Yes We Can (and We DID)
The first time I posted this I could not speak. I was in tears. I was overwhelmed by something that I did not believe would happen.
President Elect Barack Obama has made history. We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, have elected the best candidate for the job. We have managed to, despite all of the naysayers both at home and abroad, breakaway from a history of hate and deceit.
We have made history.
As a mother of a biracial daughter- a mother who is married to a white man – a mother who is a member of the dwindling middle class, Obama’s victory is a personal one for me and it should be for all Americans. We have entered an era of change and we must ALL come together to do so.
Our nation has been divided for so long and we have been focused on the things that make us different. It is time to focus on what make us the same. We have so much more in common than we know and it is my hope that we as a Nation can continue to turn the tide.
Yes we can!
And for the first time in my life I believe that we will.
Early Hollywood Depictions Find Their Way Into Modern Film and No One Seems to Care
* This article is originally posted at The Chancellor’s New Clothes by Learners Inherit the Earth and used here with permission.
I have been teaching three summer school courses focusing on the Origins of Black-American Stereotypes and Their Use in Modern Society. My students laughed at me as I explained hidden racial stereotypes in movies Like “The Lion King,” “Aladdin,” and “Shrek.” They were upset to find that the movies and TV shows that they watch almost daily are subliminally teaching them to hate and oppresses themselves through the use of subliminally hidden racial stereotypes. It is, of course, a topic that as a Black Woman, I am passionate about and, as you can imagine, I am passionate in my teaching of the subject.
So, imagine my disgust when I came home to prepare the next edition of The Carnival of Education, only to be bombarded by commercials and trailers for a movie called “Tropic Thunder” in which Robert Downey Jr. dons “blackface” in a comedic role. To say the least, my jaw hit the ground, however, at first I had not realized that a Black actor was not playing this “Black” character. I even chuckled at the trailer until my husband told me that the actor was in fact, Downey. Apparently, Robert Downey Jr plays an actor whose claim to fame is that he was transformed into a Black man for a role (see picture above).
The absurdity does not stop here. I could not find a SINGLE article condemning Ben Stiller for writing and directing the movie. In fact, all of the write-ups that I saw hail the movie as a “Comedic Success” even calling Downey’s portrayal as accurate. Wow. (I will not link to these reviews because I cannot even accidentally support this movie).
This is what… Continue reading
The Importance of Being Informed
While sitting in the ICU waiting room with my in-laws, my father-in-law and I got into a heated discussion about Obama, Muslims, and history. He, like many Americans, is very quick to cite emails when arguing that Obama is not fit to be Presidents. Much of what he said was ignorant and based on the fear that a semi-Black male may actually be President.
But it made me realize something: there are so many ill-informed people in this country. Despite having access to a plethora of information, people are bent on believe the worse about anyone who threatens their comfy world. And so I sent this email after scouring Snopes for information verifying/discrediting information that has been widespread regarding Obama. And while I know that Snopes is not the authority on what is accurate or not, the owners of he site are unrelenting in their pursuit of the truth.
Hello All,
It is so important that we make informed decisions when voting for our next President. Let me start by saying that I am not a Obama supporter in that I think he will be the best choice for the Presidency. I am a support of democracy and as so, I believe that the best candiate will be one who FOR THE PEOPLE. However, the only way to determine who to vote for is to research. There are so many rumors floating around about Barack Obama, many of which I fear steam from ignorance and a desire to discredit a man who does not fit into the White-Protestant-Male mold. It is obvious that some would fear Obama because despite that fact that he is bi-racial (as is Mya), he is the closest to a Black President that we have come in a long time.
Below is the Snopes page to… Continue reading
M*slim is the New N*GGER?
People are now whispering the word “M**lim” as if it were a bad word. The other day I heard a security agent at my job (a school) say, in hushed tones, to another one that her daughter was dating “one of those real Muslims”. She went on to clarify that he was really nice despite his negative affiliation. I imagine my mother in law speaks about me to her hen. “You know my son is dating one of those Niggers but she is very [insert qualifier].” It’s disgusting.
Pia posted a link to the NYT articlewith the Jewish Leaders’ response to the erroneous information being circulated regarding Presidential Candidate Barack. As I was reading, I realized that, this preoccupation with race and religious affiliation is a weapon of control. It is a easy way to create a system of fear, prejudice, and oppression. It will be the downfall of our fledgling democratic society.
The PTB are slowly knocking down one group at a time: Native Americans, Women, Mexicans, Asians, Blacks, Latino/Latina, and now Muslims and anyone who has a name that sound too Middle Eastern.
Before you know it, the only ones left will be OLD, WHITE, MEN who maintain control by enforcing ignorance.
Please read Pia’s other post in response to moronic comments about M*slims.