[Philly06Cup]

Bold opinion: Painting your face dark is not inherently racist or offensive.

From what I've read, which goes beyond wikipedia, the history of blackface is that white minstrels would parodize blacks as a cartoony inferior class of humans, often depicting them as lazy and amoral. Treating someone as less-than because of their skin-color is horrible. Thinking someone is less-than because of their skin-color is horrible. Proliferating that message is horrible. That's the deep end of the spectrum of blackface. Real hateful racism.

I sincerely do not believe that Trudeau or that equipment manager deep down believe that people of color are inferior or want to propogate this message.

Blackface is still offensive if it serves to reduce a human being to less than who they are. This is especially mean-spirited if they can't help the way they are different. I'm Asian and I've had random strangers make squinty eyes at me and say 'Ching Chong Bing Bong'. It's hurtful and it sucks. They are reducing my whole identity to my race, then treating me like an outsider because of it. Do I think these people hate me and think less of me because of my race? No. I liken it to all other forms of bullying. People get bullied for having lisps, or crooked teeth, or a rash, or other conditions that make them different. People are predisposed to form ingroups and mistreat others for being outsiders. These people don't have a deep-seeded hatred of people with lisps or squinty eyes -- they just haven't learnt good manners or tolerance. Bullies are bullies, and I don't necessarily think that bullying based on race is any more evil or hurtful than other forms of bullying.

Based on what I know of his actions, this is where I would put in the equipment manager.

Treat others individuals with respect. Treat other individuals as whole people. Don't reduce others to their skin color as a means of belittling them for being different. That's it. It's not the painting of the skin -- it's the intention and reasoning of the actions that are hurtful. Mental health issues are important, and repeatedly bullying someone for their skin color.. that creeps into the territory of hate.


What about Trudeau's blackface?

Historically, most of the time when someone has done blackface, it was in a offensive way. It doesn't mean that everytime someone does blackface that it is offensive. Sadly, in today's society, this is no longer true because people don't take the time to tell the difference and will just get offended anyway.

But even if blackface is done without ill-intention, it can still lead to negative outcomes. People who lived through racist times can be reminded of very emotional memories. It can lead to copycat behaviors and inadvertantly promote a more intolerant society. If you present yourself blackface to a stranger, given its history, you are highly likely to be misinterpreted and will still offend someone. There are a lot of cons, and not a whole lot of pros, so why do it at all.

I think Trudeau's actions mostly fall into this. Given his repeat history of blackface, I think the previous category might also apply, but it's hard to tell for sure. Trudeau is also the PM -- he needs to be held to a higher standard and should set a better example -- but I don't consider his actions that harmful or racist. I think it's important to ask questions and consider the context and motivations. People need to chill out and think. There is some overlap but the last scenario of blackface does not equal to the first or second.