The Right To Be Ignorant

Whenever I hear complaints about different minority groups being too "sensitive" about issues concerning them, as well as, for example, wanting to wear a religious or culturally significant attire for fashion without any knowledge about what it is and represents, I feel as though white privilege is really the right to be ignorant. There is almost as if the idea that being more inclusive towards other ethnicities and cultures will endanger white peoples rights to live their lives as they please. For example complaints that racists jokes such as blackface are just jokes and criticising them for making those "jokes" are just political correctness. But the rights they really want to defend is the right to be ignorant, to not have to think about or acknowledge how their actions affect other people and cultures. Nobody is taking anyones right to free speech away by vocally criticising racists jokes. It is simply a refusal to accept ignorance as the answer to "it was just a joke- whats the big deal". When groups give backlash to things such as cultural appropriation they are not taking away the right appropriate. You may still wear a hijab as a Halloween costume, nobody will arrest you for it, but you may have to face criticism for it and a push from people who won't take ignorance as an answer.

It wasn't that long ago Mickey Rooney donned a stereotypical yellow face type costume in Breakfast at Tiffanies and children's cartoons from Disneys Songs of The South featured very racist stereotypes of african americans. We have moved on from this kind of overt racism, but society still has a long way to go in terms of acknowledging different cultures, and moving away from eurocentrism and appropriation. Addressing ignorant attitudes is not oppression, it´s the way forward.

Eurocentrism and the Other

The other is a term that is historically seen as deviant, unnatural and strange as it exists outside the boundaries of what is considered 'normal'. But the dialectal relationship between discursive strategies and the discourses are historical in which they can change. This then leads into the sense of Eurocentrism as they both go hand in hand together, these two terms.

The term Eurocentrism is an approach that takes European/western values, judgements, beliefs and cultures as normal, natural and ideal. It tends to make European/western values central and dismisses others to the periphery. It is a form of vestigial thinking which permeates and structures many contemporary practices and representations. Eurocentrism is about power rather than the facts about reality, which make things true, which then produces knowledge. The question of whether a discourse is true or false is less important than whether it is effective in practice. Consequently, eurocentrism is a rationale for colonialism and imperialism as it is of discursive construction. Eurocentrism is a term that is trajectory as inherent progress toward democratic institutions an historical amnesia. It does however, minimise the west oppressive practices such as the colonialism and slave-trading. But these are fundamental catalysts for the west disproportionate power.

Would banning smoking be racist to Māori

With the knowledge that smoking kills, the Government has continued to react to tobacco issues. The idea of banning smoking rather than another tax rise has come to the forefront yet again. Many have called this a racial issue, and that Maori are racially disadvantaged due to smoking being a ‘cultural’ practice. The idea of this is going to upset many, as they are addicted to the said substance. However by drawing the topic to an issue of racism, I believe that by doing this the media is trivialising the issue of Maori suffrage. I also think that this is, to a certain point, lowering the effectiveness of efforts of Maori activists over time.

There is the almost constant effort or lack of effort made my journalists to undermine Maori and to frame their attacks or feelings towards a certain issue as against the norms of the nation however I believe that as nations many would not want the outlawing of tobacco (not only Maori). And by doing this the journalists have taken the easy way and tried to create conflict between the indigenous people and the majority.

Indigenous Language

During One of the classes in the Race, Indigenity and Media turotials I learned that words such as Pakhea was commonly used in New Zealand society by everyone, although the word was very politizised by some. It made me think about how we include indigeneous language into other cultures in the world, particularly my own culture of scandinavia and the indigineous Sami people that live here. I dont think I know of any Sami words that are used commonly outside of Sami cultures and communities and I realised that is a real shame. In Norway there are two official languages, bot types of Norwegian. I think now there should be three official languages, even if non-Sami norwegians wont speak it day to day, we need to be more inclusive of all the cultures that live here, and language is an important part of that. 

Race and Racism

Racism beliefs and racist behaviour do not necessarily accompany one another and those who control access to resources such as education employment or the media for example may discriminate but not hold racist beliefs. White people often cannot see and do not question the sources and legitimacy of their privilege and power, whereas people of colour experience daily its consequences. Even without conscious, personal racial animosity, these institutional structures, policies and practices generate and maintain racial discrimination, segregation and inequalities of opportunity. Furthermore, cultural difference and diversity are presented, even celebrated, but in ways that confirm and authorise dominate social, political, cultural and economic positions.

Racism is indeed a definition eroding since 1960s and is about individuals rather than a group focus. This term racism has created and reproduced structures of domination based on essentialist categories of race. The belief that racism has been overcome and inequalities in economic and social progress are the consequences of culture, biology, and individual life choices. Also know as modern racism, enlightened racism. Race and/or racism is therefore socially constructed and has implicated in power relations. Consequently, race is therefore a highly meaningful social construction because of the impact it has on quality of life and access to resources and social rewards.

Zootropolis: Predator and Prey

Disney’s children blockbuster movie Zootropolis came out in New Zealand on the 7^th of April, 2016. If it wasn’t for the adorable animated animals and the unlikely duo of a fox and rabbit, I may have not bothered to watch. With 98% rating on Tomato, let’s see what all the hype is about.

I sat down and watch this movie with a bunch of friend and was blown away by the visual. The animation was flawless and the city of Zootropolis catered to every animal under the sun. The story started off as a humble one about “following your dreams” and “never give up” until it reached the half way mark when things started to get spicy.

~~~~~~~! SPOILER ALERT !~~~~~~~(Just friggin see it, honestly)

While animals that are commonly known as predators start to attack anything in their path, Judy Hopps is tasked with reporting to the media on what she believes is the reason for this change in behavior. After being encouraged by Nick to give it a shot, Judy stands up in front of the media and says that the predators must be reverting back to their natural ways. This sparks controversy within the media and a stake in Nick and Judy’s relationship. What Judy demonstrated in that moment was inferential racism. She spoke what she believed to be true based on what society had been telling her about predators her whole life. Since she did not know the true reason for why the predators were acting feral, Judy claimed that it was due to the naturalised, normalised stereotypes of being a predator, unintentionally expressing racism against all predators.

Judy is also a victim of the burden of representation, since she is a member of prey, by asking such a loaded statement, she was indirectly called a racist by Nick asking her if she felt that all predators were senseless killers. This issue even spread through the whole city with protests on both sides of the fence, echoing the “Black lives matter” campaigns.

At the end of the film, we find out that the reason why the predators have been acting strange is due to pollen in a type of flower. The government which was taken over by the lamb, Dawn Bellwether was using the substance to take all of Zootropolis for prey type animals. This shows a corruption within the government and an abuse of power. It also shows how structural racism is used against a certain type in favor of another.

Overall, the movie is very beautiful with its top of the line animation to date. (They were boasting about how each hair on the animals moves). However, I’m also glad that they managed to add this issue within a children’s movie. While it may go over most heads, it’s a nice change from Disney being racist, sexist and classiest. While the use of animals makes it “easier” to explore touché issues such as racism, I’m just glad they gave it a shot.

This is just my personal opinion and conclusion on this topic. There are many more to be seen on the internet which is worth checking out. ^-^

Pathfinder

Pathfinder

Nils Gaup is a Norwegian filmmaker of Sami decent. The Sami people are the indigenous people of the European arctic region, and Lapland, the official region of the Sami’s, stretches over from Norway, through Sweden, Finland and into Russia.

No other Sami filmmakers have reached the level of success internationally as Nils Gaup. In 1987 he was nominated for an Oscar for his film “Pathfinder” and won several national awards.

Pathfinder is unique in many different ways. It is based on a Sami legend about a Sami pathfinder who overcomes a murderous group of Karelian bandits. It is also set entirely in the Norwegian Lapland region and the language spoken is purely Sami language. The film was not only written and directed by a Same but the majority of the actors where local Sami’s.

This is the first Sami film ever to be produced, and it was no easy task for Nils Gaup to convince producers and sponsors that the film would make a good investment.

There is an issue within indigenous media, the idea that stories solely regarding indigenous communities and cultures are not relevant enough to warrant a wider interest, therefor limiting the potential market for the film to be released into.

At the time making a film entirely in Sami and completely catered to Sami culture and community was considered unrealistic. But Nils Gaup did not give up easy, and when he finally succeeded to have it made it turned into one of Norway´s most successful films to this date and put a light on a minority that is so often ignored. 

Nils Gaup is proof that a good story is a good story and his activism and artistic talent have brought Sami stories and issues, that would otherwise have been forgotten and ignored, into the world.

Gaup insisted on making the film as realistic and true to the culture as possible, including accurate clothing, housing and light sources, making the film not only a good story, but a accurate depiction of Sami life and culture.