The other day I was sent a link to a story on a fraternity party that took place at UC San Diego. When I read the header I got a little angry. It read, “UC San Diego party mocking Black History Month shows racism.” I was angry because again we have someone making fun of black folks and where we’ve come from, all the struggles we had to get where we are, all the lives lost in the civil rights movement to have this kind of garbage take place! In 2010?!?!?! As I read the story, my anger waned a bit, then as I continued to read I got angry again. I wasn’t angry at the silly white folk who had this party. I wasn’t angry at the school for not doing anything about it. I wasn’t angry at the fraternity rep for not acknowledging they’d done anything wrong.
By the last sentence I read I was angry at those who perpetuate the stereotypes they were making fun of. I was incensed about the fact that as I read the depictions I actually know people fit the description they were giving. I grew angry and started thinking about the post I put up last week and how it bothered me to even see people who try their level best t emulate the foolishness and ludicrous chicanery he promotes.
Let me make myself perfectly clear…yes I believe it was insensitive of these college kids to have this party and promote it as though it had something to do with black history month [kind of like the students from Tarleton State did a few years ago for MLK weekend]. I was aggravated at that and more. However, how mad can I be when they were actually emulating, imitating and acting like people I know. It’s not like they had on black face and were doing the chicken George saying we act like that. They were talking about people who make up words [like conversate] and talk loudly like that makes you listen to them more intently. They mocked folks who make it their business to make noises, such as ‘hmmg!’, or smack their lips, and make other angry noises, grunts, and faces. They made sport of the same ignorance that people like me don’t tolerate and try to avoid.
Back in the day I used to get uncomfortable when my white friends would make a statement like, “…you know, you’re not like them.” I’d commence to start acting like I’m ghetto as hell to prove my blackness. Today, I carry statements like that as a badge of honor. THANK YOU for recognizing that I’m not like them! You see, for too long our community has uplifted the negative and looked at the positive as ‘acting white’. We’ve treated folk who use an SAT vocabulary as though something is wrong with them and made fun of the kids who make good grades. I’m here to tell you, it’s not acting white, it’s acting right and it’s high time we realize it.
Stop getting mad at the people who make fun of the people that make you look bad. You need to make fun of they asses too; rather than glorifying and lifting them up. They’re ignorant, slothful, trifling, irresponsible, and whole litany of other terms I shan’t delve into right now. I’ll only get mad at white folk making fun of me and people like me. Chris Rock said it best “…it ain’t the black folk doing all the stupid stuff, robbing, stealing, raping; it’s them niggers. Just making good black folks look bad!” I challenge you to dialogue with the white folks who sponsored this party (or some like them). I would venture to make a bet that they were just ‘having a little fun.’ And no one was supposed to be hurt, insulted, or take offense. I’d even bet that there may have been a couple of brown and black faces in the crowd at the party. We need to stop jumping to condemn every event that takes place as though it’s racism.
This wasn’t racism, it was a case of some dumb college kids making fun of a group of people who can do better, but choose not to so they need to be made fun of. I know somebody is going to be mad at me when they read this, but I really don’t care. Examine the whole scenario and come talk to me afterwards. Besides, if you haven’t already realized it yet by the tagline at the end of every posting…I don’t care if you don’t agree. You want a case of modern day racism, Google Johnson & Wales University in Denver. They just did an interview with some students from there on their local Fox channel. That’s racism…not this garbage. Have a great day.
It’s Just My opinion, but I’m not wrong
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