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Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchkin03 (Post 2108888)

I didn't watch the show--I don't really watch that much TV so it's no surprise there.

Sometimes diversity leads to more segregation. In terms of numbers, I didn't grow up in a diverse town the way that NYC or SF are "diverse cities," but there was a lot less segregation since there wasn't a _____ community the way that some cities have. Because of the military, my hometown has substantial populations of Thai and Filipina women; but outside of that, there are only handfuls of other ethnic groups and they tend to associate with larger groups. For example, the Indo-Caribbean people will associate with the larger "Black community" in my hometown, while in NYC they are segregated by countries--there are delineated Trinidadian and Guyanese communities that don't mix all that often. Eastern Europeans and other white immigrants just get assimilated into specific "white" communities based on their socio-economic status. I guess it's more of a "melting pot," which has its benefits and drawbacks.

The accent thing that PM_Mama mentioned doesn't surprise me at all--I see it in some groups here. If they're living in insular communities, patronizing the same businesses, and going to schools in the same areas, then there are fewer opportunities to interact with larger communities and the accents stay, even among second-generation Americans.

I grew up in one of those "diverse cities" and if I hadn't left and moved away to eventually live in Idaho I'd be less knowledgeable about the diversity of White people. It sounds strange to some people, but I had never been around so many White people (including Christian & Conservative) until my first day in Idaho and it was unsettling since I had never been around so many other White people before. Even though I'm White and Protestant (ELCA Lutheran, so on the far liberal end) that's where a lot of the commonality ends which has caused me existential angst I never knew existed. I knew that White people who hated the government, were literal word of God speaking in tongues Christians or Mormons, and had never eaten ethnic foods I did regularly nor met anyone of certain groups existed, I just never knew any personally.

The military does bring some unexpected diversity in some places, my experience being in Alaska and overseas. Now I want some lumpia, dammit.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/entert...o/-/index.html

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Lowe's has pulled its advertising from the reality TV show "All-American Muslim," which the retail store called a "lightning rod."

"All-American Muslim" is an eight-part series that follows five Muslim families living in Dearborn, Michigan.

"Lowe's has received a significant amount of communication on this program, from every perspective possible. Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lightning rod for many of those views. As a result we did pull our advertising on this program," the company said in a statement Saturday.
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"We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance."

The conservative Florida Family Association, which is pushing advertisers to drop "All-American Muslim," cheered Lowe's decision. The group called the TLC show "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."

But the company's decision was decried by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and at least one of the show's cast members.

Both CAIR and Shadia Amen-McDermott, who is featured on the show, posted links on their Facebook pages to a petition, calling on advertisers to continue their support.

Late Saturday night, the petition had some 2,300 signatures.

"This is NOT about standing up for All-American Muslim - This is about Standing Up Against Bigotry and Hatred in this Country Founded on Peace, Justice, and Equality. Let's Stand United against Bigotry," Amen-McDermott wrote.

This is absurd.

It just speaks to the larger point of the show, doesn't it?

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Originally Posted by agzg (Post 2111550)

It just speaks to the larger point of the show, doesn't it?

That was exactly my thought. I wonder if any others will be pulling out.

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Realistically, discussions like this are not what make things substantively change. Things change when societies remove incentives and resources for keeping things the way they are; and add incentives and resources for change.

In the case of gay rights, at least, I think that TV and movies played a role in the growing cultural acceptance of gay people in the younger generation. There was a certain amount of progress that had to be made to get "Will & Grace," etc., onto the national stage, but once that happens, cultural change accelerates. Whatever the imperfections of those media images, it's a big deal that kids in every small town are aware that gay people exist, and that those gay people aren't ashamed of themselves. I believe that plays a role in the fact that young people in this country are so much less homophobic than their parents. We're a long way from happy pony land, but boy, there's been a ton of progress, and I think TV shows had their part in advancing it.

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Originally Posted by Low C Sharp (Post 2111805)

This is a horrible example of a supposed media representation of homosexuality. But, if you insist. Yes, homosexuals are in the media which teaches us that homosexuals are here to make us laugh on sitcoms and do things like design our clothes on runways. Anything but be seen as "normal and just like heterosexuals." If you look at the representation of homosexuality in the media, you will find what is found for all minority groups.

Such media depictions of minorities (sexual orientation minorities, religious minorities, racial and ethnic minorities, etc.) on television are not what brings forth change through reducing the power dynamics of oppression and educating the masses. All those media depictions do is perpetuate stereotypes and get members of the majority to feel comfortable with minorities AS LONG AS (insert requirement for being allowed to be included). By the way, "some of my best friends are (insert group membership) and things are cool AS LONG AS they don't want (insert opportunities that members of the majority have)."

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Originally Posted by Low C Sharp (Post 2111805)

...kids in every small town are aware that gay people exist...

This is not true, at least not in the way that you mean it

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Originally Posted by Low C Sharp (Post 2111805)

...and that those gay people aren't ashamed of themselves.

Many still are.

In related news, The Simpsons poked fun at University of Michigan-Dearborn and Sharia Law. The news stations interviewed Muslim students to see how they felt about it and many of them laughed and thought it was funny.