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Originally Posted by kitten320
Duno, I didn't mind the foreigners part. they might have gone over board a bit but it was nothing drastic.
And it is not just Japanes thing, in every country foreigners are accepted differently by everyone.
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Originally Posted by Proto
Really? Personally I can relate to the feeling. Mexico's non Latino/Native American population is exceedingly small and you don't get many chances to relate to ppl of other so-called-races. To the point that when I first came to the US I did find African American people to be scary. It was only after I came back years after and I had lived here for a few weeks that I got over that.
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Originally Posted by sikvod00
As a black person, I didn't find it racist. I think it's a normal reaction from someone who lives in a largely homogeneous society with limited exposure to other ethnic/racial groups. Stereotypes and some ignorance are to be expected, but it isn't racist or done in spite. I did roll my eyes a bit though. Lol. Ultimately the big theme of this episode is how karuta can transcend these socially-constructed barriers.
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The points are all well-taken. My only retort: Has there ever been a time when racism, however mild, is
not based on ignorance?
I'm willing to make a distinction between intentional and unintentional racial/cultural stereotyping. In my mind, though, both are equally bad. The latter is particularly tricky, because the "offender" doesn't even know there is a problem.
I'll concede that this programme is made for domestic Japanese audiences. The feelings of foreigners watching such content just wasn't in the equation, and neither do I expect it to be. True, it's a realistic portrayal of Japanese insularity, but my point is that such insularity is not something to be proud of, let alone laugh about. Ignorance, very simply, shouldn't be an excuse.
But, all things considered, it's just a minor nitpick in an otherwise usual episode. I'll stop here lest I derail the thread.