meitachi | you can leave comments; I can't promise I'll respond

champagne apocalypse: in-fucking-credible
champagne apocalypse: in response to my fb status*, some white boy just msgs me and goes: i agree it might seem racist but just casting white people is not inherently racist itself, blah blah something about lotr, but i admit my facts are probably incomplete
champagne apocalypse: me: ...........why the fuck is your first instinct to argue with me instead of to look up the rest of the facts about maybe why i & so many other people are hurt & offended by this movie?

*My current FB status: When you choose to pay to see The Last Airbender, you are paying to support institutionalized racism. If you don't get why, ask me. If you're going to see it anyway, knowing why it's problematic, you are effectively telling me that my experiences - my feelings and stories and LIFE - as a minority are secondary to your 2 hours of whitewashed entertainment.

- This post does an amazing job explaining the history of Facepainting & why TLA is so problematic.
- The Last Airbender primer from Racebending.com
- FAQ on Racebending.com
- Roger Ebert's critical review of TLA, as a film
- Answers to Dumb Questions about why people are upset about TLA

I wish people were not so fucking ignorant and lazy and would take the time to educate themselves when they see that someone is really upset about something and maybe think, hey, I should check out why they're so upset not just be like "lol why are you upset, PLEASE EXPLAIN THINGS TO ME BC I AM NOT MOTIVATED ENOUGH TO LEARN ON MY OWN". And I know I'm just angry & hurt right now, I know that if we want to really educate people on WHY SOME SHIT SUCKS we really (unfairly) have to do that reaching out, but right now I am just so fucking tired of it, tired of people wallowing lazily in their own privilege and ignorance and not taking the initiative to maybe learn some shit on their own. TLA is seriously affecting me more than I thought it would. At first it was just a cause, a signal boost, to get people aware of the problems and how not okay it was, but somehow now it's personal and hearing people's arguments defending it and accusing people who care of reverse racism and being too sensitive and dismissing our feelings & experiences & EVERYTHING - now it just hurts. I'm not just angry, I am fucking personally hurt. /over-emotional, possibly teary right now, fuck.

I sort of expect to be disappointed by everyone in the world right now, including people I AM close with. Just, fuck, it still hurts. It's personal. It's them essentially saying "I don't care about YOU", I don't think your opinions are valid, I am not going to listen to what you say because I like my ignorance or my privilege just fine.

In fact, I just got an email from some friends I was making plans to see Twilight/Eclipse with (drunkenly to mock) and they said, "Sorry to change the subject but I'll be watching TLA this weekend, if any of you want to join" and I sort of am this close to tears right now. Fuck. They're so so informed on gay rights/feminist issues, some of them ARE PoC, I can't believe they haven't heard the crap about this movie. I can't believe it. I emailed them back with links and basically begging them to not go see it but, dear God, I can't deal with this. How are people so willingly to be blind to these things? I am so upset; this is so fucking personal, and I DARE anyone to tell me not to care or not care so much or that it's not a big deal. I can't deal with this right now.

champagne apocalypse: oh god k i'm still worked up about tla right now
champagne apocalypse: angry/hurt slkghfj i don't even want to talk to people rn bc i know i wouldn't be rational
champagne apocalypse: i'd just be like SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP also FUCK YOU
champagne apocalypse: aslgdkh & that's not exactly productive
champagne apocalypse: this REALLY brings home to me how shitty the tone argument is though
champagne apocalypse: basically saying i'm not going to listen to you can't be polite & rational about it. WELL FUCK YOU this is personal, this hurts, this makes me angry and upset and emotional. thanks for trivializing that and saying i should just get over it if i want to convince you that my opinions & feelings are legitimate.

This post is not a post for debate. Please take that elsewhere. I have already been emotionally put through the wringer today, the full spectrum of rage to depression to hurt and frustration along the way. Tears have been shed. I'm out to eat dinner with a friend, get tipsy, and go see Eclipse to mock it in an effort to salvage the day.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This post is not a post for debate. Please take that elsewhere. GOOD FOR YOU ON THIS OK. ♥

For the inconsequential background actors, Paramount’s casting call requested “Near Eastern, Middle Eastern, Far Eastern, Asian, Mediterranean, and Latino.”

Paramount encouraged actors to audition in traditional ethnic attire.

It doesn’t mean you’re at a disadvantage if you didn’t come in a big African thing. But guys, even if you came with a scarf today, put it over your head so you’ll look like a Ukrainian villager or whatever.”

-Deedee Ricketts, Casting Director for The Last Airbender

Just.

This is a movie that casted actor Jackson Rathbone, who believes that being Asian means “[pulling] my hair up, [shaving] the sides, and definitely [getting] a tan. It’s one of those things where, hopefully, the audience will suspend disbelief a little bit.”

Oh my god.

I am so glad that I was planning on never seeing this movie. This is just... Ugh.

Why should such ignorant, racist idiots get my money?

It's disgusting.

I am feeling mighty ornery today (one of my students was being Highly Uncooperative, the little turd) so all the negative press about the movie is filling me with inappropriate glee.

Ebert's scathing follow-up is particularly satisfying.

I wasn't planning on getting a ticket, but maybe, maybe doing a little illegal downloading of it, just to see how badly they f'd it up, but wow... After reading Ebert's review (which I normally don't look at or give much weight) I don't even want to do that. Looking it up on Rotten Tomatoes just now...I've only seen a few other movies with a 6% rating. YIKES! That sounds like one horrible movie.

I was really surprised how much Ebert seemed to admire the original, though.

*Hugs* I hope the Twilight movie amuses you as much as the other two have amused me. But then, all they have to do is have Charlie walk on the screen and I start giggling. He is the Hollywood version of my dad...no, really:

The Twilight movie was entertaining though of course groan-worthy and quite awful in bits. The action scenes were at least pretty fun! Lots of lulz to be had at some of the bad lines and bad acting. :D

Though, wow, Charlie is basically your dad! I feel like that could be really, really funny or...(in the case with Eclipse) sort of awkward.

*hugs* I angrily ranted about Avatar: The Last Airbender in McDonalds because I unknowingly bought me kid a happy meal not knowing what the toy would be and it's bitter, bitter anger because I never wanted to give those fuckers a dine. For Anything.

Care. It so matters. It is upsetting. It's terrible and erasing and horrible and just a miserable fucking thing they did. It's a shitty thing they did and continue to do. It's shitty that people need someone to explain to them why Airbender (film) is wrong, wrong, wrong, bad, bad, bad. It's terrible about the casting call and it's shitty about stupid comments about how easy it so "play asian". Fuck them all

*hugs you hard*

/hugs back. Thanks. I'm really sorry you ended up inadvertently supporting that movie against your will, even in that minimal form. I agree, it is incredibly frustrating and draining that people need it explained to them why this movie is awful and bad and wrong, and sometimes still won't listen, even then. But - silver lining? Reviews say the movie, racefail aside, is 100% fail anyway. So there's some comfort!

I've already expressed my opinions on this movie in the last post, so here, all I'm gonna do is give you a big huge cuddle.

*SWEEPS YOU UP IN A BONECRUSHING BEAR HUG* ♥

I'm pretty useless with words right now, so I'm just going to hug you lots okay?

*HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS*

Hey so you already know I agree with you about the miscasting and lack of representation and racism in TLA, but I thought you might find this article interesting? It explores both sides (a little) with the perspective of the Director included so it's pretty informative. I still don't really agree with the casting but at least I get a little where he's coming from, even if I believe he was wrong.

I think you forgot the link!

That said, I've read M. Night Shyamalan's opinions and I still think he's wrong (and feel strongly about his idiocy, but that's the anger in me still talking).

...oops. xD and now I don't know where it is. but yeah, I don't think he's right. but at least it's not simply "Asian won't sell".

BASICALLY I WILL GLOMM ONTO YOU AND NEVER LET GO TILL YOU FEEL BETTER. *DOES BEST LIMPET IMPRESSION THERE IS*

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