Was There Need For The Italians To Apologise?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/10543630/Italian-distributor-of-12-Years-a-Slave-apologises-for-inappropriate-posters.html

Oh dear how much more ridiculous can these racist accusations get?

Surely there is nothing wrong in featuring a mega star such as Brad Pitt on the poster of a film in which he stars in, regardless of the fact that he appears less in the film than a black actor?

In defence of the Italians, I would say that perhaps they are not so PC aware as we and the Americans seem to be.

[THECORBYLOON]

ANOTHEOLDGIT, do you just post links without checking the results? I don't think that a bit about Conrad Black or a Michael Bolton quote about his success being linked to black music is anything to do with the colour of their skin. There is a labrador in a park amongst the results for God's sake, what's that going to prove?????

[FredPuli43]

That's a curious idea, Oilhead. You are proud by association. You see your fellow countrymen as having certain virtues in general. That is nothing to do with you, but you ascribe those virtues to yourself, do you not, and therefore feel proud? If you saw no virtues, but did see them in people of some other country, would you, by the same token, feel ashamed by association?

[Zeuhl]

You are right of course oil

/proud

feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one's own achievements, qualities, or possessions or those of someone with whom one is closely associated.
"a proud grandma of three boys"/

Therefore, there is nothing inherently wrong with being proud to be white (or black) it is simply insubstantial and meaningless.

[FredPuli43]

AOG, please be so kind now as to answer my question. What are your specific reasons for being proud at all? Are they that you feel proud by association with the achievements or qualities of others with whom you identify, rather than by what you personally have achieved or are?

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// ANOTHEOLDGIT, do you just post links without checking the results? I don't think that a bit about Conrad Black or a Michael Bolton quote about his success being linked to black music is anything to do with the colour of their skin. There is a labrador in a park amongst the results for God's sake, what's that going to prove????? ///

If the link you are referring to is the multi images of black quotes I make no apologies, these were a number of mixed images used simply to get a point over, I was not going to trawl through them all so as to remove inappropriate ones for you or anyone else.

[THECORBYLOON]

The results were poor examples so I have no idea why you bothered.

[OILhead]

Fred - yes - in a sense it is pride by association, but personally in order to make that association meaningful they are values and attributes which I try to live by; and equally if I can and do feel pride at them, then I also do feel shame when those standards are not met or those values not lived. I have lived most of my life abroad (middle east) so maybe that makes these attributes all the more noticeable to me as clearly not apparent in many other countries. I have felt shame at much of the recent rhetoric and panic mongering about immigration as that is not the tolerant, and generally quite rational/reasonable/fair approach that I expect in this country- pride cannot be unconditional or blind and I think if I am willing to take pride from the positives then I also need to feel shame when we get it wrong.

[jno]

extremely well put, OILhead. I think people sometimes define "pride" far too restrictively; common usage is more generous.

But it does invite the question (which you have just answered) "What are you doing to justify taking pride in the deeds of the British?" It is much harder to reply to "What have you done to make a white skin a good thing?"

[bazwillrun]

"I have felt shame at much of the recent rhetoric and panic mongering about immigration as that is not the tolerant, and generally quite rational/reasonable/fair approach that I expect in this country"

just as there are plenty who feel shame at those attitudes that you seem to think are laudable., that have now led to a roughly 13% + and growing "ethnic" population

[FredPuli43]

Well put, OILhead.

[OILhead]

Baz - so are you saying that tolerance, generosity, fairness and a sense of justice are not laudable qualities as you say "there are plenty who feel shame at those qualities..."? Whatever anyone thinks are the qualities which make them proud to be British, or any other nationality, they are not a pick and mix - only to be applied when work in our personal/indigenous favour - that's worse than not having those qualities in the first place surely.

JNO/Fred - thanks for the kind comments.

[anotheoldgit]

THECORBYLOON

/// The results were poor examples so I have no idea why you
bothered. ///

Really think so, don't you mean that these are very good examples but have touched a raw nerve?

http://misswhitewrites.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Stay-Black-Remain-Proud.jpg

http://tinyurl.com/qdqeq74

http://tinyurl.com/ofae7fv

http://tinyurl.com/ov8wgu7

http://tinyurl.com/qb8u4lg

[THECORBYLOON]

You've not touched a raw nerve, merely pointing out the weaknesses in the evidence produced. Being proud and black (or white) is not the same as being proud to BE black (or white) but that may be lost on you.