Comments on: Poll: Does Transformers 2 have Racist Robots?!

By: unknowinglyracist

unknowinglyracist — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:31:06 +0000

I apologize for my ignorance, but I'm not sure that I can accurately determine what is racist. Is it racist to model a non-human animation after anyone whose race can be assumed (although not positively identified) by their mannerisms? Part of the problem with identification here is that, although not all black people behave as these robots do, everyone immediately identifies these behaviors as inherently black. Doesn't that make everyone who made that realization racist? And is it racist only if the person who designed that representation is of a different race than the one it is identified with? Is the creator of the television series "The Boondocks" racist, or not, because he is black? Every character on that show I can think of represents a specific racial stereotype, does that make it okay because they cover all their racists bases? At what point does satire cross the line?

By: mr.fitch

mr.fitch — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:14:31 +0000

First of all I would like to say that the twins are annoying and I hope they do not return in TF 3, second I think personally think they are portrayed as hill billies or something, they do not sound black at all.

By: Dave

Dave — Sun, 23 May 2010 03:08:18 +0000

ahh so the characters talk like rappers… how many white rappers are there as apposed to black rappers. Now how many hispanic rappers are there as apposed to black rappers.

Now what comes to mind when you see them on the screen, If I were to ask you if you thought the robots were or represented black people in any way while you were taking a lie detector test would the results support your arguement?

I find this so vexing how white people argue that something isn't racist… but its not their race. I also want to know why your argument is so lame. Why is a fucking 14 year old explaining why your argument is a peice of dog shit?

You should feel bad.

By: bay is ignorant

bay is ignorant — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:59:37 +0000

was it really necessary for them to throw the 'n' word in there? last time i checked, the 'n' word wasn't really part of the transformers franchise. i never like michael bay, but that just sent me over the edge.

By: why

why — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:12:14 +0000

This question is very loosely worded, asking if the robots are racist or not, and actually consists of several questions;
Firstly; do the robots exhibit characteristics of a racial stereotype? Where people have answered this, they all seem to agree, yes these robots are almost perfect representations of the minstrel stereotype (only they aren't actually coloured black.)
Secondly; Does it matter whether they act like a racist stereotype as they're robots and not people?
My answer is that whether they're robots or not they're still representations of people created by people. (if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck, then the person who built it probably meant it to be an artificial representation of a duck)
So the real question being asked here (and surprisingly one that has been answered quite directly by some people) is; is racism important?

(And FYI, don't use 'they picked up internet signals and radio signals and that's why they talk like that" as an answer to whether or not the person who created them based them on racist stereotypes as the person who created them also created that as a way to explain it within the context of the film)
And finally i is sorry if some of da grammar in dis ain't right, i ain't no english student.

By: RockPhish

RockPhish — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:31:41 +0000

for crying out loud! get a life people! How can you enjoy a movie if you're taking it so seriously that you happen to notice a pun made by a 'robot' about racism! It wasn't actually racist when you think about it…

It's your opinion, but life isn't perfect and you will always have those things that get you down and racism maybe one of them but for god's sake relax, laugh, get a new life- how can you enjoy it if you take everything so seriously? LEARN TO TAKE THE PISS OUT OF YOURSELF.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:57:06 +0000

Interesting that those who find it racist comment with intellectually sound arguments in correct English grammar while those who say it isn't racist have trouble spelling and using correct punctuation (Shane). This movie is so ridiculously awful that I didn't really want to take the time to argue one way or the other but, based solely on the fact that this movie (never film) is geared toward a highly influential demographic, it seems like it's fair to take a moment to reflect on the level of ignorance this piece of Michael Bay garbage is putting out into the world. Yes, these characters were undoubtedly the most absurd coagulation of racist stereotypes that cannot be found on radio, television (Wayne's brothers included) or any other form of popular media because most people, Michael Bay apparently excluded, realize that such characters may as well have the name Nigger and Blackie in addition to their outlandish attributes and, therefore, yes these characters are absolutely racist. I also want to make note of the fact that these characters are also heterosexist and their homophobic commentary in the movie was additionally nauseating.

By: Cody

Cody — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 19:46:51 +0000

its just a movie…dont cry…who cares if it showed robots that followed a stereotype WHO CARES? quit whining….its a movie about robots…geez…

By: blackpeoplesuckaSS.

blackpeoplesuckaSS. — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:11:07 +0000

jhgckj,.

By: Pirata

Pirata — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:46:16 +0000

ya about jazz, he wasn't stupid and illiterate!!!

By: Truth is in the race

Truth is in the race — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:54:02 +0000

To a point yes, but only because they made the "black" robots good guys. We all know that blacks cause more then 50% of all crime. Blacks just want something to scream racist to. I liked the movie and the honesty that came with it. Too many movies these days make the Black man look like a hero who can speak proper English and act human. Thank God for this movie.

By: AA17

AA17 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:00:34 +0000

bill
those are minstrel characteristics, a stereotype used historically demean black people with. The robots are updated minstrel characters.
And bullshit that cos they're robots they don't have race. The t-800 endo doesn't have a race. It's disguise does. But if I asked you to guess at what colour Jazz could be, or Prime, or what gender the bikes were, you could have a fair guess. They're not just robots, they're human characteristics wrapped up in a robot shell. Unlike the t-800, which has few characteristics at all, because it really is a robot. Had the two autobots not had simian features (again, minstrel association, not a personal association) they may have gotten away with it as a parody of hip hop culture. But I think you're kidding yourself if you don't see what they're supposed to be. I don't think bay intended to be racist. Doesn't mean it isn't.

Racism is an abused term. It's why people throw their hands up when people play the race card and rightly so. But this isn't someone trying to advance themselves by chanting racism, this is actual demeaning BS.