Belgian foreign minister criticised for blackening face in charity event

[lego 44,165]

 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/19/belgian-foreign-minister-criticised-for-blackening-face-in-charity-event

 

[Haroon 49,685]

How didn't he nor his colleagues know about the controversy surrounding blackface?  

[Didymus 34,380]

Why do they have to be dressed up as 19th century African noblemen I don't even get it.

[Crucify 26]

Not sure why "blackface" is a thing, why is it offensive to be Black? It seems like Blacks are just looking for reasons to be offended.

[HausOfNena 1,712]

This is ridiculous and ignorant tbh.

As a Belgian, I must say I'm disgusted.  

[Red 99,105]

Oh dear, appear naked but don't appear in a blackface

[Michael 533]

****in hell people are so ignorant it's unreal

[Luc 4,776]

That's very normal in my country  

 

 

[Robinladen 1,539]

Blackface isn't really a thing here, maybe because we don't have that many black people living here. It's definitely not meant in a racist way. I feel like this would be a different story if it was done in America where people know this is seen as controversial.

[mcoop 628]

Not sure why "blackface" is a thing, why is it offensive to be Black? It seems like Blacks are just looking for reasons to be offended.

​Why don't you educate yourself before making a complete fool of yourself with a post like this.

[jsn 1,669]

Not sure why "blackface" is a thing, why is it offensive to be Black? It seems like Blacks are just looking for reasons to be offended.

​Because when it originated it was mocking blacks and reinforcing stereotypes for comedy and there's no reason it should still be done today

[Crucify 26]

​Why don't you educate yourself before making a complete fool of yourself with a post like this.

​I'm quite educated, actually. Aren't Blacks the ones with the highest dropout rates? They seem to be the ones needing education.

[mcoop 628]

​I'm quite educated, actually. Aren't Blacks the ones with the highest dropout rates? They seem to be the ones needing education.

​Maybe if systematic racism and oppression didn't exist, we wouldn't have outrageous statistics like that. Maybe if the environment we lived in wasn't statistically imbalanced in terms of power, wealth, and privilege, those statistics wouldn't exist. You're not educated at all. You're looking to shock people on here with your stupidity.  

[lego 44,165]

Blackface isn't really a thing here, maybe because we don't have that many black people living here. It's definitely not meant in a racist way. I feel like this would be a different story if it was done in America where people know this is seen as controversial.

What do you mean? Did you read this?

some minority organisations and prominent Belgians of African descent said the foreign minister’s participation was unacceptable.

“In other civilised countries his political career wouldn’t survive this, but in Belgium he just continues,” said Nigerian-born author Chika Unigwe.

 

And considering history of colonisation, it should be a thing.

The largest country in central Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, was a Belgian colony until 1960. Millions of Congolese are estimated to have died and the country was decimated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Belgian King Leopold II ran Congo as his personal fiefdom.

[lego 44,165]

​I'm quite educated, actually. Aren't Blacks the ones with the highest dropout rates? They seem to be the ones needing education.

How are you not banned yet?