Just watched Bill Maher. I admit I'm a fan. Along with his sensible take on the politics of the country, he calls out racism on the tea party, Rush Limbaugh and Carl Paladino which I appreciate. He says there is major racism against President Obama in this country but then he dresses up like a pimped out Obama named Barry White House and does a routine. Granted it is funny. Like really funny but it's dripping in stereotype. Should something be racist ONLY if it is negative? I don't know. I felt a twinge of "wow, should I be laughing?" But watching Cornel West laugh at all the "black jokes" about Obama and respond every time Mahar defers to him when talking about any black people, as brilliant as he is, made West seem so much like... someone's uncle named Tom. Whatever, I don't know.
I have a lot of non black friends that straddle that line when joking. I let a lot of things go, even when the jokes get real close to the line, mostly because I know their hearts and know that their friendship is real. They feel comfortable to be able to say certain things around me that they would never say around black people they don't know. Mostly because they know that it doesn't bother me and I can give as much as I can take. But watching Bill Maher tonight straddle that line even standing in defense of President Obama and the racism against him, just felt kinda uncomfortable.
-goRealer
muMs-ography
- muMs
- muMs is an award-winning New York City based Poet and a member of the Labyrinth Theater Company.
muMs
muMs the Schemer ===> Schemer: fiend, foe, friend, fear, /swallower of your fear, /blasphemer, /dreamer…. /to hold, to have, to be in a condition akin to, to victory he prevails! /A mathematical or philosophical diagram representing the astrological aspects of the planets, emotions and intellect on scales, /teller of your tale /in a letha-phorical outline, /a concise examination crafty and secretive in sign, /a systematic and organized chaotic plot. /I am muMs the schemer and you, are not. ===> The first ‘m’ is lower-cased /concerned with race /and small manipulative matters of that sort: /the things in our face /that bleed into our heart. /The ‘u’- also small- leads me to look to the sky, walk there the edge of a shore equating to particles of sand, stars, the moon. To be under all that which is bigger than me lead’s to the second ‘M’ capitalized for the manipulation /of that that from which all shall begin /and again /from when /we least expect. /The ‘S’ is the trick: the hush of it all. /The control over what we discuss, beckon or call /or plural to represent the many that know /or just that the path is a windy road? /No matter, it also is small. ===> muMs, the schemer and echo-er of it all.
1 comment:
It is racist either way. The issue is not if a joke is racist. Religionist, sexist, sexualist, physically impairedis, ethnicistic, or heightism, etc.
The issue is not so much on Obama's race. Hence he has a different road than most other African Americans and people of African descent in Eurpoean dominated nations.( remember, his father came from Africa on his FREE WILL and went Back on such. Plus Obama mother is Eurpopean American). The issue of negative racial jokes, is that it does not still address the reality that we have not comes to grips with the reality of inequality in this country that has NEVER came to a full head out of the systematic racial inequalities from Slavery until today.
A "negative" joke, just continues to act as though all is forgotten, however dealt with. You dare not make a negative joke about any other group such as Jews, Gays, or women. Without people actually listening to the concerns and sticking up for those groups. However when it comes to those who are of former African Slave descent in this country. It is dismissed with Obama, Oprah, and other Negroes. Negroes who have great ties to White Americans.
It becomes, oh, "you Blacks need to pick yourself up" Meanwhile 50 billion dollars annually goes to Israel..Meanwhile the gay community is targeted with programs and support in every facet of capitalism. Meanwhile, the White Woman is the greatest beneficiary of minority jobs and entitlement.
So, IF the playing field was equal...Then the jokes would be equal...
however, until we are willing to deal with the good and the bad in the living of all in this country, there can not be a balance in the jokes.
Post a Comment