Monday, September 23, 2013



Banana racism



Weeks after an Italian Cabinet minister of African descent had a banana thrown at her, a far more prominent black politician was apparently racially slurred with a photoshopped image linking him with the yellow fruit.

A pro-Kremlin Russian MP named Irina Rodnina tweeted a photo (since deleted from her account) which showed a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle attending some public function (probably a sporting event), with a banana mysteriously hanging in front of them.

Linking bananas to black people is considered extremely insulting and inflammatory, but has become a regular feature of life in Europe, especially on soccer pitches where black and African players are frequently taunted with bananas. And in late July, a banana was thrown at Italy’s Congolese-born Integration Minister, Cecile Kyenge, during a political rally.

Source

Apparently there is some belief that monkeys eat bananas.  But since the vast majority of the world's bananas are eaten by human beings, this is at least not a clever slur.  I would be more inclined to link Obama with jellyfish.

3 comments:

Stefan v said...

Actually, putting a real monkey in the oval orifice would probably be less damaging than the current inhabitant. Even one of the former denizens soiled the place with bodily emanations, so if you put down plastic sheeting the change wouldn't be bad at all. Certainly cheaper, and a stellar improvement of the American reputation internationally. Here's hoping...

Stefan v said...

I doubt Barrie really is a muslim, or a marxist. He puts on whatever hat he needs to get his job done; and when it is done, he thinks he'll be able to put on his real hat, but will be unpleasantly surprised when his handlers consign him to the discard pile where he belongs. It's not only us being played for fools.

Bird of Paradise said...

A banana for the monkey