Eastwood Slams 'Politically Correct' Culture

http://www.imdb.com/news ^

[LottieDah]

Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood laments the loss of old-fashioned humour in today's society - insisting he should be able to tell harmless jokes about nationality without fear of people branding him a "racist".

The Dirty Harry star, 79, is adamant that modern culture has become humourless, and accuses younger generations of spending too much time trying to avoid being offensive.

He says, "People have lost their sense of humour. In former times we constantly made jokes about different races. You can only tell them today with one hand over your mouth or you will be insulted as a racist.

"I find that ridiculous. In those earlier days every friendly clique had a 'Sam the Jew' or 'Jose the Mexican' - but we didn't think anything of it or have a racist thought. It was just normal that we made jokes based on our nationality or ethnicity. That was never a problem. I don't want to be politically correct. We're all spending too much time and energy trying to be politically correct about everything."

[advertising guy]

yes he has...I shoulda been more clear

[PowderMonkey]

"...In those earlier days every friendly clique had a 'Sam the Jew' or 'Jose the Mexican' - but we didn't think anything of it or have a racist thought. It was just normal that we made jokes based on our nationality or ethnicity. That was never a problem."

What he's describing is "inclusiveness" in its purest form. Friends since childhood, raised in the same community, free to good-naturedly "bust each other's chops" as my dad used to say. My uncle owned a farm in partnership with one of his childhood buddies. He was first-generation American of German immigrant parents. He was simply known as "The Kraut." I knew the man for years and never heard him called by his name. Whenever my uncle was going anywhere with him, he'd just say "I'm going fishing with da' Kraut." or "I'm goin over to see da' Kraut." I suspect that somewhere on the outskirts of Lincoln, Nebraska there's an old cemetery with a tombstone inscribed with "The Kraut" lovingly placed there by a first generation American Swedish kid once called "Red Neck."

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“That’s a helluva price to pay for being stylish.”

[sten]

exactly. this is one of the tools the libs have been using for years.

the other was to impress on people that it would be impolite to discuss religion or politics. by doing this, and making their political points in public, conservatives wouldn’t respond for fear of being impolite or insensitive. meanwhile, the people that heard it and were on the fence would think the lib is correct, as no one countered the claim.

the other bonus would be that people don’t discuss politics... leaving the only avenue for politics to be the media, which is one-way.

[kanawa]

Do you think he was a bigot?
He was a crotchety, yet ethical, old man
whose non-pc attitude wasn’t based on racial hatred.
His conversation with his barber was laced with ethnic comments
but there was no bigotry behind it.
If he were truly a bigot
he could not have so easily become friends with his neighbors.
His demon from the past was his shooting of a surrendering soldier.
Do you think he would have acted differently if it had been a German soldier?
Would he have had to save some European family in order to be redeemed?
Or would the saving of the Hmong family have accomplished the same result?

I guess what I’m saying is that race is incidental to the story being told.
It is a story of good vs evil and redemption that trancends race

[Huck]

Gimme a break. His whole career backs up what he's saying. I was watching The Enforcer last night. He goes to see Mustafa, the militant black leader. His partner asks where they're going. "To the VFW--Very Few Whites."

Inside, the black militants are jawing at him. He leaves his partner with them while he goes in back to deal with Mustafa. "Don't worry, honkey. We'll take care of your partner for ya." Clint responds with a smirk, "That's mighty white of ya."

I could go on. Clint is the MAN. Anyone whose seen Gran Torino knows Clint walks the walk. "GET OFF MY LAWN!!"

[Huck]

What a great movie that was. First time I’ve stepped into a theater in 8 years. Was not disappointed. I laughed, I cried. Been a Clint fan of the highest order since I was 8.

[pepsi_junkie]

What’s he talking about? Every demographic is open for mocking, e.g.Italians, Irish, Germans, Pols, Whites, Christaians, Mormons, etc.

Clint lives in CA / Hollywood. Hollywood assumes all terrorists are either Germans OR rogue US Military. This is based on real life incidents such as the time that group of Germans bombed.... uh ... uh ... Well, there was that time those nutty rogue US Marines hijacked a .... ummm .... ummm ....

[AuntB]

Cool!

This country is plagued with a ‘skin’ problem...not the color of it....the thinness of it!

[gate2wire]

I know. Family site and all that. :-)
Been telling that joke for years. First heard it from George Weaver.

[stayathomemom]

...the other was to impress on people that it would be impolite to discuss religion or politics. by doing this, and making their political points in public, conservatives wouldn’t respond for fear of being impolite or insensitive. meanwhile, the people that heard it and were on the fence would think the lib is correct, as no one countered the claim.

the other bonus would be that people don’t discuss politics... leaving the only avenue for politics to be the media, which is one-way.

Very astute observation.

I can't believe no one has said: "He made my day by saying this."!

[GOPsterinMA]

Beautifully stated!