I think that sometimes they can be used to counteract negative stereotypes though, even if they are exaggerated etc. Take the Italian organ grinder with his little monkey. If you have that stereotype firmly in your mind, you will not think Italian = Mafia, which of course it doesn't. It might not be a stereotype Italians like, but it seems better to me than the other one they have to face.

Take the Irish -- when they came here they were disease-ridden, dressed in rags, probably scary-looking, driven to crime sometimes, certainly to drink and fighting. There is that stereotype..there is also the one you see on St. Patrick's day cards, the jolly stage Irish..his shilleighi?? reduced to a cute accessory rather than a powerful weapon (I am sure there is some Freudian psychology here).this probably helped reduce negative or fear-based stereotypes, and every ethnic group probably has to deal with some..if not physical, then perhaps political or finanical..the WASP who wants to lord it over everyone, when probably most in the past were pretty poor...see what I mean? mg