It was the dog
It was the dog
This is a difficult photograph to add commentary to. In fact so difficult it took me 4 months before I decided to publish it.
A very pretty black girl with her obviously young puppy enjoying a walk with her friends. Another, equally attractive young, white lady passing them with an obvious gesture to the nose indicating: something stinks here.
Did the dog break wind or was it something else?
OK, some additional information: this photograph was taken in Brussels, Belgium July 2007, in front of a restaurant. I was slitted at their outdoor tables. The girl’s action (gesture) seemed deliberate as to say something stinks and it lasted for a while (few steps back and few steps after the photo was taken. It did not look like “I have an itch or a cold”.
So touching your nose is racist now? Methinks the racism you see is entirely in your mind. There’s no indication that her touching her nose has anything to do with a smell — maybe her nose is itchy or drippy. Frankly, you stink for thinking her reaction is in any way related to a particular one of the two other people in the photo.
Comment by Baba Louie | January 16, 2008
Baba Louie, you just said it all. The racism is in the viewer’s mind.
Comment by Joe | January 16, 2008
There is too much assumption going on. From everyones positions I don’t even assume the girl is paying much attention to the girl and puppy. Without having been there the moment loses context, so I wouldn’t even bother trying to assume what was going on.
Comment by Rahim | January 16, 2008
I have to agree — racism would not have crossed my mind.
D.
Comment by D | January 17, 2008
Sorry if I offended any smokers out there. Was just stating my own personal opinion. (And Ted, I mistyped my email address in the above post).
Comment by Jeff Austin | January 17, 2008
Ted, that is a very Interesting photo and it is nice to see it generated some comments and thoughts. The woman on the left holding her nose tends to not reflect racism in my opinion. A facial gesture would have but not holding her nose. I would suspect she either had an itchy nose or maybe she was allergic to dogs and holding her nose to avoid the smell/dander. Either way, it’s a great capture. Being a dog lover, I would have gone up to say hello to the woman and her puppy. BTW, I hold my nose when I walk past smokers both because I don’t want to breathe in their cigarette smoke and also because I find smoking disgusting.
Comment by Jeff Austin | January 17, 2008
If the city is anything like Toronto you can be walking and then *boom* random rancid stink, I swear it hits like a truck sometimes. I think this could be the case in the image, shes out front of a restaurant, there could have been a sewer grate right below them and god knows what is being dumped into the dry sewer =P
Comment by Jon | January 17, 2008
Ted, I live in Brussels and find it to be a very diverse city with huge cultural variety - I have yet to see any evidence of racism as I go about the city. Well, other than the perpetual battle between the Flemish in the north and Walloons in the south that is. However, I must admit there is a bit of a difference when it comes to frequency of bathing and washing of clothes in general here in Brussels, and the locals often refuse to pick up after their dogs. Not to mention everyone seems to smoke here. Walking around I occasionally fight the requirement to plug my nose. Personally I find the photo interesting and don’t read the same thing into it that you do. Again thanks for another photo and your consideration regarding this issue.
Comment by David | January 17, 2008
She should have been caught while simply wiping/scratching her nose, or the dog could have let one fly, or the guy behind her could have let one fly and is blaming it on the dog, or something out of view of the camera could have caused the reaction. Why is the first reaction always something down the line of racism or the like? My first reaction was that the dog has a guilty look on it’s face (those that have dogs know that look) LOL.
Comment by VejOut | January 17, 2008
I think the only racism is in your mind here. No idea why you would see racism in this photo. The first thing that comes to my mind is that maybe someone nearby was smoking. I admit that I hate smoking as it is very foul smelling. Therefore when viewing this photo I am influenced by my dislikes. I wonder what influenced you to think racism?
Comment by Bob | January 17, 2008