Usually there's a disclaimer on offensive content on NZ's TV. They advise on drug use, offensive language, nudity, etc. But what about racist remarks that may result offensive? I watched Medical Investigation up until the start of the last episodes... then, after just a couple of minutes, I turned off the TV and went to get a latte to calm me down. I am sorry of this sounds rude, but I was really offended by the images shown during the start of the show. I didn't finish watching the episode, but here's what I saw: Some Mexican indians are walking along a street with no pavement, kind of western like town... then those typical low-thirds : Colima, Mexico. 1:30PM (or something like that) Then some guy with a big sombrero crosses the street holding a donkey, there's also a very old pick-up truck, you know, the licence plate hanging by wire and in very bad shape... then, my wife noticed that there was a sign hanging on a building... an old piece of wood with a hand painted sign: "Jalisco". That's when I stopped viewing, I couldn't take it anymore.
I am from Jalisco, I've been to Colima, and it's nothing like that! Colima is a State's capital, and yes, there are (still) places like that in Mexico, just like there are also poor neighborhoods in the US. But those images are offensive to all Mexicans, and specially to the people of Colima which is a modern city.
Last week, the White House asked the Mexican government to withdraw some racially offensive post-stamps. That cartoon character was made in 1940, back then there were numerous offensive cartoons everywhere. But this series is 2004, for Pete's sake! Were's the political correctness? To depict a country, or it's people using that kind of stereotypes is not OK. Many of the 40's characters and stereotypes are now gone, why isn't the image of the Mexican with sombrero sleeping under a cactus gone too?
I am from Jalisco, I've been to Colima, and it's nothing like that! Colima is a State's capital, and yes, there are (still) places like that in Mexico, just like there are also poor neighborhoods in the US. But those images are offensive to all Mexicans, and specially to the people of Colima which is a modern city.
Last week, the White House asked the Mexican government to withdraw some racially offensive post-stamps. That cartoon character was made in 1940, back then there were numerous offensive cartoons everywhere. But this series is 2004, for Pete's sake! Were's the political correctness? To depict a country, or it's people using that kind of stereotypes is not OK. Many of the 40's characters and stereotypes are now gone, why isn't the image of the Mexican with sombrero sleeping under a cactus gone too?