NBC being too Politically Correct during Olympic coverage?

[Zhangfei]

There's nothing more offensive about a black American being called an African American than it is calling an Italian American an Italian American despite the fact most Italian Americans these days were born and raised in the US.

You don't walk into someone's house, as a tiny minority, and demand they change something that means no offense to you unless you interpret it wrongly. That's just your fault for interpreting it wrongly, despite the fact the term has no negativity attached to it. If they feel they're being offended, they don't have to continue living in the US. The culture of the US shouldn't have to change for a tiny new minority that refuses to accept something we do.

Yes it is. You're denying a person's right to an identity. It is a form of cultural slavery. You're insisting a group who does not share anything with you assimilate into your ideals because YOU took THEIR identity from them.

If there is anything more structurally and socially offensive, I don't know what is it. And don't play the "if they don't like it, get out." If you don't like the fact it's a horrible and offensive thing, why don't you leave? FFS.

Apparently you don't care for the hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who get no individual identity because another, unconnected, group stole it.

[Wells]

Speedos/swimsuits/ect. Doesn't matter if my description of their swim wear was even accurate, or even close, we all know the reason why it was presented on NBC's station like that.

HOLY SHIT, WE CAN SEE A BULGE AROUND A MAN'S PRIVATE PARTS WHEN HE'S WEARING TIGHT, SMALL SWIMMING SUITS?

Clearly all children watching it will turn immediately gay and start a gay sex orgy in the street.

But, tits are fine though.

America: "Penises, even remote outlines of them through fabric, are gross, titties are not"

They've got to put the info somewhere. Over awkward junk bulges seems as good a place as any.

[vizzle]

Yes it is. You're denying a person's right to an identity. It is a form of cultural slavery. You're insisting a group who does not share anything with you assimilate into your ideals because YOU took THEIR identity from them.

If there is anything more structurally and socially offensive, I don't know what is it. And don't play the "if they don't like it, get out." If you don't like the fact it's a horrible and offensive thing, why don't you leave? FFS.

Apparently you don't care for the hundreds of thousands of African-Americans who get no individual identity because another, unconnected, group stole it.

Wait wait, so your argument is, other people came into my country, decided that something we do (that we consider polite) is offensive, and that I should leave because they find our culture offensive?

Yeah, no. If this were any other country other than the US, no one would even think about making that argument.

[KrazyK923]

They've got to put the info somewhere. Over awkward junk bulges seems as good a place as any.

I couldn't honestly care about the Olympics; as I have said, I think they're pointless dick-measuring contests, but I think it's pretty clear that "Random place for information" wasn't what NBC was doing.

Especially when, from everything I've seen of the 2012 Olympics from when I was forced to watch, had the information either at the top of the screen showing the competitor, or covering the entire area.

I mean...their placement of the images create the illusion of nudity for absolutely no reason. I wouldn't be surprised if there were complaints about male nudity from them.

Anyhow, that was just the point I wanted to make. Continue arguing about descriptive phrases everyone.

[Zhangfei]

Wait wait, so your argument is, other people came into my country, decided that something we do (that we consider polite) is offensive, and that I should leave because they find our culture offensive?

Yeah, no. If this were any other country other than the US, no one would even think about making that argument.

Ignore the rest of my post because you know I'm right. Good arguing with ya!

[vizzle]

Ignore the rest of my post because you know I'm right. Good arguing with ya!

I'm not ignoring your post by pointing out the core of your argument. Derp. You're rather ignoring mine while accusing me of doing it.

I can understand that the newer "African Americans" want to be distinguished from the "African Americans" who have been here for the last several hundred years, but they should understand that that's the established cultural identity of the latter. They don't consider it racist and neither do whites who call them African Americans consider it racist, and if you feel your cultural identity's being stolen then call yourself "Ethiopian-American" or "Zimbabwean-American" or whatever. I don't call myself Asian-American, I call myself Filipino-American. The African Americans are called that because they can't trace back to their exact roots, but if there are more recent "African Americans" then surely they know where their parents are from, so why don't they use it?

Don't try to take our established and polite term and turn it on its head just because you can't deal with the fact that that's the way we do things. You adapt to the country, the country doesn't adapt to you.

[Simulacrum]

which is what makes us different from white people to begin with is the fact that they (no all but most) chose to give those things up. slaves didn't.

It's hard to articulate how offensive this statement is to literally every other ethnicity-based culture in the world without genuine anger, so I'll just say that you are horribly biased in your perspective on history to the point where it's basically the equivalent of somebody saying that black people were never even used as slaves in the US.

That's not even to get started on the inherent racism of assigning identities to people based on their ethnicity (yes, the irony is noted). It amazes me that people keep doing this. On one hand you'll say that racism is bad, then you'll turn around and say that evaluating someone based on their ethnicity (ie. racism) is good. You can't have one of these without the other.

Personally, after many conversations on this, I've come to believe that most people who claim to be against racism aren't actually against racism; they (because they are polite, if not terribly understanding of what exactly racism means) just don't like offending groups of people who are easily offended. That's how you can have them come out and say that "racism" (when they really mean discrimination against blacks/jews/whatever) is bad, but then turn around and talk about how important "racial identity", or their ethnic bloodline, is to people, and how you should be proud of it, or whatever (all of which are just euphemisms for racism).

Blows my mind every time. No part in me still getting upset with it, though, I guess. People are just naturally racist, and any particular generation isn't any smarter than the one preceeding it; which the current generation will correctly identify as bigoted, while happily ignoring its own equally obvious bigotries. We'll just keep making the same mistakes over and over ad infinitum.

Anyway... the whole "african-american" crap is just another part of the natural progression of the euphemism treadmill. Soon, people will start to find that phrase offensive as well, and some other one will be created to substitute it. And so it goes, on and on, and on, and on, and on... with each successive generation learning nothing from the past one.

[Prokne]

IMO if someone wants to use PC terms because of their own preference I have no problem with that. If NBC told the commentator that he had to use PC terms they can but its wrong. As long as you dont use derogatory terms there should be no problem. If I was forced to use terms I dont like I would probably just skip that part of the commentary or let someone else say it.

I'm wondering what other predominantly white countries call black people, probably just that. Ive never heard anyone say African-Brit, or African-Frenchman. It is funny to see Americans try to describe black people from other countries the way we do here. They either mistakenly call them African American or they just call them by their national people's name, i.e. British, French, and just omit the fact that their skin color is different. It would be nice if we could do that in the US.

[Kalis]

IMO if someone wants to use PC terms because of their own preference I have no problem with that. If NBC told the commentator that he had to use PC terms they can but its wrong. As long as you dont use derogatory terms there should be no problem. If I was forced to use terms I dont like I would probably just skip that part of the commentary or let someone else say it.

I'm wondering what other predominantly white countries call black people, probably just that. Ive never heard anyone say African-Brit, or African-Frenchman. It is funny to see Americans try to describe black people from other countries the way we do here. They either mistakenly call them African American or they just call them by their national people's name, i.e. British, French, and just omit the fact that their skin color is different. It would be nice if we could do that in the US.

We would say either British or, more commonly, English/Welsh/Scottish/(Northern) Irish.

Black is used, but would normally be used seperately. We've got to the point (generally) where if ethnicity is mentioned, the motive behind mentioning it is questioned.

Off topic; our extreme right political parties, (e.g. EDL and BNP), accepts ethnic members if you agree with their ideologies on immigration, language, etc. In Britain, even our facists are multicultural.

[damntree]

"Penises, even remote outlines of them through fabric, are gross, titties are not"

I support this message.

[Decagon]

Damned if we do, damned if we don't. We don't mention that they're African-American, and people go insane over discrimination, and apparently, if we DO mention that they're African-American, we get flamed too.

[Kalis]

Damned if we do, damned if we don't. We don't mention that they're African-American, and people go insane over discrimination, and apparently, if we DO mention that they're African-American, we get flamed too.

How is not mentioning somebody's colour/ethnicity discrimination?

If somebody asks you why you didn't mention colour, ask them why they think you should.

[steveyboy]

We would say either British or, more commonly, English/Welsh/Scottish/(Northern) Irish.

Black is used, but would normally be used seperately. We've got to the point (generally) where if ethnicity is mentioned, the motive behind mentioning it is questioned.

Off topic; our extreme right political parties, (e.g. EDL and BNP), accepts ethnic members if you agree with their ideologies on immigration, language, etc. In Britain, even our facists are multicultural.

This is true. Most people either claim they are British or from a certain country. Even the pakistani/indians who are born over here tend to say they are british.

I guess Britain is more multicultural though.

[greysinsanderson]

a black guy is a black guy. i worked with a black guy today. he called black people black as well. to him, i'm white. there is nothing offensive about it. i like the guy, joked with him a few hours while we worked together, we went on our ways.

he's Pete the Black Guy to me. to him i'm the white guy with tats and earrings at work. none of this is offensive. he'd laugh his ass off if i called him an african american

[Klutzington]

Wait wait, so your argument is, other people came into my country, decided that something we do (that we consider polite) is offensive, and that I should leave because they find our culture offensive?

Yeah, no. If this were any other country other than the US, no one would even think about making that argument.

White people were in the U.S. first (don't get me started on Native Americans). Black people came later. Does that mean I can call them what I want?

Black.

I consider AA offensive. And I'm native to the U.S.

[steveyboy]

a black guy is a black guy. i worked with a black guy today. he called black people black as well. to him, i'm white. there is nothing offensive about it. i like the guy, joked with him a few hours while we worked together, we went on our ways.

he's Pete the Black Guy to me. to him i'm the white guy with tats and earrings at work. none of this is offensive. he'd laugh his ass off if i called him an african american

Your missing the point.

Claiming somebody is african american and american is racist.

saying somebody is black isn't

[Klutzington]

Your missing the point.

Claiming somebody is african american and american is racist.

saying somebody is black isn't

Not sure if sarcastic or not.

If sarcastic: black isn't a race, it's something to describe someone.

If not: ignore this.

[Dispersedshadow]

White people were in the U.S. first (don't get me started on Native Americans). Black people came later. Does that mean I can call them what I want?

Please do start on Native Americans. I'm curious about how your desire to continue to subjugate ethnic minorities by continuing to label them in the tradition of the caucasian male hetero-normative patriarchy has led you to neglect thousands of years of pre-Columbia history.

BRB Popcorn

[Gheld]

Please do start on Native Americans. I'm curious about how your desire to continue to subjugate ethnic minorities by continuing to label them in the tradition of the caucasian male hetero-normative patriarchy has led you to neglect thousands of years of pre-Columbia history.

BRB Popcorn

As somebody who is half native, I've always found the whole "blacks vs. whites" racial divide in the US painfully ironic, even hilarious at times.

But also when suburban white liberals try to make themselves look like champions of 'racial justice'.

EDIT: I.e. I find it racist when people seem to think that all people who aren't white drink the liberal/socialist koolaid.