By Grand Rapids Anonymous
This is something that ISN’T a hoax.
I was watching the NCAA finals on TNT when a commercial came on that to me, as a white person, was offensive, racist, and unnecessary. It was from Nationwide Insurance and went like this:
A white couple in their 40s was sitting at the kitchen table.
"Maybe we should discuss retirement," says the husband.
"Yes," says the wife, "except I have to wash the tub right now."
In a few seconds they wash the tub, the car, the cat, fertilize the yard—anything to avoid talking about retirement. Funny premise.
From there, you see them get more and more frantic and idiotic in the front yard.
Pan to the neighbors’ window, where looking out are a black couple with their Nationwide agent. They disapprovingly look at the clownish whites and get back to doing the intelligent thing (that the whites are too scatterbrained to attempt). I was offended at the racist aspect of this ad... and if it wasn’t meant to be a putdown of whites, then why not have two couples of the same color in the cast? That’s not the way this was played, and I for one think a boycott of Nationwide Insurance would be an appropriate response.
N.S. I recently saw the same spot, and had the same reaction.
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33 comments:
These dumb white people + smart, superior black people messages are legion in our society.
I first realized how weird it was getting when I inadvertently saw a snippet of a movie where Whoopi Goldberg is dining at a Japanese restaurant with the stereotypical dumb, clumsy, ignorant white man who so often figures in these vignettes. The white man gulps down a big clump of wasabi (hot Japanese horseradish mustard) and explodes into an orgy of overracted distress, with arms flailing, face fiery red, gulping water and so forth. Whoopi points at the plate and says "That's wasabi you just ate! Hot mustard!" while the Japanese waiters titters und the others diners giggle at the dumb, clumsy, ignorant, culturally benighted white man who doesn't know what wasabi is because he's white.
And of course the white man smiles sheepishly at his own stupidity and general inadequacy in life and shrinks down into his chair, his manhood almost visibly retracting under this reprimand from the hip, with-it, culturally-attuned Whoopi Goldberg. Because she's black, doncha know. There was no leadup to this discussion of Japanese cuisine: they were talking about something completely different. Whoopi made her comment with the matter of fact assurance of someone who just naturally happens to know what wasabi is, because she's a person of color, and therefore automatically possesses a vast trove of knowledge on all things ethnic and diverse and down wit' da struggle that is not available to dumb, clumsy, ignorant white people. And the waitress was right there with her in mocking this clueless white man. It was sickening to watch.
This is the message — reinforced daily in a myriad of ways in all aspects of American life — that our media sends us and tells us to believe. And at some level, we do. Even the most intelligent and strong-willed person alive isn't invulnerable to the constant battering of subliminal messages telling him that he sucks and is a cancer on the face of mankind.
One of the reasons SNL's "Total Bastard Airlines" sketch is so funny is because of the scene where David Spade viciously mocks Tim Meadows. For a brief moment, the contrived negotiation of racial stereotypes that is invariably injected into any scene where whites and blacks interact with one another fell away. It was one guy putting down another guy, whose races were an afterthought. It was so real and honest. I think that's the only scene I've seen in my adult life of a white guy putting down a black guy free from any aspect of the usual Pavlovian morality play where the big, mean, white übermensch unfairly oppresses the poor innocent defenseless little black man.
Blacks don't have any money [so they tell us], so how can they plan for retirement anyhow?
Actually, I was just thinking this very thing. The typical phrase from some black people is "Crazy white people". I don't like this commercial at all.
There is also a similar one where a white couple with a baby, they are talking about changing the baby and start ripping things apart while they pan back to the black couple "being smart".
Switch the families around, you'd see a much bigger complaint from the black community.
Straight white males have been viliified on TV the entire time I've been alive, yet in my personal (admittedly anecdotal) experience they're the ones with their shit mostly together. I've always assumed the portrayal in mass media was akin to telling a borderline special needs kid how great his drawing is or what a great baseball player he is. You know it's not really true, but who gives a shit? My 40 year old black employee is trying to figure out how to establish credit. TV and movie race reality is as close to real life as everything else in TV and movies.
There are at least TWO of these TV ads...same smart black couple, two different dumb white couples.
Negative images of white people in the media leads to rising death rates: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/22/opinion/why-are-white-death-rates-rising.html
Lol thats a good one
I have also seen this display of ignorance in the nation wide commercials. If it was on the flip side there would be riots.
100% agree every time I see the commercial it angers me. Switch it around to have dumb black people doing stupid things instead of white and watch jesse jackson come out and speak on how racist this is.
It couldn't be further from the truth! It's just your typical spineless cuckservitives willing to do anything for a dollar.
Boycott! Show them that there are repercussions for ALL racism!
Totally agree, what a stupid pandering pack of dog feces this commercial is. What is the ratio of blacks with two nickels to rub together let alone contemplate retirement outside of social security checks. Screw nationwide.
Bravo, bravo. Great exposure of more anti-white media from those who consider us their mortal enemies. Hint: it's that county next to Lebanon!
Nationwide has used this setup for years. Dumb white and magic negro. This is just another one of dozens from those anti-whites. This is not just about pushing insurance. It's about social engineering.
Wake up, my fellow Whites. I ain't saying to fight minorities. But just don't take it up the butt chute when they are transparently putting European Americans down for a sinister agenda.
Just saw one of their commercials, very similar to the one in this thread. I thought "Damn, that's racist!" so Google'd it to see if anyone else thought so and found this forum. Seems I'm not the only one. The crazy thing to me is, I'm sure there were multiple concepts presented by the marketing team-- and this one was picked as the best? Also, before finding this forum I thought... if the commercial had the black people acting crazy and white people making the comments, blacks would freak.
F their insurance
I too noticed these commercials and thought these would be ok if they would make the same commercial with the roles of each race reversed and aired them just as much as the one where whites are portrayed as idiots but have yet to see one like that. Thank God I finally googled it and found this forum BOYCOTT NATIONWIDE....I WILL NEVER BUY THEIR INSURANCE JUST BECAUSE OF THESE ADS.
Nation wide should be ashamed of themselves. I will never use them.
I am Hispanic, and I too noticed that there was a hint of racism in the
ads. Reverse racism is not the answer.
I was shocked to see all the comments? Why? Because I thought I was the only one that is so uninformed and so dumbed down that only I got it. Who in the hell does Nationwide think their customer base is and what dumb ass let their marketing department run with this add. What an offence.
All nation wide commercials are racist. Along with many other commercials. If I see a racist commercial against whites I would not buy any of their products.
They have another commercial were a white guy cuts a branch and lands on a black mans car. The man looks like an assw****
It's so true how hard the media, entertainment industry sports networks and marketing company's try to belittle straight white males, because it's become common place for us to take it.
I was actually going to switch to nationwide until I saw this commercial and thought...I'd rather pay a little more for the same coverage
Hello, this is your typical Black American Man, there is so much I could say about this one-sided thread that reflects the epiphany of psychological systematic racism programming through the media that has targeted Black Americans for decades, but all I will say is two things.
1.Quit being so sensitive.
2.Now, remember this feeing next time you encounter a Black Man who "Blames Everything on 'Slavery'".
A black person accusing someone of being too sensitive? Lol that's hilarious. Open your eyes and look around sometime. No one is impressed by your choice of words, and I can guarantee you don't even understand them. Yes, black people constantly blame their shortcomings on slavery, which makes absolutely no sense, because of the fact you never had to experience slavery at any point in your life. Great job making yourself the victim as always. It doesn't look good on your race that you spend your spare time hunting down threads you find "racist"(black people have apparently never seen the definition).
Rob Anthony gray, what you said is pretty funny, coming from a member of the race that sends death threats to members of their own race for being affiliated with the wrong political party.
Anonymous, huh? That's says it all. Question: What color is a Spirit?
I could not agree more. I am a white male. I have noticed increasingly that more commercials put whites in a less than flattering light these days, to put it nicely. All, and I mean all thieves and robbers in commercials are portrayed by white men these days. Take notice. They don't DARE portray a black man as a criminal. Al and Jesse would be ALL OVER IT, suing the company and demanding an apology and putting them out of business. It's just not a fair depiction of what is really going on out there. I personally have been the victim of discrimination as a white man living in what the blacks in DC call 'chocolate city'. I am not a racist, however I can plainly see more and more that white people have become the punching bag for all that ails our great nation, and the world for that matter. Two wrongs don't make a right. I cannot help what my ancestors did to their ancestors. I had nothing to do with it. We can't erase history - none of us can. Now that our country is becoming more self aware in race and other sensitive issues, it is also important not to apply reverse discrimination towards whites. I never owned a slave. I never made a black person sit in the back of a bus. I never told a black person to leave my store or not to use the white bathroom simply because of the color of their skin. I lived in Washington DC for 25 years. Trust me, I was not welcome in some neighborhoods, and establishments around town. White people also walk around with a target on their backs, and are subject to black on white crime everyday. However about three quarters of it goes unreported. I personally was attacked 3 times by young black thugs, as have numerous friends of mine. Funny, but the media never seems to report this. And you never hear of white on black crime. Is that because it isn't happening, or because it rarely OR never happens. The blacks own the streets in DC. Ask anyone. I should also mention that I am gay. I know what discrimination feels like. However I hold nothing against a person who thinks that me being gay is a choice or a sin. Trust me it is not my choice, however me being pissed off about it and overly sensitive is not going to help matters. Showing them that who I am as a person is not defined by my sexual orientation is the only way to change perceptions. Leading by example in this way is the only real way to change someone's mind. Why would anyone choose to be looked down upon and beaten up, ridiculed and told that they are going to hell? I would also never choose to be handicapped or a dwarf or psychotic or born with a huge birth mark on my face. However people are born this way everyday. People make fun of these things as well. People suck, but it's in our DNA. It's unfortunately who we are. I also didn't ask to be white, yet I am. I honestly feel bad for people of color as a whole, as I know that in most European white countries, whites have it easier. However slamming things into reverse and making those of us who are not the cause of any of the societal woes we face, is not the way to go. It is only widening the racial divide that already exists. Final thoughts in next text box ----
And one last point in this rant. The US Government cannot force anyone do think a certain way. We have laws to protect people of all minority status. We have Affirmative Action and other protections in place. The US Government is not the problem, or the problem solver. It's up to society. Until we are all planted with chips that can detect all of our thoughts, there isn't much we can do about what one group thinks about another. And trust me.... it goes both ways. It is also natural for most animals to hang out with their own kind. Look at any species and you will see this. The next time that you are in a large crowed space with people mingling, take notice of what happens. Males tend to group together with other males, and and females do the same. Tall people usually are drawn to other tall people. White people generally hang out with other whites. AND YES BLACKS definitely are drawn to other blacks. I see it all the time. It's natural. I'm not saying this happens exclusively. There is always of course cross mingling of the groups that I mentioned here. However I generally do hang out with other whites, but I try to mix it up, as I love meeting new people. As you might expect, I generally hang out with other white gay males of course. It's just what we do as a species. You can't change it and most certainly the US Government cannot change that for us. Most of us don't think about this either however, it's instinctual. Stop trying to force things people. Live and let live. We have made great strides in the past century. There is blame to be had on BOTH sides and persecuting the modern day white man or any other group, and making them pay for the sins of our ancestors not the answer. Stop making us the scapegoat for everything, please. Most of us are really good, honest, hardworking folks.
This is without doubt the most ignorant, asinine comment thread i have ever read in my life. As a fellow white guy, we have absolutely no right what so ever to try and birch about racism... Seriously guys!?!?!? You sound like the fat kid bitching about not getting the biggest slice of cake.
Unknown, I hear you for the most part. However what I am trying to get across is that reverse discrimination is not the answer either, and only embitters white men who are not of privilege and have not been given anything. My parents taught us to work hard, which I did. Nothing was handed to us. My father was a farmer and then became a firefighter. Nothing glamorous. Hard work. I should also mention that he was passed up three times for a position that he tested for a deserved, for black men due to affirmative action - who didn't score as high as my father. Who by the way only had an 8th grade education when he moved to Washington. I just feel like white men have become the punching bag. Comments and cheap shots about white men have become acceptable and commonplace, and no we don't dare retort. We just have to sit and take it because we somehow deserve it. Is this not racism as well? Not every white person is rich, or college educated, or chosen for a position over an equally qualified black person for jobs etc. Hell, my last boss was black. We had a great relationship and I was very sad when he left, as he got a better position. He also worked his butt off and everyone respected him.
Just as black people complain about, it's difficult to be lumped into the same group as all other white men and thought of the same way. However, I didn't ask to be white, anymore than anyone else asked to be the color they were born. It is just as offensive for me to constantly be told that I am privileged, and that I somehow got a break in life just for being white. I worked my ass off for everything that I have. I grew up in a very blue collar area where both whites and blacks lived. We all went to school together, shopped in the same stores, went to the same churches etc. And yes, some of us even lived in the same neighborhoods together. We had equal opportunities. Some of my black friends made something of themselves, and some did not. In turn, some of my white friends made something of themselves, and believe it or not, some did not! Those who worked hard and didn't get involved in drugs and alcohol made something of themselves - both black and white. The screw up whites failed just as badly as the screw up blacks. I agree that black people have it tougher than whites overall, but making racist remarks about whites as well is not the answer. Two wrongs don't make a right. That's all I'm trying to say. This coming from a college educated white man who grew up in a multicultural area. By the way, I paid my way through college. No grants, no special assistance. I flipped burgers and washed dishes and moved appliances on the weekends just to name a few of my jobs. Not exactly easy or flattering work. And I am not a racist, a misogynist, a rapist and for obvious reasons, a homophob. I just want everyone to stop with the white man bashing. It's not helping matters and only making the racial divide even deeper.
So, I read your post. Very impressive. It proves you are Human. So are the people who chose to make their own dumb choices and those who chose to make something of themselves by working hard and maintaining their integrity along the way. It is not something that is specific to any Race or class of people. Despite any ones belief or creed, we are all recipients of the basic Human needs. And threads like this only exasperate the Divide. Even in times of disgust,anger and offense, we must take the high road for the betterment of our Human race.
Lastly, no, it wasn't right for any Man (your Father)to not be awarded a position that he was more qualified for just because of his race (affirmative action), but, it is also not the fault of the Black men who were the recipients of that action. In truth, Affirmative Action was an ill placed corrective measure for previous unfair acts against African Americans. Just as ill place as alleged Reparations, in my opinion. (Reminder: I am a Black American Man). Now, with all that said, I'm done with this thread and I hope, we as a people can focus on more common and positive traits than negative and divisive ones. It doesn't have to be all 'Kumbyah' type, but as a Man, I respect ANY MAN, that works honestly and wants what's best for his Family as I do mine.
I agree Robert Gray. I'm so tired of all of the hate and blame. We all just need to chill and let it roll. Even with all of the commotion going on recently with all of the shootings, protests and the worst Presidential campaigns in history.... I still believe that we are headed in the right direction and I still believe in us.
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