16/09/2008 / USA
This is
something you notice a lot. It's true that when I go to see members of my family
in nice apartments in well-to-do districts in Paris and people don't recognise me, they do
tend to hold onto their bags.
Are lifts a place for racism?
For those who think racial prejudice is a thing of the past, this video tells a different story. Barely noticeable gestures, like the typical reaction to a young black male stepping into a lift, convey a discreet type of racism that lingers on into the 21st century.
Behind these short sketches, posted on the YouTube channel "Reckless Tortuga", is a group of young Los Angeles actors. This series, entitled "And Now You Know", encourages us not only to laugh, but to listen. We asked our Observers to give their reactions to the video.
"It makes me wanna beat your racist ass to the ground"
Our Observers' reactions
"With age, you get used to it"
Melvin Dia Moukori is a lecturer in the Val d'Oise, near Paris.
This is
something you notice a lot. It's true that when I go to see members of my family
in nice apartments in well-to-do districts in Paris and people don't recognise me, they do
tend to hold onto their bags.I really get the video - sometimes you do want to play up to the stereotype and just scare them.
The worst thing is when it ends up in a vicious circle. If I'm in a lift and I feel that I've made someone uncomfortable, that makes me nervous too, and it becomes embarrassing. It almost makes me want to justify myself by saying ‘don't worry, I earn my own living, I don't need your bag'. And then sometimes it just makes me laugh. It depends on my mood. But with age, you get used to it. Some people are just so automatically prejudiced that there's no point in trying to fight it. I'm not Don Quixote."
"You know....poor me...I'm so abused...bla bla bla"
Not the
most innovative video I've seen, but it's alright. It's stating the obvious...
Here in Sweden,
everyone already knows that the Nazis with boots and bomber jackets aren't the
problem (cause there are about three of them...), it's the everyday racism
(like this) that's the problem. But all in all I feel that it's sort of a
cliché to talk about this, at least for me (you know....poor me...I'm so
abused...bla bla bla)."
Gabriel Gezaw is a musician from Gothenburg, Sweden.
Not the
most innovative video I've seen, but it's alright. It's stating the obvious...
Here in Sweden,
everyone already knows that the Nazis with boots and bomber jackets aren't the
problem (cause there are about three of them...), it's the everyday racism
(like this) that's the problem. But all in all I feel that it's sort of a
cliché to talk about this, at least for me (you know....poor me...I'm so
abused...bla bla bla)."Black man at the lights
Kwanzaa (African-American Day) at work
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Comments
A woman that is alone in an
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 30/09/2008 - 18:15.A woman that is alone in an elevator should use always look to protect herself when any man enters. Race has no bearing on it, unless you're a racist.
Let me point out that because Americans can and do legally carry handguns so if he had pulled a gun on the woman there was the possibility that she had one too. Also, if the woman was stopped for being in possession of a stolen car and the report turned out to be false, the police would go back to the 911 recordings and arrest the caller for filing a false report. Windows usually get closed because some idiot comes along with his radio turned up to window breaking volume, typically playing rap music.
Kwanzaa is a fictional holiday that happened to catch on with blacks who thought that just being an American wasn't good enough, they needed their own Christmas celebration. Stupid!
Unregistered user
OBAMA 08!
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 21/09/2008 - 18:46.OBAMA 08!
Unregistered user
Why Obama??. And why are you
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 08/10/2008 - 08:17.Why Obama??.
And why are you posting that political bullshit here?.
Unregistered user
Obama 08
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 30/09/2008 - 18:33.Which Obama, the drug dealer from New York, or the Obama that illegally went to Pakistan, both in the early 80's?
Obama who has yet to prove that he was qualified to enter either Columbia or Harvard because he refuses to release his college records?
Obama who demands everyone else's medical records but only releases a one page, two year old letter from a doctor saying that his health is "good"?
Obama who was a lead lawyer for ACORN, a group of socialists that sued Fanny Mae to allow sub prime mortgages to unqualified borrowers thus helping to cause the financial mess the US is in?
Obama who has never met a socialist/Marxist program that he didn't like?
Obama who says he'll give tax cuts and refunds to 95% of the country including the 40% that don't pay any taxes at all? Good luck figuring out that math!!
Obama who has NEVER done anything in a bipartisan manner but complains that everyone else is a partisan?
The list goes on and on, Obama is not qualified to be the President of the US.
Unregistered user
Just a short comment: Check
Submitted by John (not verified) on Wed, 01/10/2008 - 05:45.Just a short comment: Check out what "socialist" and "marxist" means.
Just a short hint: there is no relationship between the two.
Unregistered user
Racist comments
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 30/09/2008 - 19:00.Whoever the hell you are, you're part of the problem, You F@%*in racist. Vote for the Old Lunatic and the stupid bitch, you moron. You've just proved the point of those videos. The Videos were meant to be funny with some truth to them. Stop spewing lies.
Unregistered user
Comments
Submitted by mark (not verified) on Tue, 30/09/2008 - 23:19.Gee, Who's more of 'the problem', the person that states verifiable facts, or the one that immediately begins curseing, yelling at them for doing so?
Hmmmm Grow up, and check it out for your own sake.
Unregistered user
This video and their
Submitted by Fair Minded (not verified) on Sun, 21/09/2008 - 15:28.This video and their comments PROVES to the thinking world that blacks and other ethnic groups are indeed the REAL racists,a woman ALONE with a COMPLETE stranger in an elevator with NO escape quietly standing there HOPING not to be a victm of a CRIME makes you want to "snatch that fuckin purse out of her hands and beat her to the ground"?? youre a sad lot,youre a two faced lot and as this video demonstrates,a VIOLENT lot.
Yes the whites have racists in their lot,but I dont see them making EXSCUSES for them,esp with these incitefull little pieces of hate filled propoganda.
P.S I am a BLACK MAN aswell,so dont try "youre the racist" crap either
Unregistered user
lifts a place for .....
Submitted by Victim (not verified) on Sat, 20/09/2008 - 17:09.lifts are a place for RAPE,MURDER,ROBBERY,ASSAULT,women SHOULD be on ALERT in ANY inclosed place with NO monitoring,its COMMON SENSE
Unregistered user
Who's being racist?
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Fri, 19/09/2008 - 14:33.This video is a joke or what? Seriously you really should be less oversensitive about your own skin color; a black woman would act very much the same in this situation, and this woman would do just the same if a unkown white man would have entered the elevator. This is only common sense. Racism is in your head!
Unregistered user
I understand the point but nothing justifies using filthly langu
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 17/09/2008 - 15:51.I understand the point but nothing justifies using filthly language. You spoil the message you are passing if you degrade yourself using dirty words.
Unregistered user
Videos
Submitted by Teddybear (not verified) on Wed, 17/09/2008 - 14:19.A bit hackneyed - in case you havent noticed an Afican-American is currently running for the most powerful office on the planet.
Sure there is still racism - But its a 2-wat street - GET OVER IT BROTHERS!
Unregistered user
Indeed
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 18/09/2008 - 03:46.Indeed
Unregistered user
When will the world see that
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 01/10/2008 - 23:54.When will the world see that there are only two kinds of people?
Good and bad.
Unregistered user