want to see, or what we think other people will see?..... 'Oh he said it about a black man, must be racist!'

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Yeah, not good nor smart politicing by the twit... actually the thread title sorta fits the Qld lib leader too. What's his name... he's a dentist on the Gold Coast somewhere isn't he... rarely heard of in the media where I am and I think a significant number of conservatives think is a bit of a liability too.

I've had little opportunity to vote lib, cos my canditates are usually Nat, Independant or Labor, but this sort of direct racial prejeduce, especially towards someone like the US President, needs to be thoroughly rebuked by the leadership if they want to reclaim some credability, be seen to stand for something and willingness to work constructively with others to avoid falling into complete insignificance in Qld again .

It is a problem, having a political party led by a colourless dentist. My contacts tell me he'll be gone by the calling of the next Qld election

To be fair to the party, he has been thrown out, so they found it completely unacceptable.
Stupid little git.

Fair comment Julia, he won't be very popular.

I'm not defending the guy here, insulting the Pres was wrong & political suicide, but since when did the word 'monkey' become a racial slur? If he called a white man a monkey no-one would bat an eyelid. Or is it PC bullshizzen gone too far again that we see what we want to see, or what we think other people will see?..... 'Oh he said it about a black man, must be racist!'

There was a cartoon in a Murdoch New York newspaper before the last USP election portraying BO as a monkey, it caused a huge stir, and was arguably racist.

gg

 

[springhill]

There was a cartoon in a Murdoch New York newspaper before the last USP election portraying BO as a monkey, it caused a huge stir, and was arguably racist.

gg

Was it? Why was it racist? Do we associate monkeys with black people and vice versa now? When i go to the zoo and see a monkey i dont automatically think of Cathy Freeman, Michael Jordan, Ernie Dingo etc etc.....
I've seen Lil Johnnie portrayed as George Dubya's lapdog, is that racist?

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Was it? Why was it racist? Do we associate monkeys with black people and vice versa now? When i go to the zoo and see a monkey i dont automatically think of Cathy Freeman, Michael Jordan, Ernie Dingo etc etc.....
I've seen Lil Johnnie portrayed as George Dubya's lapdog, is that racist?

I posted that in the context of the US perception of portraying BO as a monkey, being possibly racist. There was much debate at the time along the lines you have written. So young hoorah henry's tweat would have resonated with more than the average as being unwise, "brave", whatever you want to call it, because of the furore over the cartoon.

Whether you associate or not, black people with monkeys is your business really.

gg

 

[Solly]

Fast forward to 2:45 for the 7PM Project interview with Nick Sowden.

http://7pmproject.com.au/video.htm?vxSiteId=7a6ab1fe-cd90-4143-bf79-ba376a096b2e&vxChannel=7PM%20Catch%20Up&vxClipId=2689_7pm-seg1-160410&vxBitrate=300&vxTemplate=7PM_Index.swf

 

[Fishbulb]

I'm not defending the guy here, insulting the Pres was wrong & political suicide, but since when did the word 'monkey' become a racial slur? If he called a white man a monkey no-one would bat an eyelid. Or is it PC bullshizzen gone too far again that we see what we want to see, or what we think other people will see?..... 'Oh he said it about a black man, must be racist!'

The word "n i gger" is historically offensive I'm sure you'll agree if used to describe a black man, so historically speaking the term "porch monkey" is likewise.

Although both these terms mean nothing on an intellectual level. But they're not are they?

 

[springhill]

The word "n i gger" is historically offensive I'm sure you'll agree if used to describe a black man, so historically speaking the term "porch monkey" is likewise.

Although both these terms mean nothing on an intellectual level. But they're not are they?

If you look at the wikipedia link, you'll also find that the word '******' was not always deemed offensive. Some interesting stuff there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******

But if you look at the word 'monkey' there is no reference to it being a racial slur.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey

So i guess it's fair to say the word proper 'monkey' does not lend itself to the definition of a black man.
So that only leaves the implication of the word.
My question is why, if you call a black man a monkey it is racist, but if you called a white man a monkey it isn't?
I fail to see why people jump to the worst possible connotations of word usage.

 

[newbie trader]

Fast forward to 2:45 for the 7PM Project interview with Nick Sowden.

http://7pmproject.com.au/video.htm?vxSiteId=7a6ab1fe-cd90-4143-bf79-ba376a096b2e&vxChannel=7PM%20Catch%20Up&vxClipId=2689_7pm-seg1-160410&vxBitrate=300&vxTemplate=7PM_Index.swf

I saw that last night. Didn't think much of him at all. Although no one can really know in which context the word 'monkey' was used in this case. I would call someone (of any colour) a monkey with the intention that the implied meaning be something along the lines of a fool etc. However, I can also see the other side of the argument. Last night on the show Tom Gleeson made reference to other possibly racist comments which were on his Twitter (something along the lines of...'Afghan and Iraqi assylum seekers are not people at all, isn't there something in animal rights about them?'). The guys response was that it was all a joke and everything he posts on his page is just a big joke and that "if people can't see that then theres something wrong upstairs".

 

[Fishbulb]

If you look at the wikipedia link, you'll also find that the word '******' was not always deemed offensive. Some interesting stuff there.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/******

But if you look at the word 'monkey' there is no reference to it being a racial slur.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey

So i guess it's fair to say the word proper 'monkey' does not lend itself to the definition of a black man.
So that only leaves the implication of the word.
My question is why, if you call a black man a monkey it is racist, but if you called a white man a monkey it isn't?
I fail to see why people jump to the worst possible connotations of word usage.

Read my post again. It's like shampoo, you must rinse then repeat.

Seriously, I explained all that.

 

[bassmanpete]

Was it? Why was it racist? Do we associate monkeys with black people and vice versa now? When i go to the zoo and see a monkey i dont automatically think of Cathy Freeman, Michael Jordan, Ernie Dingo etc etc.....
I've seen Lil Johnnie portrayed as George Dubya's lapdog, is that racist?

Before I came out from the UK to Australia (in 1983) I used to go to a lot of soccer matches. Whenever a black player got the ball, there was always a group of the opposing team's supporters who would make monkey noises or call out things like "Give him a banana" and I even saw a banana thrown onto the pitch on more than one occasion. My point is that yes, calling a black/coloured person a monkey is seen by many, myself included, as being racist.

 

[newbie trader]

Before I came out from the UK to Australia (in 1983) I used to go to a lot of soccer matches. Whenever a black player got the ball, there was always a group of the opposing team's supporters who would make monkey noises or call out things like "Give him a banana" and I even saw a banana thrown onto the pitch on more than one occasion. My point is that yes, calling a black/coloured person a monkey is seen by many, myself included, as being racist.

I suppose it comes down to the hegemonic practices of the society that you are brought up in. Can you elaborate a bit; do you think that calling a person of colour (such as a black person) a monkey needs to be looked at within the context it was said? Or is it ALL racism. For example, if some of my [black] friends did something stupid/silly/outrageous (you get my drift?) and I used a phrase which described them as a monkey or simply called them a monkey, would this be racism? I know for a fact that I nor they would find it offensive. I think it is all context specific.

Why do spectators get to define what IS and ISNT racist? Shouldn't it be up to the person with whom the comments were directed to decide whether they deem it to be racism or 'just part of the conversation'? It actually becomes rather offensive when you read or see news articles where some poor person is being accused of being a racist (by another over sensetive person) due to them using a single word which has numerous meanings. I think it all really pushes our society that litle bit backwards. I know there are racist's out there im not denying it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs.

 

[chode84]

haha I also saw him on the 7pm project last night and thought he made a right tit of himself. He wouldn't make a very good polly. He was struggling to think of a reasonable response when questioned about that second "joke" where the boat people were likened to animals. And then he started talking himself up about being interviewed by the media all day and how good it was.

Douche

 

[bassmanpete]

I suppose it comes down to the hegemonic practices of the society that you are brought up in. Can you elaborate a bit; do you think that calling a person of colour (such as a black person) a monkey needs to be looked at within the context it was said? Or is it ALL racism. For example, if some of my [black] friends did something stupid/silly/outrageous (you get my drift?) and I used a phrase which described them as a monkey or simply called them a monkey, would this be racism? I know for a fact that I nor they would find it offensive. I think it is all context specific.

Why do spectators get to define what IS and ISNT racist? Shouldn't it be up to the person with whom the comments were directed to decide whether they deem it to be racism or 'just part of the conversation'? It actually becomes rather offensive when you read or see news articles where some poor person is being accused of being a racist (by another over sensetive person) due to them using a single word which has numerous meanings. I think it all really pushes our society that litle bit backwards. I know there are racist's out there im not denying it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs.

Hi Newbie. In the soccer example I gave it was definitely derogatory but if someone was, for example, good at climbing trees and you likened him to a monkey, whether he was black or white it could be meant, and taken, as a compliment.

I tend to agree that the hate speech laws have gone a bit too far. You can never stop people thinking anything they like and imho it's better to let them say what they like and know who the racists, or whatever, are than to force them to shut up and not know who they are. Inciting other people to violence by such speech is another matter entirely.