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"John DiRienzo" <ig88888888@stlnet.com> wrote in message
news:G0xz8F.Fon@lugnet.com...
> I put this in lugnet.general because I don't know where it started.
> We ain't what we oughta be
> We ain't what we wanta be
> We ain't what we gonna be
> But thank God we ain't what we was.
> -MLK
>
> Perhaps some people will be mad at me for bringing this subject back • into
> the light(1). But I prefer to address things which should be addressed. • I
> have been catching up on Lugnet and I have refrained from typing many • replies,
> but this has been a hot topic for about 211 years here in the United • States,
> and since black people are still being treated unequally I am going to • type
> now. For the first time, I will side with Dave! Schuler, on some things.
> Man, the pompousness and sheer willful blindness of some people irritates • me
> to no end.
After reading through this post of yours, even though you did bring up a
touchy subject, I think you have done the best job by far of everyone
illustrating both sides and drawing a reasonable conclusion from it. I am
in complete agreement with your statements here.
> I did the same thing Tim Courtney did, I tried to find some black • people
> pictured on LEGO products/advertising. I looked through a pile of • catalogs I
> have, and picked up the newest ones first, thinking I would have the best
> chance of finding black people in those. OK, the 2000 European catalog • has
> about 40 people in it - none of them are black. OK. The 1999 Euro • catalog -
> about 20 people pictured, no blacks. Hmm. 1979 catalog - 1 dozen people
> pictured, of course none are black. So I am seeing a trend.
I would gather that the reason you found no black people represented was
because you were looking at European catalogs - where the percentage of the
black population is far less, and where a lot less racism exists. There are
still few in US catalogs, but at least there are some, and I believe it has
been improving over the last few years.
> OK, so I did that. I knew this though. I didn't have to look. I • already
> knew, and so do you people. Even you Tim, who tried to argue on TLC's • behalf
> by alluding to some magazines that picture blacks. You know it. You can
> refuse to admit it, but you know it - there are very very few blacks • pictured
> in LEGO's various publications and materials. I knew because I have been
> playing with LEGO for years, and I know I never see blacks on the boxes or • in
> the catalogs(2).
I have no choice but to admit it, there are few blacks pictured. Hopefully
this will change soon (and hopefully the attitudes of the market researchers
you pointed out will as well). I know that my examples have been all recent
US (and 1 international) - as in the last 5 years. Hopefully this signifies
a progression.
> Finally, for the argument is TLC racist (no!) for making a yellow • Lando...
> thats just so stupid... they'd appear to be a lot less racist if they make • him
> yellow than if they make him brown. Hmm... there have been 200 billion • yellow
> faced minifigs and only 1 black...
> They are up a creek without a paddle either way if people continue to
> insist it is TLC's responsiblility to solve the racism problem in the USA.
> 211 years worth of good ol' American know how hasn't put a dent in that
> problem, and neither will TLC - they shouldn't even be expected to! I do
> expect them to sell good toys, and I am confident they will continue to do
> so. Thank you for reading this lengthy missive.
Great conclusion. Though I say that they should portray the SW characters
as accurately as possible, they are in trouble either way they choose.
--
Tim Courtney - tim@zacktron.com
http://www.ldraw.org - Centralized LDraw Resources
http://www.zacktron.com - Zacktron Alliance
ICQ: 23951114
AIM: TimCourtne
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Concerns with Racial Attitudes and Lego
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| (...) USA. (...) This is got to be the funniest or at least the most pathetic statement I have read yet in this never ending debate. The USA has done nothing in 211 years about racism? Yes, tere are problems, but I think it will get better over (...) (24 years ago, 15-Sep-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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