Brownface vs. Brownshirts

One issue that often comes up in matters of cultural and "racial" relationships is the issue of insult and taking offense.  People who've been reading my blog probably think I'm a hair-trigger Latino Nationalist who takes offense if a leaf blows the wrong way.  Now, I do have a temper at times but, seriously, I do realize that sometimes, to quote Sigmund Freud, "a cigar is just a cigar."

Take for instance this following pic:

 

Again, a clanger from Paula Deen.  Her son is supposed to be Desi Arnaz and has had his eyebrows made up and dark make-up applied to his face to make him look darker (although Desi Arnaz was a rather pale skinned Cuban and I don't think he was as dark as this fellow here).

Yes, blackface and "brownface" is not very complimentary.  It all goes back to the long history of "blackface" such as the Black and White Minstrels and the fact that non-whites used to not be allowed to appear in motion pictures.  Charlie Chan happened because it was impossible at the time to consider casting an Asian for the part.  

However, say compared to Donald Trump's latest racist admission, the above, to me, is just stupid.  It makes me roll my eyes.  Yes, its kinda insulting to a Latino but its more along the lines of "gimmie a break" sort of irritation.  Its clearly done because someone wanted to be a goof and had a major brain fart.  A watermelon joke about African-Americans would be worse than this.   Flying off into a rage of insult and wanting rebellion for this picture would be a major overreaction.

On the other hand, Donald Trump's comment is a good example of when to take offense.  Categorizing all Mexicans, and by extension, all non-whites of Latin and South America as druggies and rapists, is beyond the line.  Trump's comment was obviously motivated by racism and stated with a wish to instill racism into the general white population.  My own amateur and ham-fisted analysis of the Trump comment hardly begins to scratch the surface of just why Trump's comment is "fighting words."

Paula Deen and her son in this picture are just idiots who don't think.  Trump is a racist.  I wish I was astute enough to be able to paraphrase for you the difference in some snappy and pithy statement.  I'll just leave you with my comments though for you to cogitate on.  One took a picture thinking it was going to be cute and its not.  The other comment from a Presidential candidate wants to whip up hatred and loathing against a group seen as inferior and non-human.   Paula Deen's use of the N-word qualifies as over the line as well for similar reasons.  The usage is meant to whip up hatreds and violence against a target group.

My anger is reserved for Trump.  My head, banging on the desk in a groan of annoyance, is reserved for Paula Deen and her son.  Take off the make-up, dude, you look like an idiot.