Members Money Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 I'm curious what you mean by this considering MSNBC is by far progressive and showcases diversity with their anchors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eric83 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 I refrained from commenting on this topic but this is EXACTLY how I feel about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Standard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 LOL, it's a theatre term. In Acting school they teach us "Standard American Speech for the stage": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Theater_Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 I know the definition. However the term itself is more than problematic hence the . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VirginiaHamilton Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 While MSNBC shows slightly diversity than the other two major cable networks when it comes to Black on-air talent, I'd hardly consider them all that progressive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roman Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 As far as I'm concerned, there is no excuse for some of our children to speak and act the way they do. Being born in 1969, my earliest memories were of black Americans proud of the intellect that they and others in our people showed. We walked with conviction, our style of dress is still copied today, and along with strength of mind and body came strength of will. When I see a young black man whose pants are so low that he steps out of them every time he walks, that is an embarrassment not only on him but myself as well. I can't tell these young cats a thing because they honestly think that they way some of them act is "real". And if nothing else pisses me off more, is this notion that acting stupid and ignorant is somehow keeping it real. Real Ignorant. Real Stupid. Real Dumb. Proud of being a foolish moron. Is that what some of our young back youth think nowadays? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Yep... hit the nail right on the head. And it doens't surprise me we have the same opinion on this, since we are the same age. Even the images of black america I saw on TV was that of striving for something, bettering yourself, dignity and respectability no matter what your economic status (Esther Rolle personified this). You had muisc put out by Gamble and Huff with lyrics such as "Yes this is the year, to make your decision, yes this is the year, to open up your mind... if youv'e been holding back, kind of slack, now's the time to get the things you need. There ain't no reason why you should be shy, people have died to set you free". A far cry from messages from today's songwriters. In radio AND on tv... the black community was surrounded by ENCOURAGEMENT, and that is desperately missing today. As a white farm boy who knew NO black people and had no exposure to black people until I was 14 (and then, we had three black kids in our high school) my impression of black people as a child was that of people who were proud, striving for something better, cool, and stylish. That was my impression from what I saw. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LO3Tw4cnLs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHr8mcWqy9U Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wales2004 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Money, I think I may have wandered off into anti-Sharpton land. I question MSNBC's on air personnel choices almost as much as I do ESPN's. I don't know that I consider them progressive but they do have variety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members VirginiaHamilton Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 Wow, indeed. The generalizing and condescension - especially from one who has no room to throw stones - is precisely why the backlash is justified in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members alphanguy74 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 I'm interested to know, in order for that message to be legitimate in your mind, whose mouth would it have had to come out of? The basic difference in attitude is that of self entitlement and victim mentality, as opposed to one of pride, dingity, and "I'm NOT a second class citizen, and I'm gonna prove you WRONG!" Boy George has said something similar when asked about what advice he'd give to young gay people. He said that the world sees you as you see yourself, if you see yourself as a victim who is unworthy, others will see you that way, and it will become a self fulfilling prophecy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wales2004 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 SFK, Maybe I'm just on a special island but I don't think Bill Cosby was implying anyone's name was "ghetto." I think it's a hyper-reaction. He said that parents give their kids the kinds of names to which the kids cannot live up. It's not his fault if people automatically jump to conclusions based on the first couple of names because why in the world would he refer to Mohammed as a "ghetto" name and subsequently praise the Nation of Islam's looking out for their members. He knows it's an Arabic name. Sure he said "and all that crap" but that seems more to be frustration than that people are giving their kids crappy names. Otherwise, his next statement would be a complete contradiction. Again: With names like Shaniqua, Shaligua, Mohammed and all that crap and all of them are in jail. (When we give these kinds of names to our children, we give them the strength and inspiration in the meaning of those names. What's the point of giving them strong names if there is not parenting and values backing it up). You're right that some would make that assessment. As pertains to this: you're right and I could add to the list the uneducated or even under-educated people that pushed and today still push for their kids to be "better" and accomplish more than they did. I can add to that list those kids who have the opportunity to become educated and opt not to. I think society is conditioned to believing that there is a "one size fits all" solution when it comes to black people based in part on the perpetuation of the belief that every black person has the same issues/problems. Not so. Trying to fit everyone in the same box only adds to the problem. I believe it's a huge mistake to continue to label poverty as a "black" problem. While it affects black people at a disproportionately higher rate in this nation, it's not accurate for us to pretend that all poor black people are only poor because they are black. Race may be a factor for some black people that are poor but certainly not for all. Some people don't get opportunities because of race and sure you can trickle down poor education to race in some cases but some people don't want to learn or don't believe they can and it is not because some white man stood over them and denied them the opportunity. There are a number of factors and I don't believe that Bill Cosby meant that everyone is irresponsible. I believe he meant that those to whom it applies, should think of making their kids a priority. There are people who buy their kids Air Jordans, video games and other expensive things (even though they are considered poor) and all he was saying was invest in your kids instead of just showering them with material things. Could he have said it in a kinder gentler way? Sure, but should the fact that he didn't nullify any of his significant points? No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wales2004 Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 We have a long way to go when it comes to navigating a discussion on race mainly because it's mostly emotional than logical or rational. The toughest part of a discussion to get through, imo, is when ideas are expressed that black people need to basically behave themselves which is generally expressed as "act a certain" way in order to be accepted in society. This belief is riddled with problems because there is a certain degree of truth in it but the presentation causes people to go off the rails. The fact is that black people should behave a certain way in society not because it will change anyone's minds but because everyone should behave in that certain way. That's how we maintain order in society--by all of us "behaving." It implies that white people already all behave in this way and only the unruly black people don't, which may not be what is meant but think about it.....because that's how it can be perceived. People of a certain age or time tend to think this way but some of them also believe that black people are supposed to agree and be on the same page about everything--a belief that is completely absurd to me. People are individuals and black people are people who are individuals. The sooner we see this--that people are people--the better. Hopefully it makes some sense to you and gives you a way of seeing it from another perspective (although mine may be totally warped since I am in desperate need of tea right now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Money Posted January 22, 2013 Members Share Posted January 22, 2013 One of the biggest offenders to me in the black community is Ebonics. It's something I detest and it's not a matter of freedom of speech, it's giving Blacks the legitimate right to speak unintelligent and look stupid. When society treats them the way they sound they get offended and cry racism. And I definitely resent the notion that when a black person speaks correctly they're accused of being white or uppity by black people, no less. That attack has been leveled at me several times. It's absurd and very demoralizing within the community. Another can of worms is the whole nigger vs nigga issue because Blacks feel entitled to use the latter. It has always been the same derogatory connotation but now being perpetuated by Blacks. I would laugh if it wasn't so insane. Blacks wont let it die because, ya know, it's that same equality and freedom thing that their forefathers died for so let's be hip and show those Whites instead of letting the word die right along with slavery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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