Did Xi actually take offense to it? I thought it was just others being overly heavy-handed in their censorship, thus Streisanding the whole thing.
FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 3 days ago
As far as I’m concerned it was never racist. It was Chinese internet users looking at a picture of Xi and Obama at a summit and compared them in stature, aptly I might add, to Winnie and Tigger. It never stuck with Obama and Xi evidently took it with no sense of humor.
Outside of China the majority of people will not be aware of this meme or have forgotten all about it.
howrar@lemmy.ca 3 days ago
FriendOfDeSoto@startrek.website 3 days ago
You’re right, it could’ve been a case of preemptive obedience by the censors, based on popularity and face-losing potential of the meme. I vaguely remember reading about him not being pleased. But it’s also been a decade.
yermaw@sh.itjust.works 3 days ago
I’ve got no idea if it was being used “maliciously” in China, rebels using it to garner support or some shit idk, but its survived purely on the Streissand effect here in the west.