Florida Secretary of State Michael Ertel resigns after his blackface pictures come tumbling out of the closet

FYI, It was 14 years ago.

Certainly, to put on blackface is extremely insensitive and tone-deaf. But there's was a time in our society when it was acceptable and thought to be comedic. So food for thought - is this person screwed because he did this and now it's an unacceptable behavior. Or is there a point in time at which we look the other way, for instance if someone did this 50 years ago when it was srill acceptable, he's ok, but if he did it 45 years ago, he's not ok? It's so weird and random to some degree.

Jimmy Kimmel was on The Man Show 15 years ago, where they had young women dress scantily and jump on trampolines so they could stare at the women's breasts bouncing. Is this acceptable? Does he need to apologize to women for objectifying them? Did it happen long enough ago, that he's forgiven, because it was a different climate? Or is it recent enough to offend women and force him off the air.

I'm by no means defending the Secretary's actions, but it's pretty confusing to me what bad choices people make will come back and bite them in 5, 10, or 15 years, and how serious the blowback would be/should be.

Blackface was not acceptable bak in 2004, dipshit.

It’s still acceptable.

It wasn’t just black face. It was blackface, wearing a dress, and wearing the sign “Hurricane Katrina Victim.”

Yes, that’s fucking shitty. He doesn’t even realize what a piece of crap he is for that.

Yes, you can do whatever you want, but a Secretary of State is supposed to feel everyone in the state should be treated equally.

If he has a history of making fun of black Hurricane Katrina victims, he must not be Secretary of State

This is what happens when whites people only know other white people.

He has no idea how racist he is

R1, the fact that he did this a mere two months after Hurricane Katrina made thousands of people homeless shows that it is even worse than if he had done it today

R1, is Jimmy Kimmel running for political office?

Didn’t think so

Not only acceptable, R3, but funny too. When I worked at Fox, everyone came in blackface and nobody complained.

And since Santa is white, why wouldn't this be funny?

Am I the only one who thinks that such behavior is precisely why he's in power?

he's also dressed like a full stereotypical "mammy" in that photo

It was a little as 10 years ago, r2. 30 Rock, SNL and even Jimmy Kimmel all did blackface within the last 10 years.

R12, are you seriously comparing comedy (without context of course because I'm sure you're a simpleton who will just pretend 30 Rock doing it is coming from the same place as this guy) with someone you can pretty much bet your life is a racist fuckhead?

[quote] Certainly, to put on blackface is extremely insensitive and tone-deaf. But there's was a time in our society when it was acceptable and thought to be comedic.

It was not ok 14 years ago. He was mocking Katrina victims! That is in no way comparable to the blackface of 30 Rock, SNL etc. in ters of what was acceptable then. The guy was repulsive then and he's repulsive now.

No, r13, I'm responding to a very specific comment.

What's interesting to me is that this guy had to have known these photos were out there yet he went ahead and sought a political career. Was he being blackmailed with them? Why did they come out now?

So you weren't attempting to conflate what he did and where it was coming from in his soul vs a show like 30 Rock?

R17, do you not see the reference to r2 in my post, which itself was responding to r1?

R18, I'm just saying that blackface not being acceptable doesn't mean context isn't a factor. Blackface is unacceptable, but context matters.

It was not acceptable when Joey Lawrence did it on Gimme a Break and was rightly berated by Nell Carter. So shut the fuck up because that was way before 2004. Learn the Laws of Datalounge. The man is a racist douche and R19 is the bag.

one day, DL will have a data breach and we will see who all the racists are on here

And, for the last time, r19, my response was limited to R2 -- a post that didn't distinguish context.

There are some very good people who do blackface.

R20, where did I defend him? I'm R13/R17. I was saying that context matters when it comes to a show like 30 Rock doing it vs this guy. It's not coming from the same place.

OK, r22, I understand your point.

Joy Reid has done worse and more recently yet DL sided with her.

No, R25. No she hasn't because this guy's politics shows that "blackface" is exactly who he is whereas you'd have to be a complete imbecile to think Reid would literally attempt to take your rights away as a gay person, but the guy you're currently trying to defend for no real reason would.

r26 Buddy, Joy literally said gay men are pedophiles recruiting children via LGBT groups. You're delusional if you think she would be supportive of such a group of people.

And what she said is worse, far worse, than blackface.

Does joy Reid currently hold a public office that affects millions of people’s legal rights r27?

I believe it was less than 10 years ago that the dancer Julie Hough dressed as a character from Orange is the New Black for Halloween. She was happily posing for the paps because she genuinely did not think it was offensive.

Dave Chappelle, my favorite comic, cons white face and lampoons the basic lame white dude and I think it's hilarious. Why is pretending to be black offensive, but pretending to be white is hysterically funny? I think context does matter,

If you dress up as Diana Ross I Mahogany= funny. Dressing as a poor Katrina victim= mean spirited.

[quote]Why is pretending to be black offensive, but pretending to be white is hysterically funny?

I know. It’s outrageous!

Well at least Santa Claus is a white man. He just is.

[quote]Certainly, to put on blackface is extremely insensitive and tone-deaf. But there's was a time in our society when it was acceptable and thought to be comedic. So food for thought - is this person screwed because he did this and now it's an unacceptable behavior. Or is there a point in time at which we look the other way, for instance if someone did this 50 years ago when it was srill acceptable, he's ok, but if he did it 45 years ago, he's not ok? It's so weird and random to some degree.

Can anyone here read? I never stated that blackface was acceptable in 2004. My question wasn't about this specific instance, but a general one - as evidenced by my examples of 45 vs. 50 years ago.

Let's try it this way: Would someone who performed in blackface back in the 30s or 40s be punished today for that act, even though it was socially acceptable back then?

[quote][R1], is Jimmy Kimmel running for political office?... Didn’t think so

No, but neither was Kevin Hart. If you think society is only looking at politicians' histories, you haven't been paying attention.

Michael Jackson was in white face for years.

I had a gollywog. I ruthlessly favoured my fluffy ginger teddy over it. There were no affirmative whispers directed to it whatsoever. It lay neglected in a cupboard and was later incinerated. These are the unvarnished facts. I stand naked before DL.