Pay Attention
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Can You Understand The Words That Are Coming Out Of My Mouth?
Sometimes I wonder if I speak a foreign language.
Apparently I slip into this language when I'm explaining something to my wife she really doesn't want to here. Or when I'm telling my little boy why he can't have candy and must eat his vegetables. Or, when I'm trying to explain a point about racism to certain white folks.
That's when I start speaking my special language.
I figure I must be speaking some random language because no matter how slowly my words come out, no matter how much care I take to speak simply, I can't seem to get folks to listen. They hear me, but apparently the listening thing is beyond their grasp.
Y'all ever feel like that?
I hate being ignored, or feeling like I can't make myself understood. When I was a kid, I was the brat who used to raise his hand to answer every question and then shout "Ooh, ooh, me, me" to get the teacher's attention.
I still have a rule that if somebody hangs up on me during a conversation, I will not call them back first. I feel totally uncomfortable and self-conscious when I'm around people who speak a language I can't understand.
Yet, everyday, in small ways and big ones, I find myself trapped in situations where there is a communication gap.
Maybe it's my arrogance. I rarely believe I'm wrong about anything, particularly things related to my opinions. I might not be right, but I ain't wrong either. So, it could be that I'm expecting too much from people when I want them to immediately appreciate that I know more than them. I guess I could blame it on arrogance.
Nope, don't think so.
I'd rather point to other people's stubbornness and stupidity. Seriously, what I've found is that most folks abhor being wrong just as much as I do. Unfortunately, they are willing to feign ignorance to avoid admitting that they are wrong. Or, in some cases, they are truly too stupid to realize they don't know what they are talking about.
Anyway, I'm feeling some frustration on this point. I'm tired of going around and around with folks about the same crap. Tired of trying to reasonable with folks who just don't get it. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what I do now.
Share
Apparently I slip into this language when I'm explaining something to my wife she really doesn't want to here. Or when I'm telling my little boy why he can't have candy and must eat his vegetables. Or, when I'm trying to explain a point about racism to certain white folks.
That's when I start speaking my special language.
I figure I must be speaking some random language because no matter how slowly my words come out, no matter how much care I take to speak simply, I can't seem to get folks to listen. They hear me, but apparently the listening thing is beyond their grasp.
Y'all ever feel like that?
I hate being ignored, or feeling like I can't make myself understood. When I was a kid, I was the brat who used to raise his hand to answer every question and then shout "Ooh, ooh, me, me" to get the teacher's attention.
I still have a rule that if somebody hangs up on me during a conversation, I will not call them back first. I feel totally uncomfortable and self-conscious when I'm around people who speak a language I can't understand.
Yet, everyday, in small ways and big ones, I find myself trapped in situations where there is a communication gap.
Maybe it's my arrogance. I rarely believe I'm wrong about anything, particularly things related to my opinions. I might not be right, but I ain't wrong either. So, it could be that I'm expecting too much from people when I want them to immediately appreciate that I know more than them. I guess I could blame it on arrogance.
Nope, don't think so.
I'd rather point to other people's stubbornness and stupidity. Seriously, what I've found is that most folks abhor being wrong just as much as I do. Unfortunately, they are willing to feign ignorance to avoid admitting that they are wrong. Or, in some cases, they are truly too stupid to realize they don't know what they are talking about.
Anyway, I'm feeling some frustration on this point. I'm tired of going around and around with folks about the same crap. Tired of trying to reasonable with folks who just don't get it. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what I do now.
Share
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Low Level Racism
Bill Gates doesn't care about black people.
Some of y'all are shaking your heads. After all, Gates has spent millions in Africa and here in America helping poor black folks have better lives. Of course he cares about black people.
My bad. I should have said "Bill Gates doesn't care about black people when it comes to making money." Don't believe me, well check this out.
Honestly, I'm just kidding about Mr. Gates. I have no idea how he feels about "the blacks." However, that link shows that some folks at his company clearly do not believe that black people have the proper skin color for selling technology. The link takes you to a poorly Photoshopped picture where a black man was removed from the shot and a white man placed there in his stead. It's pretty funny because it's so horribly inept.
Truthfully, as the title of my blog suggests, this is pretty low-level racism. Just like the recent reports of entities Photoshopping black people into photos to promote diversity that doesn't exist, the idea of taking black folks out of pictures is pretty ho-hum. On the "WTF Meter," it barely registers a 2 on scale of 1 to 10.
But, that doesn't mean it's not important. Really, while most people are laughing at the fact that whoever changed the picture didn't even bother to change the color of the guy's hands, I'm wondering what it means that a black guy was removed and an Asian guy and woman retained.
It's an interesting commentary on the power of racial stereotypes in my opinion. Apparently, Asians are assumed to be good at technology no matter where you live, and white women are competent as well. But, if you have a black guy, you might want to replace him with a white guy as soon as possible.
It's not surprising that these stereotypes persist, but it is saddening. Honestly, I don't see a real way to convince folks that most of the horrible things they believe about black folks are in fact lies. Sure, some of us are lazy and incompetent, but the idea that these characteristics are more prevalent in our community than others is just idiotic. Yet, people continue to believe this.
This picture is just one more small example of how ingrained racism is in the world. It's a small example, but a telling one. It shines a light on the reality of our current world, and the view isn't pretty.
Even if it is low level stuff.
Share
Some of y'all are shaking your heads. After all, Gates has spent millions in Africa and here in America helping poor black folks have better lives. Of course he cares about black people.
My bad. I should have said "Bill Gates doesn't care about black people when it comes to making money." Don't believe me, well check this out.
Honestly, I'm just kidding about Mr. Gates. I have no idea how he feels about "the blacks." However, that link shows that some folks at his company clearly do not believe that black people have the proper skin color for selling technology. The link takes you to a poorly Photoshopped picture where a black man was removed from the shot and a white man placed there in his stead. It's pretty funny because it's so horribly inept.
Truthfully, as the title of my blog suggests, this is pretty low-level racism. Just like the recent reports of entities Photoshopping black people into photos to promote diversity that doesn't exist, the idea of taking black folks out of pictures is pretty ho-hum. On the "WTF Meter," it barely registers a 2 on scale of 1 to 10.
But, that doesn't mean it's not important. Really, while most people are laughing at the fact that whoever changed the picture didn't even bother to change the color of the guy's hands, I'm wondering what it means that a black guy was removed and an Asian guy and woman retained.
It's an interesting commentary on the power of racial stereotypes in my opinion. Apparently, Asians are assumed to be good at technology no matter where you live, and white women are competent as well. But, if you have a black guy, you might want to replace him with a white guy as soon as possible.
It's not surprising that these stereotypes persist, but it is saddening. Honestly, I don't see a real way to convince folks that most of the horrible things they believe about black folks are in fact lies. Sure, some of us are lazy and incompetent, but the idea that these characteristics are more prevalent in our community than others is just idiotic. Yet, people continue to believe this.
This picture is just one more small example of how ingrained racism is in the world. It's a small example, but a telling one. It shines a light on the reality of our current world, and the view isn't pretty.
Even if it is low level stuff.
Share
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Backbones Are Relative
Let me tell y'all a story...
I was at the park recently, and this guy was there with his wife and their children. His wife was a security guard and she was on patrol at the park, but also spending time with her family. She and the man are talking, and abruptly he starts yelling towards a group of teenagers at the far end of the parking lot.
From what I could gather, somehow the man suspected that the teenagers had used some profane language to describe his wife. He loudly and repeatedly asked these teenagers if they had in fact made the comment to his wife. While doing this, he kept screaming the alleged comment, which was in fact vile, so that all the children on the playground could hear him.
Finally, after threatening to beat up teenagers for several minutes, he turned to all of us and apologized for his language and his behavior. But, he then added "I can't stand nobody disrespecting my wife."
This guy clearly believed that the best way to display his manhood was to prove he was the biggest and baddest man at the park. And he didn't care who had to see him put on this display.
The idea of a backbone is something that's been a popular topic lately. It's become vogue to accuse President Barack Obama of being a spineless wimp. Most people, liberal and conservative, think Obama lacks the testicular fortitude to push through healthcare reform, and people have no problem stating their beliefs.
The thing is, toughness is a funny concept. I mean, did Bill Clinton and Hillary lack toughness? They failed on healthcare as well, you know. Many other politicians have failed to enact reforms that were necessary, does that mean they all lacked toughness?
It's not that I don't see where some of the criticism is coming from, it's just that it seems based on the idea that toughness is forcing people to do what you want them to do no matter what they want. That may be true in some cases, but I don't think it works that way for politicians.
Honestly, I believe that citizens get the reforms they deserve. Sometimes I wonder if Obama doesn't feel the same way. If people don't want to buy what he's selling, maybe he figures it's not worth killing himself to sell it to them.
I think that takes a special sort of backbone.
Share
I was at the park recently, and this guy was there with his wife and their children. His wife was a security guard and she was on patrol at the park, but also spending time with her family. She and the man are talking, and abruptly he starts yelling towards a group of teenagers at the far end of the parking lot.
From what I could gather, somehow the man suspected that the teenagers had used some profane language to describe his wife. He loudly and repeatedly asked these teenagers if they had in fact made the comment to his wife. While doing this, he kept screaming the alleged comment, which was in fact vile, so that all the children on the playground could hear him.
Finally, after threatening to beat up teenagers for several minutes, he turned to all of us and apologized for his language and his behavior. But, he then added "I can't stand nobody disrespecting my wife."
This guy clearly believed that the best way to display his manhood was to prove he was the biggest and baddest man at the park. And he didn't care who had to see him put on this display.
The idea of a backbone is something that's been a popular topic lately. It's become vogue to accuse President Barack Obama of being a spineless wimp. Most people, liberal and conservative, think Obama lacks the testicular fortitude to push through healthcare reform, and people have no problem stating their beliefs.
The thing is, toughness is a funny concept. I mean, did Bill Clinton and Hillary lack toughness? They failed on healthcare as well, you know. Many other politicians have failed to enact reforms that were necessary, does that mean they all lacked toughness?
It's not that I don't see where some of the criticism is coming from, it's just that it seems based on the idea that toughness is forcing people to do what you want them to do no matter what they want. That may be true in some cases, but I don't think it works that way for politicians.
Honestly, I believe that citizens get the reforms they deserve. Sometimes I wonder if Obama doesn't feel the same way. If people don't want to buy what he's selling, maybe he figures it's not worth killing himself to sell it to them.
I think that takes a special sort of backbone.
Share
Friday, August 21, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Show and Prove
Let me admit up front that I jacked this blog idea from The Field Negro. Homie is always a source of news on current controversies.
"Excuse me miss, but, are you a man?
I imagine that's how the conversation went for Caster Semenya. The teenage, South African track and field star is currently embroiled in a controversy over whether she fits the genetic profile of a real woman. For more info on exactly what happened check out this and this.
Sure, there was probably a lot more hemming and hawing when officials approached the muscular teenager to discuss her genes. I'd wager there were pregnant pauses and euphemisms galore when the IAAF explained its concerns. Yet, at the base level, that's what these men (because I'd wager big bucks it was men) asked this young woman.
"Are you a stander or a sitter?"
I can't imagine what it must feel like to be a woman and be accused of being a man. Some might downplay the mental anguish of that, noting that Semenya could take it as a compliment due to her track prowess. But, I keep thinking about how I would feel if I was an 18-year old girl with all the body image issues that 18-year old girls possess, and some strange men told me that weren't sure I was really a female.
Yep, I think y'all get it now.
What's even more disturbing is that the second story I linked to states that this is not really an issue of whether Semenya has the correct female parts. That's not up for debate. The issue is whether on a genetic level she truly qualifies as female.
That's some spooky stuff right there.
Who decides what is genetically female? What's next? Deciding what's genetically human? Just saying, if this young sister was never a man, then she's a woman. Even if she is a hermaphrodite, she's still a woman if that's how she's been living all these years.
Not only am I appalled with where this genetic inquiry might lead, I'm disturbed by the folks that have shifted blame to Semenya's coaches, or her country for what happened at these events. They pretend that these complaints were inevitable given Semenya's dominance and physique.
But, when i look at the girl, she reminds me of disgraced sprinter Marion Jones. Her body resembles the doped up one Jones displayed when she burst on to the sprinting scene and captured hearts and minds. Strangely, I have not seen anyone accusing Semenya of her doping, just accusing her of not being female.
From my vantage point, it appears that this woman's biggest sin was being born without Jones' good looks, but other than that there isn't much difference between them. Here's Semenya:
Now here is Jones:
Tell, me does Jones look like a man to you? I didn't think so. This issue is as much a referendum on beauty standards as it a debate about whether or not this teenager is truly a woman.
Jones, with her long hair, light skin and amazing cheekbones (yeah, I used to stan for her back in the day) may appear ultra-muscular, but she still fits within the acceptable beauty matrix. I don't know whether Semenya is considered beautiful in South Africa, but I know by American beauty standards she would not be. And I imagine that American standards are the same ones used by folks in most European countries.
The combination of Semenya's face, physique and dominance are apparently too much for most folks to wrap their small minds around. Instead of just acknowledging that this woman is probably either a prodigy or a doper, they decided she must not even be a woman. It reminds of some of the things Venus and Serena Williams faced when they first joined the tennis tour.
I feel nothing but for sorrow for this young woman. From now on, whenever she wins a race there will always be whispers about her gender. No matter what the tests show, some people will refuse to acknowledge her as a woman. That's a terrible thing.
Kinda makes me want to quote Sojourner Truth.
Share
"Excuse me miss, but, are you a man?
I imagine that's how the conversation went for Caster Semenya. The teenage, South African track and field star is currently embroiled in a controversy over whether she fits the genetic profile of a real woman. For more info on exactly what happened check out this and this.
Sure, there was probably a lot more hemming and hawing when officials approached the muscular teenager to discuss her genes. I'd wager there were pregnant pauses and euphemisms galore when the IAAF explained its concerns. Yet, at the base level, that's what these men (because I'd wager big bucks it was men) asked this young woman.
"Are you a stander or a sitter?"
I can't imagine what it must feel like to be a woman and be accused of being a man. Some might downplay the mental anguish of that, noting that Semenya could take it as a compliment due to her track prowess. But, I keep thinking about how I would feel if I was an 18-year old girl with all the body image issues that 18-year old girls possess, and some strange men told me that weren't sure I was really a female.
Yep, I think y'all get it now.
What's even more disturbing is that the second story I linked to states that this is not really an issue of whether Semenya has the correct female parts. That's not up for debate. The issue is whether on a genetic level she truly qualifies as female.
That's some spooky stuff right there.
Who decides what is genetically female? What's next? Deciding what's genetically human? Just saying, if this young sister was never a man, then she's a woman. Even if she is a hermaphrodite, she's still a woman if that's how she's been living all these years.
Not only am I appalled with where this genetic inquiry might lead, I'm disturbed by the folks that have shifted blame to Semenya's coaches, or her country for what happened at these events. They pretend that these complaints were inevitable given Semenya's dominance and physique.
But, when i look at the girl, she reminds me of disgraced sprinter Marion Jones. Her body resembles the doped up one Jones displayed when she burst on to the sprinting scene and captured hearts and minds. Strangely, I have not seen anyone accusing Semenya of her doping, just accusing her of not being female.
From my vantage point, it appears that this woman's biggest sin was being born without Jones' good looks, but other than that there isn't much difference between them. Here's Semenya:
Now here is Jones:
Tell, me does Jones look like a man to you? I didn't think so. This issue is as much a referendum on beauty standards as it a debate about whether or not this teenager is truly a woman.
Jones, with her long hair, light skin and amazing cheekbones (yeah, I used to stan for her back in the day) may appear ultra-muscular, but she still fits within the acceptable beauty matrix. I don't know whether Semenya is considered beautiful in South Africa, but I know by American beauty standards she would not be. And I imagine that American standards are the same ones used by folks in most European countries.
The combination of Semenya's face, physique and dominance are apparently too much for most folks to wrap their small minds around. Instead of just acknowledging that this woman is probably either a prodigy or a doper, they decided she must not even be a woman. It reminds of some of the things Venus and Serena Williams faced when they first joined the tennis tour.
I feel nothing but for sorrow for this young woman. From now on, whenever she wins a race there will always be whispers about her gender. No matter what the tests show, some people will refuse to acknowledge her as a woman. That's a terrible thing.
Kinda makes me want to quote Sojourner Truth.
Share
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Meanwhile, In the Bat Cave
Deep within Raving Black Lunatic headquarters, Big Man reclines on his loveseat made from the recovered skin of racists. In front of him sits a small laptop, with a blank "new post" page from Blogger.com on the screen.
Big Man: I think it's over, I don't think I really have the heart for this blogging thing anymore. Every post I write now is a struggle. It's like my mind is shackled or something.
Big Man rises from his chair. Upon first glance it appears he's wearing a fur bathrobe, but a second look reveals the robe is actually made of human hair. It's blond. He walks away from the computer. A screensaver pops up. In big, red block letters it reads: "I ain't gotta do nothing but stay black and die."
Big Man:You know what? I miss the profanity. I miss the profanity and the anger. It was magical during the campaign. Something would happen in the news, and these profanity-laced tirades filled with emotion would just spew from my fingertips. I didn't have to think, I didn't have to parse my words, it just happened.
Where is that feeling?
Is it impossible for me to write without random "m*therf*ckers" tossed in to make it pop? Does that mean it's impossible for me to succeed at this blogging thing? How do I reconcile my Christianity with my inability to be funny without cussing?
It it wrong to curse in the name of art? Is it wrong to sin if God knows my heart? (Big Man makes a point to write down that last line because it might be a hot lyric one day.)
Big Man pours himself a brown liquid from a decanter. Scotch? Brandy? No, it's homemade root beer. He's a cheap teetotaller. He wipes his brow and farts. Then sniffs it. Rico Suave he's not.
Big Man: I can bang out these posts in my sleep, but there's no soul in them. I'm cheating folks, I'm only giving them a cheap imitation of impassioned writing. This cannot happen again. I cannot allow myself to fall victim to mediocrity on yet another project. I cannot allow laziness or just plain "I don't care" to allow me to fail to maximize my priorities yet again. This is just like high school and college.
Yeah, you were a football star at your school, but you should have dominated the state. Yeah, you graduated with honors, but finishing in the top 15 was an insult to your intelligence. You should have been top three. Magna cum laude is nice, but summa cum laude is better. Time after time, you've settled nigga. You're a habitual settler.
Big Man goes back to the computer, the screensaver disappears. A few mouse clicks and he's there. The delete page. He puts his glass on the table and stares.
Big Man, whispering:I should just end it. Maybe it's time. Who cares about quitting, there will be other opportunities. This whole blogging thing ain't making me no money, and it damn sure ain't making me famous. I got babies. I got a wife. I got home improvement projects. I don't need this, I don't need this.
Tune in later this week for the next installment of Big Man Decision here on Raving Black Lunatic...If we're still around.
Share
Big Man: I think it's over, I don't think I really have the heart for this blogging thing anymore. Every post I write now is a struggle. It's like my mind is shackled or something.
Big Man rises from his chair. Upon first glance it appears he's wearing a fur bathrobe, but a second look reveals the robe is actually made of human hair. It's blond. He walks away from the computer. A screensaver pops up. In big, red block letters it reads: "I ain't gotta do nothing but stay black and die."
Big Man:You know what? I miss the profanity. I miss the profanity and the anger. It was magical during the campaign. Something would happen in the news, and these profanity-laced tirades filled with emotion would just spew from my fingertips. I didn't have to think, I didn't have to parse my words, it just happened.
Where is that feeling?
Is it impossible for me to write without random "m*therf*ckers" tossed in to make it pop? Does that mean it's impossible for me to succeed at this blogging thing? How do I reconcile my Christianity with my inability to be funny without cussing?
It it wrong to curse in the name of art? Is it wrong to sin if God knows my heart? (Big Man makes a point to write down that last line because it might be a hot lyric one day.)
Big Man pours himself a brown liquid from a decanter. Scotch? Brandy? No, it's homemade root beer. He's a cheap teetotaller. He wipes his brow and farts. Then sniffs it. Rico Suave he's not.
Big Man: I can bang out these posts in my sleep, but there's no soul in them. I'm cheating folks, I'm only giving them a cheap imitation of impassioned writing. This cannot happen again. I cannot allow myself to fall victim to mediocrity on yet another project. I cannot allow laziness or just plain "I don't care" to allow me to fail to maximize my priorities yet again. This is just like high school and college.
Yeah, you were a football star at your school, but you should have dominated the state. Yeah, you graduated with honors, but finishing in the top 15 was an insult to your intelligence. You should have been top three. Magna cum laude is nice, but summa cum laude is better. Time after time, you've settled nigga. You're a habitual settler.
Big Man goes back to the computer, the screensaver disappears. A few mouse clicks and he's there. The delete page. He puts his glass on the table and stares.
Big Man, whispering:I should just end it. Maybe it's time. Who cares about quitting, there will be other opportunities. This whole blogging thing ain't making me no money, and it damn sure ain't making me famous. I got babies. I got a wife. I got home improvement projects. I don't need this, I don't need this.
Tune in later this week for the next installment of Big Man Decision here on Raving Black Lunatic...If we're still around.
Share
Eyes Everywhere Ain't Seeing Nothing
I used to be a sports fanatic.
Depending on the season, I was engrossed in baseball, football or basketball because I found the drama of athletic achievement amazing. Not only was I watching these sports, but I was outside with my friends trying to recreate the things I saw on television.
The thing is, over the years, my feelings towards sports have changed. Some of it is just growing up and having different interests and responsibilities. But, a lot of it is that as I've aged I've become more aware of how sports narratives are created. I've become aware of the way the media and even sports leagues themselves shape the public's perception of athletes.
The problem is most folks don't understand that's what's happening. When they hear media reports about an athlete being a bad guy, they assume he must be a bad guy. Fans rarely question the motivations of the person writing the article, or wonder how well the writer actually understands the subject being discussed.
Recently there have been two high profile cases of athletes being dissected by the media because of their actions. Those two players are Michael Vick and Stephon Marbury. Vick, as most of you know, was recently released from prison after serving time for financing a dog fighting ring. Marbury has started producing extended videos about his life on the web that feature what many have deemed "crazy" behavior.
The media narratives regarding Marbury and Vick appear to have been set in stone. Both men are considered the lowest form of human life, and there doesn't seem to be much they can do to change that. Story after story has been written about the horrible behavior of both of these players, and I find it disturbing.
People in this country are conditioned to accept information from the media as if these multi-million dollar corporations do not have ulterior motives. Americans are trained to view the world through a conservative or liberal lens, and media companies feed that conflict with reports that hype controversy.
We mistakenly view the media as objective observers and recorders but that couldn't be further from the truth. All media companies have business goals that dictate how they gather the news. The whole liberal and conservative rift is bogus because the real concern is what makes money and what doesn't.
Increasingly it has become clear that demonizing black men, portraying them as subhuman, marauding thugs is what makes money. As cameras have intruded further and further into the lives of sports figures, what I've seen is a focus on making sure the idea of the uncontrollable, dangerous Negro remains in the forefront. Marbury and Vick are just the most recent examples of this focus.
Open your eyes and pay attention.
Share
Depending on the season, I was engrossed in baseball, football or basketball because I found the drama of athletic achievement amazing. Not only was I watching these sports, but I was outside with my friends trying to recreate the things I saw on television.
The thing is, over the years, my feelings towards sports have changed. Some of it is just growing up and having different interests and responsibilities. But, a lot of it is that as I've aged I've become more aware of how sports narratives are created. I've become aware of the way the media and even sports leagues themselves shape the public's perception of athletes.
The problem is most folks don't understand that's what's happening. When they hear media reports about an athlete being a bad guy, they assume he must be a bad guy. Fans rarely question the motivations of the person writing the article, or wonder how well the writer actually understands the subject being discussed.
Recently there have been two high profile cases of athletes being dissected by the media because of their actions. Those two players are Michael Vick and Stephon Marbury. Vick, as most of you know, was recently released from prison after serving time for financing a dog fighting ring. Marbury has started producing extended videos about his life on the web that feature what many have deemed "crazy" behavior.
The media narratives regarding Marbury and Vick appear to have been set in stone. Both men are considered the lowest form of human life, and there doesn't seem to be much they can do to change that. Story after story has been written about the horrible behavior of both of these players, and I find it disturbing.
People in this country are conditioned to accept information from the media as if these multi-million dollar corporations do not have ulterior motives. Americans are trained to view the world through a conservative or liberal lens, and media companies feed that conflict with reports that hype controversy.
We mistakenly view the media as objective observers and recorders but that couldn't be further from the truth. All media companies have business goals that dictate how they gather the news. The whole liberal and conservative rift is bogus because the real concern is what makes money and what doesn't.
Increasingly it has become clear that demonizing black men, portraying them as subhuman, marauding thugs is what makes money. As cameras have intruded further and further into the lives of sports figures, what I've seen is a focus on making sure the idea of the uncontrollable, dangerous Negro remains in the forefront. Marbury and Vick are just the most recent examples of this focus.
Open your eyes and pay attention.
Share
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Ain't You Bold
I recently watched a video clip of this black woman being hauled out of a health care debate.
I'm sure most of y'all saw it since it was all over the TV news. Turns out the woman got into trouble after some random white dude had a problem with a poster she was carrying, walked over to her, grabbed it and ripped it up.
That's right, he didn't like her poster, so he took it from her and destroyed:
"No free speech for you nigger!
Seriously though, that clip, combined with the info I posted recently about guns and town hall meetings has me tripping. I can't imagine why this dude actually believed that it was acceptable for him to walk over to a random person, take her sign and then just destroy it. The lady was minding her own business, and he straight jacked her.
"Niggers and signs I do despise, the next sign I see, the next nigger dies."
What the hell is going on? Are we reaching critical mass? If mofos think it's ok to start snatching signs at public meetings, how long is it going to be before they start trying to bring back the slave code in masse? If my personal property isn't sacrosanct, why should I believe that my personal liberties are?
"Who you eyeballing coon? I got something for coons with wandering eyes."
I know some folks will note that the white guy who did the sign snatching was eventually arrested and whatnot, but to me that's unimportant. The simple fact that he went left in a public place is crazy.
Hell, I'm also troubled how the original news reports went right to the angry black woman meme complete with videos of her in handcuffs, boobies bouncing, as the police hauled her out of the meeting. You could just see the white folks and assimilated Negroes on TV shaking their heads: "You blacks just can't have a civilized debate without getting emotional."
Now I'm hearing that President Obama is considering scrapping the whole health care plan because of all the crazed opposition he's received. That's disappointing. Not because I was so convinced that his plan was great, but I hate to see a black man back down from his stance because of crazy white folks. It only gives them more power, and I hope he realizes that if they are successful now, they'll use these same tactics on each and every controversial issue.
Oh well, that's his cross to bear. I'm just sitting here hoping a crazy cracker tries to snatch a sign out of my hand.
Wish a cracker would.
Share
I'm sure most of y'all saw it since it was all over the TV news. Turns out the woman got into trouble after some random white dude had a problem with a poster she was carrying, walked over to her, grabbed it and ripped it up.
That's right, he didn't like her poster, so he took it from her and destroyed:
"No free speech for you nigger!
Seriously though, that clip, combined with the info I posted recently about guns and town hall meetings has me tripping. I can't imagine why this dude actually believed that it was acceptable for him to walk over to a random person, take her sign and then just destroy it. The lady was minding her own business, and he straight jacked her.
"Niggers and signs I do despise, the next sign I see, the next nigger dies."
What the hell is going on? Are we reaching critical mass? If mofos think it's ok to start snatching signs at public meetings, how long is it going to be before they start trying to bring back the slave code in masse? If my personal property isn't sacrosanct, why should I believe that my personal liberties are?
"Who you eyeballing coon? I got something for coons with wandering eyes."
I know some folks will note that the white guy who did the sign snatching was eventually arrested and whatnot, but to me that's unimportant. The simple fact that he went left in a public place is crazy.
Hell, I'm also troubled how the original news reports went right to the angry black woman meme complete with videos of her in handcuffs, boobies bouncing, as the police hauled her out of the meeting. You could just see the white folks and assimilated Negroes on TV shaking their heads: "You blacks just can't have a civilized debate without getting emotional."
Now I'm hearing that President Obama is considering scrapping the whole health care plan because of all the crazed opposition he's received. That's disappointing. Not because I was so convinced that his plan was great, but I hate to see a black man back down from his stance because of crazy white folks. It only gives them more power, and I hope he realizes that if they are successful now, they'll use these same tactics on each and every controversial issue.
Oh well, that's his cross to bear. I'm just sitting here hoping a crazy cracker tries to snatch a sign out of my hand.
Wish a cracker would.
Share
Monday, August 10, 2009
Well, This Is Troubling
My title today comes from two different stories I've read recently.
Here is one and here is the other.
The two stories discuss matters related to the safety of President Barack Obama. The first deals with the meteoric rise in death threats that the Secret Service has dealt with since Obama became president. I believe the death threats have increased by 400 percent. (Oh and shout out to my homie Torrance over at Raw Dawg Buffalo, 'cause that's where I got this story from.) It also talks about the manpower shortages the Secret Service is dealing with.
The second story talks about a man who brought a loaded gun to a recent health care meeting with the President. I'll let Makheru Bradeley, who visits a blog I like, give a better description of the incident:
Clearly, we have a problem.
It was noted during the presidential campaign that all this talk of President Obama's death was stupid. Even the man's wife came out to calm people down. But, clearly, this issue will not die because it is a real one.
Some people view the president as an evil tyrant bent on stripping them of their rights. They believe that as such a tyrant, he holds power illegally and deserves to be killed for that offense. And, those people have guns.
Troubling.
I don't know that something bad is going to happen, but, increasingly, I'm losing faith that something bad WON'T happen. This is not because I think nutsos are everywhere and all powerful, it's because I believe that the government agencies tasked with protecting the president are not equipped to handle the current level of danger.
More importantly, I think it's pretty damn telling that despite the horrible, HORRIBLE job the previous president did, there was not this sort of clamor for his head. There just wasn't. That tells me that it's time to take a good hard look at my own personal arsenal because I'm convinced that there are quite a few people who believe anyone with my worldview and skin color doesn't deserve to live.
That is all.
Share
Here is one and here is the other.
The two stories discuss matters related to the safety of President Barack Obama. The first deals with the meteoric rise in death threats that the Secret Service has dealt with since Obama became president. I believe the death threats have increased by 400 percent. (Oh and shout out to my homie Torrance over at Raw Dawg Buffalo, 'cause that's where I got this story from.) It also talks about the manpower shortages the Secret Service is dealing with.
The second story talks about a man who brought a loaded gun to a recent health care meeting with the President. I'll let Makheru Bradeley, who visits a blog I like, give a better description of the incident:
Kostric was “legally” armed and carrying a sign that read “IT’S TIME TO WATER THE TREE OF LIBERTY” which is taken from a Thomas Jefferson quote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
Clearly, we have a problem.
It was noted during the presidential campaign that all this talk of President Obama's death was stupid. Even the man's wife came out to calm people down. But, clearly, this issue will not die because it is a real one.
Some people view the president as an evil tyrant bent on stripping them of their rights. They believe that as such a tyrant, he holds power illegally and deserves to be killed for that offense. And, those people have guns.
Troubling.
I don't know that something bad is going to happen, but, increasingly, I'm losing faith that something bad WON'T happen. This is not because I think nutsos are everywhere and all powerful, it's because I believe that the government agencies tasked with protecting the president are not equipped to handle the current level of danger.
More importantly, I think it's pretty damn telling that despite the horrible, HORRIBLE job the previous president did, there was not this sort of clamor for his head. There just wasn't. That tells me that it's time to take a good hard look at my own personal arsenal because I'm convinced that there are quite a few people who believe anyone with my worldview and skin color doesn't deserve to live.
That is all.
Share
You Don't Say
"Why you acting white?"
If you talk to a large enough number of black folks with college degrees and professional jobs, you're likely to find that many of them have been accused of "acting white" at some point in their lives. Folks have stories of being ostracized because of the way they spoke, or the movies they liked, or the clothes they wore.
Personally, I don't have any of those stories, and I've always been skeptical of them. I'm not saying these things don't happen, but I'm leery of blaming a lack of social status on the fact that black folks equate achievement with whiteness. My personal experience has shown that things are typically much more complicated, and often people are outcasts for a variety of reasons.
Well, it turns out, I might have been right.
That quotation comes from this post over at Prometheus 6, a wonderful blog I check out for lots of great news clippings. It's taken from a study looking at how black kids attending predominantly white schools deal with their situations, and what are the driving forces in their decision making.
Honestly, the study doesn't break any new ground in my mind because most of the theories espoused were things I'd already learned on my own. Basically, children thrust into situations where they are "onlys" develop complicated coping mechanisms and social structures that are much too nuanced to be reduced to "acting white" alone.
The thing is, this myth that black kids attack anybody who tries to do well in school for "acting white" is a popular one in mainstream society. And it's not just passed along by white folks, it's something that well-educated black folks love to repeat at gatherings as they lament the idiocy of youth. In their minds, this whole "acting white" thing is something young folks trotted out just to ruin the black community.
Not only does this theory about "acting white" ignore the fact that there have always been battles over authenticity in the black community, it provides cover for racists who would like the world to believe that the real reason black folks have problems is because of their own pathologies. The idea that black school children lob insults and abuse towards those individuals who value academic achievement and force them to be dumb, makes it much easier to deny education grants to improve the quality of inner city schools.
Sadly, this ignores that in all cultures, school children often punish those individuals who are overly concerned with scholastic success and lack certain social skills. This state of affairs crosses color and class lines. Unfortunately, when black communities display the same behavior that is considered "normal" in other areas, it's a sign of our inherent flaws.
In addition, what the study fleshes out is that the problem for black school children isn't succeeding in school, it's when that success is coupled with an attempt to assimilate completely into white society. The sin isn't being smart, the sin is believing that academic achievement can only occur after you reject all aspects of black culture.
But, I already knew that.
Share
If you talk to a large enough number of black folks with college degrees and professional jobs, you're likely to find that many of them have been accused of "acting white" at some point in their lives. Folks have stories of being ostracized because of the way they spoke, or the movies they liked, or the clothes they wore.
Personally, I don't have any of those stories, and I've always been skeptical of them. I'm not saying these things don't happen, but I'm leery of blaming a lack of social status on the fact that black folks equate achievement with whiteness. My personal experience has shown that things are typically much more complicated, and often people are outcasts for a variety of reasons.
Well, it turns out, I might have been right.
According to Burstion-Young, both black and white students were dedicated to academic excellence and there were no differences in academic standards. Contrary to previous studies which state that high achieving blacks are viewed as "acting white," Burstion-Young says the black students identified with black culture through association with consumer culture, such as fashion and music, as well as slang and social circles. The students who did not connect to black culture on these levels were viewed as "acting white" – academic achievement (or lack thereof) had little to do with it. In at least one case in this study, an African-American student became so integrated into the white community that she lost her connectedness to her own family and culture, greatly upsetting the family and, Burstion-Young says, eliminating the spirit of integration in creating a generation of bridge-builders across cultures, identifying with each other but accepting and respecting cultural differences
That quotation comes from this post over at Prometheus 6, a wonderful blog I check out for lots of great news clippings. It's taken from a study looking at how black kids attending predominantly white schools deal with their situations, and what are the driving forces in their decision making.
Honestly, the study doesn't break any new ground in my mind because most of the theories espoused were things I'd already learned on my own. Basically, children thrust into situations where they are "onlys" develop complicated coping mechanisms and social structures that are much too nuanced to be reduced to "acting white" alone.
The thing is, this myth that black kids attack anybody who tries to do well in school for "acting white" is a popular one in mainstream society. And it's not just passed along by white folks, it's something that well-educated black folks love to repeat at gatherings as they lament the idiocy of youth. In their minds, this whole "acting white" thing is something young folks trotted out just to ruin the black community.
Not only does this theory about "acting white" ignore the fact that there have always been battles over authenticity in the black community, it provides cover for racists who would like the world to believe that the real reason black folks have problems is because of their own pathologies. The idea that black school children lob insults and abuse towards those individuals who value academic achievement and force them to be dumb, makes it much easier to deny education grants to improve the quality of inner city schools.
Sadly, this ignores that in all cultures, school children often punish those individuals who are overly concerned with scholastic success and lack certain social skills. This state of affairs crosses color and class lines. Unfortunately, when black communities display the same behavior that is considered "normal" in other areas, it's a sign of our inherent flaws.
In addition, what the study fleshes out is that the problem for black school children isn't succeeding in school, it's when that success is coupled with an attempt to assimilate completely into white society. The sin isn't being smart, the sin is believing that academic achievement can only occur after you reject all aspects of black culture.
But, I already knew that.
Share
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Daddies and Mommies
Could you be my daddy? 'Cause I need a daddy. Could you be my daddy, 'cause I need a daddy...
This blares from my radio at least once a day. It's the intro to Twista's new song about creating slippery walls in the nether regions of females, and it bothers me.
Is might just be me, but I find something disturbing about a woman singing about her need for a daddy, right before a portly rapper talks about providing her with sexual favors to make her feel good. Besides the fact that "daddy" is often a term used by pimps and hoes, just the idea that a grown woman is out searching for a father figure and is settling for somebody who has an erect penis and money is a problem to me.
And it's not just this song, it's many others. I hear these little poo butt rappers and their crooning counterparts talking about "lil momma this" and "baby girl that" and it makes me want to slap the black off somebody. You really want to have sex doggiestyle with somebody you call "momma?" Really?
Something is perverse about this whole movement to use terms like daddy and momma to describe people who aren't actually filling anything that resembles a parental role. In fact, I would say that this new state of affairs is even more troubling considering the fact that so many black folks seem to have difficulty filling the roles of daddy and mommy with their actual kids. Seems like men and women are more than happy to partake in the fantasy of being a daddy, mommy or child, but less than eager to actually deal with the harsh realities of those roles.
When did it become acceptable to become an adult searching for a mommy or daddy to engage in a relationship with? When did it become cool to be so incomplete as a human being that you need somebody else to raise you? In my mind that's never going to be cool, but it seems like I'm in the minority these days.
Who wants to be involved with somebody that needs a daddy or mommy? I would wager that the kinds of people seeking out relationships with immature and undeveloped individuals are not exactly the folks that are going to make your life great.
I'm sure that some folks will scoff at my anger. They will point out that I'm taking these songs too literally, that people aren't really looking for mommies and daddies, they just think it sounds sexy in a song. The thing is, I don't buy it. Music either reflects the current reality, or it projects a reality on its listeners that the musician would like to pretend exists.
The current state of black music is a reflection of the lack of development of so many young black people. I don't know when it happened, but clearly we have crossed a threshold where long held beliefs are no longer sacred, and most folks are cool with that. It used to be that being a daddy or mommy meant something more than the physical joining of egg and sperm, but that's changed. It used to be that independence was a sign of adulthood, but that's changed. We've all decided that what's cool now are random exchanges of bodily fluid designed to procure money or gifts or status. It's bogus.
And where are the real parents, dammit?
Share
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Realistically Speaking
There aren't too many things promised to us.
Offhand, I can think of pain and death. I'd add "change" in there on a conditional basis. All of the other things, the inalienable rights that we Americans cling to are only "rights" as long as we're powerful enough to defend them.
Yet, most of the time, we fool ourselves into believing we deserve certain things, or, more accurately, that we have a right to them. Sometimes those things are obviously temporary, like homes, cars and clothes, other times they are more nebulous, like love or happiness. How many relationships and marriages collapse because people believe they are "owed" happiness, only to find out that their partner can't pay the debt?
Realistically speaking, (y'all like how I threw that in there?) life is a constant compromise between our expectations and reality. This does not mean I endorse settling for anything, it's just that I feel that assuming that out-sized expectations are a "right" is just as dangerous as having no standards at all. In my life, I'm learning to reevaluate my expectations, to truly consider which ones are must haves and which ones are disposable.
Each of us has the power to create our own reality to a certain extent, but most of us lack the power to project that reality on to others. Without that power, we truly have very few "rights" because we lack the ability to force others to acknowledge our rights. Our realities are actually quite dependent on other people allowing them to exist.
Realistically speaking, that is.
Share
Offhand, I can think of pain and death. I'd add "change" in there on a conditional basis. All of the other things, the inalienable rights that we Americans cling to are only "rights" as long as we're powerful enough to defend them.
Yet, most of the time, we fool ourselves into believing we deserve certain things, or, more accurately, that we have a right to them. Sometimes those things are obviously temporary, like homes, cars and clothes, other times they are more nebulous, like love or happiness. How many relationships and marriages collapse because people believe they are "owed" happiness, only to find out that their partner can't pay the debt?
Realistically speaking, (y'all like how I threw that in there?) life is a constant compromise between our expectations and reality. This does not mean I endorse settling for anything, it's just that I feel that assuming that out-sized expectations are a "right" is just as dangerous as having no standards at all. In my life, I'm learning to reevaluate my expectations, to truly consider which ones are must haves and which ones are disposable.
Each of us has the power to create our own reality to a certain extent, but most of us lack the power to project that reality on to others. Without that power, we truly have very few "rights" because we lack the ability to force others to acknowledge our rights. Our realities are actually quite dependent on other people allowing them to exist.
Realistically speaking, that is.
Share
Monday, August 3, 2009
Abundance
"Do you ever feel abundant?"
That's what my wife said as we sat together at our kitchen table recently. Our two boys, one a toddler, the other an infant, sat across from us. The youngest one was sitting in the high chair for the first time, while my oldest has moved on to the booster seat. He was kind of giving his brother the side eye because he thinks the baby is moving in on his territory, but things were still pretty calm.
My wife's question was one she's asked me before. She says that sometimes this feeling of abundance wells inside of her. It's a feeling of good will and contentment that she thinks is tied to the existence of our two sons. She wants me to share it.
I mumbled some generic response to her. I've always been afraid of focusing too much on my blessings lest they suddenly be snatched from me and my entire world crumble. It's not that I think God is capricious, or unfair, it's just that I'm not privy to the details of his plan, so sometimes he can seem that way to me. My wife's joy, her happiness, frightened me. Sure, I love my children, but I'm more likely to see them as responsibilities instead of blessings.
But, my wife's comment stuck with me. Had I been too small-minded when thinking about abundance? I work in a field where bad news is the only news, and everyday my co-workers and I wait for the next batch of doom and gloom. I'm the sole breadwinner in my family and the aforementioned wife and children depend on me and God for all of their needs and wants. Despite the fact that my burdens are light when compared to the struggles of many, sometimes I do feel like Atlas, and the weight of my world feels crushing.
Abundance is often the furthest thing from my mind.
Sure, I thank God for his blessings, and on most days I'm content with my lot in life. But, I don't tend to sit around thinking about the abundance I possess. In fact, before this weekend, I would have struggled to think of anything I really had in abundance. Definitely not money, not love, not cars, or home, friends, or family. I felt like I have "enough" of many of those things, but I wouldn't all it an abundance.
But, my wife's comment challenged me to rethink my concept of abundance. Is not a decently paying job, for however long I may have it, an abundance when compared to a man with none? Are not two healthy, happy and beautiful children an abundance when compared to those parents whose children are suffering and dying in hospitals across the world? My marriage, with all of its fault lines and challenges is still an abundance when compared to being trapped in an abusive situation, or being forced to deal with the wreckage of a union that was intended to last forever.
Abundance, like so many thing is life, is about perspective. As I've allowed my perspective to contract, I've allowed my ability to feel abundance to contract as well. Opening my heart and mind to the reality of my life, allows me to enjoy it.
Share
That's what my wife said as we sat together at our kitchen table recently. Our two boys, one a toddler, the other an infant, sat across from us. The youngest one was sitting in the high chair for the first time, while my oldest has moved on to the booster seat. He was kind of giving his brother the side eye because he thinks the baby is moving in on his territory, but things were still pretty calm.
My wife's question was one she's asked me before. She says that sometimes this feeling of abundance wells inside of her. It's a feeling of good will and contentment that she thinks is tied to the existence of our two sons. She wants me to share it.
I mumbled some generic response to her. I've always been afraid of focusing too much on my blessings lest they suddenly be snatched from me and my entire world crumble. It's not that I think God is capricious, or unfair, it's just that I'm not privy to the details of his plan, so sometimes he can seem that way to me. My wife's joy, her happiness, frightened me. Sure, I love my children, but I'm more likely to see them as responsibilities instead of blessings.
But, my wife's comment stuck with me. Had I been too small-minded when thinking about abundance? I work in a field where bad news is the only news, and everyday my co-workers and I wait for the next batch of doom and gloom. I'm the sole breadwinner in my family and the aforementioned wife and children depend on me and God for all of their needs and wants. Despite the fact that my burdens are light when compared to the struggles of many, sometimes I do feel like Atlas, and the weight of my world feels crushing.
Abundance is often the furthest thing from my mind.
Sure, I thank God for his blessings, and on most days I'm content with my lot in life. But, I don't tend to sit around thinking about the abundance I possess. In fact, before this weekend, I would have struggled to think of anything I really had in abundance. Definitely not money, not love, not cars, or home, friends, or family. I felt like I have "enough" of many of those things, but I wouldn't all it an abundance.
But, my wife's comment challenged me to rethink my concept of abundance. Is not a decently paying job, for however long I may have it, an abundance when compared to a man with none? Are not two healthy, happy and beautiful children an abundance when compared to those parents whose children are suffering and dying in hospitals across the world? My marriage, with all of its fault lines and challenges is still an abundance when compared to being trapped in an abusive situation, or being forced to deal with the wreckage of a union that was intended to last forever.
Abundance, like so many thing is life, is about perspective. As I've allowed my perspective to contract, I've allowed my ability to feel abundance to contract as well. Opening my heart and mind to the reality of my life, allows me to enjoy it.
Share
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Raving Black Lunatic
