Friday, January 19, 2007

Not That There Is Anything Wrong With That.



Black people can we talk? Seems like one our actors, Isaiah Washington, has done gotten himself into a lot of hot water by dropping the "F" word while referring to a co-star,T.R. Knight, from the hit T.V. show, Grey's Anatomy. No not that "F" word, it seems Mr. Washington referred to Mr. Knight as a "faggot". Now before I get into this, let me say for the record, that I loved my man Isaiah in the "Love Jones" and I was feeling his scene stealing cameo in "Out Of Sight" with Ms. Bootyness. But Isaiah, you have got to chill my man, and enjoy this whole Grey's Anatomy thing. Not only is it executive produced by a sister-Shonda Rimes-but you are making some long dollars by being on the show. So I have to ask you; just what the fu*k is your problem?

Now here is the deal, you all might as well know this right up front about the field, I have no problems whatsoever with Gay's. None! As far as I am concerned, a mother fu***r could be sleeping with imported billy goats from Peru. As long as it's in the privacy of his own home, and he is not hurting anyone, it's fine with me. I guess I am what Bill Olie-ly would call one of those "secular progressives". My attitude towards these sorts of things is "live and let live". So I have to wonder what Isaiah's ignorant ass was thinking when he dropped the "F" word on his co-star. I mean, what would have been the fall-out if the guy had dropped the "N" word on him? But field it's different, people choose to be gay they don't chose to be black. Yeah right, save that sh** for your Sunday school class; no one chooses to be gay, just like no one chooses to have six fu****g fingers.

So here, another black man, ignoring all the sh%* and oppression we have had to endure, makes an ignorant statement about another group of people who face discrimination and prejudice from other Americans on a daily basis. Oh field, why are you so empathetic to the gays, you must have some tendencies yourself. Well actually I do, and when gay guys crack-maybe I should have used another word here- on me it's actually pretty flattering. And yes, I am about as metro sexual as a field negro can get. I get manicures, pedicures, have all sorts of moisturizers and face products in my medicine cabinet, and my style of dress is more Alex Vanderpool (It's a Philly thing) and Dickie Greenleaf (See Jude Law's character in The Talented Mr. Ripley) than say, Joe American straight guy. But as far as my sexuality, I am pretty sure I prefer women to men. Not that it's any of anyones fu****g business who I choose to share my Willy Wonka with.

And I am sure I have come farther than most people on this, because not only am I black, but I also happen to be from Jamaica; one of the most homophobic places you will ever see. Where as a child growing up, I would always hear stories of how "de batty man dem a ketch a beaten". So if I can overcome these ignorant ass homophobic tendencies, I know you can. The irony is, that some of the most homophobic among us, are taking part in dangerous "down low" behavior without their straight partners knowledge, and many of our choirs in church on Sunday and Saturday mornings are filled with...ahem ahem...let's just say some of the less masculine of our congregation. Yet, we turn our heads and act as if this phenomenon does not exist. Kind of like the military, don't ask don't tell.

So Isaiah, my word to you is this: do the Mia Culpa tour, and apologize to whoever you have to. Even if you don't mean it, you had better learn to be tolerant. You work in Hollywood for crying out loud! How can you not be? Stand up and set an example for the rest of us. Show the world that black folks can rise above the ignorance and bigotry of the general population, and that we can treat people who are different, with the respect and tolerance that was never afforded us.

14 comments:

Sylvia said...

Oh, he's doing it; he's just not getting the Michael Richards standard of treatment because white folk are gay too.

I read his apology and had flashbacks of The Laugh Factory and Richards stammering something about Hurricane Katrina.

wst... said...

lmao @ secular progressives

Tasha said...

I'm glad to see you have such an open mindset, especially being Jamaican. I know my yardie fam just can't get up with all of that and some of them will be the ones delivering the beatings you're speaking of.

Anyway, I'm hoping that Isaiah's apologies are sincere. I'd hate to see a talented actor like himself be blacklisted because of his ignorant/insensitive commentary. He's got way too much to lose.

Anonymous said...

he keeps adding fuel to the fire by denying. IW, sort yourself out!
people can do what they want but my only issue with certain homosexual activists is when they compare it to racism. i would disagree here and i dont think it is the same at all.

field negro said...

aulelia, it's not the same in that with homosexuality one is not discriminated against based on how he or she appears. Whereas with race it is. Someone knows from the door that I am black when they see my black ass coming. Not so with Gays.

But I do believe that once outed, they face the same kind of ignorance and intolerance from certain quarters that we do.

Anonymous said...

field, this topic has reminded me of something at home in East Africa. men who get their hair cornrowed are seen as 'gay'. it is again a highlight of the cultural divide within the african diaspora. when boys go to their villages to see their relatives with hairstyles like that, they are scoffed at and rebuked much in the same way that IW insults his co-star.

will black people ever reach common ground on homosexuality?

Anonymous said...

He works in Hollywood.

I don't.

BUt, I know that you can't talk about:
1. Jews
2. Gays

If you have those feelings, keep them to yourself IF you want to remain employable. (Mel Gibson will ultimately be forgiven because he made The Passion of the Christ and got more money than God from it. His money ensures that he can outlast it, if he continues to lay low for awhile.)

IW simply should have known better.

I have written a letter in support of him, but he's been in the business long enough to know better.

Tafari said...

I think that we should have one day in America where we all get together & shout one epithet that we are all dying to say in public at once.

After we release our tension everyone can apologize aloud, hug & make peace.

just a thought!
Bygbay

Dangerfield said...

Yo Field excellent point this just proves my theory about black people. We are not yet polished enough intellectually to know how to effectively use all of the tools of common sense, restraint, ect to effectively get alont anywhere in the world.

Hes narrow view of gay folks has been nurtured and strenthened in the black community. These dogmatically negative negative feelings have always found sustinance in the church.
In the black community we latch on to and even breathe life into many malicously false and dogmatic ideas and concepts.

Such as

Colorism
Suppression of women
All police bieng evil
Thinking knowlege, learning, discussion and debate are
Brothas with a chevaunistic view towards black women
The basic attitude I have found amongst brothas is a man can cheat to no fucking end but it is one hundred percent wrong for her to cheat on you and most of us shared and nurtured this philosopy.

I aint trying to bash us Im just pointing out a lot of biases, prejudices and good old fashion dysfuntions that we allowed to grow into these monsters we face today. We allowed this to happen because as a group too many of us failed to develop ourselves and thus a lot of us lack the intellectually total skills it takes to live harmoniously with the world.


The murder and incarration rate of young black males tells you something.

The murder rate of young black celebirties and athletes tells you something.

Black people are having are hard time getting along because way too many of us are underdeveloped intellectually.

But instead of admitting it we just allow the apathy and denial sydrome we seem to be infected with as a race to take over and we do nothing except deny.


Until black people are willing to make education, thought, debate and then common sense a priority get use to it.

What makes it so retarded is the fact that hollywood is full of gay people. They exist in areas and on levels of hollywood that black people dont. They are even more visible in hollywood than normal public life. IW know all of this I bet some of his bosses in hollywood have been gay.

The reason I think that IW made his statement is because in the black community it is quite often normal to talk like that or to spread that attitude. He came out of a black community that has been hypocrital and hostile to gay people for a long time.

Keeping it real his statements express a feeling not uncommon in the black community that I remember.

Until there is intellectual reform of the black race get use to it.

Dangerfield said...

This is what I meant to say

Thinking knowlege, learning, discussion and debate are white, not valid or cool.
Brothas with a chevaunistic view towards black women
The basic attitude I have found amongst brothas is a man can cheat to no fucking end but it is one hundred percent wrong for her to cheat on you and most of us shared and nurtured this philosopy.

field negro said...

Damn Mark, now you went and got all deep on me on a Sunday morning!

But great post, we are all looking in the mirror.

field negro said...

bygbaby, I would love to hug everybody, but I am not sure if they would hug me back ;)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for this. I've been thinking about this too. I like IW, but he needs to man the fuck up and apologize for realz. He looks like he's trying to commit career hari kari.

And, how in the hell can any black person hate on ANYONE for ANY reason?? It is ridiculous, whether its religiously based or not. Some of us are still in the dark ages intellectually. Of course, that's where massa wants to keep us.

Liz Dwyer said...

Field,
Your post brings up some good points...and I'm trying to think of something profound to say...but, I just keep laughing at "Willie Wonka"! Oh my goodness! That's a great name! Maybe I need to get out more but I've never heard that one before.