I'm not surprised that Italian Prime Minister is envious of Obama and Naomi Campbell, considering he has a permanent tan himself.
"He told ANSA news agency his initial remark was intended as a "compliment," adding that he is equally "envious" of black supermodel Naomi Campbell.
"My compliment to Barack is a little envious," said Berlusconi, who had what he described as a "long, cordial" telephone conversation with the new occupant of the White House -- instigated by Obama -- on November 7."We would all like to be tanned like Naomi Campbell and Obama," said the self-made billionaire, who sports a permanent tan, during a press conference in Pescara, Italy." source
I know some people may take his comment as offensive but I see his comment as expressing what he truly desires to see himself as. I can count the amount of tanning salons where I live on my fingers and toes and the clientelle of these salons are non-black people.
But if I was to say that whites desire to have the same complexions as blacks, I would be looked at like an idiot. So I will let everyone guess for themselves. Suntanning products should really be called "melanin in a bottle, got none here's some "
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2 comments:
It is really irratating when people cover up insults as "compliments", and quite sneaky as well. Usually, the aforementioned "sneaky" passive aggressive behavior is typical of racist white women, but perhaps not.
Obama doesn't have a "tan", it's melanin, he was born with it. I think this "tan" rhetoric is indicitave of whites who view a black/biracial person as accepted as white, hense considering them a "white person with a tan" as opposed to a naturally dark skinned person the way they percieve regular black folk.
I'm also skeptical as to saying that is perhaps pessimistic. I mean, black women are taught not to take compliments about our complexion because they might be a "fetish", when the truth is that people might just be admiring our skin tones. So i'm torn on this issue.
Well said Shek.
"I mean, black women are taught not to take compliments about our complexion because they might be a "fetish", when the truth is that people might just be admiring our skin tones. So i'm torn on this issue."
I agree!! Its hard to detect when someone is actually admiring you or just covering up an insult with a compliment, like you mentioned.
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