"Outrageous behavior, which only brings shame", to make fun of Obama

[Kyriakos]

This is, of course, the article from the slaves of Houyhnhnms

An Olympic figure skating gold medalist in 1972, '76 and '80, Rodnina came under fire for what many perceived as racism in September, when she posted a photo on Twitter of the commander in chief and first lady Michelle Obama with a digitally manipulated image of a hand holding a banana superimposed over the couple.

While Rodnina, currently a member of parliament for Putin's United Russia political party, has since deleted the photo from her Twitter account, she insisted she had done nothing wrong in a follow-up tweet, according to the Guardian. "Freedom of speech is freedom of speech," she wrote in September, "and you should answer for your own hang-ups."

U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul quickly responded on Twitter, calling Rodnina's actions "outrageous behavior, which only brings shame to her parliament and country."

Rodnina's selection to light the Olympic cauldron seems to suggest otherwise from Russia's perspective.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympi...202816634.html

The image which brought such unbearable shame to her country will follow, but in a spoiler since it may seem way too extremely anti-Obama for some to keep breathing while looking at it :/

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Likening a US president to this sort of lowly animal? Really? Very uncool, man, very uncool. Only racists do such things

[Mangalore]

*Ponders whether he tries to explain racism and all the implications of why it's not the same for everyone but trather decides to walk away...*

Only note: It shouldn't protect the president but it has different connotation and usage of stereotypes than Bush.

[Phier]

*Ponders whether he tries to explain racism and all the implications of why it's not the same for everyone but trather decides to walk away...*

Only note: It shouldn't protect the president but it has different connotation and usage of stereotypes than Bush.

Which animal is it acceptable to compare Obama too without being an obvious dirty racist

[tarvu]

Which animal is it acceptable to compare Obama too without being an obvious dirty racist

It's racist as I just explained in as detailed and simple fashion as possible for you. Something that is well established with plenty of evidence, just not when you do it for Obama.

Is this because you live in a bubble completely isolated from the creation of such racialized propaganda despite it being pointed out to you regularly on this board, by the media and politicians, human rights groups, textbooks, and pretty much every other means that society has to broadcast the message to you that it is gratuitous racism.

Or is it because you are just claiming innocent intent in your application. If only society worked that way Phier, moderation wouldn't prohibit me from saying many things to you because like you I have not one offensive bone in my body leaving me incapable of insulting others.

What's in a name right?

[Phier]

It's racist as I just explained in as detailed and simple fashion as possible for you. Something that is well established with plenty of evidence, just not when you do it for Obama.

Is this because you live in a bubble completely isolated from the creation of such racialized propaganda despite it being pointed out to you regularly on this board, by the media and politicians, human rights groups, textbooks, and pretty much every other means that society has to broadcast the message to you that it is gratuitous racism.

Or is it because you are just claiming innocent intent in your application. If only society worked that way Phier, moderation wouldn't prohibit me from saying many things to you because like you I have not one offensive bone in my body leaving me incapable of insulting others.

What's in a name right?

So you are saying a snake would be ok?

[tarvu]

So you are saying a snake would be ok?

So ignorance then? "Political correctness" as you call it is so ridiculous when you willfully ignore the blatant reality you really have no excuse to not have picked up on by now through simple observation.

I love this form of covering where someone can claim they are merely either suffering from Aspergers or have the innocence of a naive little child with their head buried deep in the sand.

If you are going to keep up the farce you could at least fabricate an interesting backstory about how you were initially raised by wolves in the wilderness and that is why you can't pick up on clear social cues from the rest of us. Funny how it should be selective to unintentional xenophobia, and that it doesn't extend to you also pleasuring yourself in public places as one would think.

I'm just saying then it would be as entertaining to the rest of us as it is to you. Right now it is just lazy racism.

[athanaric]

^ This.
If I were Obama, I'd just say "meh" and carry on.

Which animal is it acceptable to compare Obama too without being an obvious dirty racist

I predict that if somebody compared a black celebrity to, say, a pig, the outrage (zOMG racism!11) would be just as big. And just as selective and hypocritical.

[mongrel]

Which animal is it acceptable to compare Obama too without being an obvious dirty racist

A jackass, obviously. I am surprised you had to ask the question.

[The Despondent Mind]

Racist or not , that picture is hilarious .

[caratacus]

Not sure why that photo is considered humorous, certainly by a woman politician. She is obviously an ignoramus seeking favour by mocking others, who are a good bit more intelligent than see is.

[Kyriakos]

^She also had a minor Olympic role, having won a few meaningless gold medals. But yeah, still no Nobel

[Simon Cashmere]

Putin would think it was funny, so she's not in any danger.

[Knight of Heaven]

Racism, and xenophobia in Russia? get out of here!

Russian Soccer Fans Marching Backward to Intolerance

A year in which racism and xenophobia have marred European soccer has brought another brazen act of intolerance. The largest fan club of Zenit St. Petersburg, the two-time defending Russian champion, has demanded that the team include no black or gay players.

Zenit’s Italian manager, Luciano Spalletti, called for inclusiveness and respect of other cultures in an interview with the club’s radio network, saying that “being tolerant means that you fight against any kind of stupidity.”
Despite Zenit’s disavowal of its fan club’s demand to sign only white players, “at some point, this policy has been practiced by the club,” said Piara Powar, the executive director of the London-based FARE network, formerly known as Football Against Racism in Europe.
Zenit was the only top-level Russian club never to include a black player until early September, when it signed the Brazilian forward Hulk and the Belgian midfielder Axel Witsel for a combined $100 million. In late September, according to Russian news accounts, a fake bomb was found in a bag at Zenit’s training site, with a photograph of Hulk and the inscription, “Hulk out!”

Zenit St Petersburg fans who want non-white and gay players excluded from the Russian team are "living in another century", says Anzhi Makhachkala defender Christopher Samba.

Zenit St Petersburg fined for Roberto Carlos race abuse


Brazil great Carlos is playing out his career in Russia

Zenit St Petersburg have been fined $10,000 (£6,130) by the Russian Football Union after one of their fans offered Roberto Carlos a banana.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/12998953

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/20781804

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/19/sp...ance.html?_r=0

i have been in Russia and there is no blacks to speak of ( for the most part), as well in most eastern europe, this lack of touch, and variety, or multicultural experience if you will, may underline this xenophobic sentiment, on this kind of things, over time.

[Condottiere 40K]

So Russians have overlying streaks of Americaphobia, racism, anti-semitism and homophobia.

[Knight of Heaven]

So Russians have overlying streaks of Americaphobia, racism, anti-semitism and homophobia.

When they dont take their pills i guess.

They are also awesome drivers. I like the one when they stop to pee on a electric fence... cant seem to find that video though.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

You need to have balls to be a pedestriain in Russia, well a Russian in general.

[Roma_Victrix]

Well, considering how humans and great apes like chimpanzees share a common ancestor, it's no wonder that we look a lot like chimps. What I don't get, however, is the argument that black people look more like monkeys than us white people. Facial features aside, seriously, we have a lot more body hair on average than the blacks. Asian and Amerindian (read brown Latino) people are nearly hairless compared to us whites. Yeah, there are some white folk who are smooth as a baby's butt, but certainly not me. I'm a hairy goddamn ape like my dad (although he's way worse).

Personally I don't have a problem with anyone comparing people with great apes, so long as they are consistent in including every human population and ethnicity. Targeting only the blacks with this stuff means you're a stupid racist. The dumbest thing about handing a black guy a banana and saying "haha! You're an African monkey, because you eat bananas" is the fact that white people ALSO EAT BANANAS! Why's that? It's edible for all humans and apes alike.

[YukonTrooper]

That's extremely racist towards apes. An ape could run a country much better.

[pacifism]

When will Russians learn to stop giving bananas to people?

[justicar5]

That's extremely racist towards apes. An ape could run a country much better.

Than a Conservative? No argument.

[Condottiere 40K]

Actually, the Russian was stealing the banana, since he was tired of waiting in the breadlines.