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srebak Since: Feb, 2011
#44876: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:26:16 AM

If remember correctly, Lapis didn't say that she hated the table, she said that if the corn spent years trapped in the mirror it would hate the table. I think she was just trying to make light of her past experiences like Peridot was, not saying that she hated the Earth.

Also, if remember correctly, a main reason why she first attacked the Rubies' ship was to protect Steven and Peridot, since it looked like the ship was getting ready to attack, she even asked if Peridot was okay afterwards.

Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#44878: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:29:12 AM

Is it okay if I make an observation? We get American TV here. We get more American channels than Canadian channels. In all my years watching American TV I've noticed that you tend to politicize everything. Everything is either "right' or "left." Even in a children's cartoon people can't stop talking about how a character is "conservative." Is it not possible to see a person as an actual person without labeling them based on what party they'd vote for?

smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#44879: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:32:45 AM

@Good timeline: Still missing Jasper.

@politicization: I mean, Andy's statements and views line up exactly with the sort of shit spewed by the American right wing. He's literally talking about the things they talk about.

LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#44880: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:33:38 AM

Honestly, no. The political situation here is really polarized and really bad. Everything is political these days.

And SU has always been a deeply political show anyway. Suggesting that LGBT themes are normal is actually a pretty hard left stance.

edited 18th Nov '16 11:37:53 AM by LeGarcon

Oh really when?
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#44881: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:36:41 AM

In my part of the US at least (Florida), it's pretty divisive in terms of politics. Conservatism still runs strong, but so does liberalism, and it's a major cultural clash that is still incredibly polarizing.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Heatth (X-Troper) Relationship Status: In Spades with myself
#44882: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:42:10 AM

I don't remember people bringing politics that much to Steven Universe, specially not the "right" and "left" spectrum. But Andy's character is very typical conservative republican. It is hard to not mention it, and it is very unlikely it wasn't intentional.

Ruise Nyanpasu~ from your subconscious Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Nyanpasu~
#44883: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:52:01 AM

Yeeeeah...I really don't do politics. I like Andy because his voice is amazing.

Loves feel-good animation a whole lot.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#44884: Nov 18th 2016 at 11:54:57 AM

Well it's an extremely political show. Just having a gay character is a huge political statement.

Oh really when?
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#44885: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:02:02 PM

It also means selling the show to networks in other countries is impossible without heavy censorship

hell they even censored one epiode it in the UK and we're supposed to be tolerate.

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#44886: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:03:57 PM

The show is heavily censored in the Middle East too. I don't even think they have any LGBT rights in the Middle East.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Ultimatum Disasturbator from the Amiga Forest (Old as dirt) Relationship Status: Who needs love when you have waffles?
Disasturbator
#44887: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:09:20 PM

Well Iran allows gender reassignment surgery and that;s about it

edited 18th Nov '16 12:12:08 PM by Ultimatum

have a listen and have a link to my discord server
AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#44888: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:13:07 PM

Huh. That's surprisingly progressive.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Ruise Nyanpasu~ from your subconscious Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Nyanpasu~
#44889: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:16:46 PM

Well it's an extremely political show. Just having a gay character is a huge political statement.

Yeah, I really gotta disagree with you there. In my books, just including gay people is not political unless you make a big fuss about that aspect of their character in the show and make it a huge anvil rather than just, y'know, being normal about it.

Loves feel-good animation a whole lot.
LeGarcon Blowout soon fellow Stalker from Skadovsk Since: Aug, 2013 Relationship Status: Gay for Big Boss
Blowout soon fellow Stalker
#44890: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:19:13 PM

Considering America's current state right now, being normal about it is also a huge political statement. It's that bad here.

And don't think Iran is progressive, they only offer the surgery for people who are admitted homosexuals. Because a man could never love a man so obviously you must be a woman and receive "treatment"

Oh really when?
KarkatTheDalek Not as angry as the name would suggest. from Somwhere in Time/Space Since: Mar, 2012 Relationship Status: You're a beautiful woman, probably
Not as angry as the name would suggest.
#44891: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:22:07 PM

Honestly, I think having gay characters and portraying it as completely normal is in and of itself a political statement.

Especially given...recent events.

[nja]

edited 18th Nov '16 12:24:09 PM by KarkatTheDalek

Oh God! Natural light!
smokeycut Since: Mar, 2013
#44892: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:24:30 PM

Pretty much. Do you know how big a deal it was when Korra and Asami from Avatar held hands and started dating?

Hell, saying "people of -certain ethnicity- shouldn't be shot to death" is a political statement.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#44893: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:28:15 PM

Basically what the three people above me said.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
Ruise Nyanpasu~ from your subconscious Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Nyanpasu~
#44894: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:34:15 PM

Ok, Will Keaton, you were very very right.

Loves feel-good animation a whole lot.
WillKeaton from Alberta, Canada Since: Jun, 2010
#44895: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:35:20 PM

I mean, we used to have a show called Little Mosque on the Prairie, and to the best of my knowledge there was no controversy. But if someone were to make that show down south, I don't even know what would happen.

AdricDePsycho Rock on, Gold Dust Woman from Never Going Back Again Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Rock on, Gold Dust Woman
#44896: Nov 18th 2016 at 12:36:53 PM

I'll tell you what'll happen: they'll want it to be taken off the air because it's "infringing on the Christian religion" or some BS.

Seriously, I've seen people in my area make flat out death threats against Muslims.

Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?
BlueBlaze64 The Watcher on the Tower from Empire City Since: Sep, 2012 Relationship Status: I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me
The Watcher on the Tower
#44897: Nov 18th 2016 at 1:38:29 PM

Sorry to bring up this point, but I appreciate that the show gave at least some nuance to Andy's character. All his comments in his introductory scene just seemed like the show was trying too hard to make him a Straw Conservative. And I think if the show ended in a more cathartic way (for both the creators and the audience) with Andy being told off for his views, admitting he's completely wrong, or getting punched into the stratosphere, that would send the wrong message to real people like him.

As several people have pointed out since the election, part of why so many people voted for Trump was the feeling of being ostracized for not agreeing with liberal views, and getting lumped into the extreme side. Don't get me wrong, they're wrong, but portraying all of them as xenophobic fuckwits that have no redeeming qualities or justifiable motivation does less than nothing. They'll just get further locked down in their opinions and be harder to convince. It's sort of like the Jasper/Bismuth problem: if he's the only conservative one, and is a stereotype, he represents all conservatives as that stereotype. So giving Andy some motivation, but not necessarily justifying his words, seemed like a nice compromise.

Speaking of which, I think Stephen Colbert gave a great speech about politics and "the other side" in his ending speech on his live election coverage special. It is very much worth a watch.

"The cruelest thing you can do to an artist is tell them their work is flawless when it isn't." -Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw
AegisP Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man Since: Oct, 2014 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
Kindhearted SSSSSNAKE Man
#44898: Nov 18th 2016 at 2:08:33 PM

Pretty Cure has a season going on right new about magical gems that power up said Magical Girls. I dont watch it because I didnt like it like I did the others, but there are many gems from Steven Universe there! Ruby and Saphire are givens but Alexandrite REALLY makes me wonder if this was inspired by Steven Universe.

As long as this flower is in my heart. My Strength will flow without end.
Bocaj Funny but not helpful from Here or thereabouts (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: Pining for the fjords
Funny but not helpful
#44899: Nov 18th 2016 at 2:19:48 PM

Cool Pearl

Forever liveblogging the Avengers
KnownUnknown Since: Jan, 2001
#44900: Nov 18th 2016 at 2:37:09 PM

One of the most brilliant things this episode did with Andy was the way they introduced his antagonistic behavior, in a way designed to make us see him as less of a hostile character and more of a fool.

The very first thing he accuses them of being is "hippies," which is characterization shorthand for a lot of tropes - for one, hippies were a phenomenon from decades ago. And for decades, even at the time the actual phenomenon was going on, being angry at hippies was memetically associated with being out of touch with people and blathering about nothing. Nowadays, it's always associated with old people who don't understand how the world is changing. That initial gripe establishes Andy as a obstinate old windbag, and even though a lot of what he says later are associated with more current and nasty issues, that first impression colors everything we see him do after wards. And so right from those first few seconds, we know before we're told that Andy's problem is that he's out of touch with the world, not that he's outright hateful.

Had he led with the "illegal immigrants" line, he would have come off a lot less sympathetic because it would have been coloring the rest of his characterization instead. As it was, he comes off as more of an Archie Bunker than anything else, and his conniptions are thus more humorous.

edited 18th Nov '16 2:40:33 PM by KnownUnknown


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