Needs Help: You Are A Credit To Your Race

Earlier, the pic was removed without discussion on the grounds that it "has nothing to do with the trope", though the editor gave no reason why. The laconic (assuming it's correct) says the trope is a "Well-meaning racist compliment.", and the main page description appears to agree with that. I don't see any problems myself. What do you guys think?

"Our races may be different but I respect those like you who have courage" doesn't really sound bad to me. It sounds a little out-dated, but he could just mean "Everyone tends to focus on race, but I only care about a person's character."

Besides it's really confusing. I have no idea what they're talking about, or even which direction I'm supposed to be reading it in (was it flipped? I can't tell). The only part that really matters in the speech bubble in the bottom-right, and that may as well just be a quote - the artwork adds nothing.

"Our races may be different but I respect those like you who have courage" could imply the majority of the race are cowardly, regardless of whether an individual notices. There are many ways to phrase that compliment that do not under any circumstances have that implication.

(BTW dislike even using the word "race" that way, biologically there is no such thing, but unfortunately "that's what it means" and couldn't avoid it. /soapbox)

edited 1st Mar '12 3:26:07 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

It actually isn't the trope.

"You are a credit to your race" insinuates that the complimented individual is making up for some deficiency or that the individual's achievements are unique among his/her race.

The compliment in the page image does not indicate "Those like you" belong to the complimented individual's race exclusively; he looks like he's just saying he likes anyone with guts, regardless of race.

Race doesn't exist biologically, but it does exist as a cultural construct. We can't turn back history, sadly.

edited 1st Mar '12 3:29:27 PM by Scardoll

Fight. Struggle. Endure. Suffer. LIVE.

It could be taken either way. If it didn't have the words "like you" it couldn't.

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

It is just a translation, so it could be that the original was more clear about the racism.

In other news, the image should really be cropped, because only the last panel is useful, and only the second quote of the last panel.

The rest is just really confusing.

I see your point; the "like you" could be referring to gutsy individuals of the complimented guy's race, but it could also be referring to gutsy individuals in general. I think we should have a less ambiguous page image, since the two most famous and obvious versions of this trope are "Pretty smart for a <Insert race> guy" and the trope title, and those are much more clear in their bigotry.

edited 1st Mar '12 3:35:07 PM by Scardoll

Fight. Struggle. Endure. Suffer. LIVE.

Keep Until Better Image Suggested

"In other news..."

Cropped.◊

"I think we should have a less ambiguous page image..."

Agree.

"Keep Until Better Image Suggested"

Also agree. (Tho I think the crop is an improvement, for starters.)

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

"A Credit To Your Race" by Truman Green [1]◊

lol

... used kind of ironically, is that ok?

edited 1st Mar '12 11:09:26 PM by rodneyAnonymous

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

I think the irony helps, actually. Plus, it has actual racism.

It's just the trope title on a book. Doesn't show the trope in action.

Much better.

I don't think the book is as good because it shows no interactions between people of different "races" like the current page image does.

Fight. Struggle. Endure. Suffer. LIVE.

The current image is more clearly about ubermensch aesthetics than this trope. The book cover I offered uses the trope in the title, and appears to actually refer to the racial hypocrisy covered by the trope. I'm open to other suggestions, but my suggestion fits and the current image does not (or only barely).

First of all how does the current picture not fit? Second, the book is just a book. There's nothing going on there. That image would not help anyone understand the trope.

"Our races may be different but I respect those like you who have courage"

is not this trope. This trope is:

"Your race may be inferior, but you aren't as bad as the rest of them."

The statement is supposed to be subtly racist, or prejudiced in some way. That first statement isn't racist - it just happens to acknowledge the presence of race.

I'm not really seeing the difference. They're both making praises about a person despite their race, which is what the trope is. A racially-based "positive" comment.

edited 3rd Mar '12 3:06:28 PM by KaiserMazoku

In th interest of moving this forward, I'll concede it barely fits this trope, but it's certainly not clear. There's just too much going on.... Ubermensch? Magnificent Bastardy? Proud Warrior Race. Well-Intentioned Extremist? It's like those "juice drinks" that inform you they are 10% juice.

edited 3rd Mar '12 8:49:06 PM by pawsplay

No, he's not praising a person "despite" their race.

Praising someone despite their race would be saying "You're not so bad, even though you're black." What he's saying is "It doesn't matter that you're black - what matters is your character."

I could honestly imagine like Martin Luther King saying "Our races may be different but I respect those like you who have courage" to a white friend. There's nothing about that sentence that implies racism.

I agree with that too

The "despite" is implied. It could be taken that way. It doesn't matter if you don't think so. There are lots of ways to say "I admire courage" that couldn't possibly be interpreted as You Are a Credit to Your Race. It's not a really clear implication, tho, quite weak.

Becky: Who are you? The Mysterious Stranger: An angel. Huck: What's your name? The Mysterious Stranger: Satan.

Just bringing up the subject of race would imply that someone is racist

not really...

edited 3rd Mar '12 11:47:20 PM by abk0100

Well bringing it up when it's uncalled for, is what I mean. Like, in the middle of complimenting someone.

Clock is set.

edited 18th Apr '12 4:10:43 AM by Willbyr