Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Facing Costume Controversy

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by APhiAnna

That said, she dressed up as Lil' Wayne, who is a very popular entertainer. At the least I'd say it is impossible to judge if she was being racist in her intentions. Now, if she had dressed up as a "ghetto hoe" in blackface, or was carrying around a box of KFC and a Kool-Aid, it would be 100% clear that she was being maliciously racist. But as it stands, dressing up as a famous entertainer, even with blackface, can only prove that she is an idiot and not that she has anything against black people. Although I cannot fault anybody for feeling offended by it, I can see why you would be offended especially if you knew the history behind blackface. But if I had to guess, this chick has no idea about the history and simply wanted to dress like a rapper and did not realize the implications it would hold, which makes her an idiot, true, but you can't claim she is racist with any certainty.

I didn't know anyone in this thread was talking about racism in the first place.


We were talking about insensitivity and stupidity.

As an aside, determinations of discrimination and any -ism are usually based on outcome rather than intent. We usually won't know the intent but can "see" or "measure" the outcome.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Wow. People will clearly find any reason to be offended.

Or people choose to discuss the stupidity of delving into something that is potentially offensive to ANYONE.

Originally Posted by christiangirl

For the record: Lil Wayne, Flava Flav, Soulja Boy and the like present themselves to be more minstrel show-ish than anyone who could imitate them.

Those people are neither minstrel show-ish (neither are they coonish). They are expressing themselves, which is what people of all races have the right to do--good or bad--agree or disagree.

The issue is when negative portrayals are most prevalent in the media and the community. And that is honestly not the entertainers' faults.

I'm so tired of Black people equating everything that THEY deem as foolish with minstrel (black face or coons).

[kish2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

How do you know she wasn't?

.

How do you know Tyra wasn't stereotyping? Should she be fired?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by kish2

How do you know Tyra wasn't stereotyping?

Because I watched it.

[epchick]

Dang Lil Wayne must have been a popular costume this year, I've seen several pics on facebook from people who have dressed up as him, blackface and all (none are my friends, they are just random people that were in the picture w/ my friends).

[kish2]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Because I watched it.

Did you know what she was thinking or her intent?

Don't you know the historical significance of blackface?

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by kish2

Did you know what she was thinking or her intent?

Don't you know the historical significance of blackface?

Yes - she stated that her intent was to portray Hoppa. Unless Hoppa-face (most of them were more olive than black) has historical significance, than it's not the same. My children would be classified as Hoppa if we lived in Hawaii` (half Caucasian, half Hispanic), and I thought it was cool.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by TexasWSP

Personally, I think calling someone you don't know a "dumbshit" "asshat" with "low self-esteem" that "doesn't matter", is far worse than dressing yourself up like a famous rapper on Halloween. She is a stripper now too...apparently because she is a cheerleader.

Are you seriously comparing a 20 something year old girl's costume to the Klan putting on blackface in 1923 before burning a cemetery? That makes just shitloads of sense. Figured I'd ask since you so casually dismissed the other poster's thoughts/comparison. Bringing up Birth of a Nation isn't relevant either.

There isn't a shred of evidence to suggest any malicious intent with her costume.

Coming from you: Shitloads! Way to go with the condemnation. I like that... LOL! And yeah, I'm comparing the 2, and IMO, the comparison with the movie Birth of a Nation is relevant ONLY IN REFERENCE to the poster's cause to dismiss the ignorance and insensitivity--but that's my opinion.

How can you tell any kind of intent based on a news story and a picture, then? Sanctimoniously?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Kevin

You draw this comparison...



Then you say that this comparison is unreasonable.

I find your distinction to be somewhat arbitrary.

I mean.. because dressing up like Lil' Wayne is so much more like the KKK wearing blackface while burning down Rosewood than actors wearing blackface to perform in plays written in the 15th century... eh?

Plays written by Shakespeare in our society are called art...

This dingbat dressing like Lil Wayne as a Halloween costume is not art. IMO, I'm offended because it was DUMB! We can think all we want about our own private actions, but when we represent a larger organization, like the Dallas Cowboy Strippers, errr Cheerleaders, and we dress in questionable attire for a holiday that can be construed as insensitive to some, then there will be flack!

Why did she choose to do Lil Wayne (who I'm not a huge fan of) and buy brown make up to make that costume? The best I can come up with is yes, she's that ignorant and insensitive? C'mon, how many brain cells did it take her to come up with that logic?

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by KD4Me

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are not strippers.

Why you dance at JerrysWorld on the pole?

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Plays written by Shakespeare in our society are called art...

That seems like an awfully arbitrary distinction though. The Birth of a Nation could very arguably be called art. At any rate, so as per you, if it's art, it's a-okay? (and it, in this context, is obviously blackface)

Why did she choose to do Lil Wayne (who I'm not a huge fan of) and buy brown make up to make that costume? The best I can come up with is yes, she's that ignorant and insensitive? C'mon, how many brain cells did it take her to come up with that logic?

Why she chose Lil Wayne is probably something that's between her and God. As to why she wore brown makeup on her face? Do you think anyone, even if she had worn a nametag, would have gotten the costume without the proper skin tone adjustments being made? Lil Wayne is a dark skinned guy, hence, if you're a light-skinned individual, one way of making yourself look more like Lil Wayne is to wear dark makeup on your skin. No logic needed -- just a keen eye for color.

[TexasWSP]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Coming from you: Shitloads! Way to go with the condemnation. I like that... LOL! And yeah, I'm comparing the 2, and IMO, the comparison with the movie Birth of a Nation is relevant ONLY IN REFERENCE to the poster's cause to dismiss the ignorance and insensitivity--but that's my opinion.

How can you tell any kind of intent based on a news story and a picture, then? Sanctimoniously?

I can't.

I see nothing to make me think she wasn't simply dressing up for a costume party though, so I will refrain from immediately condemning and hate bashing her.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it doesn't work that way with you.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by Kevin

That seems like an awfully arbitrary distinction though. The Birth of a Nation could very arguably be called art. At any rate, so as per you, if it's art, it's a-okay? (and it, in this context, is obviously blackface)

Yes it is arbitrary. But people's opinions here are arbitrary. We can disagree with each other and I stated why I disagree. If your question is in regards to understanding my reasons, then you need to ask.

Originally Posted by Kevin

Why she chose Lil Wayne is probably something that's between her and God. As to why she wore brown makeup on her face? Do you think anyone, even if she had worn a nametag, would have gotten the costume without the proper skin tone adjustments being made? Lil Wayne is a dark skinned guy, hence, if you're a light-skinned individual, one way of making yourself look more like Lil Wayne is to wear dark makeup on your skin. No logic needed -- just a keen eye for color.

You know what Lil Wayne looks like? WOW! I didn't think you were into rap?

Let's not get into gradations of complexion. That's retarded. My point is Blackface is a stupid thing to do as a costume.

Doing it would NEVER wind up on my list of proud achievements. But that's just my opinion.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by TexasWSP

I can't.

I see nothing to make me think she wasn't simply dressing up for a costume party though, so I will refrain from immediately condemning and hate bashing her.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it doesn't work that way with you.

Hmmm? Still working on that pedestal for dummies...

She may have been merely dressing up for a costume party. I am saying her costume was stupid and she is irrelevant.

How interesting is it that I'm immediately condemning and hate bashing a dingbat when she made the choice to put on brown make up so that she really looked like the rapper, Lil Wayne... So are all rappers Black, again--today?

[sarcasm] Wow, I guess I must be terrorist when I say my brown make up NEVER comes off, even when I sit in a vat of bleach... I guess I love living Blackface! Whoo hoo! [/end sarcasm]

Wingnuts would say some bullshit like that tho', why expect any more from them?

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Those people are neither minstrel show-ish (neither are they coonish). They are expressing themselves, which is what people of all races have the right to do--good or bad--agree or disagree.

Um, yeah not the way I see it, but okay.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Yes - she stated that her intent was to portray Hoppa. Unless Hoppa-face (most of them were more olive than black) has historical significance, than it's not the same. My children would be classified as Hoppa if we lived in Hawaii` (half Caucasian, half Hispanic), and I thought it was cool.

ETA: Yeah, Tyra was excited about the photos that had more of a National Geographic feel, I think she commented that those were more in line with what she was going for. So there's definitely a difference between mocking something and capturing the beauty of it and so I don't see how anyone could mix the two when the intention is so obviously stated.