Google in hot water over "Michelle Obama" image search results

tricky D

OutlawPete wrote: »

They can't remove the photo - that is true. However, they can drop the website from Google like a hot potato if they wished.

Maybe if the chinese asked them to, they might remove it.

allanb49

pickarooney wrote: »

Strange, one of the most popular images doing the rounds over the last few years was a montage of George W Bush being compard directly to a monkey but that was never flagged as racist or anything more than having a laugh. Why should the incumbent president and his First Lady not have the right to the same treatment? (granted, this does assume that the photo captures the subject in a humorous pose comparable to that of a simian, which this particular image clearly fails to do).

It's like referring to a bouncer as an ape because of his physique and implied lesser intelligence - fine unless he's black, at which point the original point is obscured because of a ridiculous perceived notion that his skin colour alone makes him an ape. He should be allowed be called an ape like anyone else.

+69
You articulated exactly what i wanted to say

mike65

google capitulate to the White House (and there was Obama talking about Chinese censoring the internet only yesterday)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/nov/25/michelle-obama-google-images-removed

edit - its still there.

pickarooney

The Saint wrote: »

There are historical racist connotations of black people as apes.

Which are validated and perpetuated by denouncing the comparison for some while encouraging it for others, no?

Sir Gallagher

pickarooney wrote: »

Which are validated and perpetuated by denouncing the comparison for some while encouraging it for others, no?

Encouraging it for who?

LD 50

Its gone now anyways

pickarooney

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Encouraging it for who?

Dubya

The_Thing

Comparing Obama's missus to a monkey is an insult - to monkeys.

tech77

AnonoBoy wrote: »

Again, there's a huge difference between racism and general insults. Racism goes beyond the individual and has wider effects.

Reminds me of Stewart Lee's routine about Jimmy Hill's casual attitude to racism by Hill equating Ron Atkinson's racial slur to someone saying he (Hill) had a big chin.

Lee imagines the "pain" of large-chinned people everywhere expressed through their "blues":
"Woke up this mornin', gotta big chin".

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

So all black people look like apes then, yeah?

Also the penny is wedged tightly between my ass cheeks. It may not be shiny when you pull it out but you're welcome to it anyway!

I don't care if you call me a racist. Apes are dark brown and so are black people. Did I actually say anything racist? No.

You asked what the connotation was between the two and there's your answer. Acting dumb about the situation doesn't make you even less of a racist.

Bottle_of_Smoke

During the election campaign Sarah Palin was offered $5million to pose for playboy. Michelle Obama was offered the same figure by National Geographic

kmart6

Censorship:rolleyes:

AnonoBoy

Deleted User wrote: »

Apes are dark brown and so are black people.

I'm pretty pasty white. Do I look like a polar bear?


Actually you know what? I give up. Your finely tuned debating skills are no match for me.

*Bends over and spreads ass cheeks* Come and collect your penny!

AnonoBoy

AnonoBoy wrote: »

I'm pretty pasty white. Do I look like a polar bear?


Actually you know what? I give up. Your finely tuned debating skills are no match for me.

*Bends over and spreads ass cheeks* Come and collect your penny!

a dark brown penny. no thanks.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

an ape-penny

squod

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

During the election campaign Sarah Palin was offered $5million to pose for playboy. Michelle Obama was offered the same figure by National Geographic

Someone close this thread.

Hank Scorpio

Any saying that picture is no worse than George Bushes Ape pictures is really really delusional, if not a racist

InKonspikuou2

I guarantee anybody in here arguing about racism has said racist comments in their life. Everybody has. If you argue with people who use racism in jokes you are just contributing to the power of the joke and giving them more attention than they deserve. Racism exists and there ain't shít that can be done to stop it breeding inside of people.

Catari Jaguar

George Bush or a chimp?

Oh racism card, so quick to play you


Maybe it affects all people that live in the White House?

Manic Moran

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Thats because it wasn't racist, it didn't have racial connotations, it was funny because George Bush looked liked a monkey and was thick, whereas the thing with Obama relates to a whole race of people based off an offensive stereotype.

Neither was particularly popular because they were complimentary to the subject. The intent behind both was to ridicule the person in the image. You can intend ridicule without intending racism.

I can't wait to see the perceived offence next when someone catches a photo of the Obamas at a State Dinner having watermelons for their fruit. "Ye Gods, racism!" "Dude, they're just having dinner" "No, but the fact that you published the photo proves you're racist". Give me a break.

The distribution was intended to be offensive. For both images. Neither is worthy of excuse or approval.

NTM

OutlawPete

Manic Moran wrote: »

The intent behind both was to ridicule the person in the image. You can intend ridicule without intending racism

Yes, but Bush was compared to an Ape as he is a Bafoon and acted like a Baboon throughout his time as president and so the Ape comparison was made.

On the other hand Michelle seems very intelligent and articulate and so racism can be the only motive for morphing her to look like an ape.