The week came along with a new controversy – the racism issue between India and Australia. It started with this cartoon in ‘Mail Today’, Delhi, depicting a State of Victoria Police officer in a Ku Klux Klan garb.
The australians naturally went up in arms, including the Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard getting into the debate [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/julia-gillard-slams-ku-klux-klan-cartoon/story-e6frg6nf-1225817499595?from=public_rss].
Fuelled by media hype, the dispute looks like never going away – especially if more Indians get killed.
Oops! As I write this, there is a report that an Indian has been set on fire in Melbourne – Ms. Gillard condemning the attack while Police have claimed that it is not a racist attack.
(Update 03 Feb 2010 : The set on fire incident is an attempted insurance fraud)
Update 03 Feb 2010 : Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik says “Not wearing a ‘LUNGI’ in TN can cost you elections” Now is this not typecasting ?
The Dhoti & not ‘lungi’ is worn all over India – did the Mahatma wear a lungi or a dhoti? And even in Konkani for which that MP seems to stand tall it is called Dhotar, Angostar, Aad-neschey or Pudve. So much for ‘his’ Konkani heritage. And now my turn to typecast – being from Goa, he must have been high on fenny.
What ever the attacks are about, is there really an undertone of racism in Australia? I don’t know. But this KFC video has been called ‘racist’ in the USA – where putting fried chicken and black people together is a dreaded stereotype.
Once again the Aussie media rose up to defend the ad, calling US insensitive or overly sensitive to racist issue and a thinking that US history is of more value than others’ (history).
[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/06/kfc-advertisement-accused-of-racism]
But what about this ad of KFC, again from Aussies, which ran during Jun/Aug ? This depicts 2 Asian (East Asian) characters in traditional costumes – all others are dressed in normal western wear) – speaking in accented English and dancing a comical jig at the end. Racist or Not ?
But then if these are racist stereotyping, are Indians really better?
Look at this Bru Coffee Ad from Hindustan Unilever – doesn’t this typecast?
Why is that Bru is always depicted with South Indians?
And why is the bride so dark when compared to other girls in the Ad ? Reinforcing or Stereotyping madrasis as dark?
The australians naturally went up in arms, including the Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard getting into the debate [http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/julia-gillard-slams-ku-klux-klan-cartoon/story-e6frg6nf-1225817499595?from=public_rss].
Fuelled by media hype, the dispute looks like never going away – especially if more Indians get killed.
Oops! As I write this, there is a report that an Indian has been set on fire in Melbourne – Ms. Gillard condemning the attack while Police have claimed that it is not a racist attack.
(Update 03 Feb 2010 : The set on fire incident is an attempted insurance fraud)
Update 03 Feb 2010 : Congress Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik says “Not wearing a ‘LUNGI’ in TN can cost you elections” Now is this not typecasting ?
The Dhoti & not ‘lungi’ is worn all over India – did the Mahatma wear a lungi or a dhoti? And even in Konkani for which that MP seems to stand tall it is called Dhotar, Angostar, Aad-neschey or Pudve. So much for ‘his’ Konkani heritage. And now my turn to typecast – being from Goa, he must have been high on fenny.
What ever the attacks are about, is there really an undertone of racism in Australia? I don’t know. But this KFC video has been called ‘racist’ in the USA – where putting fried chicken and black people together is a dreaded stereotype.
Once again the Aussie media rose up to defend the ad, calling US insensitive or overly sensitive to racist issue and a thinking that US history is of more value than others’ (history).
[http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/06/kfc-advertisement-accused-of-racism]
But what about this ad of KFC, again from Aussies, which ran during Jun/Aug ? This depicts 2 Asian (East Asian) characters in traditional costumes – all others are dressed in normal western wear) – speaking in accented English and dancing a comical jig at the end. Racist or Not ?
But then if these are racist stereotyping, are Indians really better?
Look at this Bru Coffee Ad from Hindustan Unilever – doesn’t this typecast?
Why is that Bru is always depicted with South Indians?
And why is the bride so dark when compared to other girls in the Ad ? Reinforcing or Stereotyping madrasis as dark?
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