Was Palpatine racist / xenophobic?
Did Palpatine particularly hate non-whites and aliens? If so, why?
Chris Weitz, co-writer of Rogue One, stated how the Empire was a "white supremacist organization."
This however seems in conflict with the black Imperial officers seen in Rebels.
Nevertheless, we don't see aliens at all, and I know of many Legends sources persecuting them.
In Legends, Dooku hated aliens, but Palpatine seemed indifferent. He had Maul as his apprentice, after all.
"Indeed, my subjects fear me, but that fear will lead to anger. And anger will make my Empire strong. However, anger directed towards authority is dangerous. It must be channeled towards other, weaker subjects. By encouraging fear of the exotic and the unusual, a regime can be strengthened. The Empire has uniformity in its symbols and its ideology, which makes it easier to shame those who do not belong and to make them the objects of a galaxy's rage.
The Republic's alien species are the simplest targets. Most humans of the Core already despise looking into their multiple eyes or listening to their clicking, buzzing languages. They hate their bewildering customs and their sharp stench. Coruscant is a seething boil of species, but humans far outnumber any other species. It is an ideal place to sow seeds of suspicion - to instill the idea that those who don't conform are the enemy and enemies must be destroyed. By making the powerless a target, the people will not threaten the one in power. On the contrary, the ruler will be venerated as a hero for exposing the weak."
-Emperor Palpatine.
Re: Was Palpatine racist / xenophobic?
Originally posted by DarthAnt66
Did Palpatine particularly hate non-whites and aliens? If so, why?Chris Weitz, co-writer of Rogue One, stated how the Empire was a "white supremacist organization."
This however seems in conflict with the black Imperial officers seen in Rebels.
Also the clear non-white and or alien Inquisitors. Legends also had them too, along with non-white Imperial officers. There were also aliens working for and in the Empire as scouts, spies, so on.
Originally posted by darthbane77
Yeah, based on the quote Az provided, I don't think he was racist or anything; everybody was an equally usable tool to him, species was irrelevant.
A little scary that people in RL could learn from him in that way. As far as seeing that color/species being irrelevant in what someone could do.
Originally posted by Azronger"In the absence of training and brainwashing, they will pose no harm to us. You will see to that, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine."
"Indeed, my subjects fear me, but that fear will lead to anger. And anger will make my Empire strong. However, anger directed towards authority is dangerous. It must be channeled towards other, weaker subjects. By encouraging fear of the exotic and the unusual, a regime can be strengthened. The Empire has uniformity in its symbols and its ideology, which makes it easier to shame those who do not belong and to make them the objects of a galaxy's rage.The Republic's alien species are the simplest targets. Most humans of the Core already despise looking into their multiple eyes or listening to their clicking, buzzing languages. They hate their bewildering customs and their sharp stench. Coruscant is a seething boil of species, but humans far outnumber any other species. It is an ideal place to sow seeds of suspicion - to instill the idea that those who don't conform are the enemy and enemies must be destroyed. By making the powerless a target, the people will not threaten the one in power. On the contrary, the ruler will be venerated as a hero for exposing the weak."
-Emperor Palpatine.
Sidious looked at the floor and shook his head. "You should be the one, Master."
"No," Plagueis said firmly. "It must be you. You have the political skills, and more to the point, you are a human. In this era only a human is capable of rising to the top of Coruscant's biased political heap."
They just used it to manipulate shit yeah.