Is this poster racist?

[Lokki 7]

The Swiss People's Party has just pulled this campaign poster as it has led to riots (in Switzerland!!!) in the capital. They say it is meant to show that they will be tough on foreign criminals, and kick them out. Protestors say it is blatant racist propoganda. What do you think? Acceptable or just plain racist?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Acceptable. Foreign criminals being labelled as the black sheep of society...What is wrong with that?

 

[aftershavedave]

well their tv ad depicting muggers etc was intercut with footage of muslim women wearing headgear, so that does seem to be the angle they are driving at...

 

[Curious Orange]

Depends on what is written on the poster (partially obscured), depending on that context the black sheep could mean precisely that (a black sheep), or something entirely different.

There you go, fence well and truly sat upon.

 

[Lokki 7]

Acceptable. Foreign criminals being labelled as the black sheep of society...What is wrong with that?

Not surprising your views on this given previous form BoF.
The People's Party also has a party political broadcasts showing all the evils in the country, crime, violence, drugs, and muslim women pushing prams up the high street.

 

[Seagullible]

not racist in my opinion but somepeople just take offence to anything these days.

 

[readingstockport]

Where have you seen these riots reported? It's the first I've heard of any rioting in switzerland concerning this poster. And incidentally, the poster was not withdrawn. It was banned for being racist.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Not surprising your views on this given previous form BoF.
The People's Party also has a party political broadcasts showing all the evils in the country, crime, violence, drugs, and muslim women pushing prams up the high street.

You do surprise me, Lokki.

From face value, the poster did not appear to be racist, but now you have pointed out their political stance, it seems that they may or may not have managed to manipulate a perfectly innocent saying into something darker.

Whatever happened to the People's Popular Party?

 

[zefarelly]

as a minor aside, do you believe the reports you read in the papers and see on the TV, the BBC are quite biased in some instances.

I doubt any of us has any real knowledge of Swiss politics, other than guessing its as far or further right wing than your average Austrian!

having said that the poster is pushing it for whats supposed to be a neautralcountry /democratic society, looking for the controversy in my opinion.

 

[Meade's Ball]

That was in the paper about 6 weeks ago, i think.
It's certainly a hugely racist poster, yes. Reference to the black sheep as the dirty object, a muck scrubbed clean by deportation, mixed in with the People's Party's determined blame on society's ill being on the hands of any immigrant is of course intended to amass a public hatred for those of "different colour" and win their soon-to-come election.

 

[Lokki 7]

Where have you seen these riots reported? It's the first I've heard of any rioting in switzerland concerning this poster. And incidentally, the poster was not withdrawn. It was banned for being racist.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2185760,00.html

 

[Lokki 7]

Whatever happened to the People's Popular Party?

Bloody splitters!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

It is a STUPID poster. They could not possibly have printed that up without knowing full well how some people might see it [or choose to see it]. The phrase 'black sheep' is used by the Swiss in the same context that it is here, so I'm sure that th original artist's aims were innocent, but as I say they'd be stupid not to forsee the problems.



Whether the phrase 'black sheep' is in itself inherently racist anyway, is another debate entirely.

 

[Brian Potter]

The city mayor admitted "impotence" in the face of the riots. The trouble raised questions about the readiness of the Swiss authorities to cope with potential hooliganism at next summer's Euro 2008 football championship being hosted jointly by Austria and Switzerland.


At least we wont get the blame for any trouble out there after last night's result


The Berne police chief, Stephan Huegli, described the events as a black day for Swiss democracy and freedom of speech.

Even the police chief is a racist !!

 

[Rusthall Seagull]

are the two sheep at the back racist or just the one doing the kicking? It seems to me that they must be 'racist' by association as they are just standing by watching and not doing anything to stop sheep 1 ........

 

[hans kraay fan club]

They appear to me to be checking out sheep 1's arse. Does this make the poster homophobic as well as racist?

 

[readingstockport]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2185760,00.html

That riot had nothing to do with the poster and everything to do with a people stopping an extreme right wing 'racist' party holding a march/rally. The poster gets only a passing mention in the article so for you to conflate the riot with the poster is a bit far fetched.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

Whether the phrase 'black sheep' is in itself inherently racist anyway, is another debate entirely.

don't be ridiculous, hans. how can that phrase possibly be inherently racist? it exists because most SHEEP are white, and so the black one is the abnormality. nothing at all to do with HUMAN race. i agree with bof - acceptable.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

don't be ridiculous, hans. how can that phrase possibly be inherently racist? it exists because most SHEEP are white, and so the black one is the abnormality. .

Ah, so anyone DIFFERENT is inherently inferior?

 

[Lokki 7]

That riot had nothing to do with the poster and everything to do with a people stopping an extreme right wing 'racist' party holding a march/rally. The poster gets only a passing mention in the article so for you to conflate the riot with the poster is a bit far fetched.

The party holding the rally is the same party that issued the poster, it is the People Party's campaign that is the issue and the poster is the key focus of that. It may get only a passing mention in the article but so what, I posted an article that reported the riot, which is what you asked for. Of course there are other issues here but the poster sums them up, what are you getting at?