Racial Tension anyone?
July 10, 2009 at 1:58 pm 4 comments
If you haven’t yet seen this, please do.
Now my thoughts. Michael Jackson was black. Okay. But he bleached his skin. Okay. Why are they debating?
Yes, black people are holding him to be “an African American icon”.
That’s okay by me.
But I have a very serious question here.
And let me make it very clear before I ask it, I am in no way a racist.
What about the African American people that think I’m a racist because I called them an African American? I’ve had some people get angry and tell me to call them black. But then when I’ve called some people black, they get angry and tell me they are African American.
I’m so confused.
So what in the heck is appropriate? Are we calling him African American now? Or black? Or white?
And what happens if white people start calling every white person that dies a great white American icon? Would anyone get angry if I say Billy Mays was TV’s Greatest Commericial WHITE icon?
Seriously, the one man who brought us all together to love one another, regardless of what color we are…do we have to fight over him? White people are saying “He’s more white so that makes it okay to own most of his records and practice the moonwalk”. Black people are saying “He was born black, so he’s OUR great African American idol”. Can’t he be both?
I am sick of the debates. Let me tell you about MJ…
Michael Jackson is an icon.
Period.
Doesn’t matter if he was black or white.
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1.
Frank | July 10, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Um, didn’t MJ even write a song called ‘Black or White’ and was trying to point out it didn’t matter which you were?
As for the ‘African American/Black’ usage, I’m sure you don’t deliver it as an insult so for someone to be upset either way is ludicrous. Imagine the mockery you would receive if you corrected people all the time,” Excuse me, I’m Caucasian-American, not white…”, or ,” I’m Anglo-Saxon, not Caucasian.”
I just finished reading an incredible book called ‘Enough’ by Juan Williams. It’s short and based off of the ‘Pound Cake’ speech given by Bill Cosby a few years ago. It’s an incredible book that I wish everyone could read to put race into perspective.
Back to the main topic, Michael Jackson should be treated like he is dead. Race doesn’t matter. He obviously affected some peoples’ lives in a way that transcended his music. And like other entertainers that transcended music (Elvis, Hendrix, Morrisson), he led a life that in the end consumed him early.
He was an icon. Period.
2.
happynspirit | July 10, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Of course he wrote a song about it
LOL, I think I’ll use that next time I’m told I’m not being “politically correct”…I’m not white! I’m Caucasian-American! Love it!
I love Bill Cosby! But I’ve heard a whole lot of black/African-American people say they don’t claim him as being one of theirs because he’s “too white”. I think that in itself is a very racist comment. I’ll look into that book-sounds like a good one!
Thanks for your comment
3.
Terron Vawter | July 11, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Honestly, I see the whole debate kinda silly. It’s like the old beer commercial, “Tastes Great! Less Filling!” They’re arguing but they’re on the same side. It’s arguing for the sake of arguing.
Now, it appears in the clip that everyone is trying to appear like they are not racist, but Marc Hill mentioned a couple things that might indicate he is a little racially biased. He said, “The fact that a black man would disfigure his face in such a way to resemble ‘White Folk’ makes its a racial component.” Does the term ‘White Folk’ have a negative connotation? I dunno. I’ve frequently heard the term ‘white folk’ used in a derogatory fashion, usually adjacent to the word ‘cracker’. I take no offense, but it does seem that Mr. Hill does have an angle he’s trying to impress.
He also said, “We are a loyal people. We are a protective people?” Does this insinuate that other races are not? And if that’s not what he’s saying, then why would he even need to make such a comment. Why wouldn’t it be understood that this is how all races are. It would be like saying, “We are a breathing people. We are a heart beating people.” Of course your race breathes and heart beats, so does every other race in existence. So why need to point out that their ‘people’ are loyal and protective? Makes me confused too, but insinuates that Marc Hill might be racially biased. I dunno.
All this truly is interesting, but I really just wanted to add a post to my good friend Amy’s blog.
4.
Amy | July 11, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Yes, Marc Hill does seem like a racist. I have to say, I’ve never been called a “cracker” but if I were I think I would bust out laughing. And if someone said “white folk” I would say, “Why, yes, I am white”.
This brings on another point…I think Hill is saying these things without thinking about it. It’s very very possible his entire childhood he was raised to be against the “white folk”. So now he feels a need to defend his position as being black. I understand changing the way you think is very difficult, but what he and others need to realize is that it works both ways. Some whites (especially in the South I’ve found) have had the same thing happen and they know nothing but calling black people derogatory remarks. Trying to get each race to back up and work through this is way easier said than done.
We need to “Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human race” LOL Sorry, I felt the need to quote another MJ song
And thank you, Terron
I wish I could say the same but I don’t think you update your blog anymore LOL But I will show my support Monday!