Offensive Boards Beer Ad.?

davej · 02-10-2003 9:11am #1

I just noticed the "Oktoberfest" boards beer ad. and think it could be considered by some as being a bit offensive:

http://www.boards.ie/phpadsnew/adimage.php?filename=boardsbeer.gif&contenttype=gif

text:

Boards Oktoberfest

October 4th 2003 The Whitehorse Inn

Just have a beer and you'll feel almost German

A few more and you'll feel like invading Poland

The fact that millions of Jews were exterminated in Poland during the Holocaust makes the above a bit insensitive imo.

Sorry but i've just re-read "If this is a man" by Primo Levi so it's all very fresh in my mind. But imagine if you saw an ad for an event that made light of Bloody Sunday or the Omagh bombings....

davej

Boston · 02-10-2003 9:15am

question are you polish, jewish or german? if so and you find this offensive, fair enough i'm sure the admins will hear you out, if not then don't clam to speak for others, and don't be so god damn PC. I'm irish, if someone posted something offensive about bloody sunday or omagh i might take offense, but i certainly wouldn't take it for granted that every other nationality would find it offensive.

gimme · 02-10-2003 9:20am

Aren't we very P.C.
I think something that happened over half a century ago is fair game for satire.

Ivan · 02-10-2003 9:26am

Agreed.

Borzoi · 02-10-2003 9:29am

Originally posted by davej

The fact that millions of Jews were exterminated in Poland during the Holocaust makes the above a bit insensitive imo.

davej [/B]

Of course, no one gives a toss about the 800,000 non-jewish Poles who happened to die during WW2, or the other 54 million from other countries*:mad:

Lighten up Dave

*Statistics here

Beruthiel · 02-10-2003 9:37am

surely you find the absurdity of it funny?

davej · 02-10-2003 9:51am

As I said I've just finished reading a pretty powerful first hand account of the horror of Nazi concentration camps.

Still it's interesting to see peoples' opinions on why they don't find it offensive:

* It didn't happen in my lifetime

* It's just political correctness

* It didn't happen to my nationality

* Bad things happen to lot's of people

* Absurdity nullifies its offensiveness

davej

gimme · 02-10-2003 10:04am

I think you're over-reacting, its not like its a permanent thing, it'll be gone after Saturday.

seamus · 02-10-2003 10:06am

Surely it's more offensive to Germans by implying that they're drunken warmongers?

Oh wait......

I fail to see its offensiveness to Polish Jews. If it said "You'll be more wasted than a Polish Jew during the war" - now that would be offensive.

It's satire Dave. Satire is funny because it offends someone somewhere. You just happen to be that someone this time

Asok · 02-10-2003 11:25am

Originally posted by seamus
Surely it's more offensive to Germans by implying that they're drunken warmongers?

As someone of german extraction i.e my father is german i find your broad racial generalisation incredibly offensive and demand that you withdraw your comments immediately and place your jewelery,glasses and/or fillings in ze box now to ze showers i have left some Cyclon b i mean radox! :f33r:

On a more serious i think the ad is hilarious and ok it takes the piss out of the germans and touches on a sensitive point that is ww2 however i think it is all in the name of satire and fun which it is infact what its meant to be.

amp · 02-10-2003 12:17pm

I'd love to see you watch an episode of 'Allo 'Allo Davej, the sheer volume of rabid foam coming out of your outraged mouth would be a sight to behold.

And breath in 2 3
And breath out 2 3

And unclench 2 3

azi · 02-10-2003 12:29pm

Originally posted by Boston
question are you polish, jewish or german? if so and you find this offensive, fair enough i'm sure the admins will hear you out, if not then don't clam to speak for others, and don't be so god damn PC. I'm irish, if someone posted something offensive about bloody sunday or omagh i might take offense, but i certainly wouldn't take it for granted that every other nationality would find it offensive.

I've long since stopped being offended by this sort of thing, however, the alleged 'humour' is more worthy of an English tabloid...

azi.

Victor · 02-10-2003 1:33pm

And this one purports to target Irish peacekeepers. :rolleyes:

http://www.boards.ie/phpadsnew/adimage.php?filename=2563oct_banner.gif&contenttype=gif

It is stereotypical, but if we couldn't laugh at (most) stereotypes (as opposed to actively promoting them) then the world would be a sad place. It's like me calling my mates a bunch of Micks or Paddies, no one would care, but have 12 drunken English stag party revelers say it (seriously) and you just might have a fight on your hands.

Remember our friends are the ones who insult us most.

Ronan|Raven · 02-10-2003 1:50pm

Well considering it was meant in the context of a joke I think people should take iyt in that manner. One cant get worked up over everything!

The Corinthian · 02-10-2003 3:03pm

As the chap who did up the banner, I thought I should respond to some of the criticism.

Firstly, davej, grow up. If that banner would offend anyone, it would be the Germans or the Poles. To infer that it’s offensive to the Jews who died in the holocaust is one of the most anally retentive examples of political correctness I’ve seen in a long time. As was correctly pointed out here, you also neglected to mention all the unfashionably non-Jewish victims of the Holocaust while you were busy waving your little fist and being indignant.

Such is you’re view of this sacred cow, that I can only imagine what your reaction would be if you had heard a few years back that someone was in the process of doing a black comedy on the holocaust. Yet, “La Vita é Bella” was just that and it won best film at the Academy Awards.

Black humour and satire should be treated as such. It may not to everyone’s liking, but there you go. We’re all different. If Germans or Poles were offended, I’d understand, even though it was meant in jest. But to infer that a joke based on the German invasion of Poland was offensive because of the holocaust is offensive in itself.

Boston · 02-10-2003 3:09pm

i agree with the The Corinthian on this, to take offence to this in the name of the halocost is jsut to be little the halocost.

po0k · 02-10-2003 3:18pm

Ze only problem vid zee var vas vee did not keel enough Joos

"Heil Hitlah!"
"Hliup!"

/me goes to admire ze fallen madonna vid zee big boobies

[serious]
Why is that the Jews are always portrayed as the victimised race, that everyone should watch what they say around them and that to contravene any of their wishes is automatically taboo and that the "offender" should be treated the same as a mass-murderer?
"Anti-Semite" is cried far too bloody often, especially in America.
Tis ironic when they are reminded of their colourful history along the west bank.
Who would have thought hospitals and schools would come apart so easily when hit with rocket salvos from license-built Apaches?
[/serious]

Sarky · 02-10-2003 3:24pm

At a house party some time ago, A friend convinced a couple of us to invade Poland by marching from the hall into the kitchen while singing "Deutchland, Deutchland..."

Nobody was offended. Not even the German girl who happened to be there at the time.

Political correctness is a silly term bandied about far too much. I'm afraid "gravitationally challenged" people are also fat, too.

Oh, and one of my best friends is Polish. He'd love that banner.

logic1 · 02-10-2003 3:27pm

Originally posted by Boston
i agree with the The Corinthian on this, to take offence to this in the name of the halocost is jsut to be little the halocost.

Wait, are you taking about the game or what?

I thought it was just called Halo.

.logic.

davej · 02-10-2003 4:04pm

Yet, “La Vita é Bella” was just that and it won best film at the Academy Awards.

Roberto Benigni's film was about how laughter and comedy can be used as a defence mechanism under the most horrific of circumstances; I hardly think you can draw a comparison between what is arguably a masterpiece and your banner ad.

If that banner would offend anyone, it would be the Germans or the Poles.

If you read my post again you'll see that i never stated who would be offended by it. I stated a reason why it could be thought offensive. I agree with you, it could be considered offensive to Germans and Poles.

I'm kind of interested in how people decide whether something is offensive or not.

Take this, for example:

Boards Paintball

Take a shot and you'll feel almost Republican

A few more and you'll be blowing up Omagh.

What is the difference between the boards beer ad and the above?

Would it be so strange for someone to argue that this is a bit insensitive because of the protestants who died in Omagh ?
Is it just that this is a little closer to home and fresher in our minds?

Will someone post a message saying, "how dare I", use the Omagh bombings in such a cheap way to score points in a thread?

davej

Sarky · 02-10-2003 4:07pm

Originally posted by davej
Take this, for example:

Boards Paintball

Take a shot and you'll feel almost Republican

A few more and you'll be blowing up Omagh.

Made me laugh...

Boston · 02-10-2003 4:09pm

the game logic1 the game

i see the lien of thought here,

amp · 02-10-2003 4:24pm

Originally posted by davej
Boards Paintball

Take a shot and you'll feel almost Republican

A few more and you'll be blowing up Omagh.

Might knock that one up for the next Paintball session. With your permission of course.

logic1 · 02-10-2003 4:28pm

Originally posted by amp
Might knock that one up for the next Paintball session. With your permission of course.

And DaveJ's point horribly backfires.

.logic.

davej · 02-10-2003 4:33pm

Originally posted by amp
Might knock that one up for the next Paintball session. With your permission of course.

Only as long as you put "copyright davej" underneath it

davej

Boston · 02-10-2003 4:34pm

jesus thats funny

gimme · 02-10-2003 4:35pm

satire = good.
dry shÍte = bad

seamus · 02-10-2003 4:35pm

Originally posted by davej
Boards Paintball

Take a shot and you'll feel almost Republican

A few more and you'll be blowing up Omagh.

Mammy, was it wrong that I roffled? Very good davej.

The difference though is that this could potentially hit very close to home. It's recent, which means that there are plenty of people around who both remember the event, and were directly affected by it (ie dead relatives/friends).

WW2 however isn't recent. There are a lot less people around who remember it and even less who suffered tragic consequences from it. Once again, majority rules. Most people are insensitive to it, and so satire is ok. Even your above joke would be fine to publish, there'd just be a hell of a lot more complaints.

Sangre · 02-10-2003 4:36pm

Originally posted by seamus

"You'll be more wasted than a Polish Jew during the war" - now that would be offensive.

LOLOLOLOOOOOLOLLOOOLLL000LLOLL!!!!

*breathe in*

LMAOROFLLOLLOOLLLOLOLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ha hahaaa....please change it to that.
Cant believe noone else picked up on that.

Victor · 02-10-2003 4:51pm

there is a difference between:

Just have a beer and you'll feel almost German
A few more and you'll feel like invading Poland

Just have a beer and you'll feel almost German
A few more and you will be invading Poland

And regarding your example:

Originally posted by davej
Boards Paintball
Take a shot and you'll feel almost Republican
A few more and you'll be blowing up Omagh.

Shouldn't it be:

Boards Paintball
Take a shot and you'll feel almost like you are in the Army
A few more and you'll feel almost like you are in a real Army.

The Corinthian · 02-10-2003 4:59pm

Originally posted by davej
Roberto Benigni's film was about how laughter and comedy can be used as a defence mechanism under the most horrific of circumstances; I hardly think you can draw a comparison between what is arguably a masterpiece and your banner ad.

Certainly the film did turn out to be that, but only because the politically correct morality police didn’t stop it being made and shown. Remember, I questioned “your reaction would be if you had heard a few years back that someone was in the process of doing a black comedy on the holocaust”, not whether the film itself was good or not. I can well imagine that first time you heard of it (before being told that it was all right to like it) you would have thought it in bad taste.

If you read my post again you'll see that i never stated who would be offended by it. I stated a reason why it could be thought offensive. I agree with you, it could be considered offensive to Germans and Poles.

Yet for you this is an afterthought. Other ethnic groups that died during the holocaust don’t even get a look in, I notice.

What is the difference between the boards beer ad and the above?

If I’d made a joke specifically citing an atrocity (as you are doing in your joke) then you’d have a point. But I’m not.

For you Germany invading Poland seems inextricably linked with the holocaust. It’s not. Many infamous death camps were in Poland, but many were not. The holocaust began long after the invasion of Poland. Many of the Jews and unfashionable miscellaneous others who died were not Poles.

So, you’re citing an atrocity and I cited something that only you connected to an atrocity using logic so surreal as to have needed chemical assistance to germinate.

So no, not really the same thing.

Given that, it wasn’t a bad joke. Your punch line needs work, though.

Offensive Boards Beer Ad.?

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