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Mayor of Toronto John Tory Defends "Ridiculous" Blackface: "Get Over It"

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CazTGG

Member
This is likely going to be swept under the rug given what's going on in the United States but I feel this shouldn't be ignored: Audio has recently been making rounds in my feed that dates back to 2012 (I couldn't find any news story from roughly the same time talking about this) following Tyler Bozak posting a picture of himself dressed in blackface. Future mayor of Toronto John Tory apparently felt it was necessary to defend a historically offensive action used to demean black people because dictionary definitions and that was apparently his priority at the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrXFsOAXfL4

For the record, John Tory supports carding (short version: it's racial profiling by another name) with minor reform in regards to its handling and has refused to condemn Nick Kouvalis, the infamous campaign manager for Rob Ford and former manager for Kelly Leitch's campaign, going so far as to say he wouldn't have ran for mayor without him. This audio leak helps put those actions into perspective.

Also: For those that want to see the picture John Tory felt wasn't a big deal, here it is!

o-TYLER-BOZAK-BLACKFACE-facebook.jpg
 

Barrage

Member
Speaking as a Biracial man, I wish there was a term that differentiated the picture you posted, and classic Steppen Fetchit Blackface, which is what I-and I assume a lot of posters- was thinking of before I clicked the link.

I agree with Tory.
 

collige

Banned
Is that supposed to be Michael Jackson? It's pretty telling that whenever someone does some stupid fucking costume like this they spend more effort on paint than the actual outfit.
 
Of all the black people, you dress up like the one who is probably least singularly defined by a skin color....and still feel the need to paint your face. That should tell you all you need to know about people's intentions with this shit.
 

Slayven

Member
Is that supposed to be Michael Jackson? It's pretty telling that whenever someone does some stupid fucking costume like this they spend more effort on paint than the actual outfit.

It never looks like the person they are going for. It always looks terrible. That isn't even a micheal jackson jacket
 
A whole bunch of people don't think doing black face for a costume means anything. I think they are flat out wrong but I've seen enough of it to where I just shrug my shoulders. They don't care, whatchu gonna do?
 
Weird John Tory is such a people pleaser, a very liberal conservative at that. I would expect him to denounce the action but at the same time it's Michael Jackson costume and from 2012, so the dudes "whatever" attitude could come from that.

And just for the record Tory is not a racist, at least in the year he has been Toronto's mayor I haven't seen any evidence of that.
 

Slayven

Member
Speaking as a Biracial man, I wish there was a term that differentiated the picture you posted, and classic Steppen Fetchit Blackface, which is what I-and I assume a lot of posters- was thinking of before I clicked the link.

I agree with Tory.

Because there is no difference in 2017
 

Samara

Member
Guys, without the afro, the red leather jacket and pants: no one would know this was a Michael Jackson costume.
 
Speaking as a Biracial man, I wish there was a term that differentiated the picture you posted, and classic Steppen Fetchit Blackface, which is what I-and I assume a lot of posters- was thinking of before I clicked the link.

I agree with Tory.

Its the same to me.
 

El Topo

Member
Is it really that hard not to paint your face black? Is that really such a gigantic and unacceptable restriction of your freedom?
 
It should be pretty damn obvious for a, relatively speaking, white man from Regina not to, you know, PAINT HIS FACE BLACK FOR A COSTUME.

But of course, because he plays sports gud, that means he should be shielded. Especially when he lives in the centre of the Canadian universe and plays for the most well known Canadian NHL team.
 
Is that supposed to be Michael Jackson? It's pretty telling that whenever someone does some stupid fucking costume like this they spend more effort on paint than the actual outfit.

For real, though. The costume is just pieces of his outfits in his closet. The real issue here is how horrible his costume is. Boy should be ridiculed for that mess.
 

Dr.Acula

Banned
For full context, Bozak is a player on the Toronto Maple Leafs, the city's professional hockey team.

That's right, a Canadian story about blackface centres around hockey!
 
Pretty much. I assume many of those posters doing the drive-bys are American, in which case lol...

And? Does the fact they are condemning the fact Bozak did blackface, and Tory is defending it, make the point of NOT TO DO BLACKFACE any less important?

You also do notice the people speaking out about this are some of the more noticeable minority posters on GAF?
 

rashbeep

Banned
And? Does the fact they are condemning the fact Bozak did blackface, and Tory is defending it, make the point of NOT TO DO BLACKFACE any less important?

You also do notice the people speaking out about this are some of the more noticeable minority posters on GAF?

Of course not.

But I find posters coming in here without any knowledge of the TO mayoral election posting statements like "why can't Toronto pick mayors" a little irritating, in relation to what is going on in the most powerful country in the world.
 

LionPride

Banned
Of course not.

But I find posters coming in here without any knowledge of the TO mayoral election posting statements like "why can't Toronto pick mayors" a little irritating, in relation to what is going on in the most powerful country in the world.

As if people don't make drive by posts about American politics when they ain't from here
 
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