And that’s an interesting point: the Mob calls ITSELF a “family” and other people choose to call them “The Mob.” In this situation, other people are quick to call Fragile’s actual family “a gang.” Then again, this isn’t about semantics, it’s about racial profiling.
…I thought she meant gang in the same way I used to talk to my friends in elementary school “Come on gang, we can do it!” blah blah blah…just another word for a group of people who are all close and work together. I feel SUPER bad for Mary right now!
Regardless of how she meant it, when you’re told by someone that you’re being offensive and are mistaken, you shouldn’t try to defend it; rather, Mary was right in saying “sorry” and asking what the appropriate term was for the group that was around her. PoC get labeled as ‘a gang’ in media, by police, in public, etc. many times (whether or not they are actually part of an active gang), and they’re not talking about Buffy and the Gang or Scooby and the Gang (which is all white people, I might point out); it’s usually racial profiling with the connotation being that they are involved in crime and violence gangs. The English language has many different terms that can mean many different things. That’s why in the mouth of one person directed towards another person, similar words like “Queer,” “Dyke,” “Gang,” “Jew,” etc., may come across as either offensive or just a casual word. It’s important to take into context what individuals it’s directed at, your relationship with them, your knowledge of them and how it’s used in context.
As a black person, thank you for this! When we hang out with our friends we aren’t a “gang”, just a “clique” or a “crowd”. Gangs were groups of white robbers in the Wild West!
mimosavendetta: that’s what I thought she meant too at first, but admin is totally right in their answer. We often forget words have different meanings to different people and what’s okay to say to one person may be not okay to say to another. (Note to self: “gang” has racial-crime-racist connotations, pay close attention when using it)
We all feel bad when we realize we’ve made a mistake, but the only way to fix that feeling is apologizing and correcting it in the future, so I think more people than Mary needed to see this page, myself included.
I feel like this is a new reason to love Mary: She’s been out of touch with society while locked away in hospitals and half-way houses and thus is understandably a little ignorant, but she handles being called out on it really well. She doesn’t get defensive, try to make excuses, or try to reason her way out of it. She immediately apologizes, confesses her ignorance, and asks how she can do better. I just wish Fragile hadn’t invited the whole family to the lesson… Being put in the spotlight only tends to shame and embarrass, especially when you’re apologetic. I’m glad Mary has good fortitude. I know I’d feel about half an inch tall in that situation.
Sorry if I’m just missing common knowledge, but what does Fragile mean by “cops flash colours”? Thank you for tackling this issue, and I hope it helps educate against all forms of racism.
fuck yeah, this is exactly what i needed to see today. people who say making comics “socially aware” takes the fun out are full of shit, and Find Chaos is an excellent example omg
Man, nothing quite gets to me like public humiliation. But then, people were already giving Mary the stink eye for her “gang” comment, so it’s good that Fragile made it obvious to her family that Mary has got some learning to do and she didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll admit that I’ve been in that kind of situation before. It sucks, but it’s better than living in ignorance.
Oh dear… I dunno why I am worried, I know fragile wont hurt her, but I am still worried…
lol, so what if she said Gang xD
Mary: “…I’ve been recruited by an eldritch hit squad. “Gang” sounds right cozy just now.”
Is the “organisation of concerned citiziens” an allusion of PEGIDA? I dunno if you heard about them…
I don’t believe Pegida has anything to do with this comic.
Interestingly enough, the Mob calls itself a “Family” as well. Just saying…
And that’s an interesting point: the Mob calls ITSELF a “family” and other people choose to call them “The Mob.” In this situation, other people are quick to call Fragile’s actual family “a gang.” Then again, this isn’t about semantics, it’s about racial profiling.
A CRIME Family 😛
Their responses to her question lol
…I thought she meant gang in the same way I used to talk to my friends in elementary school “Come on gang, we can do it!” blah blah blah…just another word for a group of people who are all close and work together. I feel SUPER bad for Mary right now!
Regardless of how she meant it, when you’re told by someone that you’re being offensive and are mistaken, you shouldn’t try to defend it; rather, Mary was right in saying “sorry” and asking what the appropriate term was for the group that was around her. PoC get labeled as ‘a gang’ in media, by police, in public, etc. many times (whether or not they are actually part of an active gang), and they’re not talking about Buffy and the Gang or Scooby and the Gang (which is all white people, I might point out); it’s usually racial profiling with the connotation being that they are involved in crime and violence gangs. The English language has many different terms that can mean many different things. That’s why in the mouth of one person directed towards another person, similar words like “Queer,” “Dyke,” “Gang,” “Jew,” etc., may come across as either offensive or just a casual word. It’s important to take into context what individuals it’s directed at, your relationship with them, your knowledge of them and how it’s used in context.
As a black person, thank you for this! When we hang out with our friends we aren’t a “gang”, just a “clique” or a “crowd”. Gangs were groups of white robbers in the Wild West!
yes yes thank you you are so awesome 😀
mimosavendetta: that’s what I thought she meant too at first, but admin is totally right in their answer. We often forget words have different meanings to different people and what’s okay to say to one person may be not okay to say to another. (Note to self: “gang” has racial-crime-racist connotations, pay close attention when using it)
We all feel bad when we realize we’ve made a mistake, but the only way to fix that feeling is apologizing and correcting it in the future, so I think more people than Mary needed to see this page, myself included.
I feel like this is a new reason to love Mary: She’s been out of touch with society while locked away in hospitals and half-way houses and thus is understandably a little ignorant, but she handles being called out on it really well. She doesn’t get defensive, try to make excuses, or try to reason her way out of it. She immediately apologizes, confesses her ignorance, and asks how she can do better. I just wish Fragile hadn’t invited the whole family to the lesson… Being put in the spotlight only tends to shame and embarrass, especially when you’re apologetic. I’m glad Mary has good fortitude. I know I’d feel about half an inch tall in that situation.
Sorry if I’m just missing common knowledge, but what does Fragile mean by “cops flash colours”? Thank you for tackling this issue, and I hope it helps educate against all forms of racism.
Flashing colors = Wearing gang colors, or insignia. Openly showing gang affiliation. Etc. Cops wear all blue, their uniforms, like gang colors.
I assume the red and blue lights on cop cars.
Ooohhh, Madock! That makes sense.
fuck yeah, this is exactly what i needed to see today. people who say making comics “socially aware” takes the fun out are full of shit, and Find Chaos is an excellent example omg
“We would also have accepted ‘hive’, ‘nest’, and ‘den’, Sha…”
Way to instantly alienate your guest. That’s a wonderful welcome :/
Man, nothing quite gets to me like public humiliation. But then, people were already giving Mary the stink eye for her “gang” comment, so it’s good that Fragile made it obvious to her family that Mary has got some learning to do and she didn’t mean anything by it. I’ll admit that I’ve been in that kind of situation before. It sucks, but it’s better than living in ignorance.
Time for an education on the finer points of language from a non-white perspective.