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I don't watch BET because the images and the culture that network represents does NOT represent me or my culture. I refuse to keep watching stereotypical black behavior.
I just came across this speech Stanley Crouch gave back in 2007 and immediately thought of this thread. Mind you, there are some things I have disagreed with Crouch about in the past, but he's dead-on here. Here's a short clip from the speech.
desert? BET is now a sell out to black culture to Viacom. There is no original programming left there. I was amazed they could pull off the BET Awards! It's mediocre at best!
I don't watch award shows anyway, and i never did. So i didn't miss anything.
Still though, it's not a "black culture" channel by any stretch of the imagination. They play videos and have a few lame shows that are mostly harmless blather. They don't espouse ANYTHING about the gangster rap genre or lifestyle.
God bless this professor for speaking out on an issue that many of us can't talk about.
(...and be sure to read the thoughtful comments under the article for further insight).
Okay, I know, folks in this forum have been waiting for me to say something about this. People are reading some of these posts and saying, "Gosh, I wonder what Galileo Smith is gonna say." Alright, here it goes.
First, as to the thread itself. I think race-based subjects are fascinating. There are so many facets to America's race relations. Having said that, it is very difficult to find a decent conversation. It's a tightrope sort of thing. Either people are talking about race relations out of some sort of spite, or they are talking politically correctly and not delving into the problems of race relations. Point is, I look at these threads, and the posts therein, with suspicion. I ask a "why?" to every post. What is the poster's motive, I wonder. Anyway, it kind of hurts the flow of things.
I'm about a zillion years old in internet years. Sixty in human years. I remember when the Rolling stones sang, Let's Spend the Night Together. That was 1967. It took me another four years before I could find a girl who would spend the night with me. And even during that night sex was minimal. What I'm saying is, I'm not sure how much sway music lyrics have in society. I suppose violent lyrics can't be good. When heavy metal came along, I quit listening. I turned to jazz.
Having said all of that, I have said repeated both in this forum and out, that blacks need to forgo significant elements of the culture and their confining communities and neighborhoods. They need to join the mainstream culture. Assimilate 100%. No BET. No Ebony Magazine. Jettison the African-American Hikers Club. No more "acting white" mentality. On the other side of the coin, mainstream culture has to be 100% accepting and ready for a cultural integration. No white flight. Kids, regardless of color, go to public schools and sit alongside each other.
Many blacks have stepped away from black culture. Broken the ties, so to speak. Heck, I saw on a Facebook page a picture of a white guy and his black fiance. They were embracing and smiling brightly. It looked natural because they had made it natural. It not only looked natural, but it looked both hopeful and good.
Having said all of that, I have said repeated both in this forum and out, that blacks need to forgo significant elements of the culture and their confining communities and neighborhoods. They need to join the mainstream culture. Assimilate 100%. No BET. No Ebony Magazine. Jettison the African-American Hikers Club. No more "acting white" mentality. On the other side of the coin, mainstream culture has to be 100% accepting and ready for a cultural integration. No white flight. Kids, regardless of color, go to public schools and sit alongside each other.
Many blacks have stepped away from black culture. Broken the ties, so to speak. Heck, I saw on a Facebook page a picture of a white guy and his black fiance. They were embracing and smiling brightly. It looked natural because they had made it natural. It not only looked natural, but it looked both hopeful and good.
I AGREE 100%!!!! I have been saying this for years -- we need to drop "black culture" and assimilate completely and unequivocally into the mainstream American culture. I have gotten so much flak from black people over this viewpoint, but it's how I feel and what I believe, and I'm not going to step away from it. I really believe it is the best thing for black people.
Likewise, mainstream culture needs to be prepared to fully accept black people who want to adopt an American-first identity.
Okay, I know, folks in this forum have been waiting for me to say something about this. People are reading some of these posts and saying, "Gosh, I wonder what Galileo Smith is gonna say." Alright, here it goes.
First, as to the thread itself. I think race-based subjects are fascinating. There are so many facets to America's race relations. Having said that, it is very difficult to find a decent conversation. It's a tightrope sort of thing. Either people are talking about race relations out of some sort of spite, or they are talking politically correctly and not delving into the problems of race relations. Point is, I look at these threads, and the posts therein, with suspicion. I ask a "why?" to every post. What is the poster's motive, I wonder. Anyway, it kind of hurts the flow of things.
I'm about a zillion years old in internet years. Sixty in human years. I remember when the Rolling stones sang, Let's Spend the Night Together. That was 1967. It took me another four years before I could find a girl who would spend the night with me. And even during that night sex was minimal. What I'm saying is, I'm not sure how much sway music lyrics have in society. I suppose violent lyrics can't be good. When heavy metal came along, I quit listening. I turned to jazz.
Having said all of that, I have said repeated both in this forum and out, that blacks need to forgo significant elements of the culture and their confining communities and neighborhoods. They need to join the mainstream culture. Assimilate 100%. No BET. No Ebony Magazine. Jettison the African-American Hikers Club. No more "acting white" mentality. On the other side of the coin, mainstream culture has to be 100% accepting and ready for a cultural integration. No white flight. Kids, regardless of color, go to public schools and sit alongside each other.
Many blacks have stepped away from black culture. Broken the ties, so to speak. Heck, I saw on a Facebook page a picture of a white guy and his black fiance. They were embracing and smiling brightly. It looked natural because they had made it natural. It not only looked natural, but it looked both hopeful and good.
I agree, but I'd like to add one thing.
To make this cultural integration you speak of possible, mainstream society also needs to accept natural black hair. The way it is now, many blacks can't get high ranking jobs unless they adopt hairstyles that white CEO's consider acceptable. It's the worst for black women, who have to put all kinds of harsh chemicals into their hair just be be accepted. It's actually gotten so bad that now even some blacks consider natural hair distasteful. Even among those who hold jobs in which they could embrace natural styles.
To make this cultural integration you speak of possible, mainstream society also needs to accept natural black hair. The way it is now, many blacks can't get high ranking jobs unless they adopt hairstyles that white CEO's consider acceptable. It's the worst for black women, who have to put all kinds of harsh chemicals into their hair just be be accepted. It's actually gotten so bad that now even some blacks consider natural hair distasteful. Even among those who hold jobs in which they could embrace natural styles.
Just my two cents.
I agree. A person's hair texture should have no bearing on his or her social standing or employment prospects.
I agree. A person's hair texture should have no bearing on his or her social standing or employment prospects.
Definitely. I think we as black people are responsible for destroying stereotypes and falsehoods about natural hairstyles among people who know little to nothing about the subject.
I can't count the number of times I've been told I'd never get a job with an above average income because of my hair.
Okay, I know, folks in this forum have been waiting for me to say something about this. People are reading some of these posts and saying, "Gosh, I wonder what Galileo Smith is gonna say." Alright, here it goes.
First, as to the thread itself. I think race-based subjects are fascinating. There are so many facets to America's race relations. Having said that, it is very difficult to find a decent conversation. It's a tightrope sort of thing. Either people are talking about race relations out of some sort of spite, or they are talking politically correctly and not delving into the problems of race relations. Point is, I look at these threads, and the posts therein, with suspicion. I ask a "why?" to every post. What is the poster's motive, I wonder. Anyway, it kind of hurts the flow of things.
I'm about a zillion years old in internet years. Sixty in human years. I remember when the Rolling stones sang, Let's Spend the Night Together. That was 1967. It took me another four years before I could find a girl who would spend the night with me. And even during that night sex was minimal. What I'm saying is, I'm not sure how much sway music lyrics have in society. I suppose violent lyrics can't be good. When heavy metal came along, I quit listening. I turned to jazz.
Having said all of that, I have said repeated both in this forum and out, that blacks need to forgo significant elements of the culture and their confining communities and neighborhoods. They need to join the mainstream culture. Assimilate 100%. No BET. No Ebony Magazine. Jettison the African-American Hikers Club. No more "acting white" mentality. On the other side of the coin, mainstream culture has to be 100% accepting and ready for a cultural integration. No white flight. Kids, regardless of color, go to public schools and sit alongside each other.
Many blacks have stepped away from black culture. Broken the ties, so to speak. Heck, I saw on a Facebook page a picture of a white guy and his black fiance. They were embracing and smiling brightly. It looked natural because they had made it natural. It not only looked natural, but it looked both hopeful and good.
Nah...i just can't do it. I've assimilated into the American culture, but i still must remain who i am. Nevermind BET or Ebony...few blacks see or read that stuff anyway. Black folks shouldn't jettison their clubs because those clubs were created out of necessity.
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