About Cyborg. I don't wish that character or his fans ill, really. But to be totally honest, there are definitely things involving him that bother me. Ultimately, I feel he's on the League more for the sake of White people than he is for Black people. I think he's there so White people can meet a quota without having to sacrifice any precious White heroes.
I've seen some Black people speak out against this and the exchange usually goes like this:
Black person: I would rather have John Stewart on the Justice League. Because I'm Black and I want an idealized Black role model on the team.
Non-Black person: You have Cyborg.
Black person: He's got no penis, only half a face, and he's a robot. He's far from idealized.
Non-Black person: I think you're the only person who worries about that.
Black person: I'm not. I think it's a legitimate grievance in this setting. I'd rather have John Stewart.
Non-Black: Cyborg is his own hero. At least he's not an alternate version of an already White character.
Black person: Okay, but I'd rather have John Stewart because I think he's way cooler.
Non-Black person: At least people can relate to Cyborg because of x reason(s).
Black person: I relate to John Stewart. He's a role model for me. I don't think I relate to a robot with no penis.
Non-Black person: Well, John Stewart doesn't have a motivation, a supporting cast (other stuff).
Black person: Yes he does. Just as much and even more so than Cyborg.
Non -Black person: But Cyborg... (and on it goes).
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So, what I'm getting at is I see people who are not Black (and usually probably not any minority) and who are not faced with the issues I mentioned in the above post, trying to impress Cyborg upon people who are Black and implying that they should like him better than John Stewart, even when they don't (and I feel this is what DC has tried to do). And honestly, I don't think a lot of people who fervently support Cyborg do so because they like the character, but rather so he can fulfill the role of 'Black guy' and they can have the White Green Lantern. That is the ultimate tokenism, if you ask me, because then that character isn't even there to appeal to actual Black people, but rather to ultimately serve an agenda for White people. This isn't to say that there aren't genuine Cyborg fans and genuine fans of his who are Black. But, I do think this is what is going on.
I just see so much wrong with Cyborg in the Justice League. It's not even so much about the character in and of himself, but rather what he's being used for, and what his being there brings out in certain fans I've seen. If DC/WB puts John Stewart is put in the Justice League, with or without Cyborg, all of this will go away.
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