IKnowWhatYouDidLastSummer said:
Then we had all better shut up and never talk again. Sorry, but you can’t take every single thing as racist, sexist, or homophobic. That is totally ridiculous. Yes, we have problems with those issues in the world, but we are shrinking the portion of the population who thinks that way all the time. Insisting that the Gungans, Nemoidians, and Watto are racist stereotypes based on the scant evidence and ignoring the evidence to the contrary doesn’t help the situation any. And yes, I do believe that if you are so insistent that the Nemoidians sound Asian that you have an issue because as far as I’m concerned, it is a new and unique accent created just for them and does not bear a strong enough resemblance to any real or fake Asian accent I have ever heard. And the inspiration for Watto is clear and it has nothing to do with Jews and everything to do with Junk (not a business I have ever seen the Jewish stereotype linked with - they are always linked to money, not a lack of it like poor Watto/Steptoe/Sanford).
We have enough issues in this world without finding them where they don’t exist. Rather than focus on these characters, we should be asking why our movies aren’t as racially diverse as our country. Where are all the Latinos and East Asians in American movies. Where are all the Desis in UK movies. White people should barely be getting 50% of the roles, but it is way more than that (and slanted 2/3 men and only 1/3 women). I am way more concerned about those problems than worrying whether Nute Gunray is a vague racial stereotype - not even a deliberate one at that. That is why I think this is worth arguing about. The real issues are far more important and worthy of our time. Accidental vague stereotypes cropping up in completely inhuman aliens in science fiction movies should not be an issue. We should be having a conversation about how many roles written for other races get cast as white. Khan is the latest one that pissed me off.