egregious mistake

[Shaky]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
This is almost comical.  I just cannot fathom how a watermelon could be the anchor point for racial commentary.  Regardless of the past, it just defies all logic.

Skuzz, the professor was apparrantly aware of the reference, since the test question was origunally written with the comedian Gallagher throwing the watermelon of a 300 ft building, and was changed to "Condoleezza" throwing it off the 300 ft "Federal' building.

A clear, politically motivated racial slur from yet another liberal, who pride themselves in "tolerance".

[Mustaine]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
This is almost comical.  I just cannot fathom how a watermelon could be the anchor point for racial commentary.  Regardless of the past, it just defies all logic.

whats weird from my point of view is how it is not known widely.

i knew it back in 2nd or 3rd grade. there was 1 black child in my whole grade school in the late 70's. he was a year younger than me, and rode on my bus. he was called all those names by the older hicks that were also on the bus.

when i saw / heard it in 48 hours i was really suprised it was used, as growing up it was almost as bad as the N word. you NEVER said that to a black person ever.

i think up north here what may propagate it is the inner city. see there are guys that every day all summer park a truck of watermelons for sale on the side of the roads near some of the more unpleasant neighborhoods. in 33 years i can honestly say i have not seen a white person patronize one of these watermelon trucks, and i used to communte past 3 of them every day for over 2 years.

i guess it is like the soda or pop thing. different areas of the country have different verbage in use, even in slang.

[Mustaine]

Originally posted by Shaky
Sort of the same thing happened after the Masters one year. Fuzzy Zoeller remarked how he hoped that Tiger Woods wouldn't pick fried chicken and watermelon for the annual dinner, since the winner chooses the menu. He was roundly blasted for it in the press.

What wasn't mentioned was that the kitchen in the club was famous for fried chicken, and thats what was usually served along with watermelon. Fuzzy was just tired of eating it.

i remeber that. the local morning radio guys were going ape over that laughing. they couldn't believe he said that.

Originally posted by Shaky
Skuzz, the professor was apparrantly aware of the reference, since the test question was origunally written with the comedian Gallagher throwing the watermelon of a 300 ft building, and was changed to "Condoleezza" throwing it off the 300 ft "Federal' building.

it could be that the kids in the class would be like "who the **** is Gallagher?!?!"

[Jackal1]

Originally posted by eagl
Jackal,

I always re-read what I write, and you've missed my point entirely.  My point is that these references were used for a very long time with a deliberately racist intent, and just because most people do not intend them in that way nowadays doesn't mean that the phrases and terms do not still bring up bad memories.
 

No, I got the point you are trying to make. It`s just that I find it ludicrous to to be so easily played by the truely racist. Bad watermelon memories. Now that`s a new one. Maybe we should change the name entirely so as not to offend the PC crowd. H2Omelon perhaps.

but it should still be understood that certain phrases have a lot of racial connotations and hidden meanings.

It will be a cold day in hell when I avoid certain phraes to please the radical racist. Don`t you see that by doing so you are promoting a cause that has long been gone?
I treat people with respect that do so in turn no matter what their color. It`s just common sense. On the other hand trying to play the race card with me or coming off with some "you owe me" attitude over things that happened in my great grandfather`s times will get you more than you can dish out.

A professor ought to know these sorts of things and except when making a specific point to his class, probably ought to avoid bringing them up.

Walking on egg shells trying to please those looking for an excuse to play the  down trodden race card will only get you scratched feet.

That's not being racist, it's recognizing that racist people have made certain relationships and phrases offensive and it's stupid to try to ignore or belittle the reactions that those phrases will generate.

If a watermelon comment causes the race card to be played, it was on the top of the deck to be dealt at the very first opportunity anyway. Those are the truely racist folks that should not be helped by promoting their agenda. Believe me, they will find a way to work it in anyway.

[fartwinkle]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Interesting eagl.  Even more so, considering I went through public schools where white people were the minority and blacks and hispanics were the majority.

Quite frankly, I could care less about the racial history of any country.  It should never define our actions, it should only serve as a reminder of where we went right or wrong.  

People create and feed racism.  In giving this 'question' the attention it is being given, and the perspective it is being viewed from, it will serve to promote racism, not stop it.

I am not defined by my father, or his father.  So please do not try to put me in thier shoes.  I have my own, thank you very much.  I still see nothing wrong with the question, and none of my black friends would either.

Skuzzy if everyone thought the same way you do racsism more than likely would not be an issue.
I commend you for your maturity:aok

But unfortunaly eagl has a point as it has been over the years a way of making fun of black folks sad very sad that we as a people as in the human specieces have not evolved beyound this silly crap?

[Meatwad]

Originally posted by AWMac
Maybe the Professor should have used a different fruit....like lets say a Banana?




Mac

They they will cry saying that putting condolezza throwing a banana off a 300 ft tall building is calling her a monkey. To me, I pucture that and find it as funny as heck.  They always find a reason to cry about anything as long as its in their favor

[xrtoronto]

Originally posted by AWMac
Maybe the Professor should have used a different fruit....like lets say a Banana?




Mac

um...well, if you use other fruits...then the gay community will get upset!

[Bear76]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
This is almost comical.  I just cannot fathom how a watermelon could be the anchor point for racial commentary.  Regardless of the past, it just defies all logic.

I think you just defined racism in a nutshell:aok

[Jackal1]

No more Boston Tea Party jokes. It might offend Beetle.

[fartwinkle]

Remember the easybake ovens back in the 60s and 70s?
Made just a few of the jewish community

[Shaky]

Originally posted by Meatwad
They they will cry saying that putting condolezza throwing a banana off a 300 ft tall building is calling her a monkey. To me, I pucture that and find it as funny as heck.  They always find a reason to cry about anything as long as its in their favor

It would have been better to leave Condi, and the political/racial overtones out of it and used the original question, which referred to Gallagher, the inventor of the "Sledge-o-matic".

Instead, the professor used the question to denigrate a conservative, who ha[[ens to be black. He used the fact that she is black as an integral part of that slur. But hey, its OK to use racial slurs, so long as they are against conservatives, right?

[Meatwad]

Right.

[Skuzzy]

It is a choice to recognize 'racial slurs'.  A conscious choice.  What is the motivation to construe anything into a racial issue?

Would it be recognized to be a racial slur if the question went along the lines of:

"Bush attempts to dance, but hits 2 steps for every beat, of music,  per second.  After two minutes, how many excess steps does he take?"

or

"Cheney tosses another beer can into the back of his pickup truck, which is on blocks in his front yard.  He has been doing so at the rate of 12 cans a day for the last 6 years.  How many cans are in the bed of the truck?"
===

Shaky, according to your post, you believe racism is politically motivated.  Is this a correct assessment?
===

Bear76, not sure I understand what your comment means.  How does that define racism?
===

I am going to plead ignorance as it pertains to 'racism'.  I do not understand it and will never understand why people cling to it so.  I do not understand a society which pays so much attention to racism as to keep it a living entity, and hold it out in front of itself for all to see.  Yet, it does so with disdain.

The past should not be forgotten, but the present and future should not be a slave to the past either.  If it is, then all we are doing is propagating racism.

[x0847Marine]

Originally posted by T0J0
Walk down MLK street in Dallas and ask a crowd to solve that math question and see if you don't get your arse beat.. Then you'll understand.

The question could have been asked many ways without using the term watermelon...


TJ

What if she in fact eats copious amounts of said mellon?... making the question 100% realistic? whos the clown, the professor or the skinny chick who eats racially sensitive mellon?

I wonder if as a black person she never eats watermelon in public because it would send the wrong message, and besides eating the wrong type of thing just  looks just too funny to whitey.

What do Hispanics think about this?, "if Pedro throws a taco..."

Or the rednecks, "If Jethro had a tooth to throw.."

Or WHITIEY!!!, "If Biff and Jane thew their iPods off the roof.."

Is whitey allowed to eat watermelon in public, or does that mock blacks? that would suck because one of my favorite breakfast haunts, and this is no joke its a famous place here in LA "Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles",  serves chicken, waffles with a watermelon slice on the side... I'm usually the only whitey there, should they be eating these racial meals in front of me? have my rights been violated? am I being mocked? would Condie eat there or toss her food off the roof?

Is Rosco black?, if so who is he trying to mock selling such things?

Such important questions must be answered in our lifetime if any of us are to eat in peace.

[Skuzzy]

Originally posted by T0J0
Walk down MLK street in Dallas and ask a crowd to solve that math question and see if you don't get your arse beat.. Then you'll understand.

The question could have been asked many ways without using the term watermelon... TJ

I am not prone to make a spectacle of myself.  I have no qualms about asking some friends of mine about it though.  They would find it quite funny.