myblackfriendsays.com

The reason I found the book so powerful was becaus...

2010-07-30T23:15:11.881-06:00

The reason I found the book so powerful was because it allowed me to draw the line from slavery to modern day. The premise that Jim Crow was essentially an extension of slavery is pretty powerful and convincing. Given that Jim Crow ended in our parents lifetimes, it is then so much easier to understand our nation as a country JUST NOW recovering from a polarized culture, rather than, as I think

I couldn't agree with you more about how irritatin...

2010-07-30T19:48:18.461-06:00

I couldn't agree with you more about how irritating that question is. It's like it's made for white people.

P.S. Hope you're feeling well and getting ready fo...

2010-07-30T14:28:47.530-06:00

P.S. Hope you're feeling well and getting ready for that baby to arrive...I know I'm getting ready for mine!

I just finished reading "The Help," and have been ...

2010-07-30T14:28:11.874-06:00

I just finished reading "The Help," and have been thinking about this a LOT lately. I've also become keenly aware that there seem to be some parallels between how the general population of whites in Mississippi treated their "Help" and how many people (mostly white) currently treat the immigrant (mostly Hispanic) population here in Denver. Have you read, "The Help&

so - i remembered reading this and now i'm coming ...

2010-07-30T07:02:55.720-06:00

so - i remembered reading this and now i'm coming back to it because i just read people magazine's interview with the family that took oher in.

also, while i'm here - @jd - nicole ritchie is actually a mixed poc despite being extraordinarily white - - she is white, black and puerto rican i think.

so i wrote a lengthy response but maybe i should just suggest

so i tried to envision the same commercial with bl...

2010-07-29T08:44:50.872-06:00

so i tried to envision the same commercial with black people and how i would react seeing it on the screen. i had a thought of "what do they think even suburban black families are walking around rapping - are all black people hip hop stars?"

that said - i wonder why not have the rap overlay be done by white people. if the idea is to highlight the antithesis of cool. or

While I never got the minstrel show vibe from the ...

2010-07-28T19:38:33.735-06:00

While I never got the minstrel show vibe from the swagger wagon video (I recommend you watch all of those commercials), I DEFINITELY agree with you about the underlying meaning of "I'm white, therefore I'm uncool" jokes at large. I've always read it as a condescending way of throwing black people a bone, and relegating blacks to an area which, in the grand scheme of things,

rebecca - you have made a huge logical fallacy. m...

2010-07-28T10:35:55.790-06:00

rebecca - you have made a huge logical fallacy. myblackfriendsays has not disavowed that people can be rude regardless of their recipient; only that it is a possibility it is because of her race.

otoh - myblackfriendsays - i disagree that there is no fourth option for white people.

first, i would add two options for all people "there is something (besides race) about

I think your last paragraph (rather, second to las...

2010-07-27T19:36:08.584-06:00

I think your last paragraph (rather, second to last) deserves a full post to itself.
JD

PS Weezermonkey, interesting about Fred Armisen.

If I may: Greg - nearly all these those events hav...

2010-07-26T19:43:02.467-06:00

If I may:
Greg - nearly all these those events have been given more press than they deserve and did not take place in the last year. But to address them anyway - the New Black Panther Party voter intimidation was one guy; the Tea Party is actually currently dividing itself because factions of it are in fact racist; the American College of Physicians, the Institute of Medicine, the Leukemia

You are so on point re Taavon/Aziz! I think the d...

2010-07-26T01:04:02.841-06:00

You are so on point re Taavon/Aziz! I think the distinction you drew between Swagger Coach and Swagger Wagon is absolutely correct.

And, yes, I'm with you re a minority imitating another minority. I'm not sure how I can justify it, but I feel exactly the same way.

BTW, Fred Armisen isn't your typical white guy. He's half Venezuelan, a quarter Japanese, and

myblackfriend, I think your blog is very important...

2010-07-25T13:25:54.188-06:00

myblackfriend, I think your blog is very important. It takes a brave person to put herself out there and risk hurtful feedback to get her message across. I'm thankful for all you've taught me over the years, and I look forward to many more discussions. Thanks for your honesty.
JD

Seems like a lot of people are interested in your ...

2010-07-25T02:39:00.777-06:00

Seems like a lot of people are interested in your views, perspective and experiences. Some readers enjoy them because they are clearly expressed and supported.

Simply remember you will never please all of the people all of the time. You are entitled to your opinions and people who try to invalidate them should not make you upset. They probably have their own personal issues that

My Dear friend, since you are being honest I will ...

2010-07-23T17:02:47.179-06:00

My Dear friend, since you are being honest I will too. Over the past several postings I have found them to be some what boring intellectually. Yes they make valid points about race and culture and marketing and picking one commercial and comparing it to something from many years ago just does not get my interest peaked. Just today I watched a commercial selling some drugs where a middle-aged

Been thinking about this. This morning the new Old...

2010-07-23T16:02:11.246-06:00

Been thinking about this. This morning the new Old Spice series popped onto my head. Those are some darn funny commercials. But the good looking guy proclaiming to be the gold standard among men is a man of color...but not too much color. Just enough to not be white. And he has a lovely deep voice without much "accent". And his activities are the stuff of harlequin romances. Mr Old

I used to blog about very personal things. It too...

2010-07-22T21:45:59.281-06:00

I used to blog about very personal things. It took a lot of time and energy. It meant something.

It is so much easier to blog about food. It's just stuff that I eat.

I feel you on the comments. When you write about something real, you expect decent dialogue. I think that expectation is reasonable.

It's your blog. Say what you want. Your thoughts a...

2010-07-22T10:13:41.659-06:00

It's your blog. Say what you want. Your thoughts and experiences are just as valid as anyone else's.

So there

Don't censor yourself

What to do with race? If I say I value your posts ...

2010-07-22T10:05:20.349-06:00

What to do with race? If I say I value your posts because I so value our racial difference, will you hear I only value your friendship because of that? Can you hear that it something I like and not the end all?

I recall a conversation recently where we were talking about my gay experience vis-a-vis religion. It was clear to me that my experience is different largely because I am gay.

Interesting question you pose. Your response was v...

2010-07-20T00:16:54.818-06:00

Interesting question you pose. Your response was very thoughtful and level-headed. However, I am inclined to disagree, as I don't think the two videos are the same.

First, I think we need to explore the hip hop culture's relationship to black people at large. While the urban black experience and hip hop are undeniably and inextricably linked, I cannot say that black people have

I find myself coming back to the same place, persp...

2010-07-10T21:15:17.196-06:00

I find myself coming back to the same place, perspective, and point-of-view - which I have learned to be a red flag. I find myself responding to myblackfriend's question "Is what you are doing bringing the races together, or keeping them apart?" with the question: "Is reacting negatively to the advertisement bringing the races together, or keeping them apart?" Instead of

The answer to your question re why Swagger Wagon d...

2010-07-10T01:02:05.669-06:00

The answer to your question re why Swagger Wagon didn't feature a black family is simple -- the commercial is geared toward white people. White people are the intended audience. They are the ones most likely to buy this minivan.

Save the viewers of a few black-oriented shows on lesser networks, white people are always the target of TV advertisers. Advertisers even believe that

I saw this movie and loved it... but the most stri...

2010-06-29T21:19:23.257-06:00

I saw this movie and loved it... but the most striking thing to me was that there were 2 urban babies and 2 rural babies, and the urban ones were from super-urban places and the rural ones were from super-rural places. I guess the idea was to show the contrast, but I kept thinking that most of the world lives in between those 2 extremes, in cities or towns or villages or what-have-you.

The first is an example of self-deprecating humor,...

2010-06-13T10:12:08.734-06:00

The first is an example of self-deprecating humor, which I think is almost always funny. Here is another: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo
This rapper happens to be of Indian descent, and he's making fun of the neighborhood I live in.

I'm not sure the second was really intended to be sinister--from the description they were doing a kind of montage of different

I guess I do agree with previous comments: the ad ...

2010-06-12T11:02:49.617-06:00

I guess I do agree with previous comments: the ad is a typical cultural appropriation for commercial gain. It does not really seek to demean hip hop culture. Those stupid white folks are not trying to act black, they are acting stupidly white. Is that ironic turnabout racish in that it stereotypes white folks? Is it racish to make fun of white people using black cultural material? Does that in

Had I wathced the first one in any other context I...

2010-06-08T19:46:38.405-06:00

Had I wathced the first one in any other context I'm sure I wouldn't have even thought about it being racist. I would have found the second one deplorable under any circumstances. Should I think differently about the first one? I'm conflicted. When I'm conflicted about something I like to break it down to get things in perspective.

First, what is the point of each? In