There. I put it here.
I wasn't going to comment much on this, in my mind I saw Serena doing what a lot of women in sports and entertainment do and while I do have an opinion on that I figured it's what 'they' do for whatever reason. Empowerment, influence, resume purposes, proof of sexiness/marketability, whatever. She's grown and she can do whatever she chooses, right?
I guess not.
It seems that African-American women cannot do what they please without asking certain caucasian folk for the proper permissions. People that look like me haven't carried freedom papers for a couple hundred years.
I thought I should mention that.
So I roam across the internet and see shit like "Serena Goes Ape" and "She's A Man, Baby" as article headlines. I guess the racist and insulting headers are supposed to be a message to the rest of folks that look like us. Now hey, I ain't one to get all up in yours about your opinion, but how many times must I keep reading about how fat or too muscular Serena is. She is an athlete and a pretty good one at that. She had conditioning issues like many athlete regardless of color but it seems that a lot of folk in white America and beyond resent folks like her, sister Venus and cats like Barry Bonds. It ain't the body type or the willingness to speak to the press, it's the fact that someone outside of your comfort level as far as race is concerned is dominating and it burns your ass.
When certain folks get the chance you know we'll hear about it... Right?
I know my sports history like many other sports buffs and I respect all of those that have come from wherever to set the bar and create standards that take decades sometimes to touch, but even I know that all records are meant to be broken. One day someone will come along with a skill level that will surpass all others. Same goes for science, entertainment and humanities or whatever. I believe the Creator doesn't discriminate about giving certain skills to random folks.
I recognize that and was taught to respect that and those that set the standards and those that come along and raise the bar. That obviously isn't taught on the other side of the tracks. I am also offended to the highest degree that I must overlook race and background when I recognize things like that. The double standard has never been tolerable over here in these parts.
Barry Bonds was hitting homers waaay before his hat size grew exponentially. More than 400 before he 'grew' at that. Never in my life have I heard the term 'cheater' used like this. There have been reports based on science that clearly state that performance enhancing drugs have no real bearing on the hand/eye skills necessary to hit a pitch from 60 feet coming damn near 100 miles per hour with a thin stick. What steroids does is cause regeneration, which could explain how Barry is 43 and still at the top of his game, but up until 2004 steroids were perfectly legal in major league baseball, and since his indictment in 2003, Bonds has tested clean in random surprise testing. I never saw anyone, including the commissioner of baseball (who points at Bonds as the reason people hate baseball) mentioning anything about steroids when all them homers were being hit a few years ago. Bonds has been tested vigorously since the federal indictment and dude is still the same size and has the same skill. I'm not saying he never took em', but...
Find another reason to hate this dude. You can't punish someone for something they did back in the day, especially when it was both allowed and ignored.
Whether you like Serena's style or look is up to you. From the look of that picture up there I do not see a fat, out of shape woman. I also see a champion. Some may like a woman with more musculature... It's up to you family. The thing I'm seeing is that racism is becoming much more blatant today than in latter years. Hateration based on race is more elevated than ever in 2007, and as a black man am I supposed to just look the other way when very commercialized companies, media outlets and their related com padres use derogatory and defaming narratives to describe a few of my people and still give my dollar? My time? My accolades?
Hell to the mutherfucking naw.
I'm more offended about how America is taking the Micheal Vick case in more than ever. When he was running around trying to avoid 300 pound lineman he was described as "the greatest show on turf". Now that he has been accused of harboring criminals by owning property, providing finances to said criminals and possibly attending dogfights and assisting in the termination of fighting canines it seems that certain folks are 'despised'. I got a chance to flip channels and see Nancy Grace, Anderson Cooper and folks of the like and the callers from the heartland of America really told us what they thought.
But Lindsey Lohan get a pass because of tremendous pressure. Oh, and that Baldwin cat still gets work after 9 rehab stints... Riiiight. Back in 1994 a drunk driver killed my friend but it's cool for starlets to drive under the influence... She was the shit in The Parent Trap!
Shiiiiiit.
The term 'monkey' to name one as wall as 'ape' and other wonder narratives were used in columns, blogs, responses and phone calls to TV shows to describe ol' Ron Mexico. What ever happened to innocent til proven guilty? Now even I know that a federal indictment is a hard one to shake (especially with a 95% conviction rate), but how does Michael Vick become public enemy number one banned from work when he's only been accused?
How much longer must I flip past the CNNs of the world and see the featured missing white woman of the week and hear absolutely nothing about my sisters? Has our value diminished that much to society in 2007 that we don't get equal play?
Why is it when a brown skinned person hits the headlines that person becomes a pariah? Will we ever hear anything about Tim Donaghy and how much of a cheating, lying bastard he is? Why is he getting a pass in the press? He did ref that pivotal game 3 in the West playoffs this year...
Did Scooter Libby just walk free?
Why are we just letting this double standard go on?
What ever happened to our standards?
Where are the balls in the African America community?
My people have been neutered and then pacified with cheap jewelry, alcohol and fake soothsayers that stole our drum. As much as I hate that we are still targeted I am still amazed that we are so silent and just go with the status quo.
I'm starting to believe what some of them say about us, being lazy and all. Sad thing is not many will agree in public with these words. I'm 3 weeks from calling the movement dead.
Prove me wrong.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Where Did Our Balls Go?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
13 comments:
I read your blog often but never comment. I found myself shaking my head in agreement to this post(actually I do on almost all your posts).
This statement made me sad because it's so true: "My people have been neutered and then pacified with cheap jewelry, alcohol and fake soothsayers that stole our drum. As much as I hate that we are still targeted I am still amazed that we are so silent and just go with the status quo."
It's sad that we have far more but do less than the generations before us. They didn't have cell phones, computers, emails, etc but still was able to make changes and make a difference.
What do I see when I look at that picture? A beautiful Black Woman who is a seasoned athlete, rich, intelligent, strong, sexy, and can hit a tennis ball over 129 mph and can wipe my white ass all over a tennis court.
Years ago a read an article about the great Wilma Rudolph. It was written by a White Sports writer in New York City. In it, he said that Wilma's Olympic accomplishments could only have been mastered by a "Negro Woman" because they have an "animal like mentality" that white women do not have.
It was written 1960.
Sad thing is, you are right Hassan, if you look carefully, that wouldn't be to far from some of the things written about great African-American athletes today.
And no one bats an eye.
I see the lack of vision of the photographer to pick the contrast and juxtaposition of black and white.
It reminds of the United Colors of Bentton (sp) campaign with the black breast and white baby.
I do see her as beautiful and talent and I love the human body and the feminine body. The limited artistic expression of it (dark complexion against a stark white background with a white flower over her crack?) Come on?
Are we only beautiful in comparison and contrast...the opposite of...white?
It just proves why I am not a media watcher or magazine buyer....too much to intellectually and emotionally unpack every freaking day as a black, bisexual woman.
*oh yeah, you have been tagged...got to my spot and do it!*
L-Boogey
WOW.
You've got your work cut out for you. So many segments of society are asleep on so many levels.
man. like southern gal i was totally shaking my head in agreement and sadness with the statements in this post. it's really disheartening to me that a, she felt the need to do this, and b, that she is being ridiculed and put down because of her body. it's amazing to me that someone can look at her and say she's fat or ape-like. it's amazing because although there is a freedom of speech in america, the downright racist headlines and comments that are surfacing should be met with some kind of opposition.
you bring up some very good points. it's sad but i feel like a good majority of black people are walking around with blinders on. as long as we have bling...we're good. some smoke, were good. some rap..we're good. i don't get it.
i only wish we had a unity and passion for our people like they had back in the black panther days. or the mlk/malcom x days. at the rate we're going (backwards), we'll be back in slavery in no time....rapping the whole way there on our 20 inch rims. whew.
That pic reminds me that there's no double standard in creativity (or lack thereof). Ive seen similarly distasteful (in my opinion) photos of white athletes, so par for the course, I suppose.
But the double standard is in all of the excellent points you mention.
Oh, and I assume the balls of black america are firmly in hand at the sight of that pic.
I think Barry is a cheater.
Serena is fly. I just love her. I dont care. I noticed the race thing lately too. It seems as if ignorance is on the rise. Its like cool to be racist or something
Honey the "movement" was busted up by AGENTS getting paid to "put" themselves in front of the movement and have the nerve to be called leaders. Any NEGRO's name that's out and about all over tv etc, is an AGENT. Folks have to be their own movement and throw the dayum tel-LIES-vision out the f*ckin windows. We don't control the media so we can't believe what it says.
And as far as Ms. Serena, it's like what Dr. Francis Cress-Welsing said, they try and strip you naked for the world to further break us down. See folks talked about her daddy and now look what's happening. They gonna do Beyonce the same way.
Ohhh and if you don't know "the revolution WILL NOT" be televised. You betta ask somebody (who ain't an AGENT).
They had a poll on ESPN where they asked what was a bigger news story. The cheating NBA ref or Ron Mexico and his dog fighting. Only 54% of respondents picked the NBA ref. It is crazy. We are always judged more severely.
I luuv that picture. Some may see it as exploitation or Serena going overboard to prove that she is not 'Butch' or 'fat.' But I see in that picture the next part of the revolution where we get to be free to define ourselves. That we as Black women can be nekked and sexy one day, an athlete the next, top model diva the third day, and prim church marm on the weekend and start all over on Monday.
The real revolution as a Black American in the US (and especially as a Black woman) is to be your authentic self.
...and another thing
Michael Vick is a wealthy property owning dark brown big healthy quarterback for a team in the deep South convicted in the press by "animal activists" who are still mad about Dungy and OJ... they wouldve gotten him for federal jaywalking if they couldve.
He should be aquitted and allowed to return to work. This whole case is beyond ridiculous.
What movement?
On tha real, I think racism is increasing at an exponential rate! Seems like every time I see a picture of Serena where there are comments allowed, there is some dumb cracka who is looking for a damn SS pin making shitty comments!
Race issues are definitely on the rise. I did see blogs about apes/monkey stuff. That's a gorgeous picture of her. I'm wondering though with race becoming a major open issue, what happens with the brothers who married other races? It's kinda weird to me that racist acts, attacks, false arrests, not hiring and renting due to the color of the skin but harmony between black men and other races is on the rise. It gives a false picture to me of what's really happening in the world. Could that be why people don't address issues or let them go by without comments? Or am I way off base?
Post a Comment