Revenge of the Fallen The Twins: Racist?

[The Guard]

Exactly.

I don't doubt there are some black stereotypes at play. I doubt that the intent is racist. Simply displaying some stereotypes doesn't make for a racist portrayal.

 

[CelticPredator]

LOL....this isnt an argument any more, this is a shouting match. Holy ****.


Look, I love arguing, and I wouldnt wish the people who didnt like the movie away for nothing. Because you need that Ying to your Yang. But seriously....formulate your opinions in a better manner.

Everyone gets riled up, starts insulting, cursing, and then it just becomes pointless. So lets all chill...take a step back...and just reeeeeellllaaaaaaaxxxxxx.

 

[chaseter]

Seriously what the ****. NO MAN NO ****ING NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If the logic of the guy with the blinged up buck teeth speaking in eubonics/black/ghetto/jive slang is lost on you. Enjoy your giant devastator wrecking ball testicles.

Are they stereotypical caricatures? Yes. Is it racist? No.

Honestly, I got they were a mix of backwoods rednecks and idiotic ganster posers. You see what you want to see. You want to see the movie fail so you are completely polarizing the situation to extreme levels of obsurdity.

 

[craigdbfan]

LOL. Congrats. You've accomplished what countless scholars and social theorists haven't.

Congrats your response is what truly exerts "LOL". Nice to see that when you can't come up with anything you resorted to mock one sentence that you seem to have taken quite literally.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

It's not mocking a subgroup. They're the only Transformers with black personalities in the movie. They are the sole representation of blacks in the movie and they're complete buffoons restricted to ghetto speak.

They're acting how a racists would act when mocking blacks complete with the "we don't read" dialogue. If Ratchet or Ironhide had a noble and dignified black personality the "subgroup argument" might get some traction but since the twins are the sole representation of Transformers with black personalities it's a mocking interpretation of what is considered black.

If a Transformer with a Jewish personality spoke with a heavy Brooklyn accent and bragged that he "didn't do much spending" it would be racist too. Or an asian Transformers with a thick chinese accent said he "didn't do much driving".

Ghetto speak and slang is how many young black kids identify with each other. Now they get to see themselves mocked on screen with the twins being buck-toothed, gold-teeth wearing buffoons. And there's no dignified Transformer with a black personality to balance things out.

 

[CelticPredator]

I also find it funny how mostly white people are getting all up in arms about this. Now THATS funny.

 

[sandmjuggalos]

Is this thread REALLY still open? Kids these days....

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

The twins have an existing stereotype for all blacks. No all encompassing stereotype exist for whites. If a black person imitated whites by speaking in a thick hillbilly accent he would fail at mocking whites because it would be obvious subgroup. However if he spoke in a high pitched voice with extremely proper, over-pronounced words it would be the general stereotype of whites.

Ghetto speech and slang is what many racist use when they stereotype ALL blacks. Bay is using the same method they would use which is why it appears racist. The "we don't do much readin" comment seals it though. It's an obvious racist stereotype that a racist would use when mocking blacks..

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I also find it funny how mostly white people are getting all up in arms about this. Now THATS funny.

You don't have to be Jewish to be offended by an ugly stereotype of Jews.

 

[Episode29]

Congrats your response is what truly exerts "LOL". Nice to see that when you can't come up with anything you resorted to mock one sentence that you seem to have taken quite literally.

Thanks. I do what I can.

However, to be quite honest I agree with much of what you said and it isn't wildly different from what I said, oh, 3 pages ago or so. I'm not arguing that the twins are representative or the black population, or even a hostile racist statement on the part of the filmmakers. I am, however, saying that their usage is, like Jar Jar or whatever, a troubling stereotype that subtly instills warped notions of race within impressionable minds. Uncle Remus was not intended as a hurtful racist attack, neither are these two, but it's the mere fact that it is deemed acceptable to use them that should be called into question or, at the very least, thoughtfully examined.\

By the way, I just wanted to make sure you didn't think my quoting you a page back was an attempt to attack you. That wasn't my aim in any way, shape or form. I was agreeing with your statement, and playing off of it, not slandering you. I should have been clearer.

 

[Wiseman]

I also find it funny how mostly white people are getting all up in arms about this. Now THATS funny.

Shut-up cracker

 

[GhostPoet]

Thanks. I do what I can.

However, to be quite honest I agree with much of what you said and it isn't wildly different from what I said, oh, 3 pages ago or so. I'm not arguing that the twins are representative or the black population, or even a hostile racist statement on the part of the filmmakers. I am, however, saying that their usage is, like Jar Jar or whatever, a troubling stereotype that subtly instills warped notions of race within impressionable minds. Uncle Remus was not intended as a hurtful racist attack, neither are these two, but it's the mere fact that it is deemed acceptable to use them that should be called into question or, at the very least, thoughtfully examined.

hmm..to be honest...and i'm not trying to be funny even. But I find your comments to be more racist than the point you are trying to make. You talk as if only blacks live in hoods and are involved in the subculture, when that's clearly not the case. It's not about these autobots sounding black, it's all about joking around with the subculture their personalities are based off of.

there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a jab at subculture.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Is this thread REALLY still open? Kids these days....

The twins are obviously an ugly misrepresentation of blacks that promote racist stereotypes.

Their buffoonery is personified by racist expectations of blacks.

KKK these days.

 

[Episode29]

hmm..to be honest...and i'm not trying to be funny even. But I find your comments to be more racist than the point you are trying to make. You talk as if only blacks live in hoods and are involved in the subculture, when that's clearly not the case. It's not about these autobots sounding black, it's all about joking around with the subculture their personalities are based off of.

there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a jab at subculture.

Where exactly have I ever said this? I have never, for an instant, argued that this was the case. The opposite, in fact.

Are you at all familiar with the history of black stereotypes within the media? This "subculture" you speak of was, at one point in time, the chief model for representing blacks in the literature and film.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

there's absolutely nothing wrong with taking a jab at subculture.

If that "subculture" is every racist's dream observation of all blacks then there's a problem.

Is greedy jews with big noses a subculture? what about gold-toothed jive talking robots who don't read?

Both seem equally racist.

 

[The Guard]

If the logic of the guy with the blinged up buck teeth speaking in eubonics/black/ghetto/jive slang is lost on you. Enjoy your giant devastator
wrecking ball testicles.

Well, I wouldn't say they're "devastating". You'd have to ask my wife about my testicles. Anyway, I digress...

Are they stereotypical caricatures? Yes. Is it racist? No.

What they said.

It's not mocking a subgroup. They're the only Transformers with black personalities in the movie. They are the sole representation of blacks in the movie and they're complete buffoons restricted to ghetto speak.

Then, by definition, clearly it IS mocking a subgroup.

They're acting how a racists would act when mocking blacks complete with the "we don't read" dialogue.

You don't meet many outright racist people, do you?

I'll give you a hint. They don't portray blacks in a playful, silly light.

If Ratchet or Ironhide had a noble and dignified black personality the "subgroup argument" might get some traction but since the twins are the sole representation of Transformers with black personalities it's a mocking interpretation of what is considered black.

That's...ridiculous So the fact that the only "black" robots in the movie are silly and mocked makes it a racist portrayal...just because they are the only robots in the film with any black characteristics at all?

I didn't realize this was TRANSFORMERS: A CRITIQUE OF BLACKS BASED ON WHAT WE SHOW AND WHAT WE DON'T SHOW.

I could have sworn it was TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN.

If a Transformer with a Jewish personality spoke with a heavy Brooklyn accent and bragged that he "didn't do much spending" it would be racist too.

Or an asian Transformers with a thick chinese accent said he "didn't do much driving".

And almost no one would get this upset, because those steroetypes have been used for jokes, like the urban hip hop cliche...for years.

Ghetto speak and slang is how many young black kids identify with each other. Now they get to see themselves mocked on screen with the twins being buck-toothed, gold-teeth wearing buffoons. And there's no dignified Transformer with a black personality to balance things out.

So...this movie...instead of being a fun romp through TRANSFORMERS...should "balance out" people's perceptions of black people by simply adding a number of upstanding black Transforming robot characters?

Oh, no, the young black kids are being mocked for their culture?

Tough.

As I said before, other subcultures have been being mocked for years. Nerds, preps, band geeks, etc.

Ghetto speech and slang is what many racist use when they stereotype ALL blacks.

Bay is using the same method they would use which is why it appears racist. The "we don't do much readin" comment seals it though. It's an obvious racist stereotype that a racist would use when mocking blacks.

What's your point? That because many racists use this to stereotype all black people, that Bay making two silly robots like this is his take on all black people?

I'm sorry, that argument just doesn't hold water on a logical level.

Are you at all familiar with the history of black stereotypes within the media? This "subculture" you speak of was, at one point in time, the chief model for representing blacks in the literature and film.

With certain elements to it. Slavery. Servitude. Needing a white person's generosity and assistance to make it through the world. Do you see that from The Twins?

A certain part of black subculture became cool.

This, and the whole "ghetto portrayal" of blacks, is lightyears from "Yassah massah". It simply is.

If that "subculture" is every racist's dream observation of all blacks then there's a problem.

Uh...yes. In that context. This is an entirely different context.

Is greedy jews with big noses a subculture? what about gold-toothed jive talking robots who don't read?

To a point. You can "group" anything.

But no. Being greedy alone is not a sizeable social subculture.

"Ghetto" is a subculture. "Ghetto" (or whatever it's called this week) has certain characteristics. Cursing, braggadaccio, a lack of interest in education, and of course, bling, among others.

These robots are clearly "ghetto" more than anything else, although if there's even a smidge of redneck to them, this argument will be moot.

Again people, I missed the part where Bay comes out and says "All blacks are like this". I missed the part where two alien ROBOTS even begin to imply "all blacks are like this".

Are there no other black characters in the movie? How are they portrayed?

Anyway, I for one, hope there's a female black stereotype Transformer in the sequel. Maybe Tyler Perry could voice it. Really get people up in arms.

 

[CelticPredator]

Shut-up cracker

Jive ass turkey.

 

[Wiseman]

Jive ass turkey.

yousa bad mammajamma

 

[CelticPredator]

Dont worry, I speak jive.

 

[satinsilver]

People keep saying that the twins act like black people are always thought to act by the general public, but guess what black people don't act anything like those two, so I still don't understand why some folks are getting upset.

It's like the whole devastator package thing, people are seeing what they want to see out of this movie. Why in the hell are you looking at a robot's crotch and thinking of balls. He was climbing a pyramid while other robots where blowing crap up and the first thing you thought about was to look at the robot and think of testicles, come on!

 

[macdawson]

Just watched the movie and my answer is NOOOOOOO!!!!!!

 

[TheVileOne]

One of them talks about busting a cap in yo ***.

 

[satinsilver]

do you know how many thugged out wannabe gangster white kids say stupid stuff like that?

 

[TheVileOne]

Exactly.

 

[kedrell]

Ugh, I can't believe I'm about to defend a Michael Bay film.

But to me, the ghetto-type deserves to be mocked every bit as much as the in-bred redneck type does. Neither are indicative of an entire race, just portions of it. But you guys are right, there is no Bill Cosby-bot onscreen. Guess they'll just have to make do with Gibson as a non-caricatured black man.

Over-sensitive much?