Episode 372 — Insulting the Irish

[JulyDiaz 2797]

On today’s episode, Andrew and Katrina Kemp talk about a caller’s question regarding American clowns insulting the Irish due to their white makeup and red hair. Don’t forget to keep leaving us messages by calling (323) 389-RACE.

[memichelle 41]

Rude.

[hugLife 492]

Unless you really know the torture, ridicule, and bullying that red haired kids, especially boys, go through when they are younger, and even older, then don't try to say it's "not that bad" because they're still white. An accepted form of race hate. Ginger is not nice. So, if you went to school every day and people said derogatory and hateful things to you about your Asian features, but that was the "only problem" you had to deal with, then you should just get over it? Rude.

 

....seriously though?

[AndyPacheco-Fores 437]

Unless you really know the torture, ridicule, and bullying that red haired kids, especially boys, go through when they are younger, and even older, then don't try to say it's "not that bad" because they're still white. An accepted form of race hate. Ginger is not nice. So, if you went to school every day and people said derogatory and hateful things to you about your Asian features, but that was the "only problem" you had to deal with, then you should just get over it? Rude.

 

The only white red-haired people problem you've described is "other kids are mean to you sometimes." Does the government spy on white people with red hair like they do on Muslims? Do the cops pull over random white people with red hair because they "match a description" like they do to black men? Do white people with red hair get asked to prove they're in the country legally like latinos? What's the unemployment rate for white people with red hair compared to white people with other-colored hair? How about the incarceration rate? The poverty rate? How many hate crimes are committed against white people with red hair every year?

 

Being a white kid with red hair isn't that different from having to wear glasses. It's something you might get made fun of in school, and that's about as bad as it gets. Grow up and enter the real world.

[memichelle 41]

f

[wakefresh 689]

While I appreciate your condescending remarks, I think you missed the point. Did I say that the struggles of people with red hair are identical to (or even equal to) the struggles of certain races or ethnic groups that are routinely discriminated against? Certainly not. I am interested to know whether you have ever been a white kid with red hair. If you have, then I doubt you would have the opinion that "being a white kid with red hair isn't that different from having to wear glasses." Because, from my experience, the two are very different. I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as "kick a person with glasses day." And I also don't figure wearers of glasses are routinely told they have no soul. These things may sound silly to you, but kids have committed suicide as a result of this kind of torment. And while I recognize that calling this behavior racist is not necessarily appropriate, it does fall somewhere in the middle. I just really wish people would recognize this as something that is not ok.

 

You called the "struggles" of red hair people an accepted from of "race hate." Pfchangs gave you examples of race hate. If the "struggles" of red hair people don't match up or exceed this, then you're just talking bullshit.