California coaches’ ‘Cool Runnings’ blackface

[Gen]

costumes outrage civil rights groups






Two California high school football coaches wore blackface for their "Cool Runnings" Halloween costumes to a game last weekend. Now they're in hot water with civil rights advocates.
NAACP's San Diego branch is calling for Serra High School to fire varsity head coach Brian Basteyns and assistant coach Harold Seeley for their Jamaican bobsled team outfits.

"In the 21st Century, where our country is more diverse as ever, African Americans and people of color ask why we have to address these issues repeatedly," branch President Lei-Chala Wilson said in a release.
The Anti-Defamation League's local office also blasted the getups as offensive and insensitive to African-Americans.

"We feel that blackface is never appropriate," Tammy Gillies, director of the ADL San Diego, told the Daily News on Wednesday. "Their decision to do that shows a disregard for the racial history of our country and for the role that blackface played in furthering racist images and attitudes." The ADL asks the school district to investigate and send a message that "this type of insensitivity won't be tolerated."


But not everyone feels the same way, including several African-Americans on the team.

Fellow coach Al Dave, who works closely with Basteyns and Seeley, told KXTV that if there were a "sliver of racism," he would have reported them himself.


Student Xavier Miller, who has played for the coaches for four years, told the station that he wasn't insulted and even laughed when he saw the photo of them dressed as characters from the Walt Disney movie.


"They always tell us good morals," Miller said. "We always have to represent Serra football when we're outside of Serra."
Basteyns reportedly met with his team on Tuesday to deliver what players considered a heartfelt and emotional apology.


"He was really upset that these allegations were happening, and he felt as if he really did something wrong and he really wanted to express to us his apologies," team captain Richard Price told the ABC affiliate.
Serra High School told The News it could not comment on this "personal matter." Neither coach could be reached for comment.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/coaches-cool-runnings-blackface-outrages-civil-rights-groups-article-1.1501735

[blugiant]

dem bunn fiyah pon individual racism so dem can ignore institutional racism

mii more cancern widd da misedukkkasham system natt educatinn blakk yuths

[kia027]

how would the jamaican bobsled team as a halloween costume look with white faces on it?

[Gen]

i dunno, but i always wonder why when people dress up for halloween dem can't use dem owna face

i dress up my child in various characters and people still knew who she was even though her face never paint up

[jah_yout]

forget about blackface ever stopping...everyone feels a primal need to feel like the original man...if even for a moment

[Xavier]

How far can someone go to emulate another culture. I have seen people dress like Chinese down to the make-up etc. The goal is always to look as close to the character. How far is too far.

[Tropicana]

Depends on the purpose Xavier. For a party, I think it is unacceptable. Blackface to me is totally demeaning and unacceptable.

I believe this series is from the 1930s. I don't know how this could have been considered appropriate in ANY era.

For an actor to play someone of another race is a challenge and really shows off their work if they can do it well.

Ricardo Montalban and Marlon Brando have both played Japanese men. Ricardo Montalban did a phenomenal job. I have seen Kabuki in Japan twice and his performance was realistic. I have the movie and I love it. I wish I could find it on-line.
Marlon Brando's role was more of a clownish character...it would been better portrayed by a real Japanese man.

Richard Gere also was cast as a half Japanese American man by Akira Kurosawa in A Rhapsody in August and he turned in a great performance to. See 1:06

Still when there are not very many roles for Japanese male actors even today, it would have been good to see a Japanese man get the part.

[jah_yout]

I believe this series is from the 1930s. I don't know how this could have been considered appropriate in ANY era.

if you knew the history of the united states i doubt you would make such a statement...then again maybe you would

[Tropicana]

if you knew the history of the united states i doubt you would make such a statement...then again maybe you would

See what I mean,,,no matter what one says on here someone is going to argue with every strikin ting.

So you think this should have been considered appropriate?


Let me make it clearer......this type of content should never have been considered to be appropriate in ANY era...period.... full stop ....pointe finale...capiche paisan?

And RichD wonder why mi ave fe type in large lettahs.

[Nunya]

Let me make it clearer......this type of content should never have been considered to be appropriate in ANY era...period,. full stop ....pointe finale...capiche paisan?

And RichD wonder why mi ave fe type in large lettahs. :rolleyes"

Maybe it's cause you highlight the wrong words?

[Gen]

boal jokes mi a tell yuh