Oh, come on. Not this nonsense again. Perhaps inspired by the awesome cultural sensitivity of the Spanish Olympic basketball team, the Brazilian soccer team Santos is advertising their upcoming Club World Cup trip to Japan with the good ol' chink-eye: Santos players hold back their eyes for regrettable Japan trip ad.
The "regrettable" headline would be appropriate... if the people responsible actually regretted it. Commenters on this YouTube video have been quick to explain ("FUCK YOU AMERICAN IDIOTS.") that the gesture is not meant to be offensive -- it's supposedly a demonstration of "affection" and "admiration": Slope-Eyed Poster Dubbed Racist. Brazil Says No.
Let's not kid ourselves. It's still a mocking gesture, and racism is still racism, no matter how casual or commonplace this might be back in Santos. What better way to demonstrate that you're going to Asia than to pull your goddamn eyes back? It's the time-tested international gesture for ching chong.
Isn't it nice to know the old playground bullshit still applies?
