Ugliest/Most Horrible Paraphenalia you've ever seen?

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Only people who know what the mascot normally looks like will know that it is blackface. I am not one of those people. I too was unsure what was so offensive about the tshirt...mascot + "homeboy" is not the dumbest thing I have seen on tshirts, including things posted in the recruitment pictures threads. I figured that was for the members of whichever GLO to battle out since my nonmember opinion means nothing.

So, yeah, now that I know what it is and whose it is, I feel some kind of way about this being part of Phi Mu's OFFICIAL collection. Phi Mu has some serious explaining to do...and I am being polite.

I've sent e-mails to a bunch of higher-ups, but it's really hard to explain why this is offensive to anyone who can't immediately see that it's offensive (given knowledge of Phi Mu and our mascot).

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I've sent e-mails to a bunch of higher-ups, but it's really hard to explain why this is offensive to anyone who can't immediately see that it's offensive (given knowledge of Phi Mu and our mascot).

Serious questions and I am not trying to be a smartass:

Since this is an official "representation" of Phi Mu, do you see an issue with posting the picture and announcing this to GC? Are you trying to essentially shame the higher ups into understanding what is so offensive?

And why don't the higher ups understand why blackfacing the mascot would be offensive with and without the however-many-crowns-homeboy?

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

And why don't the higher ups understand why blackfacing the mascot would be offensive with and without the however-many-crowns-homeboy?

I will admit that the blackface didn't immediately jump out at me. My first thought with the crown and the style of the design was that it resembled a brass rubbing, where everything is black except the outline:

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I will admit that the blackface didn't immediately jump out at me. My first thought with the crown and the style of the design was that it resembled a brass rubbing, where everything is black except the outline:

I would have taken it that way too, except the "homeboy" thing and you could argue some of the features are exaggerated.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I would have taken it that way too, except the "homeboy" thing and you could argue some of the features are exaggerated.

Oh, I definitely see it, especially with the "homeboy." I'm just saying that my first reaction was that it's the style of brass rubbing, not blackface.

[PiAlphaGammaFM]

I still dont really get why having the whole design printed in black is offensive... i dont think there is anything racial or deragatory there , its simply a white shirt with black design. homeboy has become slang for white people too and isnt necessarily offensive. would you feel different if the same design was in pink rather than black?

i dont think its really worth getting so worked up over, but what do i know? *shrug*

[AlphaFrog]

Originally Posted by PiAlphaGammaFM

I still dont really get why having the whole design printed in black is offensive... i dont think there is anything racial or deragatory there , its simply a white shirt with black design. homeboy has become slang for white people too and isnt necessarily offensive. would you feel different if the same design was in pink rather than black?

i dont think its really worth getting so worked up over, but what do i know? *shrug*

In pink it would be merely stupid, instead of stupid AND offensive.

Google the history blackface if you still don't get it.

[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.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I will admit that the blackface didn't immediately jump out at me. My first thought with the crown and the style of the design was that it resembled a brass rubbing, where everything is black except the outline:

Same here. I kept staring at the photo and concluded that the only issue was the "homeboy."

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I would have taken it that way too, except the "homeboy" thing and you could argue some of the features are exaggerated.

I wonder if the Phi Mu representatives will say that it was mere coincidence--brass rubbing and "homeboy." It was an unintended consequence.

Originally Posted by PiAlphaGammaFM

would you feel different if the same design was in pink rather than black?

It would be a silly pink "mascot is my homeboy" shirt rather than a seemingly blackface "mascot is my homeboy" shirt. That would make it dumb rather than racially and ethnically offensive.

Originally Posted by PiAlphaGammaFM

i dont think its really worth getting so worked up over, but what do i know? *shrug*

You are kind of new to posting on Greekchat. There are two things that grate GCers' nerves:

1. Speaking for a council/conference and GLO other than your own

2. Responding to social and political discussions with "don't get worked up over this."

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

FYI -
http://gallery.mtbr.com/data/mtbr/51...my-homeboy.jpg
http://www.jesusismyhomeboy.com/


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

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

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

. . . it's really hard to explain why this is offensive to anyone who can't immediately see that it's offensive (given knowledge of Phi Mu and our mascot).

[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.

[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.

[naraht]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

I imagine it's more of a semantics thing -- does 4/5 points mean 4/5 points total or 4/5 points visible. To ASA, it means 4 points total, with one being hidden. But to ZTA, I assume it means 5 points visible. Per the ZTA website:

Crown – The five-pointed Crown is an official symbol of the Fraternity. The significance of the five points is revealed to each member upon her Initiation. Many examples of crown artwork can be found within ZTA, and all are acceptable as long as the crown contains exactly five points.

The crown displayed would have fooled me, I would have guessed that it had 8 points with three hidden behind the three in the center. But in heraldry, you define it be the number of points visible...

[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?).