two thoughts... maybe more

1. Moya and i were talking about the unending drama of hip hop and misogyny and the state of the black community. many would love to attack hip hop as the current downfall of the black culture and social dynamics. to a certain extent, i concur. but hip hop wasn't the beginning of sexism; not the root of the sexual exploitation of black women; and not the first generation of black music to degrade women in its lyrics. we need to find a more holistic approach to fighting racial and sexual oppression.

1 1/2. in response to black conservatives/moderates/etc. who pathologize the working class and poor as so-called degenerates, i don't think that the "problem" with the "black community" is single mothers who don't take care of their children and a lack of strong father figures. certainly, people of all classes and races deal with fathers who walk out on their children. single-motherhood isn't anything new. the rest is too complex to even attempt to deconstruct in this blog. however, i think the real issue is a loss of "community." i'm not trying to romanticize what life must have been like in past generations. but we do need to acknowledge how the development of capitalism and individualistic ideologies have affected how we pursue our interests and goals, in addition to how we relate to each other. in many ways, it seems that desegregation contributed to the breakdown of the black community (this is a working theory... and i'm not yet ready to interrogate our understanding of what the "black community" is or what it should be). "get rich," "me, me, me" mentalities plague our overall society. the media has desensitized so many of us (myself included) to the point of not questioning music videos, sexual assault against women, or the rising number of black men and women in the prison system. you complain about healthcare and the person sitting next to you looks at you like you have two heads. people call you angry. others ask why you care, or worse, respond that they're gonna make sure that they "get theirs." meanwhile, we 1) bitch about what's wrong with the world without questioning how the acceptance of our own privilege contributes to systematic injustices; 2) look past/over/around those next us who struggle without caring or feeling any sort of connection; 3) (notable in the case of several celebrities) refuse to hold ourselves accountable and 4) value becoming rich people over useful people who work towards ending systems of oppression.

2. sexism isn't given nearly as much weight, acknowledgement, and validity as racism. r kelly can screw black teenage girls and his records sales continue to climb, but we would be out for eminem's head if he called dre or any other black man an n-word in public. i'm tired of black men acting like being black is more important than being a woman. i'm tired of being brushed off, laughed at, or ignored for challenging the status quo or demanding respect. it's time to move beyond looking at sexual assault and exploitation only in relation to one's manhood. we need a revolution in our understanding of gender and subsequent value placed on women.

more importantly, the revolution must start at home. i would never listen to the red hot chili peppers if they used the n-word, yet i continue to dance to the yin yang twins on the radio and in the club. i too am a product of the culture and part of the problem. i can't play both sides...

we need new leaders

am i the only one tired of the same group of people stepping up at the most opportune moments to address the persistance of racism in the united states? CNN has a show on "self-segregation" (because apparently black people have recently decided to place themselves outside of white society... of course, with no mention of white flight in now predominately black neighborhoods or the history of racial antagonism that has led to divisions social relations in churches, places of employment, etc...) with no black intellectuals. why no bell or dr. guy-sheftall? why the token black conservative who presents himself as the quintessential uncle tom by making stupid, outlandish comments about single parent households and young black criminals leading to the so-called degeration of the black community. furthermore, where were al sharpton and jesse jackson when shaquanda cotton sat in jail for two years for shoving a teacher? why is it sufficient for the national urban league to publish "state of the union" reports and not move towards demands for quality healthcare, raised minimum wages, or equal opportunties in higher education? i'm tired of black people who jump into the spotlight to gain publicity, but who are not daring enough to be radical in making demands (is quality healthcare radical?). i'm tired of seeing moderate politicians and celebrities become the spokespeople for the black community when there are numerous individuals who are more articulate and capable of critiquing systems of oppression in ways that are rarely considered... what are WE going to do about it? done with my rant for the day...