Had to share...
USA Network gets major points for their new ad campaign:
The cynical part of me says the network just wants attention, but there is definitely a part of me that does a happy dance when they mention racism and sexism and also show a gay couple.
If you want more info on the pledge, here's the link.
And, just for the fun of it, here are some of the responses that have been posted on the USA Network website.
(I never will understand the "I'm all for anti-discrimination, but..." comments.)
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I'm sorry, but I think it's funny when people say they don't believe in any "ism".
Then they're aismists, and that's a funny word that I just made up. Aismism. It means, without belief in isms.
umm, the USA networks does not get many points from me on this one. i think this is a problematic and superficial ad. it falls under the "color blind" racism that many liberal whites fail to see as racism. no one should be judged on their looks, yes, but that ideal has been co-opted by liberal ignorant people to be against affirmative action, etc. racism is more than people being judged by their looks, it's also how a racist history privileges certain people and oppresses others to this day.
so while the ad addresses some minor issues, it's not very critical or intelligent.
I don't think the ad "falls under the "color blind" racism that many liberal whites fail to see as racism." To advocate for a society where race matters less or isn't a relevant distinguisher isn't racist, it's naive and and maybe (maybe!) uninformed, but it's not racism. And some how linking this ad to people who use certain ideas to oppose "affirmative action etc." seems like an awfully big jump to me.
I agree some of the statements are a little iffy and cliche and vapid (especially those about there being no black or white or yellow...), but some of it is directly poignant, particularly the statements addressing stereotypes regarding professions and addressing the myth of the "good old times."
I post this response, not because I'm a huge and uncritical fan of the ad, it certainly has its problems and could definitely be even more in-your-face, but because I'm so tired of certain template arguments being used without any real analysis or nuance. It's not that your argument doesn't have any merit, but rather I think we should use finer strokes.
here's why it is racist to be "color blind." usually the people who make comments like "race shouldn't matter," or "i think people should be judged on merit not race," are privileged people who are blind to their own privilege. they think only hard work has gotten them to where they are and don't see how their parents' privilege and grandparent's privilege has helped them. now of course "to advocate for a society where race matters less," is not an inherently racist ideal. but in my experience, people who make that argument are ignorant about many of the inequalities that exist.
and i didn't link this ad to people who oppose affirmative action. i just said that such superficial statements are often used by people opposed to affirmative action, so the ad isn't really all that progressive or critical on gender/race/sexual orientation.
I think you have a good point-the world's definitely not color blind. I don't think we'll ever get there, but I think we, at least, might reach a point of tolerable equilibrium. This is a sappy pieces of work, very simplified, but keeping the format in mind, it's a nice sentiment to express. Sadly, I think it's very hard for people who are struggling to see what they've been given sometimes. The best people I know have some bitterness in their hearts.
On a side note-
I like how most of the comments focused on gay marriage and the whole "if you don't tolerate our intolerance than YOU"RE intolerant!" solipsistic nonsense. That strikes me as very silly. How many times can that argument loop itself?
Oh, I know. It's like in Candorville... "First then they came for the racists, and I did not speak out because I was not a racist... Then they came for the homophobes and there was no one left to speak out for me!"
Saying you support traditional marriage is one thing, but you can't protest USA's tolerance for same sex couples and then claim you don't discriminate. That's like saying you respect women as equals but think men should be the only ones to vote.
Infinitely. But to them, not many times. We can tell them they are intolerant for not supporting our intolerance of their intolerance, but they would tell us they are not intolerant, we are the intolerant ones for not accepting their belief, and their belief is with God so it can't be intolerant, just fact.
Ah, God. The ultimate argument killer, because whoever has God on their side cannot lose.
Yikes, I know. No logic, ration or anything similar can win. Why? god sez so. Blech.
One thing that needs to be called attention to in this ad: "I pledge because we are all American immigrants". Excuse me? Claiming multi-culturalism while ignoring the position of natives?
Yes, I noticed too, that was the instant eyebrow-raising part for me.
Well, if you really want to find a rationale, they say Native Americans walked here on a land bridge which would make them immigrants too... ;-)
I really liked that commercial a lot.