Video Games
What’s a little violence really going to do? Mortal Kombat kills, Grand Theft Auto kills and robs, and even Mario kills. The games are fictional. The video game industry has placed censorship on its games for a reason. The fact that people blame video games for the increase in violence levels found in children has everything to do with parenting. I believe video games are the scapegoat to bad parenting. “Oh, my son just killed ten people!! It must have been the video games that taught him that because I certainly didn’t.” I didn’t know what Mortal Kombat was till I was in High School. Not because I hadn’t heard of it, not because my friends didn’t play it when we were younger, but because my mother refused to let me play the game in her household when I was younger. Parents ultimately decide what their child will be exposed to and should be held responsible for allowing children access to things they shouldn’t. There are game ratings very similar to movie ratings. If you wouldn’t let your child go and see the R-rated horror movie then you shouldn’t allow them to play the M-rated video game with guts and killing and robbing.
Video games can’t be the reason for high aggression in children. That existed before video games started their violent themes.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Black Capitalism
The only problem I have with Black consumption in America is the fact that we don’t support our own communities! It becomes evident that race and the economic construction are interwoven. What I will attempt to do is show how Blacks should separate their cultural identity from mainstream economic principles, values, and beliefs to become independent from White control. The economic system which Blacks have readily embraced since being freed from slavery has done nothing but help to enslave in another manner.
It is in the nature of African Americans to work collectively; an age-old tradition of building a village that is self-sufficient by reinvesting in your neighborhoods and communities so they flourish instead of border on extinction (James Oglesby). Through white supremacy, individualism has consumed the natural inclination in our community to share amongst one another and we no longer seek each others’ business. We have allowed for slavery, capitalism, Willie Lynch, Jim Crow, and American racism to overshadow our cultural bond. The bond allowing us the ability to spend our dollars where we live and work. . Over the past 30 years a strong dependence of White products and services has formed. Blacks consume the most in this country while producing the least. African-Americans willingly shop for products and services which are manufactured by another race, they allow for other systems like education and politics to be controlled by other races.
I believe the goal of integration was an economical move by the Whites. They were able to expand target markets thus increasing profits and revenues across industries. Why then, has the Black community not attempted to mimic that strategy for our benefit? Would we rather watch as our community collapses while subsequently helping build up another? It doesn’t make ethnic, cultural, cultivating, economical sense that something so blatant would be allowed!
Ghettos were created by the Germans during the Holocaust. Ghettos are the inner city area designated to confine the Jews before execution. The power measures taken by the Germans to assume total control over the Jews were skillfully executed. By relegating Jews to confinement in the most underdeveloped part of the town, they had control over physical and emotional comfort. The Germans made sure that the ghettos were overpopulated, without adequate food and water, and underdeveloped and unkempt. The same attributes signature to the Jew ghettos is evident in African-American populated ghettos in America. By being in these confined inner-city sites, control over freedom entitlement can be controlled just as easily as flipping a light switch. Everything that happens in the ghetto can be monitored and controlled from a distance by adding and subtracting necessities, threats, and decoys. What happens oftentimes in the ghetto has a lot to do with external forces. The place in which Blacks have come to identify as home, really serves as a means of confinement and control from Whites.
Blacks have not embraced this fact and attempted to improve the community they consider home; instead, individuals come up with a little money and move out to Whiter neighborhoods. Investing money into our community is what is needed in these instances. Onyeani states, “We continue to chase after “other” good neighborhoods when we could make our own neighborhoods better and increase our property values and in the process increase our equity in the home-which translates into more money from our investment.” When the dollar changes hands within a community, more wealth is established. Chinese, Indians, and Jews understand this logic and use it in their communities in America. Gaining independence is gaining control. African-Americans should use their economic worth to control what comes in and out of the communities in which they live. Producing and consuming amongst a particular group will only serve to benefit the community. Blacks must consider their communities little countries and attempt to export goods more than they import them. By doing this, Blacks will create the power to raise taxes on the goods that come into the community and sell their goods to others for exorbitant costs. The money gained by doing this should be pumped back into the community producing. Black America could live better as a whole with more investment into community through economic freedom.
There are ways in which Black economic power can be developed within the next 5 years. The Black community must lose its integration mind set and become Pro-Black. A concern for the survival of the Black community must take root.
Four steps will assist in creating Black Capitalism: 1) Word of mouth (an old African tradition) 2) Learn each others trades and skills-local action 3) History lessons on Black Wallstreet and areas where a lot of Blacks populate (Birmingham, Prince George County, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Little Rock, Jacksonville, etc.) 4) Change the function of HBCUs to produce entrepreneurs and Black business professionals.
The last step is especially worth noting. HBCUs produce nearly 60% of all Black college graduates in the country. What the HBCUs do though, is teach them how to get a job from large corporations and majority companies. There are thousands of African American industrial/service companies in America and their growth over the past thirty years has mirrored Black colleges. The top 100 Black-owned businesses in the country collectively grossed more than $27 billion in sales. This is where HBCUs should focus on gaining corporate sponsorship. The potential for creating an all Black corporate network is something that could help increase African-American wealth. As an HBCU this should be a major goal.
It is in the nature of African Americans to work collectively; an age-old tradition of building a village that is self-sufficient by reinvesting in your neighborhoods and communities so they flourish instead of border on extinction (James Oglesby). Through white supremacy, individualism has consumed the natural inclination in our community to share amongst one another and we no longer seek each others’ business. We have allowed for slavery, capitalism, Willie Lynch, Jim Crow, and American racism to overshadow our cultural bond. The bond allowing us the ability to spend our dollars where we live and work. . Over the past 30 years a strong dependence of White products and services has formed. Blacks consume the most in this country while producing the least. African-Americans willingly shop for products and services which are manufactured by another race, they allow for other systems like education and politics to be controlled by other races.
I believe the goal of integration was an economical move by the Whites. They were able to expand target markets thus increasing profits and revenues across industries. Why then, has the Black community not attempted to mimic that strategy for our benefit? Would we rather watch as our community collapses while subsequently helping build up another? It doesn’t make ethnic, cultural, cultivating, economical sense that something so blatant would be allowed!
Ghettos were created by the Germans during the Holocaust. Ghettos are the inner city area designated to confine the Jews before execution. The power measures taken by the Germans to assume total control over the Jews were skillfully executed. By relegating Jews to confinement in the most underdeveloped part of the town, they had control over physical and emotional comfort. The Germans made sure that the ghettos were overpopulated, without adequate food and water, and underdeveloped and unkempt. The same attributes signature to the Jew ghettos is evident in African-American populated ghettos in America. By being in these confined inner-city sites, control over freedom entitlement can be controlled just as easily as flipping a light switch. Everything that happens in the ghetto can be monitored and controlled from a distance by adding and subtracting necessities, threats, and decoys. What happens oftentimes in the ghetto has a lot to do with external forces. The place in which Blacks have come to identify as home, really serves as a means of confinement and control from Whites.
Blacks have not embraced this fact and attempted to improve the community they consider home; instead, individuals come up with a little money and move out to Whiter neighborhoods. Investing money into our community is what is needed in these instances. Onyeani states, “We continue to chase after “other” good neighborhoods when we could make our own neighborhoods better and increase our property values and in the process increase our equity in the home-which translates into more money from our investment.” When the dollar changes hands within a community, more wealth is established. Chinese, Indians, and Jews understand this logic and use it in their communities in America. Gaining independence is gaining control. African-Americans should use their economic worth to control what comes in and out of the communities in which they live. Producing and consuming amongst a particular group will only serve to benefit the community. Blacks must consider their communities little countries and attempt to export goods more than they import them. By doing this, Blacks will create the power to raise taxes on the goods that come into the community and sell their goods to others for exorbitant costs. The money gained by doing this should be pumped back into the community producing. Black America could live better as a whole with more investment into community through economic freedom.
There are ways in which Black economic power can be developed within the next 5 years. The Black community must lose its integration mind set and become Pro-Black. A concern for the survival of the Black community must take root.
Four steps will assist in creating Black Capitalism: 1) Word of mouth (an old African tradition) 2) Learn each others trades and skills-local action 3) History lessons on Black Wallstreet and areas where a lot of Blacks populate (Birmingham, Prince George County, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Little Rock, Jacksonville, etc.) 4) Change the function of HBCUs to produce entrepreneurs and Black business professionals.
The last step is especially worth noting. HBCUs produce nearly 60% of all Black college graduates in the country. What the HBCUs do though, is teach them how to get a job from large corporations and majority companies. There are thousands of African American industrial/service companies in America and their growth over the past thirty years has mirrored Black colleges. The top 100 Black-owned businesses in the country collectively grossed more than $27 billion in sales. This is where HBCUs should focus on gaining corporate sponsorship. The potential for creating an all Black corporate network is something that could help increase African-American wealth. As an HBCU this should be a major goal.
My Boooddy
I like the sexy girls on the cover of magazines. That appeals to me. I can’t say that I have a preference as to what body shape “does it for me” but I think I do prefer proportioned figures. Magazines and movies make sure that their models and actresses represent that by making alterations whenever necessary to body images. I believe this influences people sub-consciously and consciously. Is this a bad thing though? This is something that takes place globally and isn’t unique to American culture. I feel like the obsession with body image is something that is driven by economic principle s. Companies advertise their products and services to people using people. The individuals who promote those products and services must look the part: Beautiful, perfect, sexy, appealing. Americans obsessed with body image and changing their image to mirror someone else can be a good thing. It could promote healthier living to the obese, could promote wearing better clothes for the fashionably handicapped, and it could even help not-so-pretty people make a turn around in their appearance.
The psychological repercussions of this on impressionable minds should be taken into consideration about 3% of the time when deciding which body image should represent a particular thing. While body image representation effects race, gender, depression, and so on, the way that we go about living our individual lives is what is most important. There is no set standard for happiness and if body image representations can make majority of people happy without causing them psychological problems, then the small percentage that do go crazy should be banned from looking at magazines and movies anything else with somebody else’s body image on it.
The psychological repercussions of this on impressionable minds should be taken into consideration about 3% of the time when deciding which body image should represent a particular thing. While body image representation effects race, gender, depression, and so on, the way that we go about living our individual lives is what is most important. There is no set standard for happiness and if body image representations can make majority of people happy without causing them psychological problems, then the small percentage that do go crazy should be banned from looking at magazines and movies anything else with somebody else’s body image on it.
News Media Coverage
Our class discussion on the issue was about the representation of Black issues in news media. Apparently we are concerned that the stories covered on news outlets are only negative when concerning Blacks. “Today a Black male was arrested for killing five people and then screaming the word, ‘nigger’ over and over again.” Or, “..and on today’s show, we’ll talk about how Black people love fried chicken and AIDS…” According to the journalism students in class, it’s up to the media heads as to what stories get coverage (most of the time celebrities and non-political, non-social issue related stories). According to the group, we should have more representation in our news anchors, and CNN and FOXNews should incorporate more stories about missing black students and Jena Six and issues similar to them while not covering celebrity news so much. Personally though, I could care less. Statistics show that I’m not the only one. Most Black households don’t watch CNN and FOXNews and other big news media outlets. Also, the fact that these outlets don’t cover Black issues doesn’t really come as a surprise to me. Duh! When you own something then you can decide what material to include in the programs. For the giant news media stations they are only doing what’s best for their interests according to ratings and continuing their business. They are in business to get viewers, and they do. Most of the news media outlets have political ties as well so there are a lot of beauracracies associated with what we consider to be news. When Blacks start supporting and rallying behind an independent news media outlet for their issues, then that’s when social issues and Black news worthy issues will be covered. We complained and raved and ranted in the 50s to integrate into this society (our last step in total Europeanization). We got what we wanted. We can go to their schools, and work where they do, and take active participation in democracy as first class citizens. There is no taxation without representation in this country. It’s been like that. So if you want something you have to have support for it. Black people are so concerned with supporting others that we rarely consider supporting our own community and desegregating ourselves from the mix when it truly matters. Till we’re ready to do that, what news media decides to show should be completely up to them.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Words Don't Matter
Society is made up of all sorts of rules. Written and unwritten rules make up how we act all the time. The written rules are called laws and we abide by them without question. The unwritten rules are the ones that are less defined and are open for interpretation. Amongst one of those unwritten rules is intraracial racism. This act which happens amongst minority groups in America is sometimes considered hypocritical. Minority groups scream racism from the white man when they are disenfranchised but yet they facilitate a prejudices against themselves. Perhaps, the biggest example of this is within the Black community. "Light-skinned" blacks vs. "Dark-skinned" blacks has been the cause of a divide in the Black community for centuries. Unfortunately though, it wasn't until that divide resurfaced in America during slavery that it started to cause major problems within the group in the form of self-hatred.
Willie Lynch introduced the notion of turning blacks against themselves bassed on differences like skin tone. From reading his letter it is evident that Blacks come in different shades of color because of White supremacy. Intentional raping and breeding procedures took place during the mid-1700s to ensure skin color differences were perpetuated. "Light-skinned" vs. "Dark-skinned" was a major problem during slavery and post-Civil War when rights were assigned to skin tone. The new divide within our community seems to be one based on class. The Black majority and the Black Elite make up the two factions. Author Manning Marable describes the difference between the two in his book entitled, "How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America: A Critical Reassessment." The divide between the two groups can be seen the most in the social issues arena. The Black majority is the group that struggles on a daily basis for land and education, who take pride in their African heritage and show that in their language and culture. The Black elites are quite the opposite and look to accumulate petty amounts of capital at the expense of thir Black brothers and sisters while accepting the statas quo of economic and political systems.
It seems that one issue is dividing the two groups farther apart recently and that's the the use of the word Nigger. After the Don Imus situation, the use of the word Nigger and Bitch by musical artists and the Black community all together was put under scrutiny. In my opinion, the Black majority is going to continue to use the words that are indicative of their environment. Black elitists will continue to preach at and look down on those Blacks they can't relate to. The words that people use shouldn't be under scrutiny, especially in the entertainment arena. I don't even know why rappers are being targeted by individuals like Oprah and Al Sharpton when the real issues are not over what people say but how they act and are raised. The ban on the word Nigger is stupid! Rappers are entertainers and say what people want to hear for entertainment. What they do cannot be compared to the Don Imus situation because he is not an entertainer. The thing that we need to be concerned with is the fact that, perhaps Don Imus was giving his audience what they want to hear.
Willie Lynch introduced the notion of turning blacks against themselves bassed on differences like skin tone. From reading his letter it is evident that Blacks come in different shades of color because of White supremacy. Intentional raping and breeding procedures took place during the mid-1700s to ensure skin color differences were perpetuated. "Light-skinned" vs. "Dark-skinned" was a major problem during slavery and post-Civil War when rights were assigned to skin tone. The new divide within our community seems to be one based on class. The Black majority and the Black Elite make up the two factions. Author Manning Marable describes the difference between the two in his book entitled, "How Capitalism Underdeveloped Black America: A Critical Reassessment." The divide between the two groups can be seen the most in the social issues arena. The Black majority is the group that struggles on a daily basis for land and education, who take pride in their African heritage and show that in their language and culture. The Black elites are quite the opposite and look to accumulate petty amounts of capital at the expense of thir Black brothers and sisters while accepting the statas quo of economic and political systems.
It seems that one issue is dividing the two groups farther apart recently and that's the the use of the word Nigger. After the Don Imus situation, the use of the word Nigger and Bitch by musical artists and the Black community all together was put under scrutiny. In my opinion, the Black majority is going to continue to use the words that are indicative of their environment. Black elitists will continue to preach at and look down on those Blacks they can't relate to. The words that people use shouldn't be under scrutiny, especially in the entertainment arena. I don't even know why rappers are being targeted by individuals like Oprah and Al Sharpton when the real issues are not over what people say but how they act and are raised. The ban on the word Nigger is stupid! Rappers are entertainers and say what people want to hear for entertainment. What they do cannot be compared to the Don Imus situation because he is not an entertainer. The thing that we need to be concerned with is the fact that, perhaps Don Imus was giving his audience what they want to hear.
American Language
Texting is my way of communicating with my friends. I really don't like talking on the phone much. I don't really know why but there are only particular times when I feel like holding conversation over the phone. Because of this, I use texting as my way of communicating with my friends about whatever it is I feel merits news. In addition, I use texting as my way of communicating with people who I don't want to talk with. To me, not many people offer interesting or engaging conversations. I am bored by most of the topics in which people choose to bring up when I speak with them. And I have found that things that sincerely interest me are not as interesting to other individuals. This makes the art of holding long meaningful conversations with others nearly impossible for me. Instead of suffering through a boring conversation, I text. When there is nothing much to say, I feel small talk can be minimized down to a simple text message.
Most people use the technology of texting these days as a sort of avoidance mechanism. Instead of talking to people face to face or even through phone, they prefer to text. I find myself doing the same thing. In most cases (unless I really can't talk on the phone) I text because I don't want to talk on the phone. Most people who call me for conversation say very little that interests me. In addition, I sometimes don't like dealing with the akward conversations with certain people (ex-girlfriends, crush, old friend, etc.). I suppose texting has served its purpose as being a convenient technology that helps me communicate better. If I didn't have texts then i certainly wouldn't talk to a lot of individuals.
Most people use the technology of texting these days as a sort of avoidance mechanism. Instead of talking to people face to face or even through phone, they prefer to text. I find myself doing the same thing. In most cases (unless I really can't talk on the phone) I text because I don't want to talk on the phone. Most people who call me for conversation say very little that interests me. In addition, I sometimes don't like dealing with the akward conversations with certain people (ex-girlfriends, crush, old friend, etc.). I suppose texting has served its purpose as being a convenient technology that helps me communicate better. If I didn't have texts then i certainly wouldn't talk to a lot of individuals.
Gender Differences
I do not believe in societal gender roles. I was raised in a single-mother household and was taught how to iron my own clothes, wash dishes, cook, and clean (supposed female chores). At the same time though, my mother taught me how to do all the things that "men are supposed to do." I don't feel there are particular things that men or women should do exclusively. When roles are established in a household, the mutual respect that should exist in the relationship may not be as strong. When considering raising a child and the sorts of training that takes place during the child's developmental stage, it is important not to emphasize gender differences. Gender differences exist in society mainly because myths and stereotypes. Perpetuation of the stereotypes concerning gender roles can cause mental and even physical damage to both sexes. Prejudices arise from the stereotypes and myths that are so prevalent in society. That's where the glass ceiling effect comes from.
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Genetics
Before the discussion in class concerning genetics, I hadn't taken time to consider where my personality traits come from (nature or nurture). I had always considered the way I act a product of my environment. But now that I think about it, I realize that there are certain traits in my personality that come from my father; or so I've been told. I have never met or spent a day of my life with my father but yet my mother tells me that my jovial character can be attributed to him. In addition to this, I have a nervous tick which causes me to pick at my chin hairs. I've been told that this comes from my grandfather. I didn't know that he used to do that when he was younger! I think we as individuals must have a balance of what is considered inate and nurtured by our environment. Nobody can be completely constructed to act and think a certain way based off of genetics alone. I believe that certain personality traits like depression and introversion are consequences of how certain people were raised.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Body Image
How we view ourselves is important to our esteem. How we feel about our body image has a direct correlation to how we feel about ourselves internally. Body image can probably be linked to a high percentage of depression cases in the nation. Body image and what it means to look attractive has been woven into our societal forefront through years of training. Media has set standards for us as to what we are supposed to look like in order to be considered attractive. There are general American beauty standards for males and females (ex-males must be muscular and fit while females must maintain long hair and large breasts). Something that gets overlooked sometimes though, is how those beauty standards cross over cultural boundaries and how that affects members of minority races.
As an African living in America, the prevalent images of white perfection (movie stars, models, dolls, etc.) make up the bulk of ideal body construction. As children, the images we see on television make lasting impressions on what it means to be acceptable and attractive. There are some instances when Black children grow up thinking that they don't embody what it means to be considered beautiful because their hair isn't blonde and long or because their eyes aren't blue or green. When those children are not taught to love themselves and how to look at the concept of beauty in regards to their particular race, a major developmental esteem problem can arise.
African American parents should be mindful of this while raising their children. For every White movie star, White Barbie, and White model a Black child gets exposed to, the parent/guardian should ensure an equally beautiful Black representative gets their attention. This is essential so that the child won't grow up believing that their body image is not socially acceptable and to prevent them from aspiring to look like something they are not.
As an African living in America, the prevalent images of white perfection (movie stars, models, dolls, etc.) make up the bulk of ideal body construction. As children, the images we see on television make lasting impressions on what it means to be acceptable and attractive. There are some instances when Black children grow up thinking that they don't embody what it means to be considered beautiful because their hair isn't blonde and long or because their eyes aren't blue or green. When those children are not taught to love themselves and how to look at the concept of beauty in regards to their particular race, a major developmental esteem problem can arise.
African American parents should be mindful of this while raising their children. For every White movie star, White Barbie, and White model a Black child gets exposed to, the parent/guardian should ensure an equally beautiful Black representative gets their attention. This is essential so that the child won't grow up believing that their body image is not socially acceptable and to prevent them from aspiring to look like something they are not.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Facebook Woes
Abstract taken from MTV Think News article entitled, Busted U? Colleges Catch Students Breaking Rules Via Social-Networking Sites.
"When swarms of Pennsylvania State University students rushed the football field after a win last fall, a post-game riot overwhelmed police. Though only two culprits were arrested on game day, police were able to track down some of the guilty parties later on Facebook: Students had launched a group on the site named "I Rushed the Field After the OSU Game (And Lived!).
In light of such a situation, some students worry they're being watched which in some instances is true. Ken Vance, director of public safety at Georgia College & State University, told The Chronicle of Higher Education in January that he assigns an officer to scour Facebook daily for clues about upcoming parties that may require police presence. Campus security officers at other universities have also admitted to perusing these sites for infractions."
Don't put your parties on Facebook/Myspace! Yeah, they'll get a huge turn out but you're also making an open invitation to the Po-Po. TPD has Facebook/Myspace accounts too. Wanna throw a party? Make a phone list, call people and tell them to spread word! Don't do dumb sh%@! No, wait-do dumb sh%@-just don't get caught by broadcasting all your activities in your blog and/or in photo albums.
While this is one problem that Facebook presents, it is not the only one. Companies have access to your personal profiles online now as well. After applying for a position with a firm, some of them do investigate you by visiting your Facebook/ Myspace accounts. I definately do not approve of this. Where the hell is my freedom? I now have to be conscientious and paranoid about every little thing I do. If paranoia is real, then my freedom as I knew it must now be false. The confines of society have subjected me to a box. Subconscious and conditioned ways of thinking have been taught. Physics and laws have been established before my time and I cannot change anything relatively conditional. Opportunity and circumstance hold me back. Racism, prejudice, political affiliation, religion, etc. All examples of limitations of my freeedom to do as I please. And now I have to add social-networking websites to that long list of constraints.
"When swarms of Pennsylvania State University students rushed the football field after a win last fall, a post-game riot overwhelmed police. Though only two culprits were arrested on game day, police were able to track down some of the guilty parties later on Facebook: Students had launched a group on the site named "I Rushed the Field After the OSU Game (And Lived!).
In light of such a situation, some students worry they're being watched which in some instances is true. Ken Vance, director of public safety at Georgia College & State University, told The Chronicle of Higher Education in January that he assigns an officer to scour Facebook daily for clues about upcoming parties that may require police presence. Campus security officers at other universities have also admitted to perusing these sites for infractions."
Don't put your parties on Facebook/Myspace! Yeah, they'll get a huge turn out but you're also making an open invitation to the Po-Po. TPD has Facebook/Myspace accounts too. Wanna throw a party? Make a phone list, call people and tell them to spread word! Don't do dumb sh%@! No, wait-do dumb sh%@-just don't get caught by broadcasting all your activities in your blog and/or in photo albums.
While this is one problem that Facebook presents, it is not the only one. Companies have access to your personal profiles online now as well. After applying for a position with a firm, some of them do investigate you by visiting your Facebook/ Myspace accounts. I definately do not approve of this. Where the hell is my freedom? I now have to be conscientious and paranoid about every little thing I do. If paranoia is real, then my freedom as I knew it must now be false. The confines of society have subjected me to a box. Subconscious and conditioned ways of thinking have been taught. Physics and laws have been established before my time and I cannot change anything relatively conditional. Opportunity and circumstance hold me back. Racism, prejudice, political affiliation, religion, etc. All examples of limitations of my freeedom to do as I please. And now I have to add social-networking websites to that long list of constraints.
Farewell Black Films
There is no one factor contributing to the lack of substance in Black Films today but I do believe the main reason lies in assimilation. Both John Singleton and Spike Lee have moved on to produce big studio box-office movies. Trying to reach a broader audience has proven to equal big profits but at the expense of our cultural empowerment. These two directors are certainly not to blame for the current state of Black Films but as leaders of a movement in the past, I feel they should actively participate in passing on the torch to younger, talented, black directors today. By helping mold a director's craft, they could influence the next great (overdue) Black Film. Although black movie directors are contributing greatly to hollywood (Tim Story, Eric Dickerson,etc), provacative black movies are absent. Just the other day me and my friends were reminiscing about the good black films of our time. While we had Boyz in the Hood, Nino Brown, House Party, and Do the Right Thing, the youth today only have non-sensical movies like Soul Plane to gain from.
I understand that there have been many enjoyable Black Films released over the past couple of years. But I don't consider these films to be empowering. While movies like Dreamgirls are solid movies, they just don't resignate black empowerment to the same effect as movies like The Color Purple, Do the Right Thing, Boyz in the Hood, or Bamboozled. In regards to movies like "Something New"; movies denouncing BM and BW unity are becoming more and more popular in Hollywood these days. It seems that our romance movies (Love and Basketball, Brown Sugar, Love Jones, etc) have come to an end as well. BM and BW in relationships provokes a problem for the white mainstream movie audience and because of that, we are left with movies like "Something New". The promotion of interractial dating and coupling is a theme that is being transcended into our culture and it too has a negative effect. "Anything that influences BLACK men and women to think they are better off apart, that we are unlovable, undesirable, and unworthy makes black power an impossibility" (crammaster blog, AOL Blackvoices).
I understand that there have been many enjoyable Black Films released over the past couple of years. But I don't consider these films to be empowering. While movies like Dreamgirls are solid movies, they just don't resignate black empowerment to the same effect as movies like The Color Purple, Do the Right Thing, Boyz in the Hood, or Bamboozled. In regards to movies like "Something New"; movies denouncing BM and BW unity are becoming more and more popular in Hollywood these days. It seems that our romance movies (Love and Basketball, Brown Sugar, Love Jones, etc) have come to an end as well. BM and BW in relationships provokes a problem for the white mainstream movie audience and because of that, we are left with movies like "Something New". The promotion of interractial dating and coupling is a theme that is being transcended into our culture and it too has a negative effect. "Anything that influences BLACK men and women to think they are better off apart, that we are unlovable, undesirable, and unworthy makes black power an impossibility" (crammaster blog, AOL Blackvoices).
Tavis Smiley
I feel fortunate that I attended the HBCU Talented Tenth Tour featuring Tavis Smiley. I almost didn't take advantage of the opportunity to see such a well-rounded, public speaker. What Tavis does for our community-more specifically, my generation-is motivate us to become leaders for today and to seek social change in the name of justice for tomorrow.
As I struggled to find a seat in the balcony, I considered leaving and just catching a synopses of what I missed in The Famuan. Good thing I chose to stay though. Hearing the speech from a first-hand experience was inspirational and caused me to consider possibilities I had yet to acknowledge in regards to "where I want to be" and "who I want to become."
Tavis outlined to students, teachers, and local community how we must lead during this time of political and social uncertainty. We must lead through, "Love and Service", he said. Through those two virtues, a leader is born. With it marking the initial day of the Jena 6 trial in Jena, Luisiana, it was no surprise that Tavis would mention the importance of justice and how we must all seek to fight injustices everywhere. He went on to say that "Justice is what love looks like in public" and that by using the two previously stated virtues, justice can be achieved.
The last quote he left with the audience that night was one from Martin Luther King, Jr. Although I consider myself quite critical of Martin Luther King and his passive tactics for equality, I liked the quote.
"Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expedience asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? There comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but we must make it because our conscience tells us it is right."
I like the quote because it addresses all the typical emotions that effect people's reactions to particular situations while presenting a virtuous solution. This quote is how we should strive to live our lives. Tavis also presented an equally effective way to fashion ourl lives. We should create our own obituaries and then go out and live it. By doing this we will aspire to live a meaningful life worthy of remembrance.
As I struggled to find a seat in the balcony, I considered leaving and just catching a synopses of what I missed in The Famuan. Good thing I chose to stay though. Hearing the speech from a first-hand experience was inspirational and caused me to consider possibilities I had yet to acknowledge in regards to "where I want to be" and "who I want to become."
Tavis outlined to students, teachers, and local community how we must lead during this time of political and social uncertainty. We must lead through, "Love and Service", he said. Through those two virtues, a leader is born. With it marking the initial day of the Jena 6 trial in Jena, Luisiana, it was no surprise that Tavis would mention the importance of justice and how we must all seek to fight injustices everywhere. He went on to say that "Justice is what love looks like in public" and that by using the two previously stated virtues, justice can be achieved.
The last quote he left with the audience that night was one from Martin Luther King, Jr. Although I consider myself quite critical of Martin Luther King and his passive tactics for equality, I liked the quote.
"Cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expedience asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? There comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor political, nor popular, but we must make it because our conscience tells us it is right."
I like the quote because it addresses all the typical emotions that effect people's reactions to particular situations while presenting a virtuous solution. This quote is how we should strive to live our lives. Tavis also presented an equally effective way to fashion ourl lives. We should create our own obituaries and then go out and live it. By doing this we will aspire to live a meaningful life worthy of remembrance.
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