Unexpressed Racism Paranoia (URP)

[cricket]

No, I think it's great that Disney wants it's stories to represent people from different backgrounds. But I don't appreciate that my own background (which is the 2nd highest racial group in this country) seems to be left out of the storytelling.

I think Redefined Diva is right about the box office part. But movies starring Will Smith, Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy make over $100 million, I think it's unacceptable that Disney would have a fear that a "black" cartoon movie couldn't have an audience.

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by cricket
I think it's unacceptable that Disney would have a fear that a "black" cartoon movie couldn't have an audience.

Proactivity beats unfounded suspicion anyday. Is there a particular story in the Black experience that you (or anyone else) would like to see animated? Maybe you could contact them and suggest a storyline, fable or tale.

[PositivelyAKA]

ok i've been thinking about racism in america a bit more lately due to the recent los angeles beating of a 16 year old boy caught on video. i listen to a black talk show host whose name i won't disclose, i agree with him sometimes and other times i wonder if he's trying to imitate "uncle tom" but he gets me to thinking outside the box, so here it is. IMO

some whites are seriously racist and act on those feelings (but i think its a very very small percentage, and God has something for them anyway)

most white americans are just trying to enjoy their life and are not thinking about blacks (life's too short)

a small % of racist whites are planning for a huge race war to take out blacks, jews, minorities in general and those are the people we should be concerned with ( the majority of white americans do not fall into that category)

most people regardless of race are/have been prejudice against someone or something (even people of their own race) and act accordingly (none of us can really throw any stones can we)

some people are just jealous, mean, rude, nosey, hateful, satanic and would try to ruin anybody's day , is it "always" about race, probably not, i think we should think twice before calling someone racist (remember the boy that cried wolf)

racism is "not" dead, but its taken a pretty good beating, instead of assuming its "racism" how bout giving the majority of white americans the benefit of the doubt. "innocent until proven guilty" (unless you're caught on video, sorry had to put that in there)

some whites will "never" agree with interracial marriages between whites and blacks, want you to be president or have any authority over them, or want to live next door to you. (fine with me, i'm not interested, nor will i lose sleep over doing any of the above)

remember the serenity prayer "change the things that can be changed, accept those that cannot, and have the wisdom to know the difference" only God can change the hearts of men. peace.

[ClassyLady]

Originally posted by miss priss
(When I mentioned I went to a HBCU, they merely shrugged as though my school wasn't capable of producing a quality professional in any arena.)

I have gotten that response numerous times. Right now, I'm on an internship. When I started and told people what school I go to, they instantly responded as if going to a black college was my only option. Honestly, some of them behaved and spoke to me as if I was in a community college. Sometimes I think that "some" people think that HBCUs are equivalent to community colleges in that they accept everybody and academics aren't challenging.

Originally posted by straightBOS
Is there a particular story in the Black experience that you (or anyone else) would like to see animated?

Disney has really animated most of the well known stories and fables. Now, most of their films are original stories. I never really noticed it before, but Disney doesn't make films for and about African-Americans. I don't think that the argument about them losing money is feasible. Families and children of all nationalities love Disney productions. Obviously, they haven't lost money on their minority productions. There really is no excuse.

[optimizm17]

StraightBOS:

If the movies are good and the characters are not streotypical then how can the lack of Black characters automatically equal racism?

Lack of black characters do not automatically equal racism. However, there are occasions where blacks are eliminated from when clearly there is a place for them.

For example "Enemy of the State" with Will Smith. I took a class on black film and our professor pointed this out to us. Will Smith and his wife and the little son are the only blacks featured in the film. This movie was supposedly filmed in Washington D.C. where close to 85% of the people there are Black. However, the extras in the film were white. The film inaccurately depicted the racial make-up of the city. Everyone walking on the street, working in the stores was white. Not even a black cop! This is ridiculous when the movie is filmed in a town called "Chocolate City".

The erasure of blacks is a way of whiting out America. Blacks not being present in films shows how people see blacks as being insignificant to society. It also helps perpetuate the idea to be American you must be white (b/c many people in other countries associate American=white). 'm not saying that this was done maliciously. However, it lends to the racism that is institutionalized. Something doesn't have to be overt to be racist.

[miss priss]

Originally posted by optimizm17
StraightBOS:


Lack of black characters do not automatically equal racism. Something doesn't have to be overt to be racist.

Thank you my sister. I truly don't think that the average white person REALLY understand what we mean b/c when they are the victim of racism it is usually very blatant and is related as a haphazard experience. However, when it is us UR pops its ugly head up quite casually. It is done without really realizing that is really being done. Although somethings said or done are meant to be racist. Take STRAIGHT BOS's response purely typical of a sarcastic white male/female. He/she may even be an OREO. But obviously issues that are important to us are not taken seriously i.e. reparations, equal rights, etc. Some white people believe that with all of the "equalities" that have been given to Blacks that they have done their part. Simply not true...just not true!

[straightBOS]

Originally posted by miss priss
Although somethings said or done are meant to be racist. Take STRAIGHT BOS's response purely typical of a sarcastic white male/female. He/she may even be an OREO. But obviously issues that are important to us are not taken seriously i.e. reparations, equal rights, etc. Some white people believe that with all of the "equalities" that have been given to Blacks that they have done their part. Simply not true...just not true!

Sorry,

But SHE is secure with her blackness and does not need Disney or any other commercial entity to validate her existence. I am sorry that you cannot agree to disagree with resorting to name-calling and personal attacks. Part of being adult is being accountable for one's own behavior, self esteem, and image. If you do not like the image of yourself that you (or anyone else) see, then it is up to YOU to change it.

Putting this in the hands of a third party encourages inaccuracy on the part of the third party. Also it encourages powerlessness and possible regret on our part.

I was hoping to get my fellow posters to look past the tired formula of putting the responsibility for our image in the hands of others and expecting them to behave appropriately.

If I must be the "oreo" to get that point across, then okay...

[Dionysus]

I would not be too upset by Disney. We KNOW the media and it's bias. I'd much rather see blacks not represented in Disney at all, than to have a bad representation! That goes with any other media.

[librasoul22]

Originally posted by straightBOS


Sorry,

But SHE is secure with her blackness and does not need Disney or any other commercial entity to validate her existence. I am sorry that you cannot agree to disagree with resorting to name-calling and personal attacks. Part of being adult is being accountable for one's own behavior, self esteem, and image. If you do not like the image of yourself that you (or anyone else) see, then it is up to YOU to change it.

Putting this in the hands of a third party encourages inaccuracy on the part of the third party. Also it encourages powerlessness and possible regret on our part.

I was hoping to get my fellow posters to look past the tired formula of putting the responsibility for our image in the hands of others and expecting them to behave appropriately.

If I must be the "oreo" to get that point across, then okay...

Good post.

miss priss, I thought your initial topic was a thought-provoking one, but after your last post I have kinda lost respect for your stance. StraightBOS often has opinions that I don't agree with, but I chalk it up to her being more conservative, and me being more liberal. Does this make her an "oreo"? No.

Perhaps you should try to carefully read and appreciate (not necessarily AGREE with) other's views. This way, you don't resort to painfully tired name-calling and yes, paranoia.

As for the Disney thing, I have long since ignored their portrayal (or lack thereof) of blacks. Even the "minority" characters that Disney DOES do are somewhat stereotypical.

[miss priss]

Let's just clear the air.....

I NEVER called her an oreo....I simply meant that it is a typical oreo statement. Now, StraightBOS if you were offended by it then please do not personalize a general response. Librasoul I am glad that this topic stimulated your interest to respond...it was meant to. But it would be hard for me to apologize about my own opinions about race and where we as blacks play a role in America today. And truly I by no means expect StraightBOS to change how she feels either. Quite obviously we have two very different opinions. However, one must ponder why some blacks take such a backdoor approach to why UR exist and how we should address the issues. The main ingredient to the formula is US! We DO have the influence. We love to spend our money on the designer wear, we love to entertain, we buy the most expensive cars...at least that is what statistics says ...however,as a whole, we have not internalized how important we are in the economy of our country today. So when you imply that Disney has no part in portraying us I totally disagree. It's purely economics. When we go to McDonalds or Burger King and buy that famed Happy Meal we are contributing to the pockets of Disney who supply the toys our children get. Think about it....Black Barbie and Christie are the only toys I have seen major corps. that really try to cater to us. There is no Black Cinderella or Lilo or any other character for that matter that portray us living a "good" life. It's that unexpressed sarcasm that is so systematic in our society. It starts with our people when we are kids. Now this doesn't mean that parents don't play a role in teaching our kids the ills of racism and how to cope but it is being marketed that way in America and it is just plain UR!

[librasoul22]

He/she may even be an OREO.

Sorry, but you out-and-out said she could possibly be an Oreo. That is not a generalized statement.

The fact is that when you get a little older, you will come to realize that there are many views of the world. There are views lie yours, who find racism in everything, and there are other veiws who find racism in nothing. Then there are those who come to realize that it is actually a very grey area. Not either or. I once argued to a classroom about the racism in Shrek. Do I think it is racist? Could be! But my point was more to illustrate the hyper-sensitivity of some blacks, as well as automatic dismissal by some whites. By automatic dismissal I mean that as SOON as the word racism is mentioned, some whites tune out because they think that whoever mentions it is just being overly sensitive. These are the extremes, not the norms. Not everything is so black and white...

[miss priss]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by librasoul22
[B]

I used the word "may" although I didn't think that was indicitive (sp) of the word "is". Maybe it could be? Who knows who cares.....I don't know if I totally agree with everything is not so black and white but I shall not consume all of my energies trying to figure it out. It's purely mere observation. Do I think all white people are racist....certainly not! Although I do agree with what you have said basically, Life is too short.....so when you get lemons make lemonade. No arguments here.....

Librasoul, you go girl!

[librasoul22]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by miss priss
[B][QUOTE]Originally posted by librasoul22


I used the word "may" although I didn't think that was indicitive (sp) of the word "is". Maybe it could be? Who knows who cares.....I don't know if I totally agree with everything is not so black and white but I shall not consume all of my energies trying to figure it out. It's purely mere observation. Do I think all white people are racist....certainly not! Although I do agree with what you have said basically, Life is too short.....so when you get lemons make lemonade. No arguments here.....

Librasoul, you go girl! [/QUOT

[Taualumna]

Bump

Back to the Disney thing: They have had black characters in leads.....have you guys seen the Disney stage production of Aida? Granted, the Egyptians are played by whites (and sometimes hispanics and Asians), Aida and all the Nubians are always played by black actors. Of course, this is a live stage production that isn't geared towards kids.

[SiempreCansada]

I work in a restaurant where I hold 3 job classes (gotta pay for school and live life!): server, hostess, & bartender. From all 3 perspectives within this particular restaturant, I have seen and heard so much. I know fellow servers (of all races) that "cherry-pick" (pick the tables that they'd rather serve over another simply due to the race of the table). It's sad that a lot of servers refuse to serve black tables because they automatically form a prejudice that the table will be ghetto, uncouth, unruly or will not leave a tip. I'm sorry to say but there are people of all races that act a damn fool when they go out to eat...treating their server like a servant instead of the person that they are. On another note through a server's eyes, I've been told all my life that I talk proper or whatever. By SOME black tables I've been mocked because of the way that I talk. I was even told by a particular table that was black that that I don't have to talk like that for them. When I asked, "Like what?" he replied, "Like that! You don't have to pretend for us" and he winked at me. I looked at him as if I were saying WTF, and I said "This is the way I talk and I'm not pretending about anything". I took their order and as I was walking away I heard him say, "She don't know she's black." Also I've had white tables act like if I get to close to them at the table my skin color might rub off on them. I've even had a particular table that wouldn't even acknowledge me standing at the table...when I turned to walk away to get a manager for them the mother said, "I wanted a white server, I didn't want that." As a hostess, I've encountered many of the same things...and a as bartender things that are said can be rather explicative (sp?) so I won't even go there. So yes, I do believe that racism is alive and well in today's America and it's not just black/white/asian/latino/etc. thing....it's a rotten mentality that doesn't allow people to just live and appreciate God's gift of life...because indeed life is too short. Sorry about running off at the mouth..but I had to get it off my chest. Moderators feel free to delete if you deem necessary.