Racist "Hunger Games" fans are very disappointed

Azdak

Evidently some fans of "The Hunger Games" book didn't read too closely. Oblivious to the movie's financial success and positive reviews, some voiced their surprise/disappointment/outrage on Twitter after seeing the skin color of some of the characters.

A story on the website Jezebel.com published some Twitter screen caps from viewers expressing their feelings:

"why does rue have to be black? not gonna lie ruined the movie."

"why is Rue a little black girl? #sticktothebookDUDE "

"Kk call me racist but when I found out rue was black her death wasn't as sad"

and so on.....you can read yourself at: http://jezebel.com/5896408/racist-hunger-games-fans-dont-care-how-much-money-the-movie-made

The irony is that, in the book's description of the characters, both Rue and Thresh are specifically described as having dark brown skin.

Just sad.

PS: I am going to see the movie tomorrow. I'll try not to be offended by all the black people.

fbmandy55

Haven't seen any of that..Enjoy the movie. My sister begged me to take her, though I actually hadn't read the book and it was incredible. It was one of those movies that made me feel very emotional and real. Besides, the whole message was moving, kind of like V for Vendetta.

BrettPGH

HOLY! Wow is that awful and dumb!

Listen I loved the book and enjoyed the movie. There's not a hint of racism, if anything it's realistic.

(minor spoilers if you really don't want to know a thing before seeing it).

Two of the not-so-major characters are black, Rue and Thresh. They come from the same district, a district focused on agriculture. Maybe you could say that having a certain district be predominantly black is racist, but I just find it to be honest. This comes from someone living in a city that is predominantly black, as many cities are. It's really just an honest portrayal.

Also Rue and Thresh are two of the more noble and caring characters, your heart really goes out to them. If the criticism is that "black folk died in the movie" (a common and often valid criticism) well it's the Hunger Games! 24 of them enter, only one comes out. It's not racism at that point, it's just math.

SwannySez

It's the internet. Getting upset over internet comments is like getting upset over the sun rising, water being wet or the sky being blue. It would be wonderful to think that racism will just disappear but we are many, many generations from that ever being even close to a possibility. Go spend time in any homogenous culture (there are still plenty of them out there) and you'll see what I mean.

That said, it's the internet. Anonymity affords people the opportunity to say the things that they would never say in public so we can see how far we still have to go.

wildcata77

HOLY! Wow is that awful and dumb!

Listen I loved the book and enjoyed the movie. There's not a hint of racism, if anything it's realistic.

(minor spoilers if you really don't want to know a thing before seeing it).

Two of the not-so-major characters are black, Rue and Thresh. They come from the same district, a district focused on agriculture. Maybe you could say that having a certain district be predominantly black is racist, but I just find it to be honest. This comes from someone living in a city that is predominantly black, as many cities are. It's really just an honest portrayal.

Also Rue and Thresh are two of the more noble and caring characters, your heart really goes out to them. If the criticism is that "black folk died in the movie" (a common and often valid criticism) well it's the Hunger Games! 24 of them enter, only one comes out. It's not racism at that point, it's just math.

I think it's actually the opposite...it's not that anyone is claiming the book/movie is racist, but that some small-minded people have posted comments on Twitter that so many characters being black "ruined the movie for them".

My fave is the comment about sticking to the book. Um...in the book they were dark-skinned! Reading comprehension FAIL, big time.

LuckyLeprechaun

I read fast, and often miss details. I was surprised to hear that Rue was black.

Obviously this doesn't change my feelings in any way, since I'm not a racist. *shrug*

My reaction, when I read that, for the first time in this thread? "Rue was black? Huh. Guess I should slow down when I read."

Krizzle4Rizzle

When I read the book, I pictured Rue as being black. I believed she was described as being dark in the book.

luvJOJO

When I read the book, I pictured Rue as being black. I believed she was described as being dark in the book.

me too

BrettPGH

Oh so it was just racists saying openly racist things? Well that's par for the course.

It's nice when idiots out themselves. That much easier to identify them.

taso42

Saw this via Facebook. I'll make the same comment here: It's going to take more generations than I originally thought until these sorts of idiots become extinct.

One silver lining is, when idiots like this make idiotic statements, it goes on their "permanent record" so to speak, for all to see. It's the next best thing to forcing these people to wear dunce caps.

IronmanPanda

I'm actually kinda sad that there were no Asians in the movie... Apparently we were all from District 13

Krizzle4Rizzle

I'm actually kinda sad that there were no Asians in the movie... Apparently we were all from District 13

Holy ****. I literally have tears. :laugh:

rml_16

Wow. People will be outraged over anything.

Before the movie came out, there was a Huffington Post article that had everyone up in arms about how Katniss shouldn't have been played by a white actress because she's described as having olive skin and the people (and the article) argued that so far in the future, races would have mixed and she should have been played by a black actress. Well, I have never heard "olive skin" as a description for a black character or person (usually more Mediterranean) and I read enough of the book to see that her mother and sister have light skin, hair and eyes and that they live in Apalachicola. Sounds like she's white to me.

To be honest, if the story is good, I don't care what color the characters are. But if you are going to argue against how they're portrayed in a movie vs. the book, you should at least read more closely.

BondBomb

Yes they were commenting about how they were sad when Rue dies in the book but not in the movie because she was black. Am I shocked? No.

BondBomb

Yeah if the movie doesn't have enough dead white people in it for you rent Titanic. Problem solved.

rml_16

Yes they were commenting about how they were sad when Rue dies in the book but not in the movie because she was black. Am I shocked? No.

There is something very seriously wrong with some people. I will never understand that way of thinking.

iamstaceywood

Yeah if the movie doesn't have enough dead white people in it for you rent Titanic. Problem solved.

:laugh:

wildcata77

Oh so it was just racists saying openly racist things? Well that's par for the course.

It's nice when idiots out themselves. That much easier to identify them.

Exactly. Way to put a big fat arrow pointing at your own ignorance there, champs.

BrettPGH

Yeah if the movie doesn't have enough dead white people in it for you rent Titanic. Problem solved.

All debate points go to you.

rml_16

Yeah if the movie doesn't have enough dead white people in it for you rent Titanic. Problem solved.

All debate points go to you.

You don't even have to rent it. It's coming out in 3D soon!

Azdak

Wow. People will be outraged over anything.

Before the movie came out, there was a Huffington Post article that had everyone up in arms about how Katniss shouldn't have been played by a white actress because she's described as having olive skin and the people (and the article) argued that so far in the future, races would have mixed and she should have been played by a black actress. Well, I have never heard "olive skin" as a description for a black character or person (usually more Mediterranean) and I read enough of the book to see that her mother and sister have light skin, hair and eyes and that they live in Apalachicola. Sounds like she's white to me.

To be honest, if the story is good, I don't care what color the characters are. But if you are going to argue against how they're portrayed in a movie vs. the book, you should at least read more closely.

I guess with any cultural phenomenon (and I think this fits the definition), everyone has opinions. Here is another story on criticism of Jennifer Lawrence because she is "too big" to play Katniss:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/03/23/jennifer_lawrence_s_body_not_skinny_enough_to_play_katniss_.html

And then there is the more whimsical: "Everything is better with Seneca's Beard" (including cutout patterns so you can make your own "Seneca beard".

http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2012/03/02/seneca_s_beard_in_the_hunger_games_beardbomb_your_favorite_photos_with_seneca_s_beard_.html

Slate.com seems to have a particular fascination with the movie:

"Climate Change and the Hunger Games"

"Why Katniss' Costumes are All Wrong"

"The Economics of The Hunger Games"

Looking at all the article titles, I almost feel like I am looking at an Onion parody.

SkateboardFi

My fave is the comment about sticking to the book. Um...in the book they were dark-skinned! Reading comprehension FAIL, big time.

HA! yep. the thing was, Rue was described has having 'really dark skin', so when i saw the movie, i was surprised Rue wasn't darker actually. the girl they got to play her is the cutest thing i have EVER seen though

fbmandy55

My fave is the comment about sticking to the book. Um...in the book they were dark-skinned! Reading comprehension FAIL, big time.

HA! yep. the thing was, Rue was described has having 'really dark skin', so when i saw the movie, i was surprised Rue wasn't darker actually. the girl they got to play her is the cutest thing i have EVER seen though

This is true! I loved her.

KayteeBear

I have not read the books, but I've seen the movie. I thought Rue was the cutest thing ever!

But when I read about this, I was mad. I can't believe how racist people were. Just because one little girl was black it ruined the WHOLE movie for you? Or you weren't sad when she died because she was black? Seriously? And it even said in the books that she was supposed to be dark skinned so they're only going off the books, too.

I personally had no problem with it. Then again I'm not racist one bit. I thought casting was perfect and I loved the movie and all the characters.

Trechechus

This makes me angry! Rue was described as having dark skin, and I don't know why but I imagined Thresh as Native American. I don't see why it makes a difference anyway. People is people and teenagers killing each other for entertainment is sick no matter the skin tone.

mznisaelaine

Yea I picture Rue to be of darker skin but was shocked when I realized people was really upset she was played by a black girl... Who cares if she was black or whatever. I just don't get why people make a big deal especially when in the book it described her as having darker skin. Now that's really ashame why people are so bold in this day in age to just say ignorant things.