Controversial Poem Puts 7-Year-Old On Hot Seat

[Boom_Quack13]

Originally posted by Paradise359
Interesting poem. Her writing itself is supurb (gramatically speaking). I think that Alpha Frog presented another way of looking at things. Truly if a white little girl had written this with all the sprinkles of white pride, folks would be all a twitter.

I'm not as comfortable w/ the poem as it looks like I'm supposed to be being black and all but I shall keep those thoughts to myself.

If a little white girl can point to instances where Blacks came and stole, raped, and killed to obtain all they have and reinforce their wealth and privalege with institutionalized racism, then by all means let her do it, and I won't say a word. A little white girl can't do it, TRUTHFULLY. This lil' sista did it, without having to lie.

PLEASE show us where the poem is wrong. Black pride is not wrong. Telling the truth is not wrong. And being brilliant is certainly not wrong.

[Boom_Quack13]

Paradise's original post, before she edited it:

Thank You. Hurts my heart is all. If a white little girl wrote some white power poem, would we all be like 'you go girl!'? Don't think so. Just cause she's black doesn't make her a vissionary & a hero. I'm proud to be black but it's not by putting other races down while I uplift my own.

None of us said she was a visionary or hero, due to her Blackness. We were amazed at her ability to have such a great understanding of history (not myths) and express herself in such a poetic fashion.

I think you're hating, because she's gonna get a pony.

[Paradise359]

Sistergreek as much as I would like to elaborate, I am not African-American. I am Black but I do not know what it's like being an African-American. Therefore my views won't totally 'gel' with my American Black brothers & sisters. I generally welcome a good discussion but please understand if I feel the vibe of this thread isn't 'opposition friendly' if you will. lol

Also I never said anything about her poem being wrong as artistic expression is objective so there is no wrong or right in this instance.

[Paradise359]

Originally posted by Boom_Quack13
Paradise's original post, before she edited it:

Thank You. Hurts my heart is all. If a white little girl wrote some white power poem, would we all be like 'you go girl!'? Don't think so. Just cause she's black doesn't make her a vissionary & a hero. I'm proud to be black but it's not by putting other races down while I uplift my own.

None of us said she was a visionary or hero, due to her Blackness. We were amazed at her ability to have such a great understanding of history (not myths) and express herself in such a poetic fashion.

I think you're hating, because she's gonna get a pony.

She's getting a pony? sweet

I agree, the young lady is talented. That fact can't be denied. Most of our dialogues at age 7 was limited to Barbie & Ken's lovelife drama. But I digress, again you are right no one said she was a hero, that was my view.

[Rain Man]

Originally posted by Paradise359
Sistergreek as much as I would like to elaborate, I am not African-American. I am Black but I do not know what it's like being an African-American. Therefore my views won't totally 'gel' with my American Black brothers & sisters. I generally welcome a good discussion but please understand if I feel the vibe of this thread isn't 'opposition friendly' if you will. lol

Also I never said anything about her poem being wrong as artistic expression is objective so there is no wrong or right in this instance.

Paradise, if no one else empathizes with you, I for one do.

And you are absolutely correct. Discussions of this caliber is definately not "opposition friendly" on GC, particularly with certain individuals that I will not name here.

A word of wisdom: Should you decide to entertain a discussion in this thread, choose your opponents and your tools of debate wisely.

Carry on...

[Boom_Quack13]

Originally posted by Paradise359
Sistergreek as much as I would like to elaborate, I am not African-American. I am Black but I do not know what it's like being an African-American. Therefore my views won't totally 'gel' with my American Black brothers & sisters. I generally welcome a good discussion but please understand if I feel the vibe of this thread isn't 'opposition friendly' if you will. lol

Also I never said anything about her poem being wrong as artistic expression is objective so there is no wrong or right in this instance.

I understand.

But I want you to understand that there is nothing 'wrong' with what this lil' sista has written. There is also no sense in speculating what might happen if her white counterpart did something simiilar. There would be no need for that to happen, since there is no accurate comparison, in her ancestry, to what we experience in America.

[teena]

I can see validity in everyones post. I give AlphaFrog props for standing by her opposing viewpoint. I dont agree. But I can see how she could have that view. She hasnt ever been a minority, so she may empathize but she wont fully understand.

Many AA dont and wont see the poem as racist simply because of the fundamental question--Can an AA be racist when we dont hold any real power? We can have racist beliefs but I dont think we can be racists simply because we dont sit in the driver's seat.

I dont think the poem is racist. I am very uncomfortable with the little girl's poem for a somewhat different reason. I am a parent. At seven, prodigy or not, her poem is regurgitation of viewpoints expressed to her by her parents. My thing is, at seven why is she being shoved into adulthood and dealing with full on adult issues. This is not the age where is black children speak out of line or dont know their place, they could get killed, like it was back during slavery. It is not a matter of safety for her to be aware of racial issues. I think to some degree her parents are doing her a disservice by no allowing her to fully enjoy her childhood.

I dont agree with Rain Man's view point of pull yourself up by your bootstraps and dont worry about it. But I respect his right to feel that way. AA are the only race that are not allowed to discuss the current ramifications of past injustices without being accused of pulling the 'race card'. No other race has a 'race card'.

Just my 2 cents.....

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by teena
I can see validity in everyones post. I give AlphaFrog props for standing by her opposing viewpoint. I dont agree. But I can see how she could have that view. She hasnt ever been a minority, so she may empathize but she wont fully understand.

Many AA dont and wont see the poem as racist simply because of the fundamental question--Can an AA be racist when we dont hold any real power? We can have racist beliefs but I dont think we can be racists simply because we dont sit in the driver's seat.

I dont think the poem is racist. I am very uncomfortable with the little girl's poem for a somewhat different reason. I am a parent. At seven, prodigy or not, her poem is regurgitation of viewpoints expressed to her by her parents. My thing is, at seven why is she being shoved into adulthood and dealing with full on adult issues. This is not the age where is black children speak out of line or dont know their place, they could get killed, like it was back during slavery. It is not a matter of safety for her to be aware of racial issues. I think to some degree her parents are doing her a disservice by no allowing her to fully enjoy her childhood.

I dont agree with Rain Man's view point of pull yourself up by your bootstraps and dont worry about it. But I respect his right to feel that way. AA are the only race that are not allowed to discuss the current ramifications of past injustices without being accused of pulling the 'race card'. No other race has a 'race card'.

Just my 2 cents.....

I have to disagree with you. I grew up in an extremely pro-Black home, and knew more about my history and culture than some college students when I was still a child. Now that I am an adult in the real world, I thank my father every day for the lessons he taught, the pride he instilled in me, and the reality that he showed me. I think sometimes that in our pursuit of "childhood and innocence" for a child, we neglect to show them how the world really is. That child grows in a bubble, and then they hit the real world and are shocked to find that its not all peaches-and-cream like they thought for the past 18 years. Because of my father's insistence that I learn about my history, my culture, and to be proud of who I was and where I came from, I wasn't deterred when White people in my undergrad days would tell me that I was only there because of affirmative action. I wasn't deterred when people looked at me funny in stores or followed me around. I wasn't deterred by any of the negative experiences I've had with ignorant people, because at the end of the day I know my worth. I know that I'm descended from kings and queens, inventors and businesspeople, people that struggled and sacrified and did what they had to do despite all the negativity in the world. And I thank my father for giving me all that.

[Honeykiss1974]

I think the whole purpose is to make people uncomfortable (regardless if you agree or disagree with her )because of the subject matter that is coming from a 7 year old. I said that from jump, but of course the "race card" was pulled because AlphaFrog was PO'd about the other thread and here is where we ended up.

In all seriousness, it is very apparent that even a discussion of race has now been deemed "racist". To even mention historical events/times are now considered being "racist". Am I the only person that is confused by this thought process of some posters?

[sensa_diva]

A young white girl's poem in support of WHITE NATIONALISM:

HITLER was a GREAT man...
Ni$$"ers" are ANIMALS...They should burn and die...
White people are the PURE and SUPERIOR race...
All Ni$$"er" lovers should be KILLED and ERASED off the face of the earth...

A young black girl's poem instilling BLACK PRIDE (NATIONALISM):

Compare Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin to "pirates" and "vampires" who robbed blacks of their identities and human rights.
"Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse,"...
"They took the gold, the wisdom and all the storytellers. They took the black women, with the black man weak. Made to watch as they changed the paradigm of our village...
I sailed on an Ocean so wide; but Columbus that man helped divide; the truth into lies; supported by alibis; now his-story stays alive...

If we did our research, which perspective could be supported by actual proof and which one is spewing emotional ignorance? Which one would you raise hell over? Truth or lies?

Rainmain, AlphaFrog and Paradise you got two seconds.

@Paradise...

You said - you are not AF-AM but you are black...Your views won't totally gel with AF-AM...

Why not? If you are of carribean descent or the Bahamas then you could totally gel...I am JAMAICAN and I am totally gellin...

mind you I am aware our stories will not be exactly the same... which ones ever are BUT the OPPRESSOR is the same and has brainwashed us whether we are CARRIBEANS or AF-AM....

[teena]

Originally posted by jubilance1922
I have to disagree with you. I grew up in an extremely pro-Black home, and knew more about my history and culture than some college students when I was still a child. Now that I am an adult in the real world, I thank my father every day for the lessons he taught, the pride he instilled in me, and the reality that he showed me. I think sometimes that in our pursuit of "childhood and innocence" for a child, we neglect to show them how the world really is. That child grows in a bubble, and then they hit the real world and are shocked to find that its not all peaches-and-cream like they thought for the past 18 years. Because of my father's insistence that I learn about my history, my culture, and to be proud of who I was and where I came from, I wasn't deterred when White people in my undergrad days would tell me that I was only there because of affirmative action. I wasn't deterred when people looked at me funny in stores or followed me around. I wasn't deterred by any of the negative experiences I've had with ignorant people, because at the end of the day I know my worth. I know that I'm descended from kings and queens, inventors and businesspeople, people that struggled and sacrified and did what they had to do despite all the negativity in the world. And I thank my father for giving me all that.

Thank you for your point of view Jubilance. My mother raised us to be very aware of our culture and our past. I truly appreciate her telling us the truth. Here is the but. She fed us in digestable pieces. What we could handle for our age. I do the same with my son. He is now 11 and I am now discussing with him what society thinks about black men and what his education needs to mean to him. I wouldnt have dared told him those things at 6 or 7.

But I do hear you.

[sensa_diva]

@ teena

So I guess you would also have a problem with the Jews, Italians, Arabs, Africans, since they teach their kids about oppression, cultural pride, etc...

I understand its your opinion and I respect it...

[teena]

Originally posted by sensa_diva
@ teena

So I guess you would also have a problem with the Jews, Italians, Arabs, Africans, since they teach their kids about oppression, cultural pride, etc...

I understand its your opinion and I respect it...

NO NO NO. Dont misunderstand. I think it needs to be age appropriate. 6 and 7 is way to young. Even if they are gifted.

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by teena
Thank you for your point of view Jubilance. My mother raised us to be very aware of our culture and our past. I truly appreciate her telling us the truth. Here is the but. She fed us in digestable pieces. What we could handle for our age. I do the same with my son. He is now 11 and I am now discussing with him what society thinks about black men and what his education needs to mean to him. I wouldnt have dared told him those things at 6 or 7.

But I do hear you.

I dig what you are saying. At 6,7,8 I had to write reports on various Black people (Langston Hughes, Sojourner Truth, etc.) before I could go outside and play. So indirectly I was getting the lesson about how the world is, because I was learning about the adversity these folks went through.

[sensa_diva]

I hear ya on age appropriateness but I would like to share a story about myself...

At the age of 5 I wish I was a white girl...I use to take my mother's white slips and tie it around my head. I would swear that I am a blonde white girl!!! My dad would tell me I am "black" and I would cry and say I AM BROWN!!! I would take the black crayon and the brown crayon to him and prove my point...It was at that point he set the record straight...SOOO

I'm just sayin that other cultures instill a lot of its history in their youths - some younger than 7 years old. But it does depend on whether a child is capable of digesting all this stuff...I think Autum is capable...

But I dig your point.