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Re: “The root of the cause”
I agree that there should be more historical artworks for people of color that dont show us in inferior roles. I feel that, it's something we are too used to seeing. We are never shown in a good light with fewer character flaws and unfortunately we are obsessed with being flawed due to the slavery mentality that has been engrained in our subconscious. I did start watching the show because I never watched the oringinal, Roots. It's apparent that the show is destined to showcase the breaking of Kunta Kinte's legacy for generations. The world at large, can most definitely use a less graphic narrative for people of color. To see women being taken for the pleasure of anyone who could care less about our virtue is a difficult thing to witness even in a fictional television platform. However, I think it has information athat our youngest generation needs to witness so that they understand that they are more than meets the eye. As a youngster, watching things like this made me angry but its also quickened my souk conscious to understand thay I have mkre depth than meets the eye. Its totally about how you percieve it.
Re: “The recent nice weather has brought out the bugs, bees and Bible thumpers”
I had a encounter with this recently. Someone that I knew in childhood, was trying force their beliefs on whoever didnt agree, and discredit what some scholars have been sharing for 20+ years. Sad to say this person went as far as to bring my character into question. If religion is supposed to be about love, there needs to be a re-training session for how to display that love across the board. I am unapologetic about the way I think and it should be respected. This article was extremely on point and I'm glad to know that there are other people out there who are also on the non-religious tip.
Re: “Entertainers should be applauded for taking a stand”
I am completely in agreement with the views of this article. I'm glad to be apart of another generation of people who are unapologetically black, and that even our entertainers are taking a stand for what is just. We have gone from people like Ray Charles saying that they will not perform unless that attitude changes to saying "you couldnt keep me out if you tried".
Re: “Moving forward without the mainstream media”
For sure! Im not surprised that the minister had to buy his own airtime either. Its a mess and even though attendence was less than ut has been the justice or else movement is still going. Im just glad that not everyone or just anyones hands are in it though. We dont need people down for the cause and then no one knows why they are there, what their stance is, and what they are doing with the money for said cause.
Re: “How Ahmed Mohamed's experience brought me back to my childhood in Texas' schools”
It's unfortunate that he had to be victim of this pettiness...I really have to question whether or not it would be the same song and dance if it was someone other than Ahmed. These days one really cant tell. It should be a shame that a kid cant make home science projects like we have done since forever. And to embarress this young man like he is some criminal is doing the most. Schools should focus more on keeping their students from getting pregnant and high on campus...
Re: “Straight Outta Compton may be a great movie, but at what cost?”
I also saw the movie and I think it was very honest. I think we have seen these instances, time and time again, where music is on a incline and then the decline begins. Its a life cycle, the concept of generation. Unfortunately, a lot of it has to do with the "powers that be" socially engineering blackness to be a self defeating concept. It seems like a never ending battle, when the studio exec okays the conscious music as well and the ignorant music. Artists have percieved power because of their success, which is addressed as well. We see many times where one generation starts on that incline, they get wild with drugs, promote promiscuity, the glitter of the industry itself etc and then they either leave the game, find religion, lose their minds and criticize the next wave, or even the next generation on whether or not its real music or a reasonable cause that the youth believe in. Both Public Enemy and KRS-One are guilty of the same crimes as N.W.A. regardless of their conscious effort. This has happened with Jazz, Blues, R&B, Hip Hop and Rap. The masses like ignorance as a means of expressing themselves because they feel that raw honesty is better because its cathartic, it appeals to their emotions...I think more than anything N.W.A. was used as a weapon against society and themselves like many others. Their cause was valid, but they didnt understand their responsibility as artist, they did what other artist did, they just talked about it. They wanted to be heard and be hot like any other artist. They lacked the understanding that emotions are barbaric and unless you are attacking the enemy, whatever you deem that to be, you will lose everytime, because your enemy has the strategy. Every time you lash out in emotion they have that figurative snapshot to use against you the next time. Brain vs Braun. It got them out of Compton and they weren't going to sacrifice freedom for moral responsibility because that wasn't paying at the time. I think especially in Hip Hop, because it is so current with American culture, that politics also play into the immense shade thrown at black culture. We cant talk about drugs, sex and violence, we cant talk about society, injustice, equality, but what has all famous and lasting art ever been about?
Re: “The Empire strikes”
I think that the popularity of this show will bring film and tv into its next age. An age where black television is not only entertaining to the masses, outside of comedy, but also competitive with the recurring titles everyone loves so much. I understand what Narcel Reedus meant by it being a reality show with production value, but I also think that it challenges the stereotype that the some have accepted as the "Black American Dream". The same has also happened with reality tv. I was surprised at how many Housewives of Alanta fans didnt look like me. I dont think that this show has any elements that any other drama doesn't, except that it gives a facet of the black experience. I dont believe that it is meant to account for the whole black experience and to be very clear there are black families that live like this in the Music Industry. Let's be honest, Hip Hop has greatly effected popular culture world-wide. I am excited to see more of this show, and I have no doubts that the character development will get deeper than now, since the creator also made the striking dramas Precious and 12 Years a Slave...to rename and name a few. This was a good read.
