Sorry for scraping from the bottom of the sewage pit for this one, but this has been on my mind. I despise nearly all of Black pop culture and therefore I, for the most part, avoid anything that may be related… except when I am trying to make some sort of social point or highlight an issue…. which is what I am doing here.
Black women, when you see your image in media, particularly on Television, do you like what you see?
Over the Spring and Summer I was able to catch a few episodes of “Reality” programs that - to put it nicely- show the worst examples of black women. I am not an avid Reality TV watcher…or even an avid TV watcher in general, so I only caught a few episodes of some of the worst offending programs - watching them out of curiosity more than anything else. But it doesn’t take an avid viewer to see how bad the images are. I raise the question above because I have been left scratching my head at the absence of an uproar on the part of black women against these images. I wonder if the silence equals acceptance of the imagery and of the reinforcing of the stereotypes that we are all aware of. In fact, beyond what is mostly silence… I have read/heard black women doing more to praise these characters than challenge them, or the stereotypes they perpetuate. Even if some of the images are true (and some are considering these are programs following women who are “supposedly“ being themselves) it doesn't mean other black women shouldn't challenge them.
There have been a rash of programs launching over the last couple of years that are not flattering to Black women, or Black Americans more generally. This caught my attention because in the background of this buffoonery, we have had the ongoing debate about single black women and the difficulties of finding partners. So this presented an interesting contrast that jumped out at me. The whole time, I am thinking to myself…. well these programs are not helping you. That makes the silence of black women all the more baffling.
Four programs stand out (but certainly they aren’t the limit): 1. The Real Housewives of Atlanta; 2. Basketball Wives; 3. The last Season of the Celebrity Apprentice; and 4. The Braxton’s.
The women in these programs always seem to be shining examples of the kinds of women who I would want to run away from as fast as I could. I would want nothing to do with them. I surely wouldn’t want any of them to be the mother of my children. That’s something that hits me right off the bat. Each show had various levels of ignorance and crazy. The worst display of the whole angry, loud, rude, abrasive, aggressive black woman had to be the Celebrity Apprentice, with “NeNe” Leakes, and Star Jones. Off the charts crazy. What’s sad is that I can’t call it a twisted and completely unfounded stereotype because I have seen this behavior first hand… repeatedly. My problem with the entertainment industry is, there seems to be a pattern where they are making Blacks look like beasts across the board. Where is the balance? There are plenty of smart, (brilliant) black American women who do not behave this way. Yet they choose to put a former adult entertainer (yes NeNe Leakes) in the spotlight. No uproar on the part of the masses of black women. In fact, we basically get the opposite. NeNe Leakes is being embraced by black women (at least by the establishment). She has been chosen as a featured speaker for Essence Magazine's annual festival. In so called “Black America” that is one step short of an NAACP image award. Dr. Boyce Watkins made some really great points in his commentary on this subject.
The other programs are just as troubling in their own way…although more subtle. The Basketball Wives appear to me to be escort service girls and gossip queens or a combination of both. Few real, genuine marriages exist in that world. They are essentially Gold Diggers who openly auction off what they have between their legs. Shallow, hollowed out trophy women (who aren’t even good at being that).
With The Real Housewives you basically get the same deal. The lives of all the main characters seem to revolve around money/financial status, and there's a constant competition to see which “diva” can outdo the other in the level of gluttony, stupidity, and arrogance they can display. The Braxton’s are only slightly more tolerable. Throughout the first season, we saw the example of the loud mouth, the annoying “diva”, and the gold digger. Once again, everything revolved around financial status. Toni Braxton herself, although the most tolerable, was not immune from spreading these negative images. I saw these women denigrate men who did blue collar work - labeling such men as losers who weren’t good enough. I saw these women denigrate a man who wanted to play an active role in raising his children. I saw a woman separate from her husband..a man who appeared to be an upstanding, decent guy who was guilty of falling on hard times. When he was employed and had a writing gig he was alright. But as soon as he fell on hard times…his wife leaves him. (not shocked… but unfortunate that this is becoming more of the norm…another incentive for me not to ever want to seek marriage… for what?). What a great lesson to teach to young women/girls - leave your husband when he loses a job, falls on hard times, becomes disabled and when he needs you most. I guess these kinds of women expect the “commitment” to marriage to flow one way (from the man) as opposed to both ways. It was no surprise that the most sane sister seems to have been the one from Maryland who doesn’t sing and is the most quiet of the bunch. If these are the Braxton “family values” then I am so glad I have a different set of values.
The moral of this, and probably the most tragic part is that young women/girls are watching these programs… getting their cues of how to behave from these programs… getting cues on how to be women and partners from these programs and from these characters. They emulate what they see on TV, and what they hear and read. They are influenced by hip hop culture more than their counterparts of other groups. This is why I say… Black culture (modern culture) is dead. It’s a rotten shell of what it once was. Yes, other women behave this way… true enough. Women in general are a little crazy (not all of you of course). But I see it in higher concentrations among blacks. It gas a bigger impact...no doubt about it. In the general culture… there are plenty of positive images to go along with the sludge. There is more of a balanced picture. This isn’t the case in so-called “Black America”.
And it’s not just the reality shows… you have Beyonce and Rihanna (considered Black royalty) who are like social wrecking balls to the psyche of black women/girls in this country. I am glad that I don’t identify with or recognize this culture. If I ever have a daughter… she will be in private or parochial school (or the best public school I could find) and sheltered from the madness of this planet as best as possible…and BET won’t be allowed in my home under any circumstances.
What can explain the silence of black women? Is this the image that they want to see? If you are a black woman… do you like what you see when viewing black women on TV? Is it the right reflection of you? Why are these negative characters embraced so strongly by so-called "black culture"?
This doesn’t really affect me directly… most readers probably know my dating preferences.. but it is still a troubling social problem that doesn’t seem to be getting any better.
BET, TV One plan extensive inauguration coverage By DAVID BAUDER – 2 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — BET and TV One, the television networks aimed primarily at a black audience, haven't paid much attention to presidential inaugurations before. This time will be different.
Both are planning extensive coverage for Jan. 20, when Barack Obama is sworn in as the nation's 44th president. While it will be followed as a news event, network executives said the installation of the first black president will be as much a celebration as a story.
"This is an opportunity to be the best we can be," said Stephen Hill, BET's programming chief. "We see this as an opportunity to inform and inspire our audience, which is what we always try to do."
BET marked President George W. Bush's last inauguration with a news brief, to say "Oh, it happened. What a shame," he said.
This time, BET will cover the swearing-in and parade from four locations, including ground and rooftop sites on Pennsylvania Avenue. Anchoring the coverage will be Hill Harper of CBS' "CSI: NY," former CBS "The Early Show" host Rene Syler and Jeff Johnson, who hosts a weekly BET news program.
The networks will take a particular interest in speaking to people who have traveled to Washington to witness the event. On election night, their ratings peaked shortly after the general news networks declared Obama the winner — when black viewers turned to the stations to soak it in with the people on the air.
"They talked about the emotion of it," said Johnathan Rodgers, TV One's president. "Everyone talked about their own relatives and how they grew up. Almost everyone could not believe that it happened in our lifetime."
TV One plans to follow the inauguration for 21 straight hours, from 6 a.m. EST on Jan. 20 to 3 a.m. EST the next day. Radio talk-show host Joe Madison and Art Fennell of CN8, the Comcast Network, will be the hosts. It's already a big week for TV One: Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday the weekend before marks the fifth anniversary of the network's launch.
With all that time on the air, TV One will do its best to give its audience a real flavor of being there, Rodgers said.
"We will show the parade," he said. "We will not overwhelm the parade with a lot of pundits and other stuff."
The connection between King's work and Obama's election will be a major theme for the networks; BET will speak to King's children for their thoughts on Obama and is making a special, "King to Obama: Repurposing the Dream."
BET is preparing several reports to air during the coverage, including a look at Michelle Obama; on the people who helped elect the new president; on his international appeal; and on his security, asking, "Who is willing to take a bullet for a black man?" BET, as the older of the two networks and the one with the wider reach, believes it has an advantage over TV One because BET is the only one with a news division.
BET will include simple historical explainers about presidential inaugurations throughout the day; the network reasons that many who will be watching have never seen one before.
"This is the first time in a long time a lot of people in our audience feel they are really part of the process of selecting a leader for the United States of America," Hill said.
BET is planning a prime-time entertainment special taped earlier, "Yes We Will: The BET Inaugural Celebration," and will also sponsor its own inaugural ball, which will be featured in live cut-ins. TV One is reporting from the scenes of Obama's inaugural balls from 10 p.m. EST to midnight.
General news networks are still formulating their coverage plans. It's unclear whether reporters will be assigned specifically to cover the black perspective on that day, but it obviously will be a big part of the story, said Paul Friedman, CBS News senior vice president.
"I don't know how you don't cover that story virtually all the way through," he said.
I just can't watch BET. I did watch TVOne's coverage of the DNC Convention and Election Night.
Black Women And The Race To The Bottom: Will the Fascination With the Bad Boy/Thug Ever Begin to Wane?And How Are Black Celebrity Women Contributing To This Problem?
Does their position as validators, legitimizers and apologists for a destructive culture harm young women (and young men) and drag down the Race? I don’t think there is any question that their role is and has been harmful. The question is…. how harmful has it been and can their influence be curtailed?
There is all sorts of data that suggests that the Rap industry and the Rap culture are problems for "Black America". (1)(2)(3) Even Black youth see it as such. Yet the Black culture, especially its women, continues to embrace it, even though it is a culture that degrades the image of young Black women (and literally dehumanizes Black men to the point where they are seen as animals).
Over the last several years I have noticed the trend of famous Black women…. Women who are role models to thousands, who seem to be attracted to Bad Boys…. Those who represent a negative Black male image. An image that only helps to perpetuate negative stereotypes. What has this done to the Black image as a whole? Black women in particular seem to be afflicted especially hard by this sickness (The Bad Boy disease). I don’t believe that this is a coincidence.
This is a part II of a commentary from back in 2006 entitled "Why Are Women Attracted to Thugs". I think we are now far beyond the question of whether this is a problem. Clearly there is a certain narrow image of the Black male that has been mainstreamed. So I want to raise the questions of how and why it has happened.
The image of the Black Bad Boy “thug” has become enormously popular over the last decade, largely due to the impact of the Black celebrity culture and its acceptance by the larger American celebrity culture. But something else has catapulted this negative Black male image into mainstream acceptance- Black women…or “women of color”. (Can’t forget about those like Jennifer Lopez who blur the lines and straddle two or more worlds at once). But this is a problem instigated especially by Black celebrity women. These celebrities (more than any other group in my opinion) have popularized the “thug” male image, and the “Rap Culture” with its negative & damaging value system.
The vast majority of Black female Pop stars & actresses either currently date Rap stars or have dated them at some point in their careers. It has pretty much become the norm to see Black or minority female stars dating the hot rapper of the moment, or the producers or the so-called “moguls” of the industry (translation- thugs who happen to have the most money in the industry). In fact, it is rare for Black celebrity women not to be with someone who personifies the “thug”. I’d say many of the women do it for the same reasons that Gold diggers seek the financially well-off alpha-male- they see them as a meal ticket perhaps. In the case of celeb women…. These men could represent some sort of boost to their careers. Sometimes, simply for the controversy and publicity created from the public relationship. This is not the case for all…but I suspect that it is the case for some. I have a term for these women.... but I will refrain from using that language here.
But who pays the brunt of the consequences for these celebrity relationships? Certainly the celebrity women themselves don’t carry the weight of all the social problems created by the trends that they set. These women have the money and the means and all the safety nets to avoid the pitfalls that come out of the “thug life”. And actually…I have read that many of the so-called “Bad Boys” are really not as bad as the images that they portray…and they too have the safety nets to avoid the real pitfalls that come from the lifestyle that they promote. So who is paying the price? Ordinary, everyday young Black women (and young men) who end up emulating the thug image personified and perpetuated by their superstar role models (and yes, these people are role models whether we like it or not…that argument is a dead one). Lakisha doesn’t have the safety net. So why in the Hell are Black celebrity women promoting this lifestyle?
The impact of this phenomenon is twofold:
#1. These women help to sanitize & validate this negative Black Male image. They send the message to the rest of the so called “Black Community” (I hate that term because it suggests that Blacks are a monolith…but for the sake of discussion) that this Black male image is harmless, is acceptable and in fact, it should be seen as the ideal. This is why thousands of Black boys from urban communities & beyond, aspire to be rappers, and why young minority women want to embrace the Hip Hop/Rapper thug culture and aspire to be with men who carry this persona, despite the damage that it has done to Black women. That in itself is fascinating to me.
#2. These women help to establish the ideal image of Black men and set the trend for young Black women in the wider community. Black youth, especially young Black women- emulate what they see in the celebrity world. …everything from fashion, makeup, hair, music, and what kind of male is hot or ideal. Black men are almost like a fashion accessory for some women, particularly a certain kind of Black male. This is particularly the case in a Black culture where parenting is lacking and where youth are being raised by the Television and by the Rap culture.
Some may say (usually apologists for the degenerate Black Rap culture) that the “Bad Boy” is also popular in society in general. There are many White women who prefer these men as well. And I will agree with that to a point. Women have been attracted to s---heads since the beginning of time. It’s biological. “Bad Boy” traits are often mistaken for strength, power, & confidence…all markers that women pick up on that suggests a strong male. But women often can’t make the distinction between good examples of male strength & confidence and bad examples of the same. Their hormones cause all kinds of confusion. This is how women go for criminals, drug dealers, playboys, etc. The comment that I often get from women is that these men make good protectors. But these women fail to realize that these men can’t protect them or be good fathers from the grave or a prison cell.
Yes the wider society has this problem but it does not have the same impact on the larger society- particularly on the White society, as it does for “communities of color”. The larger white society has many more positive images of white men & women (white men in particular). There is much more of a balance in terms of images. In contrast, the negative Black male thug image has become the predominant image of Black men, both within so-called Black culture & within the wider society. When people see me walking by (esp. Whites) & they don’t know me…they don’t see Dr. Ben Carson, nor do they see any positive potential I may have. Instead, they see the “Hip Hop” TV image & everything negative that has become associated with the Black male. This is the case even though there is nothing about me that says “Hip Hop”, criminal, thug, etc. I don’t dress Hip Hop, nor do I speak Hip Hop. I have come to despise the Hip Hop /Rap culture, yet, because I’m Black, I cannot escape being associated with it in terms of perception.
(I don't want to read any nonsense about Kim Kardashian being White... i'm well aware of that fact). The fact that these women help to perpetuate, sanitize, & legitimize this image drives me crazy. It seems as though most of the negative stereotypes that harm Blacks today are perpetuated by those of the same ethnic group. Black Hip Hop culture has become a laughing stock nationwide, providing fodder for non-Black Americans who enjoy seeing their racist predispositions reinforced by the images and lifestyles that they see promoted in popular culture (mostly by Blacks.... not whites... there is no need for Blackface minstrel shows today...Black folks have that job covered). Basically these women are helping to perpetuate their own degradation in many cases, and certainly the degradation of the image of Black women as a whole. By bolstering the status of men who symbolize the thug or Bad Boy, these women send the wrong message to their counterparts in the general community.
Now this undercuts the arguments of Black women who complain about the treatment that they get from such men. On one hand, they complain about maltreatment from the thug/Bad Boy community, yet these are the kinds of men who these women (for the most part) seem to pursue time and time again. In the world of glaring contradictions, this one is near the top. Like the Black women who complain about their negative image in the degenerate Hip Hop culture, yet they continue to court men who are steeped in that very same culture, and continue to buy the music that supports the rap entertainers who they are complaining about.
This represents one of the fundamental underlying problems that I have with Black women & women in general. In High School & College I never bothered to pursue the opposite sex. I noticed that the young women around me (particularly Black women) always seemed to go for the jocks, thugs, the troublemakers, the gang members…and the wannabe Rap stars. Any guy who was concerned about actual schoolwork, came to class everyday, took notes, etc.. was most often seen as boring and socially unattractive. That seemed to be the easiest way to ensure that you would be ignored by young Black women in school- carry lots of books. It acted as a repellent to Black women, although I didn’t intend it to be as such. It wasn’t until years later that I got a better understanding of this or realized why it happened. I saw the same pattern in adulthood, only worse. I also came to realize that if I ever wanted a partner, that I may have to look outside of the Race….even though that is something that I don’t necessarily want to do as a purpose driven thing. But it may become necessary. It may be my only option once I start to date seriously (after I reach financial viability… only God knows when that will be). As much as I want to love Black women…. I have too many issues with the culture….so many that I don’t see Black women as the most dateable. It goes back to the issues that I have mentioned… Black women who are racing to the bottom with the kinds of choices they are making, particularly with men….ultimately dragging the Race down the tubes.
This is why I call this phenomenon “The Race To The Bottom”. Women (especially Black women) seem to be making exceptionally poor choices in terms of what kinds of men they seek. And it’s not all women out there. But it is certainly a large portion - I will go out on a limb and say that it is a majority, although it may be a slight majority. Many women, particularly in minority communities, seem to be after the lowest common denominator. The impact is that it is slowly but surely harming the Race. These kinds of bad choices are a main factor, in my view, behind the breakdown of the “Black Family”- lack of fathers in the home, the out-of-wedlock births, low marriage rate, etc.
This situation of men choosing the “Bad Boy” image (because they think this is what women like), and women choosing to be with these men is such a normal practice that it’s as if this is a Right of Passage.
The Hovey Street Murders
A few months ago a horrible mass murder of two young Black women & their babies took place in Indianapolis, Indiana. The incident became known as “The Hovey Street Murders”, and is famous nationwide (Look it up for detailed background or follow the links provided below).
One of the young women was a resident in the home, and the other was simply a visitor, at the wrong place at the wrong time, although I’m sure that she knew what was going on at the home. A group of armed thugs barged into the house through a bedroom window and brutally gunned down the 4 victims in cold blood…as the women begged for their lives and the lives of their babies. The motive? The thugs were hoping to steal money and drugs from the home. The house on Hovey Street was a known drug location. One of the victims resided in the home with her drug dealer boyfriend who was not there at the time. This young lady was apparently aware of what was taking place in the home, and was likely a willing participant in the drug activity along with her boyfriend. (link 6)(link 7)
I felt sick inside after reading about this case. Of course I felt sorry for the victims, especially the children. But I also noticed that there was a lot of misdirected blame taking place…. That only the home invading monsters had a hand in the demise of these 4 victims. I simply wanted to suggest that the blame for these incidents (which play like a broken record in “Black Communities” all across the Country) can’t be laid at one doorstep. I simply wanted to mention that, although they were victims here and didn’t deserve this ending, the young women shared at least some blame for the positions they placed themselves & their children in.
When I raised the issue of choices & personal responsibility on a fellow bloggers site, suggesting that the adult female (I’m purposely leaving names out) who lived in the Hovey Street home bore at least some responsibility for putting her life & her baby’s life in such danger, as well as the lives of her friend and the other child, I was absolutely vilified. Vilified for even making the suggestion that Black women shared any responsibility whatsoever (not for being harmed…but for knowingly putting themselves in such dangerous positions where the risk of harm is high). One of the Black bloggers (a female) stated that “The victim was just doing what she had to do… we shouldn’t blame her for that”….and she was part of a chorus of Black women who dismissed my statement as an attempt to blame the victims and to side with the thug animals who targeted the house- an idea that couldn’t be farther from the truth….anyone who has read my postings long enough knows better. If you’ve read some of my creative suggestions for dealing with criminals, thugs, & rappers…you would probably get the urge to contact the authorities. But I swear…all of these measures would be legal and just (if I were in charge). (Just kidding). But many of the responses were discouraging. But it wasn’t surprising that the attacks came from Black women.
I raised the issue because I hear/read about such tragic stories constantly. It seems as though there is a similar story played out each week, either locally in my hometown (The St. Louis Metro Area) or nationwide. Frankly I’m tired of reading about the same stories over and over again. I knew ahead of time that I would be attacked by Black women for bringing up the issue of choices that women make which place them (and their children) at serious risk. As I have stated, this lifestyle has been so accepted & embraced and has become so much of the “norm”, particularly for Black communities, that it is a Right of Passage- so much so that many young women see nothing wrong with the choices made by the Hovey Street victim who placed herself, her child, and her friends in danger. They (Black women) don’t even recognize and/or refuse to acknowledge that raising a baby in a drug house is even an issue. Half of the young Black women who responded to my comments about choices saw no problem whatsoever with the idea of a young Black woman dating a known drug dealer & raising a baby in that kind of environment. (A Right of Passage).
To most people in the wider non-Black society, such a situation - a baby being raised in a drug house- would be viewed without question as appalling, deplorable & unacceptable. They would balance their rage- expressing empathy for the victims, but also calling into question the choices made by at least one of the women. That’s the normal response to such a tragedy. And this is all I wanted- a balance…an acknowledgement that this was not right. But no. Not according to at least half of the Black women who participated in the discussion. They immediately made excuses for the women….and demonized ALL Black males…as animals. Somehow I allowed myself to be personally offended by that…. Because I get enough of that in the general society….simply for being a Black guy.
According to these women, the young lady from Hovey Street bore little if any responsibility for the increased risk she found herself in. I believe this condition of normalization & acceptance of this kind of lifestyle…the mainstreaming of it, has had a numbing affect on these women. They can’t even recognize that the situation was wrong, that the choices were harmful and they can’t even empathize with the babies on that basis. The women in this case (and similar cases) are seen by Black women as helpless victims, not smart enough to make good choices, as women who should not be expected to be held accountable for anything. First we had the pre-women’s Suffrage era, when women were essentially seen as helpless, unintelligent, dependant on men, and even seen as the private property of men. Then we went through the Suffrage era of the late 1800’s - the 20’s and 30’s when women gained more independence, more legal rights, gained control of their own bodies, and gained the right to vote. Then we went through the Women’s Liberation Movement of the 60’s and 70’s. Then to the empowerment, independence and equality that women worked to establish in the 80’s and 90’s. And now in the 2000’s we are back to Pre-Suffrage times, when women were not responsible for their actions, were helpless, were taken care of by men and couldn’t make their own decisions. At least that is what some people would like us to believe. On one hand, women (especially Black women) want to be seen as strong, independent, smart, and responsible, but on the other hand they want to be seen as helpless damsels who can’t possibly be responsible for the decisions they make. What is really happening here is that these women want it both ways.
What I am getting at is that this issue is like the elephant in the room.
People want to ignore the issue of legitimization and validation of this negative Black male image, and the role that some women are playing it in. People want to gloss over the consequences that this is having on Black youth and on society as a whole. And it’s an image that is just as harmful to Black men as it is to Black women. Black women are helping to create & prop up this negative image…of the kind of man that they claim is harmful to them.
Do you believe that Black Hollywood (particularly its women) are playing a harmful role in encouraging young women to seek the wrong image in a mate? Do they promote the wrong image of Black men? Is this trend harmful to the “Black Family”?
And why are Black women so reluctant to criticize other Black women on this issue? Why are they so reluctant to point out the negative role that some Black women are playing in the deterioration of the Black social condition? This kind of criticism seems almost taboo. Instead, Black women (some, not all) seem to defend & make excuses for certain behaviors of other Black women that are helping to destroy the Race.
I understand that there is a need to love these women as a way of helping them, but you can’t get to the point of helping them when no one wants to point out what the negative behaviors and choices are. Without identifying them, and acknowledging them, the problems cannot be corrected. Black folks are in a serious state of denial on many of these issues.
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UPDATE:R. Kelly Getting Support from Black Women, Even His Victims.
Child rapist R. Kelly gets support from an unlikely (but somehow not surprising) source- Black Women. It seems that the victim in this case, along with her mother, have been bought out by R. Kelly. The victim now claims that she is not the girl on the tape. Obviously, with all the time that was allowed to elapse between the videotaping and the trial, R. Kelly has been able to influence the victim.
As if that's not bad enough, Kelly has a loyal group of cheerleaders who attend the trial, some being so "supportive" that they disrupt the proceedings. Who are they? Black women. The scene described in the Courtroom literally mimics the Boondocks episode which featured the trial....with mindless Black folks rooting for Kelly.
So now it is o.k. to rape underage Black girls....as long as you are wealthy and you can buy the girls and their mothers? When did Black women (and Black families) begin this practice of literally putting their daughters up for sale?
The Enough is Enough campaign held a protest outside of the so-called BET "Honors" event over the weekend. The event basically consists of the (Black trash) elite gathering for the cameras. Read more on the protest here.
Find out more about the Enough is Enough Campaign Here.
Bob Johnson, a man who made a fortune perpetuating negative images of Blacks and destroying Black Culture in this Country, is now positioning himself as a spokesperson for Civil Rights and proclaims to know what is best for Black voters. It wasn't that long ago that Johnson was a minion for the Bush administration. Now he is supporting Hillary Clinton.
Johnson's recent comments about Barack Obama's drug use was a clear attempt to demonize the candidate and to scare voters. This is part of what has turned out to be a pattern from the Clinton camp. It is true that the media has been hyping the Clinton/Obama mess for ratings purposes (the whole reason why these candidates were even made frontrunners by the media in the first place was because of the ratings potential) but the Johnson comments really seemed to be over the top. And it appeared to be an attempt by Clinton to sanitize the remarks and blunt any possible criticism by having the comments made by another Black person, instead of having the guts to say it herself.
Bob Johnson's latest hustle is telling Black folks how hard the Clintons have worked for so-called "Black issues", which is a bunch of nonsense. The Clintons have become this mythical couple in the "Black Community" mostly because of folks like Bob Johnson inflating their record. The hyperbole has gotten so bad in the years since Bill Clinton left office that some have called Clinton the first Black President.
Just because Slick Willy loved to visit Black Churches and schmooze with Black ministers and celebs, does not make him a champion for Black Causes. But I guess all of the hype sounds good to certain ears in the "Black Community".
Bob Johnson partying with thug rapper Ludacris at the entertainers 30th Birthday bash
Take a look at the work of street thug Ludacris, enabled by Bob Johnsons BET.Warning: The Following Videos Are Not Safe For Work (or any other setting for that matter). This is generally the kind of garbage that Bob Johnson peddled to Blacks, & Black youth in particular, when he owned the network. It's still being pumped into Black households to this day. What a nice legacy of uplifting Black Americans. Video One,Video Two,Video Three.
In their attempt to be gain the so-called "Black vote" the Clintons have been reaching out to all of the wrong people. Last week, Bill Clinton ran to Rev. Al Sharpton (that guy who White Americans see as the "go to" man for all Black issues and who represents all Black people) in an attempt to clean up remarks from an earlier spat. Now they drag in Bob Johnson. They already have their hooks in the CBC (Congressional Black Circus) and those from the group who represent the traditional Civil Rights Industrial Complex. The Problem is.... none of these high profile figures represent the whole, or even a significant part of so-called "Black America". They don't represent the needs and concerns of real people on the ground in South Carolina, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis, Dallas, Houston, Baltimore, Memphis, Philly, Cleveland, Oakland, Miami, or any other place in the Country with a high concentration of African Americans in communities that are devastated.
Every week I am seeing a new clown on mainstream media who claims to be my representative. When will mainstream media, and phony politicians, stop playing this Rent-A-Negro game? When will they realize that Blacks in this Country are not part of a monolith? Blacks are more diverse than ever, socially, economically, and politically. If the Clintons are so comfortable with Black people, then why do they feel the need to use other people to speak to Blacks on their behalf? Why not speak directly to voters? What are they afraid of? Stop going out and renting people, or using other Blacks as some sort of filter to speak through....or as a source for validation.
DC area Pastor Delman Coates, along with activists and bloggers from around the Country are keeping up their protests against the Black Exploitation Television network (BET), as well as the wider problem of negative images of Black Americans in media.
Hear a roundtable discussion from the blog What About Our Daughters concerning the protests. Pastor Coates is a guest on the panel (for the first hour). The discussion, led by What About Our Daughters Founder Gina McCauley, centered on the methodology of the protests. Several Black Bloggers (no surprise) have a problem with the idea of protesters putting pressure on BET CEO Debra Lee (protesting near her home), stating that the poor woman needs "more time". More time for what? Hitler probably wanted more time to finish his work too... but General Eisenhower had other plans.
It is troubling (but totally expected) to hear Black women defending the BET network and its Founder Debra Lee, as if these people care about the impact that they are having on Black youth. Debra Lee, and BET Founder Bob Johnson have made it clear several times in their comments that they are concerned with the bottom line- making money. They don't give a damn about the collateral damage - the mental genocide of an entire generation of young people.
Debra Lee has had at least a decade to do something about changing the negative images of Black people spewed forth by her network. Now, since the heat has been turned up, people are concerned about Debra Lee's feelings?
I have said from the beginning that the fight to improve negative images in the dreaded Black Pop Culture (and in the wider society) will have to be led by Black women. However, when I hear apologists like the one on the What About Our Daughters podcast- calling for a go easy approach against Debra Lee (which has been proven insufficient time and time again), it makes me wonder how serious these women are about changing the current situation. I expect to find Black apologists- they always come out to defend the denigration of Black people (often by Black people) whenever there is an effort to push back against the degenerate popular Black culture. However, I hate to find these people amongst the women who are supposed to be at the front of the line in this effort, claiming to support change. And another not so shocking revelation is that many of these women who claim to be against the images perpetrated by the Rap culture... are some of the biggest fans & consumers of it. They continue to buy the CD's, and make no bones about referring to themselves as fans. In other words, they are financing their own degradation as they are speaking out against it. Go figure.
This was the case during the recent Congressional Hearings Chaired by Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush, on negative Rap images & language. At least two of the Black women who were guests, and who were purportedly advocates for young women and girls (Lisa Fager and Professor Tracy Denean Sharpley-Whiting)have both made it clear that they are fans of Hip Hop culture. They love the music and enjoy listening to it. I have doubts as to how serious these women can be in pushing back against the negative influence in Hip Hop when they are part of the very Culture that degrades them. One even wrote a book with a title that I can't even post without censoring (and received a plug for it during the hearing). LOL give me a break!
You can only push so far when you are friends of the industry IMO... (and that includes anyone buying the CD's). It's a lot harder to discipline a friend... or to discipline your child if you have a buddy relationship with them. How far can you push in that situation, and on the other side... how seriously will you be taken in such an effort? This is one of the big problems that I have with Black women in general.... "Yeah we are protesting negative rap images, but we continue to buy the albums"...which go towards funding the record companies and thus funds their own denigration.
Despite that... I support WhatAboutOurDaughters...and Gina McCauley... because she's no nonsense. Some of the women in her circle of bloggers wish to negotiate with the rappers. LOL. As if these thugs care what these women think. I had to explain that you can't negotiate with Cockroaches. You have to spray. As of right now, I don't see any spraying taking place in the Black community just yet. I see people picking up the spray can however...and that's a good sign. Up until now, people have been making futile attempts to stomp the cockroaches one by one... but they multiply faster than you can get rid of them using that method.
I'm just as worried about these urban terrorists who are in our midst everyday, as I am about International terrorists. The urban terrorists (judging by the numbers) are an even bigger threat. And it's incredible that young women (especially young Black women) literally fall over themselves to be with these thugs. What is the appeal...other than he will use you, beat you, knock you up...and leave you when he's done (that's if she's not killed in violence first...either at the hands of the bad boy....or by someone aiming for him). This remains the ideal mate for Black women. Unbelievable. What are mothers teaching their daughters? Where are the parents? I ask myself this several times a day, everyday.
And Black folks will defend this man for sure, just as they did with child molester R. Kelly and the rest. It is no secret that I hate Black popular Culture with a passion, and this is an example of why I hate it as intensely as I do.
It is good to have Black men like Pastor Coates who are standing up to say "Enough Is Enough".
One of the women (one of the apologist detractors) asked Pastor Coates "how long do you plan to protest outside of that (poor poor) womans House (referring to Debra Lee)? I immediately screamed... "For as Long As It Takes". And of course Pastor Coates did not disappoint with his response.
Another one of the gripes put forth by these women was an erroneous claim that Pastor Coates was protesting without a purpose. They say that he has not stated any goals or demands, and that he is not clear on anything. He has no purpose... He's just protesting to enjoy the fresh air. NONSENSE!!!
After his initial protest, Dr. Coates held a Press conference and spelled out loud and clear what his goals and demands were. He made clear what the purpose was. See the Press Conference here.
Perhaps these women have selective memories (or just bad ones).
Ms. Parker just had an Editorial published by the Washington Post, entitled Why I Gave Up On Hip Hop, describing her experiences with Hip Hop and the awakening that led her to turn this music off.
Read The Full Text of Ms. Parkers' Commentary Here.
Protesters from various organizations held a rally over the weekend, outside of the home of BET CEO Debra Lee.
Over 500 people showed up...and I couldn't be more excited. It was long overdue, but it appears that the so-called "African American community" is finally stepping up in a major way to challenge the poison that has been marketed by this network for the past 10-15 years. The rally was led by Reverend Delman Coates- a leader of the "Enough is Enough" campaign. This campaign is bringing groups together from all over the country for a sustained effort to put pressure on BET (and other media and entertainment outlets) to change its way of doing business. The groups are demanding that BET end the rampant misogyny, the degredation of Black women, the negative portrayals of Black men (as thugs, drug dealers, pimps, ignorant, etc) and the perpetuation and celebration of these images.... making us look like uneducated, violent, and oversexed animals in front of the entire World.
This is supposed to be a network that shows the best of so-called "Black America"? Well that has been a lie for years. They certainly don't represent me. BET has been a source of embarrassment for me for as long as I can remember. I don't watch the network, and if I actually had a choice I would remove the channel from my Cable TV package. I personally don't believe that BET can change or even wants to change. They have built much of their wealth on exploiting and degrading the image of Black people in this Country... so why would they want to deviate from that business model?
The fact is... they can't change because they know nothing else. This is what they have been doing for the past 15 years. And therefore they won't change. That is why I would like to see the network go away completely.... not sold to another parent corporation, and not brought back as some reincarnated BET, but GONE for good. They have inflicted enough damage to my image as a Black man in this Country, I don't want to see them have more opportunities down the road to do the same thing under the guise of being "reformed". If Black folks really need a "Black" network (I personally don't care to have one) then they can watch TVOne. TVOne is an excellent alternative to BET (although TVOne itself is not perfect).
It looks like people are finally fed up with the nonsense from this network. I stated after the Imus fiasco that this would be a long war... the war for the hearts and minds of Black people in this country, particularly Black youth.
And I was glad to see so many people and so many organizations taking part in the protest...
Of course Debra Lee got out of Dodge beforehand... after trying to negotiate a deal to cancel the protest. But Rev. Coates (I like this Reverend) was not about to sell out, cash out or cave in.
Black bloggers have united against BET and Viacom and are gaining traction. Now one of the nations leading newspapers The Washington post is following black blogger conversations on the issue.
African American Political Pundit says:
I agree with you Gina McCauley, creator of the blog What About Our Daughters?, "This is the POWER of Black bloggers in action. How many more of you need to be convinced that this is a new day in blogging activism in the African American community?"
Black Bloggers and Civil Rights Groups Unite to Topple BET's "Hot Ghetto Mess"
Austin, TX -July 19, 2007 - If Viacom's Black Entertainment Television goes through with its plans to air "Hot Ghetto Mess" next week, many people will be watching, but not for the reason BET wants. Realizing that mere online advocacy, was not going to be enough to topple "Hot Ghetto Mess" after she'd gotten advertisers to flee the show, Gina McCauley, creator of the blog What About Our Daughters? turned to a coalition of religious and women's groups including the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the National Coalition for Black Civic Participation, National Organization for Women, Rainbow PUSH, and the National Congress of Black Women.
The result is what may very well be the largest intergenerational collaboration between young online activists and their older offline counterparts in United States history. Their focus; to convince advertisers that buying ad time on BET's "Hot Ghetto Mess" just isn't worth it, despite the high ratings that the show is likely to bring if it airs.
On July 25, 2007, "Hot Ghetto Mess" watch parties are being scheduled in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Austin, the District of Columbia and the list of locations keeps growing. Those attending the watch parties will be recording which companies purchase advertisements during the show. The coalition then plans to target those businesses with possible boycotts or demonstrations.
Ever since she started pumping her friends' snapshots of black people behaving badly onto her Web site, Jam Donaldson has been at the center of an uncomfortable cultural question:
Can African Americans publicly humiliate, satirize and otherwise shame other African Americans and not be called "race haters," "elitists" and "Uncle Toms"? More HERE
The political talking heads were all there. All the Democratic candidates, You know all the names. Tavis (prime time) Smiley moderated while Dewayne Wickham, Michelle Martin and Ruben Navarrette asked questions. It was the first time a panel of journalist of color got a chance to asks questions of the candidates.
The questions were loosely based on Tavis Smiley’s book The Covenant With Black America. The outgoing Howard University President welcomed the crowd, while syndicated talk show host and party man, Tom Joyner introduced newly elected Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. YES!
First up, the ever condescending Hillary Clinton who gave her bogus and insincere diatribe about today’s Extreme (Supreme) Court ruling, and her need to say “there is work to be done.”
AAPP - OK, as if Black America needed you to tell us this.
Next up, Joe (Obama is the first bright, clean and articulate man) Biden talks about what a great job he (himself) has done as a member of the Judiciary committee grilling Supreme Court Justice, John Roberts, and how it's the Roberts court that has turned the clock back. Hey and let's not forget Bill (I’m Latino-don’t get my last name twisted) Richardson who stressed, the next president needs to lead a dialogue on race. But provided nothing concrete other than the president needs to talk about race.
I was feeling John Edwards, who was one of the few "sincere" candidates at the forum. He at least admitted that there continues to be a dual public school system in America - one for the affluent, and ones for the poor.
Hello, Brown V. Education 2007.
Let’s not forget brother Barack Obama who received applause every time he smiled. Yes it was clearly an Obama crowd at this Forum. but maybe not Obama’s night.
Obama tried to say there should be mutual citizen and government action to get us where we are going as Nation regarding education.
OK, Obama sounds great, but, no strategy, no plan just smiles for the cameras. Oh yeah, there are other candidates like Dennis Kucinichwho pointed out the need for universal kindergarten and day care. Hello!
Hey let us not forget about the blue eyed soul 2nd cousin, Mike Gravel.
What, you ask, "who is Mike Gravel," hey, this is the only guy who calls it the way it is, and talks about the real issues like the alleged War On Drugs, that caused the disproportionate number of black men and women to be behind bars.
Hey, what about the silver haired “certified” liberal, Chris Dodd. Dodd who has no chance of getting the nomination, sounded like he read the playbook from his look alike, Jack Kemp.
You get a sense of the discussion. Clinton with “It takes a village to raise a child..” which she stole. To clinton saying the village has failed its children. No Senator Clinton “America” destroyed its children. She makes me sick with that old school, “socioeconomically deprived” crap. But I have to wonder what type of drug Gov. Richardson and others were on when they responded to the HIV question.
Did you check out how Richardson continued to talk about “Needles.” Are black teenagers throughout America using needles to cause the high numbers of HIV? My understanding is it is un-protected sex. (education) not needles dude.
Hello this man is misinformed. Hey, Obama, was on point regarding HIV and homophobia issues in our community and the need for universal health care. Kucinich was on point regarding the need for sex education.Hello, Richardson, who ever your handlers are they did a bad job about coaching you about HIV and the black community. I like Chris Dodds approach regarding school-based clinics where children can get advice on sex education. But I’m not sure Chris Dodd is up on recent events. The Extreme Court has sent us back 50 plus years. We will be glad to have a toilet in the next 5 years. Here comes Hillary, If HIV/AIDS were the number one cause of death for white women a lot more would be done.
Hap hap, people are we!. The black women scream, yes, yes, she identifies with us! Yes, I’m voting for Hillary! YES, there is a God.Great one liner Hillary you got the black women vote. At least the one’s here who gave you the evenings only standing ovation. WHAT!
Oh, hell to the no, says Biden. You are not going to out do me Hillary!
Hey black guys, In my state I have gone into the black neighborhoods in Delaware talking to black men about wearing condoms. what! See Brotha’s I know whats going on in the hood.Biden even says, hey, I even got tested for HIV, hey, Barack Obama did too! Holy Shit! What the hell!
It went down hill from there.
That’s how it was for the rest of the night. Pointless.
Tavis Smiley attempted to have the Democrats come to the black community to have them address issues of importance to us. Unfortunately, the format sucked, and as usual the Democrats brought us a circus.
It was the Barnum and Bailey circus at it’s best. And black folks, lead on by aging black leaders watched the three ring circus and clapped, and watched, and clapped, and watched, and clapped.
We watched as Democrats gave us a dog and pony show, with an invisible dog and pony. I would have loved to enjoy the stupid pet tricks. No commitments just hollow words. The Covenant With Black America had no meaning at this forum. The little meaning available was Tavis Smiley (new school) and a bunch of old school black political opinion makers and civil rights icons having the opportunity to shake hands with a number of Democratic candidatess. WOW! If there is truly any meaning in that!
Hey, but guess what, we have a Latino and a African American running for the presidency of the United States. A clueless and confused group of people who proved last night, they have no idea how to truly address America’s issues that are Black, white, and gray.
The bottom line was, for me, the forum was truly just another Barnum and Bailey - Democratic Circus, with the best financed clowns money can buy. I only wish they had graduated from clown school and rehearsed their skit, so this African American Political Pundit could have at least enjoyed the show.
Tavis, maybe next time, with the Republican event you’ll ask the Universal Soul Circus to come to town. We can at least get a laugh when the bigoted Republican Circus comes to Baltimore.
Candidly, I can’t wait to see who they put in the front seats of that circus! Colin (WMD) Powell, or Clarence (you blacks stay in your poor schools) Thomas?
The publisher of African American Opinion has decided to take a stand against demeaning and violent music. He says he is taking a stand against gangster and other forms of negative rap music.
Inspired by a recent post by fellow AfroSphere Blogger, Gem at What About Our Daughters and her report on the efforts of faith based leader, Rev. Micheal Pfleger in Chicago, he has decided to reach out to the larger community to say enough is enough.
He plans to place 5 strategic billboards like the ones in Chicago into 5 urban areas of America, including Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Detroit, Baltimore , and Los Angeles.
His blog has now partnered with ChipIn.com to raise funds to place the billboards in those cities. All funds raised will go directly to the advertising effort. He is urging other bloggers to place one of his widgets on there website or blog to assist in the effort.
The African American Opinion blog publisher says, "If all goes as expected we plan to make it a national effort, to have billboards in every urban area throughout America urging our youth to boycott rappers who degrade our young girls and women, excite violence and disgrace our communities."It's time to "Do the WRITE thing." Rev. Micheal Pfleger a respected Chicago faith leader has stepped to the plate, African American bloggers need to follow his lead.
To obtain a widget to place on your blog or website, just go to the ChipIn.com widget on African American Opinion blog and click copy. Then copy and paste the information onto your sidebar.
"The two parties have combined against us to nullify our power by a ‘gentleman's agreement' of non-recognition, no matter how we vote ... May God write us down as asses if ever again we are found putting our trust in either the Republican or the Democratic Parties." -- W.E.B. DuBois (1922)
Sorry for scraping from the bottom of the sewage pit for this one, but this has been on my mind. I despise nearly all of Black pop culture and therefore I, for the most part, avoid anything that may be related… except when I am trying to make some sort of social point or highlight an issue…. which is what I am doing here.
In an audio interview from NPR, author 
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