Quote:
Originally Posted by sun
I am curious to know how can, calling monkey be viewed as racism?
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Context.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sun
From my childhood, I have seen people calling each other monkey, donkey etc. But I never thought it is a racial abuse!!!
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In India you would have also seen people negatively characterizing others as dimwitted with the epithet "owl" or "son-of-an-owl"... try that on a person far removed from Indian or nearby cultures and all you will receive a confused look. Owl, in many cultures, is symbolic of great widom and intelligence. Key Idea: Context.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigfella
To the question of the thread, yes, the term 'monkey' is deeply offensive to people of African & East Asian origin. It is a term that has been used over centuries to suggest that they are closely related to apes - that they are subhuman. Hitler famously referred to the Japanese as 'painted monkeys'. In Europe, racist elements in the crowd at football games have taunted black players by throwing bananas on the pitch. I can't think of an equivalent term with which to degrade Indians, but if I ever heard someone use one I would be the first in line to *****slap the racist piece of ****.
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It is equally degrading to Indians
and Europeans when thrown in the right context. WRT Indians see the recent Maccaca Controversy. Racial epithets aimed at Europeans in East Asia often take form on monkeys and other primates.