Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Biracial Couple Photo Sparks Negative Comments

When you're trying to foster a conversation about race, how do you choose whom to include and whom to exclude?

Biracial Couple Photo Sparks Negative Comments on Post-Dispatch Blog

8 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is absolutely fascinating. I am shocked at the kind of negative comments the magazine received about the cover. Really? I guess I am naive and thought that humans were above that. Obviously not. I think it's interesting that people said they were "tired" of talking about race. Well, I'm tired of it because I don't think it should be a problem, but apparently it is still is with some people. Sad. Obviously, there will always be cultural and racial differences, though-- but that's what makes the world beautiful. Racism is a completely thing.

    I know Greenbaum received criticism for leaving some of the hateful posts on the blog. But he said it was counteracted by positive comments as well. I think it's interesting that he used negative feedback about the magazine cover and turned it into a discussion. I don't know what I would have done in his position, but it's an interesting, albeit controversial choice. It's good to discuss these kinds of issues in our society, but could his choice could also be seen as "feeding the fire"? Who knows. The valuable "take-home lesson" about this whole ordeal, though, is that racism is still a problem that we as a society need to deal with.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am so surprised to realize there is still so much controversy over something I thought we've resolved. Frankly, I think biracial couples are not an issue....people just make it one. The couple were a pair of humans, not aliens. I say cheers to the magazine for not being afraid to take some heat to stir up the pot. I think it is good to get these issues out in open so we can know how far we have or haven't come. I am very disappointed in my fellow Americans though. I guess the point would be moot if the magazine chose who to exclude in the conversation. It gives people like me an idea of what I can say and do differently to help erase this kind of unjustice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sorry, that was injustice. It's all downhill from here guys, sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really respect that the social media editor, who monitored the piece allowed for some of the negative comments, within bounds, to stay posted. I think it is important when having conversations about race that all sides are presented, even those that I think are bigoted. I think that the virtual nature of the blog may make contributors braver than they would be in real life, perhaps sparking some of the uber negative commentary. But along with the anonymity that goes along with web discussions, perhaps issues may come to the surface more readily without the worries of being politically correct. And, hopefully, with the emerging honesty, however harsh it may be, with truth on the table maybe some opinions may be changed by this honest forum debate.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is so unfortunate this is even an issue. I can't believe people would cancel their subscriptions because of it and write such horrible comments. While I disagree wholeheartedly with most of the comments posted, I agree with the decision to leave some of them on there. It is an opportunity for discussion. Hopefully, some good can come out of this and people can realize what I see as an error in their judgement. Newspapers shouldn't shrink from depicting life and culture as it really is. I think that is what they were doing here and audiences should be able to understand and accept that.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think its crazy to see people be so racist still. I wonder if the couple had been a white and an Asian, or a white and a Mexican, would it still be a big deal? What if it were a black girl and a white dude instead? I wonder if that would be different? it seems to me like America finds Asian and whites socially acceptable but apparently not black and whites. I had a Philipino girlfriend for years and didnt ever feel like we didnt belong together or that people thought badly of our relationship. I think that there is going to be ignorant people no matter what and newspapers should pay no mind to these people. If by 2009 your not comfortable with seeing an interracial couple, you better pack up and move to Utah! Haha sorry for the low blow my fellow Utahan's I just couldn't resist. I still love you guys.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I know this is a later post, but I have been letting this issue settle in my mind for a while. I am extremely sad this issue has not been resolved in our society, and I await the day when it could perhaps be a same-sex couple without the negative commentary, but I don't it will come true in my lifetime. I think it was great for negative comments to be allowed. It could possibly give more emphasis to the story, allowing the readers to see beyond the words written. It could bring some light to the issue truly going on, and maybe that was the editors reason for posting the picture, to bring awareness. I am very surprised some would cancel their subscription over it, that is very unfortunate some readers don't want reality on the front page.

    ReplyDelete