Need proof?
Why do we always have to be dancing?
is this where it all began?
my personal favorite...
Dancing African artifacts? C'mon son...Unfortunately, the good people under the golden arches are equal opportunity offenders. We saw how black kids eat, now let's see how Asian children eat McNuggets!
Granted, we haven't experienced this level of racism on our campus as blatantly...BUT COME ON!
It exists in forms of ignorance I cannot express or come up with words to eloquently explain. I remember doing a case study in my theory class with a similar topic dealing with students preparing an event featuring chit'lin dinners and a menu with misspelled words. I thought "surely this wouldn't happen in 2009"...I was right.
It happens in 2010.
Disgusting. THIS is why Black History Month is and will always be important. Not only do people fear what they don't understand, but in total ignorance, they mock it and are perverse in their attempts to show their willingness to bridge the gap, or even their fearlessness in embracing diversity (*GAG*).
With Harry Reid, John Mayer, Don Imus, Micheal Richards and Dog the Bounty Hunter...how can anyone ignorantly say that the world is color-blind or that we live in a post-racial society when not only are public figures caught in ignorance but the most INSENSITIVE ACTS EVER RECORDED still take place amongst "educated" citizens on a university campus.
Wow...just wow. And we still have only black students at black history events.
just...read below SMH
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Student's blog that set everything in motion --> http://blackgirlindiego.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-need-your-help.html
Below is a description of an event by UCSD's Greek Community "In honor of Black History Month..." Please help me by a) re-posting on your blogs and or b) e-mailing the president of UCSD's Inter-fraternity Council to let them know that this is UNACCEPTABLE!!!
"New Low for UCSD"
[PLEASE keep in mind that today, UCSD has about 200 Black students PERIOD.... out of about 20,000 undergrads. yes.......closer to 1% than 2%]
Description
February marks a very important month in American society. No, i'm not referring to Valentines day or Presidents day. I'm talking about Black History month. As a time to celebrate and in hopes of showing respect, the Regents community cordially invites you to its very first Compton Cookout.
For guys: I expect all males to be rockin Jersey's, stuntin' up in ya White T (XXXL smallest size acceptable), anything FUBU, Ecko, Rockawear, High/low top Jordans or Dunks, Chains, Jorts, stunner shades, 59 50 hats, Tats, etc.
For girls: For those of you who are unfamiliar with ghetto chicks-Ghetto chicks usually have gold teeth, start fights and drama, and wear cheap clothes - they consider Baby Phat to be high class and expensive couture. They also have short, nappy hair, and usually wear cheap weave, usually in bad colors, such as purple or bright red.
They look and act similar to Shenaynay, and speak very loudly, while rolling their neck, and waving their finger in your face. Ghetto chicks have a very limited vocabulary, and attempt to make up for it, by forming new words, such as "constipulated", or simply cursing persistently, or using other types of vulgarities, and making noises, such as "hmmg!", or smacking their lips, and making other angry noises,grunts, and faces.
The objective is for all you lovely ladies to look, act, and essentially take on these "respectable" qualities throughout the day.
Several of the regents condos will be teaming up to house this monstrosity, so travel house to house and experience the various elements of life in the ghetto.
We will be serving 40's, Kegs of Natty, dat Purple Drank- which consists of sugar, water, and the color purple , chicken, coolade, and of course Watermelon. So come one and come all, make ya self before we break ya self, keep strapped, get yo shine on, and join us for a day party to be remembered- or not.
UCSD's Greek Advisor is Emily Feinstein: eufeinstein@ucsd.edu
UCSD's IFC President is Tommy Allen: tgallen@ucsd.edu
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according to .black.girl.in.diego's blog the university sent this e-mail out in a mass response...
All UCSD employees just got the following email. Of course, we had no idea what it was about. But thanks to the blogging world, I'm up to speed. Disgraceful.
UCSD
CAMPUS NOTICE
University of California, San Diego
OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
OFFICE OF THE VICE CHANCELLOR - STUDENT AFFAIRS
February 16, 2010
ALL ACADEMICS AND STAFF AT UCSD
ALL STUDENTS AT UCSD
SUBJECT: Condemnation of Off-Campus Party and Affirmation of Principles
of Community
We were distressed to learn that over the weekend an offensively themed
student party, mocking the commemoration of Black History Month, took
place off campus. We strongly condemn this event and the blatant
disregard of our campus values. Although the party was not a UC San
Diego student-organization sponsored event, participants did include UC
San Diego students and that causes us great concern.
As stated in our Principles of Community,
http://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/policies/POC/principles-of-community.html, we
reject acts of discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, age,
disability, sexual orientation, religion, and political beliefs, and, we
will confront and appropriately respond to such acts. We reaffirm our
Principles of Community
http://blink.ucsd.edu/HR/policies/POC/principles-of-community.html and
encourage the campus to join us in our affirmation.
In addition, we invite students, staff and faculty to participate in a
teach-in from noon to 2 p.m. on February 24 in the Price Center East
Ballroom to explore how such incidents continue to occur today and to
discuss the importance of mutual respect and civility on our campus.
Marye Anne Fox
Chancellor
Penny Rue
Vice Chancellor - Student Affairs
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I SINCERELY hope we would never experience anything like this on our campus...but I'm sure San Diego thought the same thing. What do you think of this kind of racist ignorance perpetuated on a COLLEGE CAMPUS no less? Where's their diversity statement?
There's another question that begs an answer. I know that these students should be ashamed for their ignorance...but what responsibility do we have as individuals who perpetuate the stereotypes? I remember a while ago that Chris Rock said he "loved black people, but hates niggas"...I echoed his sentiments. Sadly, "Niggaz" are all that is shown on television by and large. The gold teeth and do-rags in public. Jeans with a belt tightened firmly around the knees (c'mon son). Nikki Minaj is the poster girl for pink weave. I'm all about rebellious fashion statements, but some looks that have typified the "black culture" are simply what we wear around the house and step outside in (i.e. house shoes at the super-market or a robe to pick your kids up from school with rollers in your hair). Look how our children talk!?!?
Look how we act in public, even at sporting events!
They cancelled "Hot Ghetto Mess" on BET with Charlie Murphy because they felt we put too much of our business in the street. But damn...I'm starting to feel like Cosby. Maybe our business is already in the street. We need to stop the madness. We've GOT to do better. It would be different if these individuals from Pi Kappa Alpha were mocking black culture intentionally, but this is honestly what they think being black is all about!
Are we honestly seen as shuck and jive? Will the dominant vs. subordinate theory always envelope our people and reduce the black experience to fashion trends? What other culture is defined by the way they dress or talk? Blacks are the only people who accuse one another of talking White. But it seems like the hip thing to do to talk black. Have you ever heard of a party where you dress like a Cholo? Or an Asian Barbecue where you dress like a stereotypical Asian? If you have, kick the dude who made the invite squarely in the throat because it's just as racist. My point is, the black stereotype being emphasized in the media is much more prevalent. What do we do? Many black people celebrate it and relish in it. Making the stereotypes even more pronounced. Hell, we could go into the recent label whore fashion trend where you're covered from head to toe in Gucci, Fendi, Prada and Louis Vuitton...but it's no different than when it was Nautica, Tommy Hilfiger, Guess and Polo back in the late 90's.
True, it's not fair that we be expected to uphold a standard when no other culture seemingly has to abide by them. Are there stereotypes for Latinos, Asians, Native Americans and Gays in America? Absolutely. But none of those stereotypes revolve around the blatant examples of ignorance shown above.
Someone's gotta kill the babysitter. Stop letting BET videos dictate how black you are and who is black enough. I can't even blame them entirely because WE SUPPORT THE IGNORANCE! Stop teaching our kids to dance before teaching them to read. Stop spending your tax check on things that don't appreciate with value and invest in your or for God's sake your child's future! Am I outraged at the level of racism that is currently exhibited across our country in the same era as our first black president?!?! Absolutely. But I'm also saddened that after 439 years of captivity, Jim Crow, the civil rights movement and countless victories for equality and equity for black people, we still do so much damage to ourselves.
So this black history month, don't just educate yourself. Educate everyone you can. Black and White (I know sometimes how taxing that can be). Latino, Asian, Native American and any subculture in between.
Collectively, we've got to do better.
Just when Bill Cosby writes off America's youth and the counter-productive parents who lavish them with worldly goods instead of raising them. Here comes Jonathan E. McCoy.
I first need to say I haven't said the 'N Word' since 2006, maybe earlier. I get into frequent debates with peers, hood scholars, Afrocentric slam poets and professors about the appropriateness of the racial slur and it's modern day implementation. Personally, I have no interest uttering an epithet that was the last likely word heard before 14 year old Emmett Till was brutally slain. It's the last word heard before men were hanged like so much strange fruit leaving the stench of death and injustice throughout the south. Its the words heard as black women who bore the children of their slave owners heard; shortly before the master's wife ordered her punished with a cat o' nine rending her back flesh in twine. It's the likely words which crossed the lips of the man who struck the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or the assassin who took his life on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel.
Why would I want to use the same word used to paint African American's as ignorant, lazy, shiftless, worthless and inhuman...as a term of endearment for my friends, family or loved-ones?
Unfortunately, this argument has won over a few, and only served as fuel to the fire for others who see my stance as nothing more than empowerment of a word many blacks take ownership of almost as if to say "we take back the pain and the hurt it's caused and it's ours now, and if anyone but us uses it to inflict injury, we reserve the right to be hostile."
I never advocate violence, but I know many people who would jump at the opportunity to defend the hypocrisy should an overzealous white male or female utter the five or six letter version of the dreaded 'N'.
Nas wanted to title his last LP N*****. Damon Wayans of "My Wife & Kids" and the same Wayans family that revolutionized the sketch comedy genre in the 90's with "In Living Color", actually attempted to purchase the right to the word to use as the title of a clothing line.
...seriously...
This is off topic, barely, but could you imagine people walking around with N***** (minus the asterisks) in the mall and in gymnasiums or on street corners? Talk about perpetuating a stereotype by dressing the part *smh*
...Anyway, thank god for Jonathan McCoy. Although his open petition to physically 'DELETE' the 'N-Word' from our vocabulary. I support him wholeheartedly. I agree, words do have power. We don't take power from them by giving use to some but not to others, because we can't enforce it's privileged use and the ignorance continues in circles regardless of our watchful eye.
Why not eradicate the word to keep future generations from using it or knowing of it's existence? It's not exactly an element of black history we should fight to remember. Honestly, in a world where people know no significance to March 5th and Crispus Attucks, no clue who or how anyone other than Rosa, Martin and Malcolm contributed to Black History; and have very little concept of black history whatsoever except the trilogy of "we were in Africa, we were slaves, now we're free".
Hooray, we can drink from the same water fountain...
Meanwhile, one of the most deleterious words in the English language is being debated as to whether or not it's existence should be permitted...BY THE VERY PEOPLE IT CONTINUOUSLY INJURED FOR 439 YEARS OF CAPTIVITY, JIM CROW AND BEYOND!!!!
For those of you whom argue that the word's origin in Africa and had much more positive and princely associations...
I would argue that those of us who use it here, especially who are melanin challenged, aren't using the African dictionary version. Not to mention, that this is not Africa. The history of the word here, has always been negative. No matter how much we've tried to spin it, minority management of the word has not eradicated the hurt it can and has caused.
Tupac Shakur attempted to make N.I.G.G.A.Z. stand for "Never Ignorant Getting Goals Achieved", yet it somehow failed to live as a viable explanation despite his mythic legacy.
NWA perhaps made the word more popular than any other rap act in history between 1985 and 1998. With their second album "Straight Outta Compton" and it's social and political commentary reminiscent of the Hip Hop classic, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's "The Message", NWA turned the world on it's ear with a pronounced middle finger pointed at the police and an establishment that ignores the societal ills of ghetto life.
However, revolutionary intent or not, what people fail to realize is that the demographic purchasing and listening to Rap & Hip Hop music most is not African American, but White. The very same group Blacks try so desperately to keep from uttering the 'N' through fear, intimidation and the promise of a very serious ass whipping.
When will we learn? 10 year old Jonathan McCoy has it right. He's got his head on straight years ahead of many of us. But why stop there?
(read this sentence with caution, abusive language within:)
Let's get rid of Chink, Wet-Back, Wigger, Honkey, Gook, Beaner, Spook, Queer, Fag, Cunt, Slut and Whore in addition to the 'N'.
I'm sure someone is reading this thinking "People will just come up with something else to call people. Deleting these words isn't going to make a difference in people's opinions/fears/insecurities about difference."
You may be right. But in order to achieve something you've never had before, you have to do something you've never done before.
Let's join Jonathan in pressing a collective backspace on expressions of hate. Unless you like maintaining the status quo that is...
Leave it to Chris Rock to analyze one of the Black Communities biggest debates and do so in a way that makes the topic seem refreshing and new. His upcoming movie aptly titled "Good Hair" seeks to tackle the questions that have befuddled black men for years and what has tortured many black women for decades...what exactly is "good hair".
The following is from the Sundance Film Festival 2009 Website:
"When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came up to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to search the ends of the earth and the depths of black culture to find out who had put that question into his little girl's head! Director Jeff Stilson’s camera followed the funnyman, and the result is Good Hair, a wonderfully insightful and entertaining, yet remarkably serious, documentary about African American hair culture.An exposé of comic proportions that only Chris Rock could pull off, Good Hair visits hair salons and styling battles, scientific laboratories, and Indian temples to explore the way black hairstyles impact the activities, pocketbooks, sexual relationships, and self-esteem of black people. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Kerry Washington, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations to Rock while he struggles with the task of figuring out how to respond to his daughter’s question. What he discovers is that black hair is a big business that doesn’t always benefit the black community and little Lola’s question might well be bigger than his ability to convince her that the stuff on top of her head is nowhere near as important as what is inside.
Recipient of A Special Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary."
http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/good_hair