Is this t-shirt racist?

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MrCleanTrousers

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#1  Edited By MrCleanTrousers

So Jeff was wearing a Delicious Vinyl shirt on Unproffessional Fridays last week ( http://deliciousvinyl.myshopify.com/products/mensdvlogowhite ) and I thought it was wicked cool so I rushed to order one, sans context. I realised post order that... It kinda looks like a minstrel. I showed it to my friend and that was her first impression. Now, I'm wondering if this is cool to wear in public (I am white/Irish) or if it's best that it be relegated to the back of the wardrobe. As a giant bomb user, lord knows I've had my fair share of 'could this t-shirt be taken as racist?' inner conflict, but is this one just too...much?

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PulledaBrad

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A) Off Topic is over that way ---->

and B) wat?

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Kidavenger

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Came for the racism, left disappointed...

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Blu3V3nom07

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Hmm. I guess it matters where you live, and where you would be wearing it.

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cutyoface

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#5  Edited By cutyoface

Wut?

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Soap

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nahhh it's not racist.

Also, for bonus points, anyone who claims it's racist you can turn around and call them a racist for saying it!

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PulledaBrad

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I mean its not like it has Sambo on it or Milton Berle in blackface. Youll be ok.

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triple07

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I don't see the racism but I also had to look up what a mintrel was (in modern context) so I might not be the best judge of that.

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FUMN

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Wouldn't wear it in wrong parts of town if you aint big.

But nah it aint racist imo, could be easily with someone else.

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Video_Game_King

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#10  Edited By Video_Game_King

Sort of?

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ShadyPingu

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#11  Edited By ShadyPingu

Blackface illustrations have a tendency to wildly exaggerate a few specific phenotypes associated with African Americans, none of which I really see represented on that shirt.

It's just a hideous fucking illustration, I guess.

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Cold_Wolven

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#12  Edited By Cold_Wolven

I don't get it.

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Barrock

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#13  Edited By Barrock

No. Not in the slightest.

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abendlaender

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Yeah sure, why not. You racist

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zeforgotten

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#15  Edited By zeforgotten

@barrock said:

No. Not in the slightest.

That was exactly what I was gonna write. Freaky..

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Winternet

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This thread is racist.

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McTangle

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Came for the racism, left disappointed...

Dang, better put my pitchfork and torch away.

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rollingzeppelin

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Blackface illustrations have a tendency to wildly exaggerate a few specific phenotypes associated with African Americans, none of which I really see represented on that shirt.

It's just a hideous fucking illustration, I guess.

Yeah, that's the impression I got.

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wjb

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Eh, I honestly don't think 99.9% of the public would even notice your shirt.

It's a legit record label. If anyone asks, just say you like Young MC or Tone Loc.

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Pezen

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Oh, that reminds me, I still need to order a truckload of shirts from tshirthell. So many fun ways to make people angry who lack a sense of humor.

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Milkman

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#22  Edited By Milkman

@vinny_says: Well, that's suppose to be racist. That's the point.

As for the shirt, no, I don't think it's racist. I wouldn't have even made the connection if you didn't bring it up. And if there's one thing that us here at Giant Bomb are good at, it's defining racism.

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alternate

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Looks more like it is meant to be a red neck, with the teeth and all. Fugly design anyway.

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SomeJerk

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That t-shirt's potential racism falls under the "he who smelt it dealt it" clause from the department of common sense.

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Khadyn

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Came for the racism, left disappointed...

Only good part of this thread...left in a good mood...

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EpicSteve

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#26  Edited By EpicSteve

If someone you're hanging out with immediately thinks that is racist, stop hanging out with them.

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JazGalaxy

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#27  Edited By JazGalaxy

I'm black and I'd say it's borderline.

I say that because, yes, a lot of people will see it that way.

The illustration with the giant lips and whatnot is very close to classic racist imagery. A lot of younger people will be ignorant of the history of images like that, but many people will be aware of it. The shirt is likely intended to be worn by black people.

"Why is okay for black people to wear something and white people not to?" Because it's comedic irony. Just like gay men calling eachother "F***s" and sorority girls calling eachother "b*****s" or servicemen calling our military bad. It's lacking ironic content when white people do it.

So, I'd say wear it if you're comfortable with it. Especially if you're into urban stuff. But, be aware that more than a few people are likely going to take it as racist.

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JazGalaxy

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@somejerk said:

That t-shirt's potential racism falls under the "he who smelt it dealt it" clause from the department of common sense.

that's stupid.

If you produce a shirt that is very similar to iconic racist imagery, it's not only "Racists" who are going to be offended by it. That's like wearing a swastika shirt where the crimson is a little bit pink and going "what? If you're offended, YOU must be the racist!"

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DukesT3

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#29  Edited By DukesT3

Needs black-face, then will be racist.

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PhilipDuck

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Does Vinny own this t-shirt? If the answer is yes, then yea you are a racist.

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Justin258

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I imagine that some people could take it that way but it doesn't look particularly racist to me.

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leebmx

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@mrcleantrousers: You would think that if it was racist it probably wouldn't have been used as the logo for a rap record label. Your more likely to get punched by someone who doesn't like The Pharcyde (in which case I suggest you punch them back). Anyway the guy doesn't even look like a Minstrel, he looks more like a Malteeser.....sorry...... :/

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deathstriker666

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#33  Edited By deathstriker666

I don't know, maybe his teeth are like that because he's been eating vinyl. Guess it's just how you interpret it.

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Niceanims

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No.

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ShaggE

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I could see an awkward line of questioning from a particularly sensitive passerby stemming from that shirt, but that's almost unavoidable. I've been accused of all sorts of unsavory lifestyles for wearing logos/designs that the accuser thought looked vaguely like a thing they think they saw once in a negative light.

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JazGalaxy

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@shagge said:

I could see an awkward line of questioning from a particularly sensitive passerby stemming from that shirt, but that's almost unavoidable. I've been accused of all sorts of unsavory lifestyles for wearing logos/designs that the accuser thought looked vaguely like a thing they think they saw once in a negative light.

I doubt anyone would ever say anything about it.. I think they would just think he was a racist. The odds of anyone ever confronting someone about something are incredibly small. It's like when you see people down here in Texas driving around with confederate flags. Nobody says anything, but the lines are drawn. Even white people observing other white people.

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Brendan

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#38  Edited By Brendan

It doesn't really look like classic blackface imagery to me, but I haven't seen many examples.

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ShaggE

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#39  Edited By ShaggE

@shagge said:

I could see an awkward line of questioning from a particularly sensitive passerby stemming from that shirt, but that's almost unavoidable. I've been accused of all sorts of unsavory lifestyles for wearing logos/designs that the accuser thought looked vaguely like a thing they think they saw once in a negative light.

I doubt anyone would ever say anything about it.. I think they would just think he was a racist. The odds of anyone ever confronting someone about something are incredibly small. It's like when you see people down here in Texas driving around with confederate flags. Nobody says anything, but the lines are drawn. Even white people observing other white people.

Yeah, probably not, just drawing from local experience. People tend to speak up when they take offense to something around here. To be fair, they ask questions more than they jump to conclusions (as somebody who sometimes wears unusual clothing when out and about, I get both a lot), but knowing the people of this area, that shirt would draw some unwanted attention, especially down in the city where it seems like everybody's itching for a confrontation.

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OllyOxenFree

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@shagge said:

@jazgalaxy said:

@shagge said:

I could see an awkward line of questioning from a particularly sensitive passerby stemming from that shirt, but that's almost unavoidable. I've been accused of all sorts of unsavory lifestyles for wearing logos/designs that the accuser thought looked vaguely like a thing they think they saw once in a negative light.

I doubt anyone would ever say anything about it.. I think they would just think he was a racist. The odds of anyone ever confronting someone about something are incredibly small. It's like when you see people down here in Texas driving around with confederate flags. Nobody says anything, but the lines are drawn. Even white people observing other white people.

Yeah, probably not, just drawing from local experience. People tend to speak up when they take offense to something around here. To be fair, they ask questions more than they jump to conclusions (as somebody who sometimes wears unusual clothing when out and about, I get both a lot), but knowing the people of this area, that shirt would draw some unwanted attention, especially down in the city where it seems like everybody's itching for a confrontation.

Where do you live so that I may avoid such an area.

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JazGalaxy

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#41  Edited By JazGalaxy

@brendan said:

It doesn't really look like classic blackface imagery to me, but I haven't seen many examples.

I don't think blackface was the word he was looking for. Blackface is a theatre concept, as is the Minstrel show. The image is more similar to caricatures. Basically, back when it was "funny" to go "Look what big lips they have!" "Look what white teeth they have!" "Look how dark their skin is!"

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ShaggE

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@shagge said:

@jazgalaxy said:

@shagge said:

I could see an awkward line of questioning from a particularly sensitive passerby stemming from that shirt, but that's almost unavoidable. I've been accused of all sorts of unsavory lifestyles for wearing logos/designs that the accuser thought looked vaguely like a thing they think they saw once in a negative light.

I doubt anyone would ever say anything about it.. I think they would just think he was a racist. The odds of anyone ever confronting someone about something are incredibly small. It's like when you see people down here in Texas driving around with confederate flags. Nobody says anything, but the lines are drawn. Even white people observing other white people.

Yeah, probably not, just drawing from local experience. People tend to speak up when they take offense to something around here. To be fair, they ask questions more than they jump to conclusions (as somebody who sometimes wears unusual clothing when out and about, I get both a lot), but knowing the people of this area, that shirt would draw some unwanted attention, especially down in the city where it seems like everybody's itching for a confrontation.

Where do you live so that I may avoid such an area.

York, Pennsylvania (or "Shit Towne", as the painfully accurate song by Live calls it). It really is an awful city. Ugly, smells bad, dangerous as hell.

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Bribo

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#43  Edited By Bribo

If you have ask, you probably shouldn't wear it.

Also, those guys posting examples of genuinely racist imagery are't helping.

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MildMolasses

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It is the logo for a notable hip-hop lable, so no.

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Snail

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A minstrel?

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casper_

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gaminghooligan

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It is the logo for a notable hip-hop lable, so no.

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myke_tuna

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If someone you're hanging out with immediately thinks that is racist, stop hanging out with them.

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Aetheldod

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#49  Edited By Aetheldod

Maybe not racist , but damn son it is one fuck ugly t shirt , you should be ashamed for wanting it.

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MormonWarrior

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It just looks like a doofy guy eating a record. Not sure how that's racist.