[magnumfinger]

With the recent news about images.google.com having the query "michelle obama" with a racist image on top of the list, many were surprised and it opt google to release an apology statement in their website.

Surprisingly, even with those reports it seems monkey images of Michelle are still appearing in google.

Some of the reactions of people are "its google's fault" but I say, otherwise...

What's your opinion about this never-ending racist issue?

[FluffyEgg]

Was it racist when they did monkey pictures of white people like George Bush?

[J. Lebowski]

I don't think it's Google's job to censor the web - merely to search it.

[summerain]

Google just fetches what people search for. Any anger should be directed at the person who created the picture and is hosting it on the web. If someone didn't put it up there it wouldn't show up in google search results.
The phrase "shooting the messenger" comes to mind. No, I don't believe it's google's fault.

[Sentenza]

Lot worse stuff on google than some monkey picture - should they censor it all?

[whydoiwatch]

Originally Posted by FluffyEgg

Was it racist when they did monkey pictures of white people like George Bush?

No, because throughout the course of history, white people were not considered to be sub-human and ape-like. Black people were and still are in some cases. (Monkey noises and throwing of bananas at football matches.)

George Bush's stupidity and the fact that he made faces that looked like a chimp was why someone did that. Nice try but EPIC FAIL.

[Tinpot]

Originally Posted by whydoiwatch

EPIC FAIL.

My first time getting to use the terrible rolleyes!

[JonJonB]

Google absolutely should not have to apologize or take any action regarding offensive search results.

I don't think it's Google's job to censor the web - merely to search it.

^This is it exactly.

[solarflare]

Originally Posted by J. Lebowski

I don't think it's Google's job to censor the web - merely to search it.

Exactly.

[whydoiwatch]

Originally Posted by Tinpot

My first time getting to use the terrible rolleyes!

Okay... hope it was good for you.

[FluffyEgg]

Originally Posted by whydoiwatch

No, because throughout the course of history, white people were not considered to be sub-human and ape-like. Black people were and still are in some cases. (Monkey noises and throwing of bananas at football matches.)

George Bush's stupidity and the fact that he made faces that looked like a chimp was why someone did that. Nice try but EPIC FAIL.

Ah so because of past history it makes it now ok to liken white people to monkeys but not black?

Maybe it's not about race, but about making them look silly? There's a website full of these sort of morph-into-monkey pictures of celebs, and shock horror, a lot of the victims are white.

But that's ok yeah? For a human race that is supposed to have a common ancestor, interesting how the politically correct apologists find excuses based on if someone is white or not.

I suppose I see past the colour of skin, and just see what is being done as a blanket human race issue. Maybe I am just superior when it comes to such things

[whydoiwatch]

Originally Posted by FluffyEgg

Ah so because of past history it makes it now ok to liken white people to monkeys but not black?

Maybe it's not about race, but about making them look silly? There's a website full of these sort of morph-into-monkey pictures of celebs, and shock horror, a lot of the victims are white.

But that's ok yeah? For a human race that is supposed to have a common ancestor, interesting how the politically correct apologists find excuses based on if someone is white or not.

I suppose I see past the colour of skin, and just see what is being done as a blanket human race issue. Maybe I am just superior when it comes to such things

deleted.

[stvn758]

As recent discoveries have shown the human race aren't descendants of monkeys the whole black person monkey thing really doesn't have the same resonance.

Zzzzz.

[OP Chooser]

Originally Posted by whydoiwatch

No, because throughout the course of history, white people were not considered to be sub-human and ape-like. Black people were and still are in some cases. (Monkey noises and throwing of bananas at football matches.)

George Bush's stupidity and the fact that he made faces that looked like a chimp was why someone did that. Nice try but EPIC FAIL.

I suspect you have never heard the term 'White Monkey' used to define a caucasian person. It is a term commonly in Asia and Africa to describe 'White' persons, in the same way as 'Monkey' is used to describe a black person.

[L. P. Robinson]

I bet the same loons who are complaining at this picture were the ones who used similar 'Bush or monkey?' pictures as their avatars and display pictures in the past.
I don't like Michelle Obama, she seems intent on becoming a worldwide celebrity. Laura Bush had far more class.

[stateofgameplay]

As someone else said.
Google's job is to index the web, not censor it.
The issue about this picture should come from the original hosting site.

[JonJonB]

Originally Posted by stvn758

As recent discoveries have shown the human race aren't descendants of monkeys the whole black person monkey thing really doesn't have the same resonance.

Zzzzz.

Recent discoveries? When did we think we were descended from monkeys?

[stvn758]

Originally Posted by JonJonB

Recent discoveries? When did we think we were descended from monkeys?

That has been the prevailing wisdom for many years. Amazing how a bloke and a shovel can change all that.

Unless you are nit picking between monkeys and apes, that would make you an ass.

[jabegy]

Originally Posted by Tinpot

My first time getting to use the terrible rolleyes!

You should do it more often, it's empowering

[zx50]

Google won't remove the offending image unless they're forced to by the courts, or, a lawyer threatening legal action. I think Google's aim is to be as unrestricted as they possibly can be. That image has been on Google's search for ages. I come across it accidentally when searching for something. I highly doubt they'll remove it. The White House doesn't seem to be THAT bothered about getting it removed either. It just goes to show how popular Google is when the White House has found it in a search. Either that, or Barrack or one of his family have found the image. Whichever one it is though, either Barrack or one of his associates have been using Google. It just goes to show even the top people look where you don't expect them to.

[kimindex]

I'd say that, generally, insulting monkey images about white people in the West are directed at the person, whereas, generally, if it's aimed at a black person, it's also about their race and is therefore racist.

[JonJonB]

Originally Posted by stvn758

That has been the prevailing wisdom for many years. Amazing how a bloke and a shovel can change all that.

Unless you are nit picking between monkeys and apes, that would make you an ass.

Pretty important disctinction. But I don't think we're supposed to have descended from apes as such either.

[BritishHobo]

I don't think Google should take any blame at all. It's up to the people who put it up to take it down, not Google. Yeah, I know it's racist, but if they start taking it down, where will things stop?
If they start up a policy of taking down offensive results, there will be people who disagree over what is offensive, and people will keep complaining because something they perceive offensive is still up, while others will complain that something they thought was totally fine has been taken down.

Also, taking it off of Google doesn't stop it existing. You mayn ot be able to find it on google.com, but it'll still be there,

[DGSx]

If this had been a white person would anyone have cared and kicked up a stink>?

[FluffyEgg]

Originally Posted by kimindex

I'd say that, generally, monkey images about white people in the West are directed at the person, whereas, generally, if it's aimed at a black person, it's also about their race and is therefore racist.

in YOUR opinion, not generally at all. Only that we are conditioned to see the colour first therefore think racism than look at the person and wonder WHY are they being ridiculed.