Old-timers... Who's still around?

[Penguin Emeritus]

Originally Posted by Villavic

I know all anti/offensive-gay expressions were more accepted 50 years ago, the world was different (that doesn't mean it wasn't wrong), but was it the same with the pro nazi stuff? I'm not sure. I thought it was very questionable even in the 70s/80s (I remember Hitler's book was already banned).

Anyway it just mean they, we, are all human beings, with good and bad things. Sometimes very bad things. John seems to be a good person, but that "maintains a collection of Third Reich memorabilia" as Mick wrote, is very controversial. I don't know if he has talked about it in any interview.
.

I think somebody did ask him in a Q&A and he said he collected "stuff" and included WW2 memorabilia in that group. I mean he married a jewish woman so i don't think i'd ever put him in a Nazi category. maybe growing up, that whole war time period just was very interesting to him...? and as some of us have said, it was also a verrry different time, a different generation.


--Lis

[Macfan4life]

I think the Halloween costume stuff gets overblown. Growing up in the 70s many people would put on Hitler mustaches to be Hitler at Halloween. Halloween used to be about scary stuff but also horrendously cringe stuff that turned into a nightmare when the political correctness started. If someone wore a Nazi uniform outside of Halloween then thats a whole other weirdo. But I believe John wore the costume and Chris did a black Aunt Jemima black face and costume for Halloween. Both would not be accepted today. Black Face is an American era mocking black people. I am not sure a Brit growing up in England would have any context of American history. But again, its Halloween and people would often find the most offensive costume they could wear. Prince Harry wore a Nazi uniform to a costume party many years ago. The Nazi's bombed and murdered lots of Brits. It was insane anyone in the royal family to do that even as a joke. But that is a completely different context of high, drunken rock stars from the 1970s. This was what Halloween was. Today college fraternities get banned for posing for photos wearing sombreros and fake mustaches on Cinco De Mayo day.

[Villavic]

Definitely the world has changed, and specially in recent years. I still haven't fully adapted and some changes still seem excessive to me (others are correct), since personally they were applied to things that I never found offensive.

Now that I see some old Aunt Jemima pictures in the web (I didn’t know it so I looked for), I see how similar to La Negrita (Little black woman) brand of peruvian desserts and cookies is. After 60 years the company decided to change the name La Negrita, and the picture to avoid racist connotations. Now it’s a more generic name related to sugar, and no face in the publicity.

With all respect, I found it ridiculous, cause many of those desserts were identified with the (delicious!) Afro-Peruvian gastronomy. Yes there is racism in Perú, but I had never heard any ugly racist joke using that name or picture. I thought in this case it wasn’t necessary to change it.

The most curious thing was that many in the Afro-Peruvian community (of course, from my generation) also found the change absurd. Rather than a favorable change to avoid racism, they felt they were losing a representation of their identity. Those desserts are inspired in typical pastry of a specific region where Afro-Peruvian community is very important in they are proud of their legacy.

But yes the world is changing, and I think we have to adapt. The point is to get more respect, so the purpose is good. Sometimes I think they go too far, but it is what it is.