Is this racist ?

[OGC]

Personalized Michigan license plate recalled after complaints it contained racial slur. (http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/12/personalized_michigan_license.html)

[landarch]

Ridiculous. I hate us so much.

[yojimbo7248]

yeah, of course, this isn't racist and the offended woman is being ridiculously oversensitive but so what? There are tons of ridiculously sensitive people in America of all colors, genders, ethnicities. I think it's newsworthy when an organization like an Italian American group is oversensentitive about Jersey Shore but how is one idiotic woman getting pissed off at a license plate worth putting in the newspaper?

[Chigworthy]

I'm lost. Is it the Sam part (Uncle Sam)? If so, the complainant should have her teeth pulled out with a sack of chisels.

[mikeyboy]

I'm lost. Is it the Sam part (Uncle Sam)? If so, the complainant should have her teeth pulled out with a sack of chisels.

It's not the plate in the picture.

[Ritalin]

I'm lost. Is it the Sam part (Uncle Sam)? If so, the complainant should have her teeth pulled out with a sack of chisels.

It's not the plate in the picture.

PULL HIS TEETH! PULL HIS TEETH!

[Mitch&Murray]

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[sailor]

Of course it is. Unless it's his name. Or the idiot was trying to spell danger.

[yojimbo7248]

Of course it is. Unless it's his name. Or the idiot was trying to spell danger.

I am so naive that I assumed the guy wasn't actually spelling out "die nigger". if he was, is there any question it's racist? Would anyone criticize the woman for being furious?

This could be one of those confederate flag type arguments. There are plenty of people who wave a confederate flag around fully meaning to piss off black people then when called on it, they say, "what? I'm just celebrating my heritage". I find that cowardly as well as racist. If you hate black people so much that you need to publicly show your feelings, at least have the guts to stand up for it.

Yeah, I guess there is no way that license plate could be read without thinking "die nigger". I just glanced over the story so I don't know what the guy is claiming. I guess he is either saying, "yes, I hate black people and want them all dead" or "what? I was just innocently spelling 'danger' and it never dawned on me it could be taken the wrong way"

Yes, it's racist and stupid and most likely cowardly

[Cockstrong]

Does anyone read the article, or do they just look at the picture and then post?

[yojimbo7248]

Does anyone read the article, or do they just look at the picture and then post?

I just read it carefully and the woman has every right to be pissed.

[Cockstrong]

Do you still feel the same way after you read the update?

http://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/index.ssf/2009/12/personalized_license_plate_own.html

[Marc with a c]

now i think it's reverse racism, and i'm outraged.

[Cockstrong]

I'm going to double reverse racism your ass.

[Marc with a c]

you can't double reverse a reverse racism decree.

[mikeyboy]

Can too. No givebacks with a double stamp.

[Marc with a c]

yeah huh. i'll triple stamp it, touch blue make it true.

[yojimbo7248]

I flip flopping back to my original opinion - the woman overreacted. I'm glad that my initial naive take on this - that no one could possibly put "die nigger" on a license plate - turned out to be right. I don't think her reaction, however, is as bad as those DC government people who drove the white colleague out of his job for saying "niggardly" completely innocently in a budget meeting.

yep, she is far too sensitive. the US is full of people like this but I can see how she could be confused. Her big mistake was taking the time and effort to have Macauley's license plate revoked. Some people just love being outraged.

[Ritalin]

I flip flopping back to my original opinion - the woman overreacted. I'm glad that my initial naive take on this - that no one could possibly put "die nigger" on a license plate - turned out to be right. I don't think her reaction, however, is as bad as those DC government people who drove the white colleague out of his job for saying "niggardly" completely innocently in a budget meeting.

yep, she is far too sensitive. the US is full of people like this but I can see how she could be confused. Her big mistake was taking the time and effort to have Macauley's license plate revoked. Some people just love being outraged.

Who's outraged? The chick thought she saw "die nigger" in some condensed form on a license plate and called the state. That turned out not to be the case, but the state decided to give the guy a different license plate anyway. A good decision, I think, because you and I both had the same initial reaction: we didn't see it at first, but once it was pointed out to us you have to admit that it can spell out - intentionally or otherwise - "die nigger". Of course the state would want that out of circulation. The guy is disappointed but satisfied and just wants it to be over, and it is.

No outrage.

(And I've been to Michigan. It wouldn't surprise me at all if someone out there tried to put "die nigger" on their license plate.)

[OGC]

when I read the first article, I assumed he meant the license plate to be read as DANGER, but I can certainly see how someone could see DIE NIGGER there.

When the owner explained that he owned a Harley Dyna Wide Glide, it sort of explained the plate to me but I don't understand why the "R" was added on other than to cause trouble while still being able to fall back on the motorcycle story.

[yojimbo7248]

when I read the first article, I assumed he meant the license plate to be read as DANGER, but I can certainly see how someone could see DIE NIGGER there.

When the owner explained that he owned a Harley Dyna Wide Glide, it sort of explained the plate to me but I don't understand why the "R" was added on other than to cause trouble while still being able to fall back on the motorcycle story.

Good point. He might be pulling that "what? it's referring to my bike" but fully aware that people could read DIE NIGGER. The 'r' does indicate he meant to piss off blacks. The article makes Macauley look pretty innocent but good catch with why throw in the 'r'

I really hate that mock innocence with crap like this. Don't be a pussy, if you meant to write DIE NIGGER, admit it. Why would you spend the time and effort to get a license plate saying this and then pretend it is referring to your motorcycle

[ozzie]

He says it’s an abbreviation that blends his two favorite Harleys: The Dyna Wide Glide and the Soft Tail Springer.

DynaSpringer = Dynager = DYNGR


plausible

[Suspect Chin]

DynaSpringer = Dynager = DYNGR


plausible

http://bajalatapa.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/mythbusters_plausible_spray1.png?w=256&h=256

[Suspect Chin]

But seriously, if he had the guts to make the 'racist' license plate, it seems like he would have the guts to fess up to it when he got caught.

I think he just poorly combined the two words and is naive and innocent.

[Fallon]

Gilmore, of Muskegon Heights, said that at the time she saw the license plate, she “went from awe to disbelief to sadness and then anger because I had my 11-year-old son with me and I had to explain it to him.”


Why did she have to tell the son what it said, she's making things worse!

[sailor]

Good point

[Suspect Chin]

Gilmore, of Muskegon Heights, said that at the time she saw the license plate, she “went from awe to disbelief to sadness and then anger because I had my 11-year-old son with me and I had to explain it to him.”


Why did she have to tell the son what it said, she's making things worse!

Black people should be the last group to be shocked that 'racism' still exists in this country.

[hanso]

Maybe it's German.

[midwestjeff]

Bikers are such fags.

[Suspect Chin]

Bikers are such fags.

It's amazing when you see these big groups of 'tough guys' all wearing matching leather vests, patches, and wallet chains like it's the boy scouts.

So gay.

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

Gilmore, of Muskegon Heights, said that at the time she saw the license plate, she “went from awe to disbelief to sadness and then anger because I had my 11-year-old son with me and I had to explain it to him.”


Why did she have to tell the son what it said, she's making things worse!


She got uppity about a license plate, but why not get angry about the intra-community violence in Detroit. So much for priorities.

[Suspect Chin]

She got uppity about a license plate, but why not get angry about the intra-community violence in Detroit. So much for priorities.

They have Dr. Bill Cosby to worry about those sorts of things.

[JohnGacysCrawlSpace]

And they sure don't like it when he brings it up.

[TeeBone]

I am sure he does not want, 'Ns' to die.
yet another, in a long line of incidents; whereupon people seems to be overeager to be offended by something.:thumbdown:

[epo]

She got uppity about a license plate, but why not get angry about the intra-community violence in Detroit. So much for priorities.

Logical fallacy much?

I am sure he does not want, 'Ns' to die.
yet another, in a long line of incidents; whereupon people seems to be overeager to be offended by something.:thumbdown:

Are we overeager to be offended, or as a nation are we severely illiterate about the racism in the roots of our society & history, hence causing people to read racism in many different and varied ways?

[Dude!]

Are we overeager to be offended, or as a nation are we severely illiterate about the racism in the roots of our society & history, hence causing people to read racism in many different and varied ways?

that is a horrible sentence
are you drunk?

[epo]

that is a horrible sentence
are you drunk?

I just woke up from a very sober nap. However, it has nothing to do with whether we are socially illiterate about racism & the history of racism in the nation.

[Suspect Chin]

I just woke up from a very sober nap. However, it has nothing to do with whether we are socially illiterate about racism & the history of racism in the nation.

We all know the story.

[epo]

We all know the story.

The history of racism in America doesn't start and stop with a bad history teacher showing their students a copy of Roots.

[Suspect Chin]

The history of racism in America doesn't start and stop with a bad history teacher showing their students a copy of Roots.

Why not? That's how I learned it. Well that and the documentary of Malcolm X starring Edward Norton as Derek Vinyard.

[sailor]

Are we overeager to be offended, or as a nation are we severely illiterate about the racism in the roots of our society & history, hence causing people to read racism in many different and varied ways?

neither? at least in this case. i think both sides should hang out and wait for a better example to push their agenda. this one doesn't fit either way.