“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”
Harriet Tubman
Black History Month ad causes stir
By HIRAN RATNAYAKE • The News Journal
One thing is clear about Acme Markets’ recent Black History Month circular: It sparked a debate.
Two NAACP chapters have different views about the circular. It has forced Supervalu, which owns Acme, to defend itself against accusations of racism.
All for an advertisement the company says it has been running for seven years and never caused a flap before.
In its Jan. 29 circulars, under a “Black History Month” banner, a set of specials is advertised for products including corn bread, collard greens and grape soda. Since then, the Delaware chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says more than a hundred people have complained the products perpetuate stereotypes. Delaware NAACP President Cecil C. Wilson called for Acme to immediately run a full-page apology “in all of Delaware’s newspapers.”
“It’s racist, it’s insensitive, it’s not culturally correct,” Wilson said. “Don’t assume that to celebrate Black History Month that we must have corn bread. Whoever put this ad together thought it’d be a good joke.” (more…)
When folks reduce racism down to a can of collard greens and corn bread (MANUFACTURED BY A BLACK-OWNED COMPANY and mind you, foods that we eat), those individuals are admitting that at the end of the day, they still live in a self-constructed mental cage marked “slave”. This reminds me of a funny personal story.
Last summer, I made a stop by my local Costco to kill some time while I waited for the kids to get out of school. Now clearly I was in deep thought because the next thing I knew, I was headed to the line with a big watermelon and rotisserie in my cart–that’s it! When I realized that I just placed myself into the Black stereotype, I called my mom and shared a big laugh. There were no “uhhh huhh’s” from the cashier as she rang up my items. All she cared about was making the transaction and moving on the next customer. And even if she did say something, SO WHAT!?!?!?!?
These folks making this fuss over a flier have shackled themselves between Kunta and Chicken George on their own accord. The real concern being raised here is what will White folks think when they see this flier. To live like that is enough to drive anyone crazy.
Mental Slavery
by Duane on February 9th, 2009 at 3:53 amHarriet Tubman
Last summer, I made a stop by my local Costco to kill some time while I waited for the kids to get out of school. Now clearly I was in deep thought because the next thing I knew, I was headed to the line with a big watermelon and rotisserie in my cart–that’s it! When I realized that I just placed myself into the Black stereotype, I called my mom and shared a big laugh. There were no “uhhh huhh’s” from the cashier as she rang up my items. All she cared about was making the transaction and moving on the next customer. And even if she did say something, SO WHAT!?!?!?!?
These folks making this fuss over a flier have shackled themselves between Kunta and Chicken George on their own accord. The real concern being raised here is what will White folks think when they see this flier. To live like that is enough to drive anyone crazy.