I hated the twins I had really hoped that they would have been killed off....

 

Yet again, Bay puts moronic shit in another TF movie.. /sign! Plz if u want anymore money from me stop with the idiocy and give some real comedy not b movie humor....

I have a question to ask everyone who is offended by the twins, but it requires a bit of background knowledge on myself first.

I am a white male with what most would consider to be long hair for a guy. The fact that I am a guy who likes having long hair means I have to face a prejudice that, while it doesn't get as much publicity, is just as wrong as racism; many people assume that a male with long hair is either a hippie, a drug addict/dealer, or a combination of the two. I have known several guys other than myself who like to grow their hair out longer than most, and they had absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with drugs of any kind outside of medicinal purposes.

Regardless, whenever we're looking to get hired at a new job, we're forced to change our hairstyles to what most guys wear, because if we walk into a job interview with our preferred hairstyles, we're pretty much guaranteed to not get the job. The interviewer would assume that we're pot smoking hippies who do nothing but sit around and get high all day. Not to mention the fact that most people in general believe that same stereotype, and regard us with very little respect because they assume that we're throwing our lives and potential away on illegal drugs.

In truth, the reason I grow my hair out is because I simply like the way I look with it (ok, and because I'm of the opinion that you cannot properly headbang with short hair :hbang ) And if you could talk to anyone I work with, they will swear to you that, despite my appearance, I am the cleanest one out of all of us, and anyone else who knows me would tell you that they couldn't imagine me using even the controlled substances that are legally allowed (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes).

Knowing this, just as much as any respectable African American watching RotF has reason to be offended by the Twins, I have reason to be offended by films like Pineapple Express and Orange County that have main characters depicting long-haired males as incompetent, drugged-out morons, or whenever I see PSA commercials on tv that only show long-haired teenage dudes offering drugs to kids who have "normal" hairstyles. The reason I DON'T take offense to any of these is that I realize one thing: while not every long-haired guy fits the stereotype of "idiot stoner", THERE IS A SH*TLOAD OF THEM THAT DO, and the only way to show people how wrong they are when they assume that I'm one of them is to prove them wrong with the way I live.

 

My question is this: How is it that I can acknowledge and accept this fact, as much as it sucks, and still enjoy movies that perpetuate stereotypes that are not true of me, personally, but so many others can't?

Let's see.

 

Throughout the entire history of mankind we have been able to find something to be offended about or ways to offend others weather intentionally or unintentionally. Can we say that this is human nature? No I don't think so. What I think this is, is a lack of sensitivity on everyone's part. The seemingly uncaring nature on the part of the offender and the over reaction of those offended. There will always be something out there people don't like no matter how nice or good it is. "Jesus" any one? Or how about Mother Theresa, she did so much for so many but in many of the places she went people hated her because she did what they wouldn't or they felt she didn't do enough for them. Ok, but let's bring this into the movie context.

You have the twins who people took as acting black. People were offended by this portrayal. If the twins had acted like white surfer dudes would people still have been offended? Let's face it racism and "people being offended" is very one sided. It is ok if they are making fun of someone else but not of me. We don't do anything if we see someone else getting mugged we quickly look away and move on as fast as we can but it is the worst thing in the world if we are the ones mugged.

I am not defending anyone in any way saying there is nothing wrong with the twins what I am saying is that:

1: People are insensitive to others. (Lets make fun of so and so everyone will love it and who cares if we hurt his feelings everyone else will like it.)

2: People don't take a stand for other only for themselves. (Hey as long as it aint me he's talking about I am fine.)

3: We, as a whole have become so desensitized to negative language, violence, and overall inappropriateness we just don't care anymore. (Look mommy that guy just got blown up after having sex with that woman and calling his daddy a bad name…. Yes dear, wasn't that funny.)

 

Let's take for example someone who works in an ER. They see injured people all the time and dying people on a daily basis pretty much. So when they hear about someone else dying they don't really care so much but someone who is not around that on a daily basis may care more. We, as a society just don't seem to care anymore.

And as such we keep paying to see movies and shows that aren't that great or are offensive and people keep making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ off of it so they keep making them and we keep watching so at some point we don't even question if it was good and moral and right anymore.

Sad thing is in general no one cares until it is they who are being attacked. But now I am just rambling….

 

In conclusion: I barely know what it is I am talking about. So I am going to go watch my gangsta' movie while smoking w^^d with some surfer dudes and listen to death metal music while torturing small animals because my long hair told me to.

If Bay, Orci, and/or Kurtzman was black and the movie was exactly the same, I wonder if there'd still be this controversy...

 

You should see me talk about the Wayans Brothers. I'd have just as much of a problem, if not more. But I do think you raise a good point, John. I think the controversy, by and large, would have been swept completely under the rug...and, even more likely, it wouldn't stand as 'controversial' at all under those circumstances.

 

There is something rather sick in that.

It's ok to make fun of yourself butit's not ok for someone else to....

I have a question to ask everyone who is offended by the twins, but it requires a bit of background knowledge on myself first.

I am a white male with what most would consider to be long hair for a guy. The fact that I am a guy who likes having long hair means I have to face a prejudice that, while it doesn't get as much publicity, is just as wrong as racism; many people assume that a male with long hair is either a hippie, a drug addict/dealer, or a combination of the two. I have known several guys other than myself who like to grow their hair out longer than most, and they had absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with drugs of any kind outside of medicinal purposes.

Regardless, whenever we're looking to get hired at a new job, we're forced to change our hairstyles to what most guys wear, because if we walk into a job interview with our preferred hairstyles, we're pretty much guaranteed to not get the job. The interviewer would assume that we're pot smoking hippies who do nothing but sit around and get high all day. Not to mention the fact that most people in general believe that same stereotype, and regard us with very little respect because they assume that we're throwing our lives and potential away on illegal drugs.

In truth, the reason I grow my hair out is because I simply like the way I look with it (ok, and because I'm of the opinion that you cannot properly headbang with short hair :hbang ) And if you could talk to anyone I work with, they will swear to you that, despite my appearance, I am the cleanest one out of all of us, and anyone else who knows me would tell you that they couldn't imagine me using even the controlled substances that are legally allowed (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes).

Knowing this, just as much as any respectable African American watching RotF has reason to be offended by the Twins, I have reason to be offended by films like Pineapple Express and Orange County that have main characters depicting long-haired males as incompetent, drugged-out morons, or whenever I see PSA commercials on tv that only show long-haired teenage dudes offering drugs to kids who have "normal" hairstyles. The reason I DON'T take offense to any of these is that I realize one thing: while not every long-haired guy fits the stereotype of "idiot stoner", THERE IS A SH*TLOAD OF THEM THAT DO, and the only way to show people how wrong they are when they assume that I'm one of them is to prove them wrong with the way I live.

 

My question is this: How is it that I can acknowledge and accept this fact, as much as it sucks, and still enjoy movies that perpetuate stereotypes that are not true of me, personally, but so many others can't?

 

 

Here is why your argument is full of wholes.. It's just a "look" or a "style" if you decide that you are tired of hearing it from "Da Man" you can change it. Human beings can not change their skin color. So quit tryin' to live the dream and cut your hair Hippie!

Here is why your argument is full of wholes.. It's just a "look" or a "style" if you decide that you are tired of hearing it from "Da Man" you can change it. Human beings can not change their skin color. So quit tryin' to live the dream and cut your hair Hippie!

 

 

 

But don't humans have the ability to change there behavior? I don't think the argument is about skin color but behavior. If people don't like being steriotyped due to someone elses behavior or their own shouldn't they change the way they act? Ok but to try and stay on a subject we have totally left behind.

 

What does it matter if the writers "sympathise" with others, if they keep writing and endorsing the person who did wrong just because he pays them. To me all this means is that their own "so called" beliefs and morals are for sale....

I have a question to ask everyone who is offended by the twins, but it requires a bit of background knowledge on myself first.

I am a white male with what most would consider to be long hair for a guy. The fact that I am a guy who likes having long hair means I have to face a prejudice that, while it doesn't get as much publicity, is just as wrong as racism; many people assume that a male with long hair is either a hippie, a drug addict/dealer, or a combination of the two. I have known several guys other than myself who like to grow their hair out longer than most, and they had absolutely no affiliation whatsoever with drugs of any kind outside of medicinal purposes.

Regardless, whenever we're looking to get hired at a new job, we're forced to change our hairstyles to what most guys wear, because if we walk into a job interview with our preferred hairstyles, we're pretty much guaranteed to not get the job. The interviewer would assume that we're pot smoking hippies who do nothing but sit around and get high all day. Not to mention the fact that most people in general believe that same stereotype, and regard us with very little respect because they assume that we're throwing our lives and potential away on illegal drugs.

In truth, the reason I grow my hair out is because I simply like the way I look with it (ok, and because I'm of the opinion that you cannot properly headbang with short hair :hbang ) And if you could talk to anyone I work with, they will swear to you that, despite my appearance, I am the cleanest one out of all of us, and anyone else who knows me would tell you that they couldn't imagine me using even the controlled substances that are legally allowed (i.e. alcohol, cigarettes).

Knowing this, just as much as any respectable African American watching RotF has reason to be offended by the Twins, I have reason to be offended by films like Pineapple Express and Orange County that have main characters depicting long-haired males as incompetent, drugged-out morons, or whenever I see PSA commercials on tv that only show long-haired teenage dudes offering drugs to kids who have "normal" hairstyles. The reason I DON'T take offense to any of these is that I realize one thing: while not every long-haired guy fits the stereotype of "idiot stoner", THERE IS A SH*TLOAD OF THEM THAT DO, and the only way to show people how wrong they are when they assume that I'm one of them is to prove them wrong with the way I live.

 

My question is this: How is it that I can acknowledge and accept this fact, as much as it sucks, and still enjoy movies that perpetuate stereotypes that are not true of me, personally, but so many others can't?

 

 

To be perfectly honest, I spend an inordinate amount of time watching and (occassionally) enjoying movies with either a subtle or overt discriminatory overtone. Let's face facts: you really have a difficult time watching an American Western (for instance) where the out and out hatred of Native Americans isn't shining though. My god, I have a hard time watching some of the movies from the early days of Hollywood because some of the content is just plain hateful. It depends on the degree and nature of the particular item in a movie that truly offends me. Is the stereotype in question so truly offensive that it now directly affects the viewing experience? Is the stereotype merely a piece of the movie, or is it the very essence of the movie? It's a bargain that I make, because there is a stereotype of some sort against someone in pretty much every movie you're going to watch. Did the wonder twins truly offend me? Not nearly as much as some other things I've seen, but those other movies I've seen also didn't have the platform that this one did, and that truly is what bothers me. I felt Jazz came close to crossing the line two years ago, and the twins--to put it simply--did.

 

That this portrayal was so carelessly put forth is cause for exactly the kind of polarized debate you see now.

 

That the dialogue must be polarized at all speaks in volumes about each and every one of us.

Here is why your argument is full of wholes.. It's just a "look" or a "style" if you decide that you are tired of hearing it from "Da Man" you can change it. Human beings can not change their skin color. So quit tryin' to live the dream and cut your hair Hippie!

 

 

 

But don't humans have the ability to change there behavior? I don't think the argument is about skin color but behavior. If people don't like being steriotyped due to someone elses behavior or their own shouldn't they change the way they act? Ok but to try and stay on a subject we have totally left behind.

 

What does it matter if the writers "sympathise" with others, if they keep writing and endorsing the person who did wrong just because he pays them. To me all this means is that their own "so called" beliefs and morals are for sale....

If you look back to the original post it refers to the situation as "African Americans" watching RoftF. So yes in response to his subject it does refer to color.

Take the Native American Indian!

 

All of the rest of us came over to America and just took over their land went to war with them, drove them out, massacred them, and typically speaking enslaved them!

 

Or how about the Jewish Community we all know their story!

 

I have never heard anyone apologize for any of this?

 

And I do not usually hear them complaining?

 

But there is a certain ethnic community (Not all of them but a Lot of them) which I won’t even name here that demands an apology for everything and anything all of the time 24 \ 7 and this needs to stop. The funny thing is you know exactly which race I’m talking about and you are very scared to admit this and you will rather attack me than admit I’m right.

 

I would be offended to be in this race and would always wonder when my group would just truly let us get past it and move on.