Eastenders Racism ~ Racist TV Soap Operas
I’m not much of a TV watcher and must confess here that I don’t watch soaps, or serial dramas as I now believe the term is, so I’m talking hypothetically and in particular about an episode of Eastenders about to be screened on the BBC
The BBC has clearly had a media blitz in the papers trumpeting this upcoming episode stating that it is a landmark because every actor featured in this episode is non-white !
A great move forward many, including the BBC presumably, would think - but to me it isn’t.
Why not just air the episode - to me it matters not what colour people are - if you still feel the need to make a point of it then, by definition, you still see it as a racial point.
Discrimination will only stop when these things no longer merit comment.
As long as we prefix people with things like, Black Comedian or Openly Gay Politician we will never beat prejudice.
By making a point of it you are surely suggesting a difference.
You never see a headline like ‘heterosexual MP calls for …’
So when you see ‘Gay MP calls for …’ that immediately says they are different and partitioning people or groups can only lead to isolation rather than unity.
This brings me to positive discrimination.
Speaking personally, were I from a minority background or group I would find it insulting when still today we see what are clearly ‘token gestures’
We’d better have a woman on the panel or we need somebody Asian or Indian as a character in this soap opera.
That’s simply condescending !
I understand the need to force change and perhaps my thoughts are a little ahead of what is currently possible but I would like to see a situation whereby the news reader or presenter is just that - somebody presenting a show or reading the news - I don’t mind what colour or religion they are !
And I do firmly believe that whilst people still feel the need to draw attention to it means we are a long way from a genuine lack of thoughts or opinions based on race.
The easiest way to demonstrate a lack of racial bias is simply to treat people the same and the BBC effectively saying ‘look at us ! We’re having a show with nothing but black people in’ could not be more condescending to their viewers and also the actors involved !
Jordan said,
February 25, 2009 @ 10:43 am
Rod
Very true, i agree with you totally (for a change!)
Jordan
Rod said,
February 25, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Jordan,
thanks for that, much appreciated
i agree with you totally (for a change!)
Don’t make a habit of though
Rod
Annie Flinn said,
February 25, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
I guess I have a somewhat different view. I find the addition of the nomenclature to be a “heads-up” for young people of whatever classification to look at this person’s life and to examine it for a possible positive role model. With the exception of people of color, so many of us must live in isolation, and secrecy. Being able to see people from a sub-group, who is out there, gives us hope.
Jordan said,
February 26, 2009 @ 9:29 am
RC
I make it a principle to try not to agree with people on a daily basis, life would be far to mundane otherwise.
Jordan