Operation Black Vote racist poster? yes bit because its against whites it doesn't matter

[laurenwiltxx]

Ive attached the picture of "operation black votes poster". I found it offensive and think that if shoe was on the other foot, there would probably be nationwide protests and a lawsuit. Why is it that when things target white people nothing is ever said?

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

They're not 'targeting white people' from what I can see off the poster on your picture - it's a very specific dynamic that's being represented.

You say 'if the shoe was on the other foot', but the whole point is that it isn't.

[Palehorse]

Unless you're a supporter of Britain First then i fail to see how you could find it offensive.
It's not even urging people to vote to Leave or Remain, but just to register to vote as BME voters are very underrepresented on the electoral roll.

[WriteforFun1]

I'm not white and I think this is anti-white and quite shocking really. My family would say the same.

There are so many ways to put across the message they are trying to put across. Why on earth did they choose this one?

[Banderwassnatched]

It's implying that white guys are racist, isn't it?

And is he wearing red Docs? I own red Docs.

[DiggersRest]

I don't think this particular poster is nice at all. If there were a black gang banger sitting where the skinhead is there would be, rightly, an uproar.

What does the image have to do with the EU referendum? Surely we're not holding Europe up as a shining example of how to treat minorities

[Pootles2010]

Yes as has been said, the key is that the shoe is not on the other foot. It isn't targeting white people, they are the only people it isn't targeting! Its highlighting the voice that people have, that they don't have to be silent in the face of racism.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

It's implying that white guys are racist, isn't it?

No, I'd say the primary thing it's doing is saying that BAME people face racism, and should therefore vote. If it was a thug and white woman, we would only be thinking about him as a thug, not a white thug.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

Diggers if you look at the Black Vote campaign, the connection with the EU referendum is that turnout is lower among BAME people and that their voices should be heard among the rest in the referendum. Particularly because much of the Leave campaign is insidiously racist.

[Banderwassnatched]

No, sorry, I don't like it. Not least because I actually own those boots.

[OTheHugeManatee]

Disgusting example of stereotyping. White man has red DMs and short hair so we think 'racist thug'. If someone published a poster with some black guy wearing lots of gold and the clear inference that this was a drug dealer/gangster there'd be uproar.

[SeekEveryEveryKnownHidingPlace]

So how do you visually represent the racism that minorities do face? If you can't show a white man doing it, do you have to just have an Indian woman looking frightened of nothing? Or pretend that Britain First et. al. is mainly populated by black drug dealers?

[OTheHugeManatee]

If I were a UK citizen of BAME origin I'd be wanting to leave the EU, as the freedom of movement policy discriminates in favour of predominantly white, Christian immigrants from the EU and against people from the rest of the world. Thus anyone wanting a spousal visa for a non-EU citizen or to bring relatives over from non-EU countries suffers indirectly as a result of this (IMO racist) asymmetry.

But let's just assume that being pro-EU is 'what nice people think' and hence will automatically have fewer racist consequences than the Leave position.

[Banderwassnatched]

Racism tends to be more sophisticated and insidious than this, these days. It's HE shredding CVS from 'foreign names', for example. I'm sure there are more nuanced images they could have used. But this is Saaychi and Saatchi- those of the 'Are you thinking what we're thinking' campaign. Who would give an anti-racism campaign from them any credibility?!

[Lweji]

For me it's anti-white thugs who are racist.

Or rather, it's pro-ethnic minorities voting so that white racist thugs are not over-represented in the overall vote.

And for me it's more about his attitude on the photo than whatever he's wearing. Whatever he was represented as or dressed as, it would always be criticised.

As the older asian woman could be any other ethnic minority member.

[Lweji]

More subtle racism is more difficult to present as a strong image, by definition.

And I think it specifically targets certain groups such as Britain First. I don't see the problem. (apart from the fact that staying or leaving the EU has no impact on immigration from Asia)

[Refusenick]

White man has red DMs and short hair so we think 'racist thug'. If someone published a poster with some black guy wearing lots of gold and the clear inference that this was a drug dealer/gangster there'd be uproar.

The white guy is protrayed as visibly angrily berating the Asian woman, though - it's not left implicit that he's a racist purely from his dress and race. The 'black guy wearing lots of gold' you mention would surely have to be portrayed as actually selling drugs in order for your comparison to work.

if you look at the Black Vote campaign, the connection with the EU referendum is that turnout is lower among BAME people and that their voices should be heard among the rest in the referendum. Particularly because much of the Leave campaign is insidiously racist.

This. And I say this as an immigrant and someone who owns those Docs.

If I were a UK citizen of BAME origin I'd be wanting to leave the EU

Well, that's your call. This poster is to remind those people that they have a vote to allow them to voice that opinion, if they think it.

[Banderwassnatched]

That just like Black Power, BF doesn't represent the vast majority of white people? It's a nasty divisive stereotype, another nasty campaign from Saatchi and Saatchi. Can't believe anyone would defend them, given campaigns they have done before.

[Lweji]

That just like Black Power, BF doesn't represent the vast majority of white people?

The Asian woman doesn't represent all minorities. So?

[Lweji]

"UKIP leader Nigel Farage telling the BBC it was “disgusting” and the campaign group is “trying to divide society”."

Erm... well...

[Banderwassnatched]

So like all negative racial stereotypes, Lweji, it's offensive. A bit like a billboard of a black guy eating corn and a bucket of fried chicken.

[MaliceInWonderland78]

I am half black (so therefore eminently qualified to share my opinion)

I'm uncomfortable with the poster. The (not quite) subliminal message in the poster is unacceptable. IMO it plays into the narrative that suits the remain camp.

What I would say to all black (would be) Brexiters:

The UK has a finite amount of space. By being in the EU, we are 'forced' to accept unskilled white people (by virtue of the fact that they happen to have been born somewhere in Europe) in favour of your skilled black people.

[Refusenick]

"UKIP leader Nigel Farage telling the BBC it was “disgusting” and the campaign group is “trying to divide society”."

Erm... well...

See ya on the barricades, Nige.

[MaliceInWonderland78]

I am half black (so therefore eminently qualified to share my opinion)

I'm uncomfortable with the poster. The (not quite) subliminal message in the poster is unacceptable. IMO it plays into the narrative that suits the remain camp.

What I would say to all black (would be) Brexiters:

The UK has a finite amount of space. By being in the EU, we are 'forced' to accept unskilled white people (by virtue of the fact that they happen to have been born somewhere in Europe) in favour of your skilled black people.

[Lweji]

The poster is clearly aimed at voters that may be intimidated by those shouting the most (Brexit, and in particular BF), and telling them that in the end it's the votes that count. Not the shouts or demonstrations.

[Lweji]

By being in the EU, we are 'forced' to accept unskilled white people (by virtue of the fact that they happen to have been born somewhere in Europe) in favour of your skilled black people.

Actually, there is also quite a lot of emigration from the UK to other European countries, who are also forced to accept them.