Sumo suits, a common sight on school campuses, have been declared prohibited racist objects by the student government of Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada. The student body declared the suits to be both racist and dehumanizing toward the Japanese.
The students found that turning an aspect of Japanese culture into a costume served to “devalue an ancient and respected Japanese sport, which is rich in history and cultural tradition.” The students also object that the costumes “fail to capture the deeply embedded histories of violent and subversive oppression that a group has faced.”
As a result, the Alma Mater Society cancelled a foodbank fundraiser scheduled for Tuesday, which was to feature two sumo suits.
As a species, we appear to be losing our sense of humor. If this evolutionary trend continues, human will lose their ability to smile by 2210.
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I see skinny Japanese (kids, women etc…) here in Japan wearing similar blow-up suits for fun and harmless competition.
What does this passage even refer to???? “The students also object that the costumes “fail to capture the deeply embedded histories of violent and subversive oppression that a group has faced.” are they referring to fat people?
Look at what Japan does to Canadian (and other commonwealth and US) parents when children are abducted there by the Japanese parent…. there is no respect due this country… please until they return some kids and respect other governments who cares if they are offended.
We are talking about one of the more xenophobic, economic has beens of the planet…. get out of the way already, they have demonstrated they cannot or are not willing to keep up, the current generation is unwilling to work and ignorant of the world at large. Let China show them how it is done.
Mart.
Sounds like it’s the guy you work with that needs banning rather than the sumo suit.
Or maybe he should be forced to wear one at work until he can keep his temper 🙂
Is this Canadians-are-cuckoo-day on the Turley blog? Ah, well, if the shoe fits…
Someone better tell Ellen about these suits, she has guests on her show wear them all the time to compete in wierd contests.
Sumo does beat karate though. Just in case you were wondering.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMn3RjEP6Rc&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
At least sumo wrestlers know where to wear the diapers…..
You want to ban something that’s as Japanese as miso and much deadlier than sumo suits?
Two words.
Giant robots.
If a law must be prohibitive make sure it saves as many lives as possible.
I sumo suited up when challenged at a party by a guy I worked with about twice my size. He comes flying at me as fast as he can. I hop to the side and he stumbles then faceplants into a corner of the garage; a bloody mess. As we are getting out of the slimy smelly suits; he is furious and wants to kick my ass. Cooler heads held him back and calmed him down. I agree with the Canucks – ban the damn things.
I agree that we need to show the Japanese the same respect they show themselves. Here’s a clip from one of their TV game shows: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/655746/funny_japanese_gameshow/.
Clearly, their culture does not approve of disgusting, dehumanizing activities like faux wrestling in sumo suits which rudely caricature the rich history of Japan.
Hopefully the AMS has helped Canada avoid an international incident.
…Actually I stand corrected….sumo costumes were used as part of Frosh Week activities last fall.
I am actually having to use a tissue to wipe my eyes due to laughter while reading this story.
Buddha…I have lived amoung the prestigious Queens’ students for most of my life, and I can guarantee that they are the most relaxed bunch you’ll ever meet. I do know however, that there have been several overt acts of racism, particularly against Asian students, in recent months….however this seems a little extreme.
I can also atest to the fact that I have seen many purple people with strange coloured spikey hair walking the Queens campus and streets of downtown Kingston in my years, however never have I seen a costumed sumo wrestler!!
I’m sorry, but I know quite a few Japanese on on their part, I’d like to express a collective, “What?” for them.
Have any of you ever met a professional sumo? I have. I’m pretty sure they don’t look at is as degrading. Especially since success in their “degrading” profession gets them the rockstar treatment at home.
I’m about to say something I don’t often have to say to Canadians.
Ya’ll need to relax a bit.
Unclench.
It’ll do you some good, Queens University.
So you have the Fun Police in the US too.
I presume the sumo is not to be called a dumo.
2210 is quite optimistic.
I’ve lost mine around the “election” of “Bush”.
Dehumanizing toward the Japanese, go figure….
then we’ll have no other choice but to depict them as the whale-slaughtering, manga-obsessed, suicidal, sexist, sushi-addicted copycats that they are, wouldn’t you say?!