Black Americans - commodity, criminals, or something much more

“Have you lost your mind? I mean, how is it that you can disrespect a man’s ethnicity when you know we've influenced nearly every facet of white America... from our music to our style of dress. Not to mention your basic imitation of our sense of cool; walk, talk, dress, mannerisms. We enrich your very existence, all the while contributing to the gross national product through our achievements in corporate America. It's these conceits that comfort me when I am faced with the ignorant, cowardly, bitter and bigoted, who *have* no talent, no guts. People like you who desecrate things they don't understand when the truth is - you should say thank you, and go on about your way. But apparently you are incapable of doing that!"
Cedric the Entertainer as Sin LaSalle in Be Cool

I just was bored earlier and ran across this scene while flipping channels. And I just had to think about that.

Now the movie Be Cool was bad. No question. But this line is perhaps the best and most important of the whole movie. It’s honest and true. It hits home, and likely was overlooked by the millions that have seen the film since its release. When most watch a comedy, bits of social commentary are obscured or disregarded.

This one quote is so visceral to me. It is such a direct statement and applies to so many things. This could be said to politicians (Democrat and Republican), Hollywood executives, major news media editors, and music industry executives, corporations of all kinds of sizes, and probably Spain and Argentina.

This quote is a statement. Being Black is not a commodity that can be bought, though more than a few retailers are making BILLIONS trying to convince people they can. Respect of our past and present is not a burden for America, and should be embraced in the same manner that I was taught European history. Police need to remember this the next time they get the urge to “get their gun on” because an African American crosses the street.

But I wonder something. I know how people of color might take this statement. Latino/Hispanics can say many of the same things. So can Asians. But how do White Americans look at this? What did this quote make you think?

This isn’t about a right or wrong answer. Obviously a blatant racist comment will be responded to in kind. But any answer made with respect and intelligence is more than welcome. Because I really would like to know if you have ever considered this when you watch the news, see a kid walking down the street, celebrate Columbus Day, or just generally go through your life?

Ramblings of Michael Vass - 8.7.2007.3

Some days it’s just hard to write to a blog. I know, many of the bloggers out there are reading that and laughing. Of course it’s hard. Reading news, figuring out what story or concept gets you most motivated and then creating a fluid and expressive statement that others might want to glance over. Once you do get consistent readers the pressure to be consistent, topical and timely grows exponentially.

I’m not complaining. I currently write to 8 blogs, with varying degrees of consistency. I cover a diverse range of topics, from NASCAR, to Presidential candidates, to my thoughts and Black issues among others.

But I am annoyed. There is so much that should be written, and I don’t have the ability to cover the scope of it. Anger versus Islam, racism, stereotyping, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Presidential election, global warming and more. There are just so many topics.

But I notice something. The issues that often catch my attention deal with the negatives that affect African Americans and Latino/Hispanic Americans. Generally it is because my anger is invoked, or because I think a lot is being obscured but overall it is just negative. I wonder where the good news is.

I see constantly news on OJ Simpson, or this rapper committing another crime. I read about how Blacks aren’t making it to higher education, that the Black middle class is disappearing, that the segregation among African Americans is worse than from other sources. I see videos that showcase booty-shakin and drugs, or viral videos that promote violence in schools. I observe how the Black community is a commodity for sale from generally non-black corporations. All of this and I get tired.

Why is it that BET can’t provide programming that other cable networks seem to have little difficulty creating? Why is it this nation can’t stop being angry about OJ getting an innocent verdict? Why must 90% of all references about violent or drug related crime, or welfare and social assistance must have African American faces on it? What drives the media to place events featuring African American entertainers and celebrities of a negative aspect on the front page, but charities and positive actions get about 30 seconds of coverage?

Some say it’s because the Black leadership has focused the news this way. That’s crap. There are no African American leaders. When was the vote? How did anyone get registered for it? Who counted? It never happened.

Rev. Al Shaprton, Minister Farakan, Rev. Jesse Jackson, and several other notables have been proclaimed leaders yet I know I have never been asked about it. They are just the guys that the media decided to follow and promote. That’s not leadership, it’s attention. The difference is vast.

Continued in Part 2...

Alec Baldwin part 2 - 4.25.2007.2

Continued from Alec Baldwin Part 1...

I’ll give you an example from my own life. When I was a young teen I decided to cut school with a friend on a Friday. I was a good student, a smart kid, and respectful of my elders. But when a friend suggested cutting school on a really nice weather day, I did it. I also got caught. When my father found out I was scolded in a similar manner to what Mr. Alec Baldwin did to his child. Perhaps not as harsh, but to many these days that think spanking a child is a vile act I’m sure it was no less intense. I was not ‘altered for life’ nor was anything else other than understanding that I failed to respect my mother and do what expected of me.

Being a smart kid, my logic told me on the following Monday, that I could cut school again. Who would ask after the threat of a beating given on Friday? Smart as I was, my logic was flawed. I was caught again. When my mother awakened me and my siblings she had only one thing to say, “Your father is in the living room.” I was justifiably fearful. After my father explained in detail the travails he had to endure to reach me and my siblings that Monday night, with a few expletives included, he hauled me into a room and proceeded to “straighten my ass out” on the concept of listening to my mother and respecting the words both of them had said to me. It was a vigorous lesson that involved few words. Again I was not scarred for life. I was reminded that respect of my parents and elders was an obligation that actions have consequences, and decisions may not always have the outcomes you expect or want. Pretty good life lessons I think. I also learned that if I’m going to do something I need to plan well. Sorry mom, but I did cut school again, in my later teens, but I learned to be smart enough about it to make sure I didn’t get caught. Another lesson of sorts, depending on how it is applied.

The point of this is simply that parents have outburst. Some are justified, some not. A child that has been cared for directly by their parents (or grand-parents) with discipline, involvement, and physical punishments when needed (and in moderation) turn out as often as not to be well adjusted adults. But as more parents that can afford to do so use therapists, drugs, and the latest books’ theory on child-raising the kids seem to be more screwed up than ever. No system is perfect as is no parent. But I have found more parents acting like my own in the Black and Hispanic communities than in others.

But in listening to Mr. Baldwin I am reminded to an extent of my parents. Not perfect, he was over the top, but similar. He was obviously frustrated because he loves his child. IF you’ve heard the full call you will know that. He knew he was wrong and apologized long before anyone else in the world heard word one. He has never been accused of any abuse to his child ever.

What has been horribly abusive is that a private conversation was released to the world. His daughter has been embarrassed in front of her peers and the world. Somehow, someone let this private call get out to the public. IF it was Mrs. Kim Bassinger, that was an abusive act.

This is what I think, what do you think?