Ugliest/Most Horrible Paraphenalia you've ever seen?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I think what DeltaBetaBaby put in parentheses is probably key to understanding her reaction to the shirt:

I must have skimmed past that. Why was it brought up on GC if only a handful of people would realize what was offensive? I would think that it would be kept within the Phi Mu family.

In any event, I still think that the homeboy thing was in reference to the site I linked.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

In any event, I still think that the homeboy thing was in reference to the site I linked.

And that is absolutely fine. There are Christians who find that reference to Jesus to be offensive, just as there are apparently Phi Mus who find that reference to their mascot to be offensive.

What's more interesting is how that mascot is now a brass rubbing "homeboy" and Jesus is now a big nosed, crinkly haired "homeboy."

LOL @ the "Jesus Is My Homeboy" website claiming that the tshirt was designed without a race, creed, or color and that it was a neutral image that everyone can identify with. That's as much bullshit as the Eurocentric images of Jesus being neutral without race, creed, or color. Anyway, people just need to be honest. If you wanted a darkened Phi Mu mascot for a tshirt, just say so. If you wanted a darkened Jesus for a tshirt, (regardless of how Jesus really looked and whether there was ever a "Black Baby Jesus"), just say so. Quit the bullshit. LOL.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

FYI -



http://www.jesusismyhomeboy.com/


I don't think the word homeboy and "blackface" are being used in the way some of you are thinking.

By the way, that Jesus is a lot "blacker" than 99% of the depictions of Jesus around the world:




But, yeah, everything's a mere coincidence and unintended consequence. LOL. Sure.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

By the way, that Jesus is a lot "blacker" than 99% of the depictions of Jesus around the world:




But, yeah, everything's a mere coincidence and unintended consequence. LOL. Sure.

At least both of them have a beard. Though beardless is less bizarre than Blonde and fair skinned. (How far from Palestine do you have to get before you get a decent number of Blondes, Austria?).

[1stPhiDeltAlpha]

Kappa Sig's letters branded in to a goats head.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 1stPhiDeltAlpha

Kappa Sig's letters branded in to a goats head

That's gross -- really gross -- but it's not paraphernalia*.


* Paraphernalia = clothing and other personal items (paddles, license plates/frames, decorative items, tote bags, etc.) with Greek letters or symbols on them.

[1stPhiDeltAlpha]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

That's gross -- really gross -- but it's not paraphernalia*.


* Paraphernalia = clothing and other personal items (paddles, license plates/frames, decorative items, tote bags, etc.) with Greek letters or symbols on them.

It was hung over the entrance to their house..

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by 1stPhiDeltAlpha

It was hung over the entrance to their house..

And that matters? It was criminal, animal cruelty, disgusting. meant to shock . . . take your pick. But it was not paraphernalia in any sense of the word.

Besides, you failed to note what "decorative items" was an example of -- personal items. Jewelry boxes or afghans are decorative personal items. Severed animal heads hung over the door of a (rival fraternity's?) house (as a prank or joke?) are not personal decorative items.

[amIblue?]

I think the Phi Mu shirt is (to say the least) unfortunate, and blackface is NOT OK.

However DeltaBetaBaby found Mevara's other examples problematic. So, I want to ask where is the line with acceptability with pop culture references in these kind of things (per Mevara's examples with the "Notorious KKG" and the "99 Problems" shirts)? Those shirts read to me that they are fans of the music.

(In interest of full disclosure, I'm really going to be in trouble if white people aren't allowed to like music performed by black musicians.)

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by amIblue?

I think the Phi Mu shirt is (to say the least) unfortunate, and blackface is NOT OK.

However DeltaBetaBaby found Mevara's other examples problematic. So, I want to ask where is the line with acceptability with pop culture references in these kind of things (per Mevara's examples with the "Notorious KKG" and the "99 Problems" shirts)? Those shirts read to me that they are fans of the music.

(In interest of full disclosure, I'm really going to be in trouble if white people aren't allowed to like music performed by black musicians.)

I think there's nothing racially and ethnically mocking and therefore offensive about the shirts that Mevara posted. Those are references to music and hip hop culture. Music and hip hop culture are one aspect of simply one component of a general African American culture just as music is one aspect of one component of all racial and ethnic group cultures including white Americans and white diaspora/Euro-diaspora.

The use of "homeboy," an image of Jay-Z and 99 problems, and a Notorious B.I.G. reference are not comparable to what is PERCEIVED to be a blackfaced or intentionally darkened Phi Mu mascot.

I think the shirts that Mevara posted are corny and tacky but not because they are offensive. That's for those sororities to deal with. LOL. And if the Minerva one is in reference to Delta, that is not something that Sorors who have a brain will be caught wearing--and a licensed vendor most likely would not be caught selling it.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I think there's nothing racially and ethnically mocking and therefore offensive about the shirts that Mevara posted. Those are references to music and hip hop culture. Music and hip hop culture are one aspect of simply one component of a general African American culture just as music is one aspect of one component of all racial and ethnic group cultures including white Americans and white diaspora/Euro-diaspora.

The use of "homeboy," an image of Jay-Z and 99 problems, and a Notorious B.I.G. reference are not comparable to what is PERCEIVED to be a blackfaced or intentionally darkened Phi Mu mascot.

I think the shirts that Mevara posted are corny and tacky but not because they are offensive. That's for those sororities to deal with. LOL. And if the Minerva one is in reference to Delta, that is not something that Sorors who have a brain will be caught wearing--and a licensed vendor most likely would not be caught selling it.

I personally still find them distasteful, but as I said upthread, I'm having a hard time articulating it.

They are using hip hop culture to promote organizations that are, historically, comprised of the white and privileged. I think there is a distinct difference between, for example, a Wizard of Oz-themed bid day shirt and a Notorious B.I.G.-themed bid day shirt. I also think there is a difference between, say, the Society of Women Engineers using a "99 Problems" slogan and an NPC group using the same slogan.

It's specifically the friction between the exclusivity of NPC groups and the origins of hip hop culture that rubs me the wrong way. It's sorta like when a conservative political candidate runs some music in their ad by a liberal artist, and the artist has to be like "hey, stop that!".

Now, I don't think any are as bad as Sir Fidel in blackface, but I don't think they are clever, and wouldn't wear one myself.

[MaryPoppins]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

It's specifically the friction between the exclusivity of NPC groups and the origins of hip hop culture that rubs me the wrong way. It's sorta like when a conservative political candidate runs some music in their ad by a liberal artist, and the artist has to be like "hey, stop that!".

The message forms in the mind of the one who perceives it (example DeltaBetaBaby and others.) And doesn't mean that it's the message that the sender intended to transmit. Perception IS reality. [Communications/Marketing 101 Anywhere/Everywhere]

[33girl]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

They are using hip hop culture to promote organizations that are, historically, comprised of the white and privileged. I think there is a distinct difference between, for example, a Wizard of Oz-themed bid day shirt and a Notorious B.I.G.-themed bid day shirt. I also think there is a difference between, say, the Society of Women Engineers using a "99 Problems" slogan and an NPC group using the same slogan.

It's specifically the friction between the exclusivity of NPC groups and the origins of hip hop culture that rubs me the wrong way. It's sorta like when a conservative political candidate runs some music in their ad by a liberal artist, and the artist has to be like "hey, stop that!".

Yes. See: Ronald Reagan using "Born in the USA" as a campaign song (with no clue as to what the lyrics are about).

I just read the lyrics to 99 Problems, and the song is apparently delineating all the problems the lyricist has...however, girl problems are not one of them. What does that have to do with a sorority? (Or the SWE, for that matter)

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Yes. See: Ronald Reagan using "Born in the USA" as a campaign song (with no clue as to what the lyrics are about).

I just read the lyrics to 99 Problems, and the song is apparently delineating all the problems the lyricist has...however, girl problems are not one of them. What does that have to do with a sorority? (Or the SWE, for that matter)

Actually, on further thought, I revoke my statement that it would be okay for the SWE to use it, but for different reasons, namely that it is not very egalitarian to refer to a woman as a "bitch".

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

IThey are using hip hop culture to promote organizations that are, historically, comprised of the white and privileged. I think there is a distinct difference between, for example, a Wizard of Oz-themed bid day shirt and a Notorious B.I.G.-themed bid day shirt. I also think there is a difference between, say, the Society of Women Engineers using a "99 Problems" slogan and an NPC group using the same slogan.

It's specifically the friction between the exclusivity of NPC groups and the origins of hip hop culture that rubs me the wrong way. It's sorta like when a conservative political candidate runs some music in their ad by a liberal artist, and the artist has to be like "hey, stop that!".

Are you implying that "Wizard of Oz" is a symbol of whiteness whereas "Notorious BIG" and "99 Problems" are symbols of Blackness? Should NPC orgs, and white people in general, therefore avoid these references?

I'm not buying that because it creates a nonsense, surface-level response to inequality which pretends that this is all about people feeling offended by ANY type of reference. "Just stay away from it altogether and there will be no problems." I call nonsense on that. There are clear images of white people mocking non-white cultures, including racial slurs, blackface, and "dressing Black for a day." Every reference to something that is one aspect of one component of nonwhiteness is not offensive regardless of intent and outcome.

Originally Posted by Mevara

Just a note with the shirts I posted none of them are approved by the respective org. They are just shirts by a (popular) third party vendor.

Did you know that the Minerva one was in reference to an NPHC sorority? I am still searching for the racial and ethnic mockery there beyond the nonlicensed (probably white) third party vendor's motives.

Originally Posted by 33girl

I just read the lyrics to 99 Problems, and the song is apparently delineating all the problems the lyricist has...however, girl problems are not one of them. What does that have to do with a sorority? (Or the SWE, for that matter)

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Actually, on further thought, I revoke my statement that it would be okay for the SWE to use it, but for different reasons, namely that it is not very egalitarian to refer to a woman as a "bitch".

So, now the issue is gender inequality and sorority life? *brain fart* I thought the issue was supposed to be mimicking and mocking Black folkseseseses. LOL.

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

Sorry for the double-post, but I just got an e-mail from HQ saying it will be taken down ASAP. Goodbye, blackface Sir Fidel.

We all have a voice!