Borat in Bosnia
Just returned from Sarajevo's very own twin towers where I saw the Borat movie. Ladies, gents, I think we can all agree on the following...
There's nothing funnier than two naked men wrestling. Nothing.
And
On the whole, we're really a shamefully backward, ignorant, and unsophisticated country.
You shame me, my redneck brethren. You really do.
For those of you who would take me to task for finger-wagging those poor stupid slobs caught on tape, well...Don't even think about it. I am not an elitist upper middle class sophisticate looking down benignly on the masses from my comfy, money covered trust-fund perch. My SoJo cracker heritage is all to real, and I embrace it. To an extent.
This is the extent. I am proud that my parents worked hard and taught me to work hard. This is a valuable life lesson.
But poverty is no excuse for such ignorance. I know, I know. Lack of access to quality education does tend to lead one down the path of narrow minded thinking. Believe me, I get it. I went to school in Franklinville, and my first checking account was through the Bank of Elmer. What does the latter have to do with the former...? Well, it provides context, my friend. Just flashing that bank card in college was enough for a laugh and the inevitable comment, "Whoo-hoo you are a hick, aren't ya?"
Well. Fuck you.
Sorry. Sorry. Where was I? Borat. Yes, yes...
So, we're at the point in the movie when that astonishingly dimwitted cowboy informs Cohen/Borat that he should consider shaving his mustache because he might be mistaken for a Muslim and blah, blah, blah, more Muslim bashing, blah, blah, blah...
The audience just falls silent, except for that tsk-tsk-tsk tongue clacking so popular in the Balkans.
Do you know, you moron, how that kind of offensive racist thinking impacts people? Well, look at the sixteen year old kid beside me or that sweet college girl in front of me. More than likely they're Muslim, and they can't imagine why some guy in Texas wants them dead.
This is hard, so hard, to watch because you know what? These people exist. They really, really do.
America, there is no excuse for this. How hard is it to implement some cultural competency in the curriculum?
Oh. So frustrating. I'm now having Franklinville flashbacks of the most dramatic and unwelcome kind. I think I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke.
There's nothing funnier than two naked men wrestling. Nothing.
And
On the whole, we're really a shamefully backward, ignorant, and unsophisticated country.
You shame me, my redneck brethren. You really do.
For those of you who would take me to task for finger-wagging those poor stupid slobs caught on tape, well...Don't even think about it. I am not an elitist upper middle class sophisticate looking down benignly on the masses from my comfy, money covered trust-fund perch. My SoJo cracker heritage is all to real, and I embrace it. To an extent.
This is the extent. I am proud that my parents worked hard and taught me to work hard. This is a valuable life lesson.
But poverty is no excuse for such ignorance. I know, I know. Lack of access to quality education does tend to lead one down the path of narrow minded thinking. Believe me, I get it. I went to school in Franklinville, and my first checking account was through the Bank of Elmer. What does the latter have to do with the former...? Well, it provides context, my friend. Just flashing that bank card in college was enough for a laugh and the inevitable comment, "Whoo-hoo you are a hick, aren't ya?"
Well. Fuck you.
Sorry. Sorry. Where was I? Borat. Yes, yes...
So, we're at the point in the movie when that astonishingly dimwitted cowboy informs Cohen/Borat that he should consider shaving his mustache because he might be mistaken for a Muslim and blah, blah, blah, more Muslim bashing, blah, blah, blah...
The audience just falls silent, except for that tsk-tsk-tsk tongue clacking so popular in the Balkans.
Do you know, you moron, how that kind of offensive racist thinking impacts people? Well, look at the sixteen year old kid beside me or that sweet college girl in front of me. More than likely they're Muslim, and they can't imagine why some guy in Texas wants them dead.
This is hard, so hard, to watch because you know what? These people exist. They really, really do.
America, there is no excuse for this. How hard is it to implement some cultural competency in the curriculum?
Oh. So frustrating. I'm now having Franklinville flashbacks of the most dramatic and unwelcome kind. I think I need a cigarette, and I don't even smoke.
posted by J. at
3:33 AM
6 Comments:
Ouch. Yeah...that would be uncomfortable.
Racist bigots suck...which is why that movie was so funny...because they get exposed.
Plus the naked wrestling.
I hope it's ok...I linked to your blog from mine.
You do know that Cohen is a Brit, right? It is oh so sophisticated for the Europeans to show Americans as bigots, you know.
PS. I promise we're not all ignorant, murderous rednecks here in Texas. My fondest hope is that Borat had too look really hard to find that dumbass.
Saki, Go for it! I love the linkies...:)
Jenny, But, of course, my dear. I do not think all Texans are quite so...We'll leave it at that.
Karen, Yup. Do know that Cohen is a Brit. However. Growing up in the sticks, I know this is a stereotype that is sadly too true. I know these people. In fact, I have aunts, uncles, cousins like these people. You'll find them everywhere, but they do exist in the U.S. and A. too. Phooey.
And because I can't stop myself from yapping away incessantly, I will say that I have found (some)Western Europeans equally racist/xenophobic. Increasingly open borders + immigrants = threat to national identity. There's your racism and xenophobia right there.
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