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A “horrible shark riding stereotype”

Craig, who blogs at anothershittyblogbysomedouche.wordpress.com , has written a blog post about the shock he felt encountering a “horrible shark riding stereotype” on sale at a glass shop:

What?

In the end, I bought one. I’d like to say I did it to rid the shelves of xenophobic ignorance…but I also just wanted to be one of the few people on earth to own the dude from the Bamboozled poster riding on a shark…

Is this product an example of xenophobic ignorance?

[via JapanSoc]

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33 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - June 18, 2009 at 7:47 am

Categories: Odd / Strange Tags: humor, japan, racism

Anonymous

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gollywog

But nah, let’s blame those racist Japanese.

Victoria

Perhaps it didn’t originate in Japan, but in fairness every other modern westernised nation has outlawed the icon.

And to who else but the Japanese can we attribute the choice not to?

http://whatjapanthinks.com Ken Y-N

every other modern westernised nation has outlawed the icon.

Eh, can you tell me in which Western countries it would be illegal to sell such an item? It would attract complaints from many angles, but “outlawed”: surely not!

Brian

I don’t understand why people get so angry over blackface. It doesn’t matter, anymore. I’m not 80 years old, it has no significance to people younger than our grandfathers and above, it should be no more offensive than a curse-word, at best.

But above that, it shouldn’t be offensive at all, because stereotypes are not inherently racist. Stereotypes poke fun, whereas racists believe stereotypes as always true. There is a solid, sharp line between saying something like, “Ha ha, Asians suck at driving,” and saying, “I don’t want you to drive because you’re Asian.” Likewise, there’s a difference between blackface and real racism, unless we, as a society, want a god damn ~image~ to be taboo forever.
圭市

Last time i check, Japan is not the US. That meaning those figures don’t carry the same meaning!

I don’t see that being different from japanese chibi drawings, they are just meant to be kawaii!

I think it is not the black community that get upset by this, but rather the wannabe suprehero white man.

Eddie

Exactly.

LB

Maybe it’s just me, but those things are so far out there I don’t even see “black person/african/negro” whatever when I look at them. Anthropomorphic imaginary creature with dark skin, yes. I have seen racist depictions of blacks, but those were clearly done to represent (exaggerated) black features such as thick lips, wide noses, etc. In other words, they were clearly caricatures of black people.

These… whatever they are, I don’t even get “human representation” from them. They are no more human than, say, Piccolo or Majin Bu from Dragon Ball.
http://anothershittyblogbysomedouche.wordpress.com/ Craig

That’s the problem!

In the US, things like this DO carry meaning whereas in Japan, it’s absorbed as cute and fun.

People here take in these cute and fun little stereotypes and accept them, because it’s easier to swallow a cute little pill.

The tag on the thing doesn’t say “Cute little old stereotype of African people on sharks,” it just says “Black Man on Shark.”

And honestly, if you talk to many Japanese about black people (at least in my neck of the woods), the picture they paint won’t be that far off…

http://Colininjapan.com Colin

Yeah really all I see is this cute little guy and I didn’t even think about black or white or anything.

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Charles_Nguyen Charles Nguyen

かわいい〜！！
3939

I don’t understand how this can possibly be a stereotype. Is this somehow implying that that black people like to ride sharks? I don’t see how riding a shark could even happen in a real situation. It seems like people are just arguing that showing black characters doing anything makes it racist.

LB

The shark is irrelevant. The argument is that any depiction of a black- or dark-brown-colored bipedal character with red lips is, in fact, a racist depiction of black people. Whether or not said character shares any other “human” characteristics is irrelevant. Like “Dakko-chan” dolls – there is no way in hell anyone would look at one of those things and confuse it for a human. There were green ones and pink ones – no problem. Then they made a black one – and folks started screaming racism. These are often the same folks who find racist subplots in “flesh-colored” crayons, despite the fact I doubt they have ever met a single individual of any ethnicity with a skin color that matched those crayons. I know I haven’t.

ponta

Interesting to see how Craig sees the other product as Japan-centric, Bondage the Bear
http://anothershittyblogbysomedouche.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/bondagebear2.jpg
I just see it as a creature–whatever it is–performing on the rings.

As for the “black man on the shark”—what was actual Japanese title in Japanese anyway?—I reserve the judgment.

I know in the U.S. “Drunken Negro Face” Cookies and things like that outraged customers, but I just want to point out that for Japanese to understand this figure could be offensive, they need to understand
1)There is a stereotype that a black man has thick lips and it is considered bad.
2)being naked is often considered uncivilized.
3)hair like that is considered bad.
etc.
(correct me if I am wrong)
http://anothershittyblogbysomedouche.wordpress.com/ Craig

At the end of the day, I bought one, so I’m not so thrown off I can’t find humor in it…

And in terms of rights, in America, if there’s some hateful dude that loves marching in KKK parades and making negroid glass figurines, I’m all for his right to do so…

The problem I have is in the ignorance of it all…I’ve been around here long enough to find that the shark riding stereotype depicted is often what Japanese (and many Asians) think of black people, and it’s sold to them in such simple to digest and cute ways. They don’t know it’s a racist depiction, because it’s just normal.

But I don’t really want to get so much…It’s s funny little thing I found in a wacky little corner of Japan that would never fly in America, which was the point of blog.

So just laugh…

jikku

I’ve been around here long enough to find that the shark riding stereotype depicted is often what Japanese (and many Asians) think of black people

The *SHARK* Riding stereotype? Never heard of that before.

LB

“The *SHARK* Riding stereotype? Never heard of that before.”

Wasn’t it first created in an episode of Happy Days?

Marcello

You’re thinking of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark

Buster

Well, Japan is not the US. Japan doesnt have a history of holding blacks as slaves, or racial segregation.

Its like being pissed at americans wearing “communist” Mao-TShirts, or Handbags. Sure, its stupid, but its more a sign of the post-modern mixing of imagery than of communist, racist, etc. believes.
David

Oh, for fucking christ, this Craig is another one obsessed with racial persecution. Let the people doing JUST glass figures alone and go to the nearest shrink to check about your obsessions.
Weirdo

Hindu’s think eating beef is wrong, that doesn’t mean they have a right to tell others to stop eating beef.

Showing the soles of your feet is a terrible gesture among muslims, that doesn’t mean every other country should never show theirs.

Vegetarians think eating animals is bad, that doesn’t mean they should force it on everyone else.

tl;dr, Imposing taboos from your own culture onto another is retarded.

Tadashi

>Vegetarians think eating animals is bad, that doesn’t mean they should force it on everyone else.

PETA and co. sure are trying.

http://anothershittyblogbysomedouche.wordpress.com/ Craig

I don’t tend to tell Japanese people how to go about their culture, but if they adopt parts of other cultures that are possibly offensive, they should at the very least learn as such.

If it’s your culture, whatever man, don’t show people your shoes, don’t eat cows, drink maple syrup, mutilate private parts, whatever man…

But my point is, as some point you might offend other cultures. Living here, there are many things I can do at home that I can’t do here.

But as the worlds collide, as talked about earlier, viewpoints collide as well. Sooner or later, they might have to learn that creating negroid people riding sharks or having a band that paints itself in blackface might piss someone off.

And if they learn it and decide it’s still what they want to do, all power to em.

It’s not really me. I’m not pissed. I bought one for christ’s sake and love the hilarity of it.

But at some point, in our little global village, worlds clash. Japan’s been lucky and insular enough to kind of avoid a lot of it until recently.

Sitting around with friends having beers while Japanese people drive buy and call them ‘Niggers’ cause they hear US rap songs doesn’t often produce the reaction “oh, that’s so cute how ignorant they are…”

It hurts those people just the same as it would hurt them anywhere else in the world. They would be somewhat offended to see this this thing laying around my house.

On a final note:

<>

Yes, Japan has absolutely no history at all of racial segregation, ever, in any way, at all….ever…at all….in any way….. ;-P

Anyway, enjoyed the discussion, if you hated the post, I’m glad, cause I love reading all sides and opinions and such….You have some valid points (specially about the therapy! ;-P )

ponta

I think the point is what it means in your country might be different from what it means in other country.

Charles Nguyen(2009-06-18 11:48:41 ) says it is cute.
And you also kinda admit that it is cute.
“it’s sold to them in such simple to digest and cute ways.”

Naturally Japanese people might wonder why you can’t sell a glass artwork of cute black man when it is okay if the skin color of the artwork is similar to that of Japanese majority.

It may be controversial in the U.S. probably because they have a stereotype of black people with thick lips and it is considered bad and being naked is often considered uncivilized and hair style like that is considered bad and there is a history of dehumanizing black people by black-face and something like that.
(I am not sure, correct me if I am wrong)

And I am not really sure if Japanese people share the local beliefs and value and history of yours.
Remember yaeba?
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=10247
Should Japanese people adopt the belief that the yaeba is relatively ugly rather than cute?
Should Japanese people share your local beliefs and value that make the artwork controversial?
Isn’t is U.S. centered?

You have good points.
Japanese people should be careful as to how the local people may receive the message when they send it to other countries.
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=8337
Japanese people also should be careful so that people may not form evil stereotype of some racial and religious group.
And there are lots of other tough issues Japanese might face in the future.
For instance, some religious group from other country might find women in miniskirt on the street offensive. Do you think in a hypothetical situation like that, people should not sell miniskirt　because due to their local beliefs and history, they would be somewhat offended to see women like that around their house back in their country？

Yes, Japan has absolutely no history at all of racial segregation, ever, in any way, at all….ever…at all….in any way…..

Japan has a history of racial discriminations.

http://www.usguyintokyo.com Dave Faulkmore

Seems if she copyrighted the character Japan wouldn’t be trying to poach it now. It’s a case of using something because it’s free.

Character licensing is a money earning business. These traders are just trying to make a buck.

BTW i don’t find the doll offensive. However i find old people offensive. Call me jaded…
Laura

I think they’re cute :3

Would it be better if they were sky blue? I think the aesthetic quality would be a little less though.
Hamachiman

Oh boy, these trinkets, whom the store owner may or may not be aware of its connotations, is irrefutable evidence of the vile racism present only in Japan. Ya, rrright. Grow up people and lighten up a bit. Stop concentrating on these non issues to gripe about your notions about Japanese people. There are offensive racial/ethnic caricatures in every country.
Choco

Question: to the asshats claiming that these images aren’t offensive: do any of you have brown skin?
No?
Then really, shut the f u c k up because don’t try and step and tell others what is offensive to a targeted group of people and what’s not.
Every time, there is a group of clowns that want to pipe up and say “this can’t *possibly* be offensive to *anyone* because it’s not the U.S.!”
Well guess what – it’s an antiquated sign of ignorance, racism, and hatred that still has managed to not only live on, but spring up in a country that shouldn’t even be connected to such disgusting representations of dark-skinned people in the first place (according to the logic of some posters on here).
There is nothing cute about sambos, or golliwogs, or whatever other crap they are called. I see s h i t like this and wonder: if Obama or his family were on a trip and walked by a store hawking this crap, do you really think that would make the little Obama girls comfortable? Do you think they would snatch up a pair and play with them? Or any visiting diplomat for that matter. What kind of image does that portray to the rest of the world?
Get your heads out of your behinds and get a clue. Geeze.

Tadashi

Do YOU have brown skin?

If yes, I respect your opinion, if not, then you’re worse than those you complain about.

Tadashi

>because don’t try and step and tell others what is offensive to a targeted group of people and what’s not

Note to myself:
Fully reading the post helps improving reading comprehension.

Also, please don’t space words, it makes it more likely people (or at least me) will skip sections.

Eddie

Choco, I’m brown-skinned. I don’t really care about golliwogs, I have much worse things to worry about.

It’s only White people who complain about this kind of thing nowadays. It’s ironic. They kept their mouths shut when it really was offensive, yet now that these kind of things no longer cause as much offense, they want to shout about it as loud as possible.

Kyushujoe

What Choco said.
Tadashi

So wearing swimming briefs is now considered the same as being naked?
Some1

If it was a japanese it would be a same. This world is multinational but some countries have lot of minorities. That makes it look like stereotype. In another hand, i havent ever seen anyone riding with sharks

A “horrible shark riding stereotype”

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