Almost a year after we elected our first African-American President, I remember a movie I watched back in my college days for a class - Bamboozled. If you've never seen the movie, I suggest you take a evening with your good friends and sit down and watch it. It isn't an entertaining movie, but it WILL make you sit back and think about how you carry yourself. In any case, the ignorance in this movie is unsettling; but of course it's done to prove a point, but it still bothers me. Can society still be like this? Could there be a network writer just waiting to unleash his idea of a mainstream minstrel show? If there is, would a show like this either make it to being produced? Could we as a society honestly take such a feat and accept the stereotypical racism expressed in a minstrel show?
Can Mantan and Sleep & Eat become National icons? Can we celebrate anyone who dresses in Blackface and outfight disrespects themselves and their culture? How do we react to the pickaninnies, the aunt Jemimah's, the coons, the uncle toms...? I know, you're thinking "but that was the past, they can't get away with something like this today!" Funny thing is, they are. With reality television/dating shows so popular we allow people like Flava-Flav, and Tiffany "New York" Pollard - who will pretty much do anything for a dollar - come into our homes and tap-dance on our dinner tables. We sit back and laugh, thinking "but it's funny." But that's what they thought back in the 100 years from 1830 when Blackface became popular. What's even more unfortunate about it, is that they used Blackface as an education means to teach them how African-Americans really acted. Not the case today? Wrong. I guarantee there White Americans who have never met an African-American before (yes, there still are some) and feel that we all act like Flava-Flv, New York, or the Stallionaires.
How do we deal with something like this? In my opinion...bury them all. Burn them (the image) even. Show America that we won't take that shit. We have too many influential African-American figures who are respected and looked-up-to even THINK this could be pulled off today. But that doesn't mean they won't try. Understand that the image we carry is more than just who we are as individuals, but we have to represent for our culture.
What do you think? Who do you represent?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Yeah but at the same time to be honest, Most african americans do not care. We have some really talented and smart individuals out there but even worse...we've got these damn kids at college still wanting to be thugs...IN COLLEGE! I mean its just so discouraging! America already thinks those things and its so common to find them in real life that its no wonder they can easily point out this mess and keep it going!
ReplyDeleteI dont think I represent any portion of the black community. I do not feel a sense of community with them. I have began to just accept the good ones and leave the other ones behind. They cant be helped.
It's sad...these "icons" that we have in the black community perpetuate the stereotypes of our people. The sad part is the fact that most people don't care, or they don't realize the effect these characters have on our society.
ReplyDeleteNo offense, but I feel like some things are pulled out of proportion. As a Italian-american male, I find that sometimes I'm accused of doing racist things or being racist when I'm acting in a way that I would towards anyone..but all of a sudden when it's towards somebody who isn't white, it's hatred.
ReplyDeleteI do, though, agree that some people, even in new york, still hold racial biases that are uncalled for. For example, the raction of me dating someone who was black in my community and family is recieved in two ways..one of tolerance or one of dismissal. Either way, neither of them are ACCEPTANCE. Tolerance is dealing with a situation, despite opions, and dismissal is disapproval and, ultimately, seperation.
Mom and dad know, but they still say "there isn't anyone white you could date?". Call it cultural, society-based, or what have you, but there's still these feelings of unequality..like a black person may not be "of my calibur," according to some of my family, while in actuality that person who is black could very well be as sophisticated, educated, and well-manner as I. In the same line, I could very well be an uncultured, uneducated asshole. Me being white doesn't make me better, and he being black doesn't make him worse.. the preconcieved notion some people have, however, is that race dictates more than just your skin color.
It is just a burden that comes with being your race. While a person born with darker skin recieves preconcieved judgements about their lifestyle, so does a white person. I know most people don't want to hear this, but just try to put yourself in my shoes, as someone who is accepting of all races, but still is treated like an enemy at times because of the way white people in the past and presence have treated african americans..
@YouLoveMikeDig thank you so much for your comment, but I don't think you quite understand where I was coming from. Initially, I was going to write a comment here, but I got so wrapped up it became too long and now it's another post, lol. Check it out, and feel free to post another comment on that one. Thank you again!
ReplyDelete