"Racism"/Species-ism in the OT - - Poor Wookiees - -

I was re-watching the OT the other night, and I noticed that there is a lot of "species-ism" in it, particularly against the Wookiees. I'm wondering what could possibly have happened concerning them. In the PT, Lucas has shown scenes ( later cut, sadly ) of Yarua, Wookiee Senator, and in TPM, we see a group of Wookiees in the Senate Chamber, but by the time of ANH and ESB, the Wookies seem to have sunk in stature. It's one thing for the officer in the prison block on the Death Star to look at Chewie and ask "Where are you going with this 'thing'?" a phrase obviously insulting Chewbacca, since we don't expect incredible brilliance or tact from Imperial officers, but Princess Leia makes degrading comments also, once referring to Chewie as a 'walking carpet' and in ESB, telling Han she would 'rather kiss a Wookiee', implying that that was some awfl thing. Leia is a Senator, and diplomacy is her life. Why would even she stoop to such insults and "racist digs" on a member of a species who were, at least in the PT, members in good standing of the Republic. Have the poor Wookkiees sunk so low, or is this part of some Imperial Propaganda begun by Palpatine's New Order. And even if this is so, one would expect a bit more from Leia, in fact, as a member of the Rebel Alliance, I'd hope that she would show even more compassion for someone not only a member of a race oppressed by the Empire, but someone who just helped rescue her. Even Threepio, a stuffy protocol droid, comments about Chewbacca that "after all, he's only a Wookiee" as if he were less than, or something. He also advises Artoo to 'let the Wookiee win' though that stems more from his desire not to have his arms ripped off.

Anyway, I know there is no definitive answer here, but I wanted to see if others had also noticed this and what their thoughts on it were.

 

Maybe Wookiee has a double meaning in the GFFA, like it does here?

 

You're looking too far into it.

 

Species are not meant to 'all get along'.


Some species EAT other species. It's not prejudice or bigotry if mice don't get along with cats, or dogs don't get along with bears.


Tribalism is natural.

 

Leia's comment calling Chewie a 'walking carpet' is bothersome. I know she's a feisty, determined lady and especially in the first two movies was hard-edged, but that seemed like it was taking it too far. Yes, Chewie is of a different species, but Leia is a major leader in the rebellion and should be trying to get all the allies she can for her cause, not insulting random aliens she meets.

It is strange how the Wookies by the time of ANH are supposed to be enslaved by the Empire, yet at least at the beginning of ANH, the Senate still exists. What happened to the Wookie delegation? Had their representation already been revoked?

 

Plus, wookies are well known to be honorable, friendly beings (unless you get on their bad side). Wouldn't "I'd just as soon kiss a Hutt" be a better phrase? Hutts are repulsive, vile gangsters, Wookies are good guys.

 

She was being '******'...which most people have been from time to time. It doesn't make her a bigot.


She also called Han a "scruffy-lookin nerf-herder". Is that remark offensive to nerf-herders?


My ex-girlfriend used to call me a "teddy bear".




EV Edit: That word is not allowed, please * it out in the future.

 

^ So your girlfriend was making fun of Ewoks?

 

Exactly.

 

I know the EU has the Empire being very speciesist, however as for Leia's comments. I would not consider Leia to be a bigot, I'd just take her comments as that of a feisty senator. Leia cares for Chewie and for all alien species, if she insulted them, well, I doubt it would be on purpose.

 

She just watched the whole planet where she grew up be blown up. I think I'd be a little ticked too, and not in the mood for anything to go any other way that how I wanted.

 

that still doesn't explain her "I'd rather kiss a Wookiee" comment in ESB, tho.

 

Interesting. To Leia the very thought of kissing a Wookie was beneath her, even repugnant, yet she has no problem going all natural with the Ewoks, wearing the hippie dress, letting them braid her hair, and who knows what else happened before Han and the rest got there.

 

Well, would YOU want to kiss a Wookiee?

Sounds like you just want to see some inter-species mating or something. I mean, really, that'd be sorta like a person and a bear getting together. It just doesn't happen.

 

All I meant to say was **** * *** ***** ** and *******.


And when **** said *****, he should have ********.



Better?

 

Leia cares for Chewie and for all alien species, if she insulted them, well, I doubt it would be on purpose.

If that was a gaffe, it was a pretty bad one for a diplomat.

 

Diplomats are people too. It wouldn't surprise me if she even used the 'b' word once in a while.

 

[image=http://www.shavenwookie.com/images/shvsmll03.jpg]

The one word for Wookies who like short shorts.....Nair.

 

Up, since someone started a thread of a similar subject.

 

Maybe her comment in ESB re: kissing wookies was some kinda inside joke with Leia, Han, and Chewie?

As for the walking carpet quip, as pointed out, she had just witnessed the murder of her entire family and several billion other Alderaanians, been tortured by Vader, shot at by stormtroopers, dumped in garbage, and almost crushed to death. She was a bit crabby, and Chewie probably didn't smell daisy fresh. I'd let that one slide.

 

Except it wasn't the kind of remark one makes when they're crabby. I'm sure you can think of some equivalent real life racial slurs. Do people who wouldn't otherwise say those things just let them slip when they're in a bad mood?

 

"Maybe her comment in ESB re: kissing wookies was some kinda inside joke with Leia, Han, and Chewie?"

Oh my god. Please tell me that's a joke?

I agree with Skateboard_Jedi. I was just thinking about this last night watching ESB. They are obviously looked down upon as animals.

 

Heh, I've done that before. Luckily, the other person didn't hear me. I was REALLY mad at this guy, and it just sorta came out.

So yeah, its possible.