Okay, still thinking about my Zoe Saldana post from the other day.
Yesterday evening someone posted on Facebook how they believed that racism (Whites against Blacks) was ultimately driving these mostly Black race riots. When I asked “how”, the person responded with “institutionalized racism”. At that point all remaining strength left my body and I decided to go to bed. I just could not take another conversation where someone is attempting to prove
One of the common responses I get when someone finally answers the question “How are YOU being affected by racism?” is “Well, see there are different levels of racism…”. It is at that point I know we are in for a long conversation that usually leaves me with a headache.
Before I continue, there is no doubt in my mind that racism exists. Let me say that again for those who have a way of skipping over stuff in order to draw sweeping conclusions: There is no doubt in my mind that racism exists. Our society is filled with all types of people: The nice, the kind, the gentle, the angry, the ugly, the mean, melancholy, the tribalist, the racist, the whatever-ist. This is what keeps our world an interesting place. The things we don’t agree with, we can navigate around those things and keep it moving.
The tools to simply navigate around racism were in extreme short supply for Blacks back in the day. Slavery kept us in physical bondage, Jim Crow kept us in a economic bondage. But when you look at the times outside the two I have mentioned, we have been able navigate ourselves around the situation. Rejected for a job? We start our own businesses. Store refuses to serve us because they hate Black people? We shop at the next store. Bank denies us service because we are Black? Either find another bank or find one of many Black-owned banks. School teacher(s) mistreats our kids because they hate Black people. Document it, report it, confront it. If there is no action, sue them or look to other educational alternatives.
This brings me back to Saldana. There is no doubt in my mind she may have been rejected for a part because the director did not want a Black woman. But for her and the reporter who posted the story to simply focus just on racism, they are purposely telling a fraction of the story. They know exactly what they are doing and are trying to accomplish by focusing on this small portion of their lives. This may sound silly, but I want to know how many times she has encountered someone passing gas while either on or off the set? When her nose was offended, did she just stay there and take it? Or did she navigate around it and continued her career trajectory that includes multiple blockbuster movies?
What I don’t like is when both our media and even your everyday Joe commentator only focus on one a small portion of everyday life. Don’t cry to me about racism and even attempt to number your so-called “pain and suffering” to what our parents and the parents before them had to go through. If we are honest, most of our everyday frustrations come from dealing with traffic, dealing with either a crazy boss or co-worker, trying to figure out what to eat for lunch, staying awake at work, dealing with more traffic, trying to figure out what to eat for dinner, helping kids with homework, what to watch on television, and realizing that you have to do it all over again tomorrow. For some people, most of that is done with the soundtrack of someone dropping the word “nigga” every now and then in the background (but I digress). But one person says something off about Black folks and we will talk about it for weeks. That is EXACTLY why you will hardly ever see a featured interview with someone like Saldana exclusively talking about her experiences with bad directors. Most Black folks and fans in general wouldn’t care about it. But focus on those few experiences and it instantly becomes numbered with Emmett Till, Rosa Parks, the murder of Dr. King, etc.
No matter how much we despise those Whites we deem as “racist” we sure place a high value on their words by talking about them for days–even weeks. Words that have absolutely no effect on our daily lives. Saldana career is a living testimony of that fact.
I am more offended by farting than racism
by Duane on September 2nd, 2011 at 11:12 amOkay, still thinking about my Zoe Saldana post from the other day.
Yesterday evening someone posted on Facebook how they believed that racism (Whites against Blacks) was ultimately driving these mostly Black race riots. When I asked “how”, the person responded with “institutionalized racism”. At that point all remaining strength left my body and I decided to go to bed. I just could not take another conversation where someone is attempting to prove
One of the common responses I get when someone finally answers the question “How are YOU being affected by racism?” is “Well, see there are different levels of racism…”. It is at that point I know we are in for a long conversation that usually leaves me with a headache.
Before I continue, there is no doubt in my mind that racism exists. Let me say that again for those who have a way of skipping over stuff in order to draw sweeping conclusions: There is no doubt in my mind that racism exists. Our society is filled with all types of people: The nice, the kind, the gentle, the angry, the ugly, the mean, melancholy, the tribalist, the racist, the whatever-ist. This is what keeps our world an interesting place. The things we don’t agree with, we can navigate around those things and keep it moving.
The tools to simply navigate around racism were in extreme short supply for Blacks back in the day. Slavery kept us in physical bondage, Jim Crow kept us in a economic bondage. But when you look at the times outside the two I have mentioned, we have been able navigate ourselves around the situation. Rejected for a job? We start our own businesses. Store refuses to serve us because they hate Black people? We shop at the next store. Bank denies us service because we are Black? Either find another bank or find one of many Black-owned banks. School teacher(s) mistreats our kids because they hate Black people. Document it, report it, confront it. If there is no action, sue them or look to other educational alternatives.
This brings me back to Saldana. There is no doubt in my mind she may have been rejected for a part because the director did not want a Black woman. But for her and the reporter who posted the story to simply focus just on racism, they are purposely telling a fraction of the story. They know exactly what they are doing and are trying to accomplish by focusing on this small portion of their lives. This may sound silly, but I want to know how many times she has encountered someone passing gas while either on or off the set? When her nose was offended, did she just stay there and take it? Or did she navigate around it and continued her career trajectory that includes multiple blockbuster movies?
What I don’t like is when both our media and even your everyday Joe commentator only focus on one a small portion of everyday life. Don’t cry to me about racism and even attempt to number your so-called “pain and suffering” to what our parents and the parents before them had to go through. If we are honest, most of our everyday frustrations come from dealing with traffic, dealing with either a crazy boss or co-worker, trying to figure out what to eat for lunch, staying awake at work, dealing with more traffic, trying to figure out what to eat for dinner, helping kids with homework, what to watch on television, and realizing that you have to do it all over again tomorrow. For some people, most of that is done with the soundtrack of someone dropping the word “nigga” every now and then in the background (but I digress). But one person says something off about Black folks and we will talk about it for weeks. That is EXACTLY why you will hardly ever see a featured interview with someone like Saldana exclusively talking about her experiences with bad directors. Most Black folks and fans in general wouldn’t care about it. But focus on those few experiences and it instantly becomes numbered with Emmett Till, Rosa Parks, the murder of Dr. King, etc.
No matter how much we despise those Whites we deem as “racist” we sure place a high value on their words by talking about them for days–even weeks. Words that have absolutely no effect on our daily lives. Saldana career is a living testimony of that fact.