A colleague of mine forwarded this to me. I had no choice but to respond...
Subject: FW: UCSD Black Student Union Protest (February 19th, 2010)
Fellas,
Idk if you saw this already but check out the student protest and an article about the "Compton Party". I pasted one response from a person, obviously white. Its interesting viewing it from another perspective.
There are racially themed parties thrown all the time at every college, every weekend!
Our society is full of ghetto people right? Doesn't necessarily mean we are talking about black people every time the word ghetto is brought up. Question, if you ask anyone, how is Compton portrayed in the mass media? Go to youtube and type in Compton and see what comes up. As the looks of it, they were justifying what its like in Compton. I'm not saying it's unfortunate that the description of the invitation matches the appearance of Compton; the individuals associated with the city seems somewhat proud of their appearance and continue to flaunt it with pride. In my opinion, a part of black history was celebrated in this BBQ. If they're going to make such a big deal about it, the should put this much effort into changing the image of Compton so the [right image] of a Compton BBQ could be thrown accepted by society. As far as I see it, great job with the BBQ; it's exactly how Snoop Dogg, WC, Ice Cube, B.E.T, 2pac, and hundreds of other people of influence has described life in this city. If you don't want things to happen like this again, then you should once again take control of black people, especially in Compton since its essentially been done before, and tell them lose their identity so no one emulates them through a party.
http://www.10news.com/news/22588063/detail.html
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=842662959544&ref=nf
Here's what I have to say about that...
That whole comment is a cop-out. What it speaks to is a dominant vs. subordinate culture constructed by our society which holds blacks to a “ghetto” stereotype regardless of what statistics typify the moniker. If only 15% of the culture exhibits the “B.E.T.” style of dress, speech and shenanigans; we’re still held to that standard because dominant society chooses to depict the ignorance over the brilliance of black culture. That’s not accidental or coincidental, it’s socially genocidal. It’s contributing to a continental glass ceiling that encapsulates the most articulate and well intentioned African Americans every time they step on an elevator alone with a single white female as they instinctively clutch their purse.
This same fate does not befall the average white male as they are not readily compared to the meth producer and dealer, or the scantily clad, mullet wearing, toothless wife beater on cops which made the a-shirt so infamous. We don’t lump them with country western listening, rodeo attending, gun rack accessorizing Ford truck drivers with confederate flags brandished colorfully on the roof. Why? Because not only are they afforded the luxury of white privilege but of being a member of a dominant society that readily accepts and broadcasts a spectrum of cultures and sub cultures within a race or group of people. They are not limited to being defined by images of their public or private shame. They have the advantage of saying, “we’re not all like that”; bad or good, and society knowingly accepting that response without judgment.
So to justify the ridiculous theme of this party by highlighting the subculture exhibited within Compton, California by commenting on what highly paid rappers would condone only further displays a disconnect with reality and a lack of commitment to multicultural engagement on his part. The bottom line? It was a party to celebrate black history by mocking someone’s culture. How can you give a pat on the back for black-face minus the paint? No one was shuckin’ and jiving, or steppin’ fetch it…but if they c-walk with a doo-rag on and a 40 in hand instead of a sliver of watermelon…how is that different?
I fail to see how that’s our fault. My fault or anyone else’s. As a country we need to do better. But as disappointed as I am by the 40 year old man who still sags with a belt firmly around his ankles, he doesn’t represent me. I just need the rest of the world to knowingly accept that response without judgment. His institution of higher learning should support that goal.
Racism begins with our families, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, people we admire, respect and love.
However, as we grow and mature we come to the realization that what we were told by our family when we were children were slanted lies base on their prejudices. We realize that most people are like ourselves and not so different and want the same things, like a home, steady work, a Medicare plan and schools for our children (if you travel you will see this). We realize that most people are of good hearts and goodwill.
This reminds me of a parable from the good book where a Levite and Priest come upon a man who fell among thieves and they both individually passed by and didn’t stop to help him.
Finally a man of another race came by, he got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy and got down with the injured man, administered first aid, and helped the man in need.
Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the “I” into the “thou,” and to be concerned about his fellow man.
You see, the Levite and the Priest were afraid, they asked themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?”
But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before us. The question is not, “If I stop to help our fellow man in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help our fellow man, what will happen to him or her?” That’s the question.
This current climate of blaming, mocking or demeaning others for our own short comings, is not new, we have had this before and we have conquered it.
Remember “Evil flourishes when good men (and women) do nothing”. Raise your voices with those of us who believe we are equal and we can win this battle again.
Posted on March 1, 2010 at 4:00 PM
Instead of an apology there has been steady escalation and now the noose. So, what exactly will the excuses be for this cowardly act that brings up memories of the confederate KKK of the South in their attempts to keep slavery and the non-whites in fear? Is it that are uneducated, is it that their parents planted these seeds of hate, is it that they are live in fear because our President in the white house is not 100% white. This is what the republican party of “birthers, baggers and blowhards” have brought you. These kids follow what their dullard leaders say, they listen to Beck, Hedgecock, Hannity, O’Reilly, Rush and Savage and the rest of the Blowhards, they are young and dumb. Are you surprise at what they do when you know what they think?
Posted on March 1, 2010 at 9:20 PM
Post a Comment