It is, in fact, a nonsensical argument. The accent exists in reality. The fact that Kutcher and others can’t do it justice is irrelevant!

I can see how people would think so, but most people haven’t been scientists in major research universities. Raj is a stereotype, yes, but one that comes from 95% reality – I knew a grad student just like Raj.

Not all Indian grad students are like that. But some are, and they’re endearing, funny, and fun to be around. Thus I think Raj on the show is a positive character, because most people don’t realize that foreigners at universities have any personality at all (and it’s telling that they never try to show Asians on the show).

There have been a handful of times where they took it too far, and I cringed. But as a whole I think it’s a great character, and my favorite by far on the show.

I don’t say that Indians act like Apu, but Apus accent has some base to it! Just as people that come from Jamaica can have a distinct accent that gives you a hint of where they are from.

Fair comparison. What do you think the reaction would be if Ashton Kutcher put on black face makeup and did a bad impression of a Jamaican accent? I’m guessing somewhere in between “absolute sh*tstorm” and “never work in this industry again.”

I don’t say that Indians act like Apu, but Apus accent has some base to it! Just as people that come from Jamaica can have a distinct accent that gives you a hint of where they are from.

Fair comparison. What do you think the reaction would be if Ashton Kutcher put on black face makeup and did a bad impression of a Jamaican accent? I’m guessing somewhere in between “absolute sh*tstorm” and “never work in this industry again.”

Would not be surprised if he has made rage-videos about how Apu sounds in the Simpsons.

Well, for one thing, Apu is SUPPOSED to be an overblown stereotypical caricature of a real human being. And he’s a character who was conceived over a quarter century ago. And a lot of people do find him somewhat offensive nowadays. And he’s STILL a much more sympathetic, well-rounded character than the ones in the videos shown above.

btw-when white people mention the term “politically correct” most people of color take that as code that you are admitting you are racist.

You can still be racist, as a person of color I can say we are totally used to it and admittedly also guilty of it, just cop to it.

Key and Peele had it right when they said that the closest thing to a racial epithet that is as powerful as the many they mentioned for African Americans, is to call a white person “racist”.  All the verbal squirming here confirms as much.

Just to be clear, I’m pretty darned white myself.

When white people focus so much more on the latter, they’re showing that they’ve yet to graduate from Racism 101.

Answer, either way–in many cases in the U.S. and Canada and Europe, when white people and non-white people do the same thing, they’re not actually doing the same thing.

De Facto White Supremacy: we’re soaking in it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4f9zR5yzY 

Of course, when Kutcher’s ilk does it it has seized to be art.
/snark

Of course, when Kutcher’s ilk does it it has seized to be art.
/snark

Hah!  Take that Indianish Asians! 

Now you know how it feels to have Ashton fucking Kutcher play one of you. 

Is doing accents always offensive? 
Which accents can can be put on without being racist? 
Why are those accent imitations not racist or at least offensive? 
Are there exact boundaries to determine? 
I wish I was black for the purpose of attempting to do an offensive whiteface minstrel show to fathom that out. 
Can that be done? 

I’m a minority member  too.  Several. 

As atheist, religious minority. 
I once have been an undocumented “illegal” and exploited alien for years. 
I’m of Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, an area that was Danish since the Angles had left it for the British Isles, until the Prussians and Austrians conquered it when the USA were already 88 years old, and when it “decided” to join the federation of German states the New York Times had an article about it. 
I still feel very American. 
I have German citizenship, which is cool, better than most, but I don’t identify as German much.  I have been an undocumented “illegal” alien for years. 
Coming of age in Hawai’i, I’ve often heard “Haole” said to me with the same venom and disgust as when a cracker says “nigger”. 
I’ve been one of those “crackers” too, having lived in the Deep South for a few years. 
In my life I have on many occasions been the victim of crime, even physically attacked for no other reason than being from a different, and with that, wrong branch of the human family tree. 

I know.  White people problems.  

I remain feeling compelled to stand up for every minority’s equal rights. 
(I even demand equal treatment for the extreme minority of the 1%.) 

Everybody should try to understand that everybody else, even, and in this society particularly straight white males, make great allies in the fight for womens rights, gay rights and every minorities equal rights. 
And everybody is of a minority somewhere and a foreigner almost everywhere. 
And no minority stands a chance without the support of the other minorities. 

And that is why racism, sexism, religious persecution, nationalism and many other isms are wrong, even when they come from the suppressed. 
Wrong. 

I even support anyone’s right to be outraged over insignificant Christopher Ashton showing his 1% ass. 
I just won’t partake. 
Just in the conversation.      =]

Hah!  Take that Indianish Asians! 

Now you know how it feels to have Ashton fucking Kutcher play one of you. 

Is doing accents always offensive? 
Which accents can can be put on without being racist? 
Why are those accent imitations not racist or at least offensive? 
Are there exact boundaries to determine? 
I wish I was black for the purpose of attempting to do an offensive whiteface minstrel show to fathom that out. 
Can that be done? 

I’m a minority member  too.  Several. 

As atheist, religious minority. 
I once have been an undocumented “illegal” and exploited alien for years. 
I’m of Danish ethnic minority in Southern Schleswig, an area that was Danish since the Angles had left it for the British Isles, until the Prussians and Austrians conquered it when the USA were already 88 years old, and when it “decided” to join the federation of German states the New York Times had an article about it. 
I still feel very American. 
I have German citizenship, which is cool, better than most, but I don’t identify as German much.  I have been an undocumented “illegal” alien for years. 
Coming of age in Hawai’i, I’ve often heard “Haole” said to me with the same venom and disgust as when a cracker says “nigger”. 
I’ve been one of those “crackers” too, having lived in the Deep South for a few years. 
In my life I have on many occasions been the victim of crime, even physically attacked for no other reason than being from a different, and with that, wrong branch of the human family tree. 

I know.  White people problems.  

I remain feeling compelled to stand up for every minority’s equal rights. 
(I even demand equal treatment for the extreme minority of the 1%.) 

Everybody should try to understand that everybody else, even, and in this society particularly straight white males, make great allies in the fight for womens rights, gay rights and every minorities equal rights. 
And everybody is of a minority somewhere and a foreigner almost everywhere. 
And no minority stands a chance without the support of the other minorities. 

And that is why racism, sexism, religious persecution, nationalism and many other isms are wrong, even when they come from the suppressed. 
Wrong. 

I even support anyone’s right to be outraged over insignificant Christopher Ashton showing his 1% ass. 
I just won’t partake. 
Just in the conversation.      =]