What the F'?
The NY Post is arguably conservative leaning. Though some would dispute the idea it also comes off as stereotyping or even racist. An article I saw today just screams stereotype. Because of this I normally don't read any of the news in the Post (except for the Crime Blotter, gotta have the Blotter.) but this one caught my eye today.
"No One Is Safe From Tax Smack" on March 31st, 2009. On the surface another article that wants to bring to everyone's attention that the State has lied to us. When don't they?
Basically it says that because of recent tax legislation passed in Albany everyone will be affected in some way shape or form. The tax increase they lead us to believe was a hike for the rich people. But they failed to mention increases for items that everyone uses. Such as a cigarette hike, alcohol hike, taxi hike. Maybe a slight pain for some but for the most part no biggie right? The Post tries and make it as if Joe Public was swindled. "A family of four who makes $95k will pay $850 more" "A swinging single guy will pay $330 more". They even have a picture which describes this robbery.
Now here is where the offense occurs. Look at the explanation of their numbers:
The lower income family is black. Their expenses seem to be questionable. They drink 72 bottles of wine a year. No beer? Or what if they were a church going family and had no booze at all. I don't know of anyone in the city that has a fishing license. They purchase a lot of bottled water because the tap isn't good enough. Or they don't know that you can buy a Kool Aid and sugar for a couple of bucks and have a couple of pitchers of flavor vs paying for each bottle of non flavored water. (C'mon what black house you know that doesn't have grape or red Kool Aid. See that right there is a stereotype.) They own a car in NY city (on a pre tax $95k per year income).
The higher income family looks Latin so they get a pass for that. But they are described as well off. If you can afford rent in the city and taxi's and three kids and clothes that look like they came for the nice part of the Gap (not the casual cheap wear section (see the poor black family above)) you better be well off. They can afford private taxi's cause they don't have a car ($450k with three kids and Gap clothes). They don't fish but they sure do like them cigars. And they only polish off 35 bottles of wine a year. Probably the cheap stuff cause we are in a recession.
The swinging single guy is white smoking what seems to be a joint while drinking a Bud. Well as a 30 year old single guy in NYC I can say that his expense numbers seem correct. No tax increase on rolling papers I see. That beer thing is gonna hurt. But his income ain't like mine so fuck him.
Now is the description racist? It can be argued either way. But it is stereotypical and stereotypes don't allow for any exceptions.
"No One Is Safe From Tax Smack" on March 31st, 2009. On the surface another article that wants to bring to everyone's attention that the State has lied to us. When don't they?
Basically it says that because of recent tax legislation passed in Albany everyone will be affected in some way shape or form. The tax increase they lead us to believe was a hike for the rich people. But they failed to mention increases for items that everyone uses. Such as a cigarette hike, alcohol hike, taxi hike. Maybe a slight pain for some but for the most part no biggie right? The Post tries and make it as if Joe Public was swindled. "A family of four who makes $95k will pay $850 more" "A swinging single guy will pay $330 more". They even have a picture which describes this robbery.
Now here is where the offense occurs. Look at the explanation of their numbers:
The lower income family is black. Their expenses seem to be questionable. They drink 72 bottles of wine a year. No beer? Or what if they were a church going family and had no booze at all. I don't know of anyone in the city that has a fishing license. They purchase a lot of bottled water because the tap isn't good enough. Or they don't know that you can buy a Kool Aid and sugar for a couple of bucks and have a couple of pitchers of flavor vs paying for each bottle of non flavored water. (C'mon what black house you know that doesn't have grape or red Kool Aid. See that right there is a stereotype.) They own a car in NY city (on a pre tax $95k per year income).
The higher income family looks Latin so they get a pass for that. But they are described as well off. If you can afford rent in the city and taxi's and three kids and clothes that look like they came for the nice part of the Gap (not the casual cheap wear section (see the poor black family above)) you better be well off. They can afford private taxi's cause they don't have a car ($450k with three kids and Gap clothes). They don't fish but they sure do like them cigars. And they only polish off 35 bottles of wine a year. Probably the cheap stuff cause we are in a recession.
The swinging single guy is white smoking what seems to be a joint while drinking a Bud. Well as a 30 year old single guy in NYC I can say that his expense numbers seem correct. No tax increase on rolling papers I see. That beer thing is gonna hurt. But his income ain't like mine so fuck him.
Now is the description racist? It can be argued either way. But it is stereotypical and stereotypes don't allow for any exceptions.
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