"What is revealed by a crack in the Good Person Facade"
....from the Washingtonpost.Com essay.
Some have pointed out that young women are routinely and unfortunately called "hos" in some rap lyrics. "That doesn't make it any more right for anyone to say it, it doesn't matter if you are African American, Caucasian, Asian, it really doesn't matter," said Rutgers team captain Essence Carson at a news conference yesterday. "All that matters is it's wrong."
It's wrong when we co-sign (with our money and time and interest - or dance moves in the club) our people denigrating each other...and it's wrong when folks of other ethnic backgrounds do it as well. However, all we can do as individuals use the power of the dollar to cast our votes - and most importantly, teach our children the values that would help them cast the right vote as well. If we and our children don't stand firm for something - then as part of the larger society, we will continue to fall for anything.
I can be upset with Imus - just as upset as I am with everyone that denigrates not just African Americans, but all other societal groups as well. I can turn the channel on my radio, I can refuse to watch BET, MTV, VH1 or any other channel that routinely promotes misogyny, sexism, racism, or extremisim in any form. I can definately refuse to purchase anything that is created by the parties that contribute to these philosophical ideas, and I can be some kind of standard in my sphere of influence by not allowing jokes, comments or verbal insults of these kind in my presence. I don't have to be nasty about it, but I can refuse to be party to it. So I speak out.
I speak out especially because of the context that Imus spoke in. What he said was personal. He directed his comments not in the name of "ART" (as they do in the music industry to the general and wide population). He directed his comments to a specific group of young women. Most of us won't fight when someone says that "black people are _______(fill in the blank) - cuz you think and know that the comment does not apply to you specifically - and might just roll your eyes and walk away knowing how ignorant the comment is. You might blow it off because you don't feel like justifying it with a response. But you will definately fight if someone says, "You (your kids, your family is ___________". That's what makes this even more inflammatory. It's personal...
..and it's why I think Imus should be FIRED.
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