Politically Correct Canadians Call off Sumo fundraiser

[Bucky]

Queen's Universityin Ontario, Canada seems to be VERY sensitive to folks they think may be offended -- perhaps overly so.

Sumo suits, the plastic novelties that can transform a skinny sports fan into a comically unstable sphere for the delight of a stadium audience, are racist and dehumanizing instruments of oppression, according to the student government of Queen's University.

They "appropriate an aspect of Japanese culture," turn a racial identity into a "costume," and "devalue an ancient and respected Japanese sport, which is rich in history and cultural tradition." They also "fail to capture the deeply embedded histories of violent and subversive oppression that a group has faced."

The Alma Mater Society on Monday published a two-page apology letter, and cancelled a foodbank fundraiser scheduled for Tuesday, which was to feature two sumo suits. The letter scolds the student government's own executive for "marginalizing members of the Queen's community" and failing to "critically consider the racist meaning behind [the fundraiser.]"

[LTLurker]

This is the kind of smug, humorless nonsense that gives us Canadians a bad name.

Get a life!

[Mike Oxlong]

IIRC, there have been some instances of paralysis, brain injury and even death at events using sumo suits. Despite it looking like a lot of fun, it's more of an idea a drunk marketing exec likely came up with, and its subsequent history does nothing but confirm that suspicion...

[Nukemarine]

And like all "enlightened" students, I'm sure they didn't bother asking a single Japanese person what they thought about the event.

It's in the same line when someone says "Don't say that, there are women present" completely oblivious to the fact they are insulting women everywhere by saying that.

Let the people who might be offended be the ones to make the statement. That way, it's easier to tell them to fuck off.

[Doctor Stop]

They also "fail to capture the deeply embedded histories of violent and subversive oppression that a group has faced."

I thought the violent and subversive oppression came from the guys wearing the sumo suits, and the instruments of oppression were baseball bats, beer bottles and lit cigarettes:

Brutal Beating Death Brings Sumo's Dark Side to Light
Washington Post Foreign Service

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

They "appropriate an aspect of Japanese culture," turn a racial identity into a "costume," and "devalue an ancient and respected Japanese sport, which is rich in history and cultural tradition."

Does this mean the nyotaimori is a no-go, too?

[Catoneinutica]

This is the kind of smug, humorless nonsense that gives us Canadians a bad name.

Get a life!

Say what you will about Canadians, but, in general:

Canadian chix > American chix

-catone
-I went to grad school in that frozen hell that is Edmonton, and my interests at the time were (in ascending order of importance):

1. Present-Value curves
2. The LL Bean catalogue
3. Mozart Piano Concertos
4. Chix, chix, chix

And I found Canadian chix to be, overall, cuter and more, I dunno, demure than American chix.

-one gf actually came from some place in Ontario named "Beantown"

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Say what you will about Canadians, but, in general:

Canadian chix > American chix

-catone
-I went to grad school in that frozen hell that is Edmonton, and my interests at the time were (in ascending order of importance):

1. Present-Value curves
2. The LL Bean catalogue
3. Mozart Piano Concertos
4. Chix, chix, chix

And I found Canadian chix to be, overall, cuter and more, I dunno, demure than American chix.

-one gf actually came from some place in Ontario named "Beantown"

And you have to admire a nation whose national animal is beaver.

[FG Lurker]

And you have to admire a nation whose national animal is beaver.

We spend lots of time chasing beaver...

[Greji]

Queen's Universityin Ontario, Canada seems to be VERY sensitive to folks they think may be offended -- perhaps overly so.

They should indeed be ashamed of insulting such a historic cultural treasure as Japanese Sumo (not to be confused with Mongolian wrestling from which it descended [don't tell Take]).

I mean just because those sumo blow up pillow suits were originally used in various comic skits/games on J-TV, doesn't mean that fgs have the right to be-little such a major four seasons icon. Typical up-to-date PC manuevering.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Just because those sumo blow up pillow suits were originally used in various comic skits/games on J-TV.

That's utterly irrelevant. It's perfectly acceptable for the Japanese to make fun of themselves or foreigners, but under no circumstances whatsoever should foreigners be permitted to do the same. Are you getting senile on me, Greji, or what? Sheesh, everybody knows that.

[Samurai_Jerk]

Canadian chix > American chix

That's like saying hamster shit tastes better than rat shit.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I mean just because those sumo blow up pillow suits were originally used in various comic skits/games on J-TV, doesn't mean that fgs have the right to be-little such a major four seasons icon.

It's like Chris Rock using the word "nigger".

[Coligny]

That's like saying hamster shit tastes better than rat shit.

That would make a good title for a German scat pr0n movie...

[nottu]

[Greji]

That's utterly irrelevant. It's perfectly acceptable for the Japanese to make fun of themselves or foreigners, but under no circumstances whatsoever should foreigners be permitted to do the same. Are you getting senile on me, Greji, or what? Sheesh, everybody knows that.

That's what I was saying in the rest of the post Hair. Put on your bifocals, or do you wanna borrow mine? Everyone knows that you can't mock a country that has four seasons and get away with it!

[Greji]

That's like saying hamster shit tastes better than rat shit.

I wouldn't know about that. I've done a lot of work with hamsters, but never touched a rat....

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

That's what I was saying in the rest of the post Hair.

You think I'm young enough to be able to read a single sentence post and remember how it started by the time I reach the end?
Now, where do I live again?

[Greji]

You think I'm young enough to be able to read a single sentence post and remember how it started by the time I reach the end?
Now, where do I live again?

Truth of the matter is I didn't remember either, but he brought up hampsters, which gave me an immediate stiffy, so I started paying closer attention....