We Have To Do Better
And no, this isn’t a review of the television show on BET. I haven’t watched the show and have no plans to do so. It’s on BET. AND it used to be “Hot Ghetto Mess”. When I said I wanted new original programming at BET, somehow, this isn’t what I envisioned.
Nope.
A few weeks ago now (or sometime last month) a bunch of niggas made strides for the Black community with their attempts at building our long lacking self-esteem and showing the young Black people that we can make it despite whatever obstacles, either historical or present, are lobbed our way.
The NAACP buried the n-word. Now this isn’t news to anybody clearly. This made national news and opinions were plentiful. I didn’t really pay much attention to most opinions because I felt like this was the biggest damn waste of time in the history of wasting time. This is up there with Sheila Jackson-Lee’s uber-fucking-stupid attempts a few years ago to get hurricane’s named after Black people. I wonder how she feels now that motherfucking Katrina wiped out a bunch of niggas. Somebody needs to follow up with her on that one pronto. You know Black people have too much time on our hands when we introduce affirmative action into the weather.
I mean, really.
I also think it was just damn dumb. I’m a big fan of symbolism. I really am; especially symoblism that turns a system on its ear and makes a splash.
Burying the n-word? No splash. The funny shit is that I’m not convinced that none of the niggas in the NAACP don’t use the n-word. It’s just too easy a word to use if you’re Black. It really is. I’ve actually made attempts to stop using it to no avail. No dice. I’m sure I could stop if I really wanted to, but you know what, I like the n-word. Just like I like cursing. Makes for much more spirited conversations.
My main beef with symbolic gestures like the NAACP’s is that it stops there. After the burial there is nothing. There’s no real significance. AND it just sounds like a dumb ass idea. Corny. Contrived. A waste of resources. In fact, I want to know who green lighted this idea. I sincerely hope that this wasn’t on the docket of important business for the NAACP and that somebody just threw this shit out around the watercooler one day and a bunch of niggas ran with it. If it wasted no more than 15 minutes of actual “we could be changing the world” time then I suppose I ain’t but so mad aside from the lack of significane in the aftermath.
But once again, it is the NAACP and my guess it that these niggas have nothing better to do until the next nigga comes along and screams racism somewhere…
Speaking of which, I have to say something here that might be of unfavorable view. But man, niggas owe them Duke Lacrosse players a big motherfucking apology. MAN…I’m so glad I kept my opinion to myself on that one. However it gets to a much bigger issue, and one that will need to be expanded upon in the future.
As Black people, we are so tired of being trampled upon and outcast that when something does go down, we tend to act out emotionally first. There is no judge and jury. Everybody’s guilty. And that does pose a problem. It means that we think too many of our own aren’t guilty and too many other people are guilty. It’s a legitimate reaction-solely based on the amount of shit Black people have had to and still have to go through-but its one that more times than not needs further examination.
Tawanna Brawley anyone? True, indeed, there are more than enough instances where we are completely justified in our reactions and responses, however, when we’re wrong we tend to just move on to the next shit (Al Sharpton) with very little in the way of regretting any mistakes.
Yeah so pretty much, all the problems in the Black community are Al Sharpton’s fault since he’s at the center of all the ruckus in the Black community.
Think about that for a minute.
Anyway, random I know. But its Friday, and I’m bored.
It was written.
July 27th, 2007 11:20
AMEN! Not only is Al the center and the source, but i have sources that assure me he is actually a CIA operative named Chuck Catchings. Remember when Al was REAL fat then he just showed up smaller one day? That is when they switched him. I’m not saying any of that is true, I’m just saying.
July 27th, 2007 11:36
Tis true my man. In conflicts where there are different races involved we tend to think that the whites are guilty if accused and blacks are being railroaded if accused. But the exact opposite and more consequential sentiment is true in the judicial system. I think we would do better if we didn’t allow emotion and supposition to replace conclusion drawn from facts. Im not sure how we mustered the strength to maintain a straight face and support OJ and Im not sure what the appeal is of this Vick guy is either.
July 27th, 2007 13:35
I had someone tell me, “They did it cus you know drunk white boys are nasty.” To which I said, “So if someone shoots your teenage son, they are well within their rights so long as they say and believe all young black boys rob folks.” Shut her silly ass down.
July 28th, 2007 22:42
Welcome back. I missed your entries man.
September 3rd, 2007 10:52
We can all apologize for the Duke Lacrosse players when they apologize for all the innocent people they threw under the bus for the last 4 hundred years!Idiot!