Subject:
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Where Brooklyn at? (Was: racial politics, black pack, etc.)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.starwars
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Date:
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Tue, 8 Aug 2000 18:59:40 GMT
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Viewed:
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1282 times
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continuing the thread...
In lugnet.starwars, Julie Krenz writes:
> Yep, the fig jumped right out to me as Lando...and Jabba...lol!!!
> Julie
> In lugnet.starwars, Jason Rowoldt writes:
> > Check this Lando out:
> >
> > http://collectibles.echostation.com/fbtb/mb.shtml
> >
> > Instantly recognizable, and with a yellow face.
> >
> >
> > (Credit given where credit is due, the creator's name is on the page I • believe)
> >
> > Jason
Sorry Y'all, I can't agree that this Lando's "instantly recognizable." I
doubt that any of us would be quick to make such an assumption if we saw the
same incarnation of him alone in another setting, or in a context without a
written key. I'd go as far as saying that if you need a key to declare a
creations intent, then maybe the creation falls short of its intended goal.
This is a hardline stance, I know, but I'm a leo and a stubborn mofo, and I
have to support my previous argument that a yellow lando just don't do it.
However, the above site is not without merit, and I applaud its creator with
a loud "bravo!" It's great to see a Jabba constructed out of bricks, but I
have a feeling that TLG will probably do a jabba that is molded along the
lines of the rock-monsters from the rock-raiders theme... sigh... I'm from
the old school. Y'know 375/ 6075 when we still had to construct horses from
bricks. Overall, I think that the Ki-Adi was my favorite.
getting to the other issues that were posted while I was out last night...
Jason Rowaldt asked the following questions:
"Why do you have to refer to them as 'the black heros'?"
Ummm... 'Cos they're black and they're heroes? I hope that's not too
sarcastic a reply.
"What is your agenda here?"
I've answered this already, I want lando and mace minifigs.
"Do you think LTG is on purpose, or even de facto, racist?"
I can't rightly say, but they're definitely based in a nation that isn't as
racially diverse as our own nation or some of the other nations that provide a
large market for their products. Does anybody know the racial composition of
france, england, or germany, or how argentina and brasil stack up in terms of
profit to TLG against the companies' homeland? I think the reluctance of TLG
to diversify the racial phenotype of the minifigs might in some way reflect
the fact that the issue of racial identitiy is simply not as prominent in
their home nation. I'm a caucasian puerto rican who lives in Flatbush,
Brooklyn, NYC. Flatbush is an area populated predominantly by afro-carribbean
peoples. In my neighborhood, I belong to a racial minority, and it's been
that way for as long as I can remember. From the moment I walk out the front
door of my apartment building, I count 1 anglo for every 10 afros (and i'm not
specifically referring to the hairdo). No, it dosen't bother me. My
neighborhood is a great place to live. It's a home to honest, hardworking
americans of all complexions, and I like it this way. I often wonder how many
other LUGNET users live in a similar setting, or if they suffer from the same
absence of racial diversity that the danish owners of TLG do. (Lego's from
Denmark, no? i easily confuse Dmk w/ the Dutch, lego's not dutch, is it?).
"Does it seem marketed toward non-blacks? (A term I use from your comments, as
I have a real problem in trying to judge that fine line as to who is black and
who isn't, based on skin tone or cultural preference. I'd rather us all be just
human beings)."
Yes, to me it seems that Lego is marketed more toward caucasoid youth than
to their ebony counterparts, but it's possible that it's by default. I
acknowledge the presence of black children in lego ads (i.e. the young girl in
the lego kids club ads -- possibly the SW contest ads?). I don't doubt that
Lego is trying to expand their popularity amongst black children, but I
imagine that lego marketing probably concentrates their marketing effort along
class lines. Lego being an expensive toy, they have to concentrate on middle
income families, a demographic that i believe is still dominated by anglo and
euro americans (i've got to make a note once again about the politicization of
the toy here). In Brooklyn, the Ceasar's Bay TRU is in an area that is
predominantly white. The Albee Sq. TRU is in a black neighborhood. The
Ceasar's Bay TRU seems to have a larger selection of Lego than the Albee Sq.
If other brooklyn lugnetters can back me up on this, please do.
We already are all human beings, jay (and no, I don't really mind it if
you call me "Day," it's an affectionate moniker that I've answered to for the
past 24 years, but realize that you are now one of a priviledged few that
includes only my closest friends and family), still racial identity and
cultural identity are important to preserve. It's not so much important that
you are able to judge who is or is not black (or white, or chinese, or
russian, or jewish, etc.) as much as it is important for the individual to
acknowledge their own racial identity and cultural heritage and develop a
greater understanding of what it means to be a part of any particular race,
religion, nationality, or ethnicity.
As far as the comments that come after your questions, I side with
aristotle, and think that all things are political, or at least politicized.
Jay, you didn't comment on my statement that it is the political and
philosophical morality of star wars that makes it such a timeless tale, should
I infer that you agree with me? If not, do you think that the lego star wars
theme is politically polarized apart from other lego, or can you group it into
your general view of lego as an apolitical entity?
I apologise to anyone who thinks that my references to genocide and ethnic
cleansing were a little bit too strong for the argument that I previously set
forth and acknowledge that I could have made my point without reference to
these subjects. it wasn't entirely my fault, I had just recently watched a
public television documentary about the western movie genre and was still
digesting all of the information it fed me. (as a small tangent, let's not
forget that the empire committed a genocide against leia's home planet,
alderaan, and that knowing some of lucas' ethnic background and political
stance, this action can definitely be interpreted as symbolic of the
holocaust, so genocide does have something to do with Star Wars, but jason
said not to confuse it with sw minifigs, so i return to my original subject).
We won't know what effect the inclusion of an additional race of minifigs in
lego sets will have on public perception of racial equality until it happens,
i dare say that the message implied by the absence of DSMs in the lego system
is one similar to "ebony peoples are not as important as their lighter-
complexioned brothers, the former dosen't spend as much money on toys as the
latter, and they certainly don't have access to the political means to change
this, so why even bother trying to cater to their worthless special interest
group." Sadly, I feel that this sentiment is echoed by many LUGNET users.
I wouldn't mind it if the entire minifig line were altered as a result of
the inclusion of DSMs into the SW themes, similar to the way that the printing
of expressions and facial features affected the evolution of the minifigs.
Brown would be my first choice for the color TLG should use to produce DSMs,
and if they only included them in the SW line, it'd be fine with me. It would
be great if TLG offered an accessory pack with DSM heads and hands. This,
should it ever come to exist, might help TLG avoid controversy over the roles
they cast their DSMs as by letting the users of the toys make such decisions
on their own. I agree with jay that heads like chewie's, 3po's, and the
headgear of boba fett's suck because of their lack of interchangeability and
constructive options. I can't explain how pissed I am that I can't outfit a
unit of blacktron with boba fett's jetpack. As far as the statement that the
inclusion of DSMs would make about all previous lego sets, it would be
something like, "Lego was slow (very slow) in creating DSMs for their system
sets" (it's been pointed out that they already exist in duplo). I hope that
answers your questions E.J. (if there are any I missed, email me directly).
P.S. I forgot to adress the issue of whether or not Lucas made conscious
decisions about his black actors and the roles that they play. In the case of
Mace Windu, lucas had to have made a conscious decision to have a black Jedi.
c'mon, man, Lucas is prophetic. he had to have seen the importance of casting
a black man as a Jedi in general, but appointing an older one to the Jedi
council was even more indicative of lucas's attempt to big up the black race
within his films. As for whether or not lando had to be black, he definitely
had to. If he wasn't what other major character would have been? Lando was a
major character! F@#%ing Dak (who I don't remember as black)and Biggs get
minifigs and Lando dosen't? Who's got more screentime, Lando or Wedge? Were
there any black pilots in episode 4? There definitely were in eps 1 & 6, but
i'm not entirely sure about 5.
Finally, I forgot to ask what IMHO and ABS refer to.
And Oh, I'd be satisfied if they just released sets with the DSMs, the Black
Pack idea was one with a touch of humor.
That's today's SW posting. I'm off to contact this justus guy.
out like stout
Damien
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Racial politics in LEGO
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| I must catch a flight in 15 mintues and will not have email for a few days, but had to post quickly: 1. No offense Scott S., but just because something has been discussed before does not mean it should not be discussed again and that nothing will (...) (24 years ago, 9-Aug-00, to lugnet.starwars)
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