[sushid]

I don't think you can categorically say that (but are welcome to make that accusation). Are you saying that because we as a society make comparisons to Hitler, it's okay to call an Asian woman in a leadership position something like "Chairman Mao?"

If a black person were compared to Mugabe, is that also racist? What if you compared an Italian person to Mussolini? is that racist?

You can ask more asinine questions but you're really skirting around the real question here (with a fairly clear answer).

[mbrameld]

You're right, context matters. In the case of Pao, the fact that the names Mao and Pao are so similar is the more important context. If Ellen Pao was any other race she would have still been called Chairman Pao because the point of the comparison isn't to point out that Pao and Mao are the same race.

Did you think it's the Asian-ness of Pao that was being called out when people called her Chairman Pao? Or was it her leadership style? Do you think if she was Asian but her last name was Titler that she would have still been called Chairman Titler because she's Asian?

Not every comment made about a minority is racist. Context matters.

[EdHominem]

> Are you saying that because we as a society make comparisons to Hitler, it's okay to call an Asian woman in a leadership position something like "Chairman Mao?"

Are you trying to guilt trip everyone by making it seem like mocking power is a racist thing just because people of many races are involved? Rather than this passive aggressive attempt to trap someone, why don't you come out and simply say that you think it is racist and inappropriate?

> What if you compared an Italian person to Mussolini? is that racist?

Just some random Italian person you see walking around Rome? It's likely just wrong.

But when comparing some bossy jerk to a tyrant, is it more racist to pick Mussolini for an Italian person? Probably not, because the dictators were a product of their cultures. Italians probably are more like Mussolini than Mao.

Your post insinuates that people are insulting black people, or asians, and just throwing out any insult that fits. Yes, it is racist to just insult someone just for their color - regardless of who you compare them to. But if you're going to insult someone for non-racist reasons it doesn't suddenly become racist just because you pick Mugabe to compare them to, for instance.

We don't do anyone any favors by over-reporting racism and in fact that's a common racist troll tactic; call everything racism to water it down or make victims look like complainers.

[sushid]

Wow, I didn't expect anyone to reply to those specific examples. My point was that they're asinine. Context matters and those situations are clearly vague enough that it's doesn't warrant any further discussion.

In Pao's context, the comparisons drawn does suggest a racist undertone, an issue the parent commenter in my post seems to try and skirt around by asking another question.

Basically, you're literally missing my point. I'm pointing at the moon and you're too busying looking at my finger.

As an aside, it's hilarious to me that you think it's accommodating to compare Italians to Mussolini (over Mao or other dictators due to their shared cultural connection).

[mbrameld]

You're focused so hard on the moon while everybody else has been talking about the stars the whole time.

Pao sounds a lot like Mao. It would regardless of the race of the person with the name Pao. Mao was an oppressive dictator. The people that called Pao Chairman Pao weren't doing it because she's Asian, they were doing it because they didn't agree with her leadership style and were comparing it to the style of an oppressive dictator.

You are the one who saw it as a racial thing, the problem is with you.