"Why do they have a white guy from Minnesota faking a Jamaican accent?"

Because it's funny, unless the stick up your ass has a stick up its ass.

But dont you see, Amy? Only white men can be sexist and racist.

A white man treating black people as different is racist for treating the different.

A white man treating black people the same as he treats while people is racist for not treating them just different enough to show that they are not racist.

God I long for the day when hispanics become america's largest demographic, cause then everything will be 17th century Spain's fault and all the racists blaming mexicans for the worlds problems will magically become the PC and everyone blaming WASPs will magically transmogrify into racists

What's wrong with joking about ethnicity, race, gender, or whatever?

Light-bulb jokes, you know the ones: "How many XXX does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Are we supposed to ban them? What about blond jokes?

Some people look for any excuse to get offended. That's their problem.

Light-bulb jokes, you know the ones: "How many XXX does it take to screw in a light bulb?" Are we supposed to ban them?

Of course; "How many mice does it take to screw in a light bulb?" is obviously speciesist.

This is so stupid. White guys can't do a good Jamaican accent - witness Brad Pitt in "Meet Joe Black". Worst Jamaican accent by a white guy ever.

Now, me, I do a GREAT Jamaican accent, ask anyone, they'll tell ya! My kids especially used to crack up when I called them a lazy lima bean or a crazy coconut. Never called anyone a "blood clot", though. I heard that's supposed to be a seriously nasty insult.

I'm with you Amy -- not that funny, but not racist either.

But don't you know anyone who opposes "The Great One's" ideas is a racist.

The rather obvious result is that the aggrieved minority gets ignored, because who needs to deal with this idiocy? That, of course, is further proof of racism to those who troll for insults. "They're talking about me. They're ignoring me." No kidding, choose one.

I just call it avoidance of aggravation. It keeps my blood pressure down and my mood mellow. I could be missing some great interactions with some amazing people, but I could win the lottery if I bought a ticket. Those are losses I can live with.

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" is by Bobby McFerrin, not Bob Marley.

You're so racist you can't even tell the difference between black musicians.**

**Sarcasm obviously. IIRC "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is one of the most frequently misatributed songs there is.

Elle, the song in the commercial is actually Bob Marley's Three Little Birds. Part of the song is don't worry, about a thing, everything little thing's, gonna be alright. I think that's the "Don't worry" part.

I wish I had a pile of money, I'd go out and buy a couple of new VWs. The commercial is kinda funny, because it's so comical, the guy's patois is horrible. But, no, sorry, I don't see any racism. I'm so sick of people screaming racism at everything little thing. They should listen to the words of the song. And good on Jamaica for using all this controversy to their advantage!

We don't have a history of French and German minstrel shows.

Having said that, if the NAACP doesn't give a hoot, neither should anyone else.

chief hispanic marketing strategist at Walton Isaacson, an African-American, Gay/Lesbian and Hispanic agency

That, there, is all you needed to know about this story. Sounds like they hit all the appropriate check boxes. I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that Walton Isaacson is owned by an upper middle class white, heterosexual woman.

She might even be Jewish.

Uh, I believe you are all off. The song at the end was made famous by the Partridge Family.

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

Cute commercial, nothing racist. Damn near anyone who likes music loved Bob Marley, who was a symbol of happiness and acceptance.

Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers:

Because it's funny, unless the stick up your ass has a stick up its ass.

Good un, mon!

"Some Jamaicans Seem To Love It; White People Find It Racist"

Maybe this is less about Jamaicans and more about one posturing group of white people pretending they're more enlightened than other white people.

Oh, wait -- because Jamaicans are black.

So, we're allowed to make fun of various people, or use their way of speaking in commercials and elsewhere -- unless they're black.

You nailed! (as usual). Nice job.

I also second Martin's sentiments. The self-righteous do-gooders will normally be the first neanderthals to speak up when something like this hits. I suppose when you are a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

And that would be Jimmy Cliff singing C'mon Get Happy...and another great Reggae legend.

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

NicoleK, we don't really have a history of Jamaican minstrel shows, either.

Another thing to consider is that there are white folks born and raised in Jamaica that...wait for it..have Jamaican accents!

Plenty of white Jamaicans. And you know what? They all have that accent too.

Minstrel shows and "amking fun of" are not the same thing. When we make fun of the French, we do so on equal terms.

Also, we do so stupidly. Fries are Belgian, not French.

The best "African American" moment was a few Olympics back, late 90s I think... there was that French girl Surelie Bonelé or however you spelled it, the one who did backflips on ice...

Anyhow, she was adopted by a French family, and she was black.

so when the commenter was talking about her, they said, "And the French girl, who is black .. I mean, African American!" and then trailed off realizing how stupid they sounded.

The actor says his Jamaican bil thought the ad was funny.

Some people look for any excuse to get offended. That's their problem.

No. It's not their problem. It's their livelihood. That's how they make their living. There's a whole new (since Dr. King's death) industry in the US. It's called "race hustling". And it pays. It gets you on TV. It gets you donations. It wins you elections. We're a sick country.

> Love Jamaican accents -- and French, Spanish,
> British, and…

I hate the Irish. (Only the accents.) Hate 'em. Visceral, instantaneous, harsh hatred.

There's something intrinsic to those pronunciations that just says I was ready to compel the next five generations of my family to eat Goddamn potatoes in the rain until the Good Lord put a stop to it. It's just so stupid, so shameless.

Presumably, the reason I hate it so much is that subtle traces persist in the impoverished hill-people of the United States Midwest, where I was raised.

Dozzen madder. I hate an Irish accent.

Okay, let's say that it is offensive.

So what?

Then don't buy the car (or whatever the "offender" is trying to sell to you). By making a big stink out of it more attention is drawn to it and the offendee (is that even a word?) looks like an ass.

And, this is why I love freedom of speech. Asses get to open their mouths so that we can all see what asses they really are. That works for me.

And when someone gives in to an ass; then we can see two asses!

And when someone gives in to an ass; then we can see two asses! -- Charles at February 2, 2013 7:50 AM

Isn't that just assessing the situation and figuring out who the idiot is?