The Oscars and black people.

*Some of y'all  aren't going to like where I stand on this white out at the Oscars controversy. I know it's the popular thing among racism chasers like moi to bash the Academy for their lack of diversity and their cluelessness when it comes to inclusion. But what did y'all expect? Look, I am not going to go all Aunt Viv on you all, but you have to understand that these are white folks living in a liberal paradise that is closer to the make believe world that they create in one of their movies, than the real one that we have to struggle in day in and day out.

I am all for calling out racism and insensitivity, but at some point, my people, we have to move on from trying to be accepted into the mainstream and just create our own space within our own  reality.

Now folks like George Clooney and Lupita Nyong'o are speaking out, and the condemnation of the very white --and male--- academy voters seems to be universal. Folks are upset that the fine acting of those such as Idris Elba (above) in Beast Of  No Nation went unrecognized.

But again I say, why are we surprised? Of course they are not going to recognize great acting by people of color that is equal to what is being done by their peers of the Caucasian persuasion. A tie is always going to go to the person who looks like I do.

Anyway, speaking of clueless, that infamous one trick pony of an actress, whose only claim to fame was a bit acting role in a movie named for her persona, came out today and agreed with my point of view for a totally different reason.

"I think it's ludicrous," the Clueless alum told Steve Doocy. "We have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration, and if we don’t want segregation, then we have to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you’re only awarded if you’re black. If it were the other way around, we’d be up in arms. It’s a double standard."

My lord this child is dumb! First of all, like HBCUs, we have BET and Image Awards because people of color have been traditionally shut out of everything folks in the majority did. As a result, we had to create our own. Second, there have been white winners of these awards. Just ask Sam Smith.

This is the same argument white racists like to use whenever a discussion such as this comes up: You people have Miss Black America and your own networks, why do you complain when us white folks leave you out of our stuff? This would be a fine argument if white folks would just come out and declare that these types of programs are off limits to black folks because they are for whites only, but they do not. We are told that in our great post-racial American society color is not an issue, therefore these types of programs will reflect the true makeup of our society.

Sadly, though, when controversies like this Oscar white out pops up, we are forced to confront the false virtue of color blind declarations from those in the majority population.

"If you think back 10 years ago, the Academy was doing a better job. Think about how many more African Americans were nominated. I would also make the argument, I don’t think it’s a problem of who you’re picking as much as it is: How many options are available to minorities in film, particularly in quality films?"

I feel you Mr. Clooney, but maybe it's time that more African Americans start making their own films. Maybe it's time to stop depending on Hollywood and, as black folks, start supporting more independent film makers of color who produce quality work.

Then maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion. And we wouldn't have people like Stacy Dash to making clueless public pronouncements that embarrass her race and her family.

Chris Rock, a black man, will host the Oscars this year. I can't wait to hear what he has to say. That is, of course, if he decides to show up.

*Pic from essence.com (Mrs. Field, I hope you are satisfied.) 





 

How Hollywood sees us.

Just days after the Oscars I think that this cut and paste job that I am about to drop on you is apropos.

"While working with two black co-workers a few years ago, the topic of black history came up and we decided to challenge each other. Although they were a few years away from graduating from college, I realized they had limited knowledge about the achievements of historically important black Americans.
 

I was surprised they did not know the answer to questions such as, “Who was the first black female millionaire?" and "Who was Benjamin Banneker?” I was shocked at the answers I received.

After thinking about this I realized their lack of knowledge was certainly not related to intellect but was a result of our culture, where the achievements of historically important blacks are absent.

If you asked them about the latest hip-hop stars, athletes or movie stars, they probably could give brief biographies of several of them. Yet, they were unaware of black Americans who not only prospered in their chosen fields, but helped shape the course of American history.

 

Movies like The Help, The Butler, Precious, 12 Years a Slave, and Training Day all had black people as central characters. All won some type of award or nomination and/or had actors that were recognized with awards. Sounds good outwardly, right? If you take a second glance, you will notice all of these movies promoted stereotypes of black people.

 

Unfortunately, it appears a large majority of our awards are presented to blacks when we play roles where we are servants, slaves, ghetto moms, or thugs. The sad part is that many of these actors have been in other movies that have been just as good, yet they went unrecognized when they didn't "fit the description.”

 

Films and television programs, along with R&B artists and hip-hop stars who are way too numerous to list, all contribute to the negative black stereotypes.

 

My thoughts? Despite Hollywood's overwhelming Democrat support, which is supposed to be sensitive to our community, Hollywood is more comfortable when we (black people) are in our place.

I can hear the pro-Hollywood crowd now… “But these pictures and others are only reflections of what has happened or what is currently going on in our communities.” True, but so were many other positive black people who are rarely mentioned.

 

Why not make a major motion picture about George Washington Carver, who was both a brilliant scientist and a man of God? Or Charles Drew, who made amazing medical discoveries with blood plasma that led to the invention of the blood bank? Something uplifting that the black community could look up to as a model of progression.

 

In the end, we have to ask ourselves: If Black History Month, and black history overall, was truly honored in our schools, homes and our communities, our standards in what we call black entertainment wouldn't be allowed. We as a people would demand better and because money talks above all else in Hollywood, we would get what we asked for.

 

As long as we demand, and often times accept, lower standards and stereotypical entertainment, then lower standards are what we will get.

 

And if black Americans refuse to recognize that one of the greatest threats to continued stereotypes in entertainment are elite-minded liberals who claim to be our friends, we will keep getting the short end of the stick.

 

It's time to honor the memory of those who made Black History Month possible and start telling the true story.

 

Hollywood, we have enough movies that glorify the ghost of our past. Let's take a chance on introducing movies that highlight the accomplishments that black Americans have made in our country's history.
 

Maybe then we will inspire more of our people to greater things when they realize how great black history in America really is." [Source]

The field Negro enlightenment series continues.

 

Hawkish on Russia.

Lots of hills and trees where I live, so this snow has me chilling at home today. I honestly don't feel like digging my way out of it. Old Man Winter I give up; you win this year.




Anyway, I caught just a little of the Oscars last night, and it was nice to see the beautiful and classy Lupita Nyongo  win the statue for best supporting actress for her acting in Twelve Years A Slave. (Shout out to my man John Ridley for winning a statue for that movie as well.) Maybe "the times they are a changing."




I am still trying to figure why these very wealthy people get free clothes from very expensive designers, and gift bags with over $80,000.00 worth of goodies.


Anyway, enough about fun and games in Tinseltown , there are serious things happening in other parts of the world. Vladimir Putin is still flexing his muscle in the Ukraine region and, so far, America and her allies in Europe are still trying to figure out what to do with Russia's version of Ronnie Reagan.


I know that John Kerry says that "all options are on the table", but the White House knows that realistically economic sanctions and kicking Mother Russia out of the G8-- which would really piss off Vladi-- is the only way to go. I like that idea. Go after Russian money and try to get European and American banks to cut off the pipeline to all that money from the uber rich Russian oligarchs.
Also, get more Europeans involved and engaged. It's their corner of the world, and they better get their butts in gear to try and protect it. Vladi might be trying to get at Poland next.


Of course the right-wingnuts in Washington, as is to be expected, have all come out to condemn the president and call him weak. They claim that Putin has been playing chess while Obama has been "playing marbles." 


The thing is, though, he is also their president, and America is involved in a very complicated and nuanced foreign crisis in a very volatile part of the world. So hearing senators attack a sitting president during this time was quite stunning to me. The only people whose "eyes are rolling" are those of us who see the right-wingnuts in this country for the lunatics that they really are.


Still, given the type of people we are dealing with, we shouldn't be surprised. They should understand, though, that their language only emboldens people like Vladimir Putin and weakens the perception of America in the world.


People like Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio also seem to conveniently forget that W was in the same position as it relates to Putin in 2008 when he invaded Georgia.


But hey, let's not let facts get in the way of the latest right- wing talking points.


“I am deeply concerned that Russia’s ongoing military intervention in Crimea may soon expand to eastern Ukraine. Yesterday, President Obama said that Russia would face ‘costs’ if it intervened militarily in Ukraine. It is now essential for the President to articulate exactly what those costs will be and to take steps urgently to impose them."


McCain and those of his ilk are hoping that he tries to "impose" war, and the rest of us understand that when you deal with a madman, you have to tread very carefully.






     














  

Disparaging religions and killing senators.

This is torture. I am trying to watch the NBA All-Star game and the Mrs. is in another room watching the Oscars. I already learned that Ryan Seacrest got "ashes bombed" by Sacha Baron Cohen, and Viola Davis was letting her natural side come out on the Red Carpet. Help! There is absolutely nothing worse than a bunch of celebrities posing for the cameras and some giddy star struck entertainment reporter asking them who they are wearing. Seriously? "Who are you wearing"?  

Anyway, I wonder if the New York Post has a Kabul bureau. For their sake I sure hope not. They are just not feeling the folks over at the Post in the Muslim world right now. 

I understand the whole First Amendment thing, but at some point you would think that a major news organization such as the Post should take responsibility for their actions. First the Obama chimpanzee cartoon and now this. I swear wingnuts have no sense of decency.

Which brings me to congressman John Sullivan (R-Ok).Mr. Sullivan believes that the way to get bills passed in Washington is to kill a few democratic Senators.

"After expressing his support for the GOP budget that shreds Medicare, Sullivan told his constituents in Bixby, Oklahoma on Wednesday that killing Democratic Senators may be the only guarantee of it’s passage unless Democrats take heavy Election Day losses this November.

“Like I said, after this last election, the first order of business is pass a budget,” Sullivan declared. “Now, I believe that. I supported the Paul Ryan budget and sent it over to the Senate. Now I live with some Senators, I yell at them all the time, I grabbed one of them the other day and shook him and I’d love to get them to vote for it — boy I’d love that. You know but other than me going over there with a gun and holding it to their head and maybe killing a couple of them, I don’t think they’re going to listen unless they get beat.” [Source]

Holding a gun to their heads and "killing a couple of them"? I am so glad that we live in America and not Afghanistan. At least not yet.

Finally, I am supposed to be on Jesse Lee Peterson's radio program tomorrow. I will try to be respectful to the brotha. But, as you all know, he is not one of my favorite people, so we will see what happens.



 

The truth post.

If the truth usually hurts you might want to skip this post or grab some Tylenol.

Let me start with the Oscars, because Sunday is Oscar Night here in A-merry-ca. And, sadly, to many of you A-merry-cans, this is bigger than the State Of The Union Address.

One of documentaries that was nominated for an award is called Undefeated. It chronicles the successful football season of a poor inner city high school in Memphis, Tennessee, and how they overcame problems on and off the field. "So field, what's so movie worthy about that?" Funny you should ask. The coach of the troubled football team in the film is white, and, like The Blind Side before it, an all too familiar theme emerges.

I have nothing against Bill Courtney, the latest white saviour to catch Hollywood's fancy. God bless him for volunteering his time to help those young men in Memphis. He deserves credit for it. But ABC's Person Of The Week? ESPN? Hollywood? Oscar? Countless talk shows? And...well, I think you get the picture. Like that wealthy white woman before him played by Sandra Bullock, Mr. Courtney is the white saviour of the hour. A-merry-ca loves these types of feel good stories; all the better when poor inner cities kids are lifted out of their condition by that one wealthy white person.

You will never see such a story about William Ellerbee, or Ted Ginn, Sr, or Todd Walker, because it would never sell. Black men are supposed to look out for their own children. I guess when there is a white savior it's like one of those man bites dog kind of deals.

I wish Mr. Courtney good luck on Oscar Night. I bet the makers of Undefeated walk away with the statute. Mr. Courtney might bring some of those boys from the team with him, and the camera will pan to them as he hugs his wife, the filmmakers, and whoever is in reach of his arms. The music will just keep playing, and there won't be a dry eye in the house.

Finally, it's time to get on some of you young Negroes.

This is always hard, because the people that I want to talk to do not read this blog. I know because I meet them from time to time in my professional life.

I don't know who is going to get to these killers living among us, but somebody better do something and fast. (h/t Greg Fuller)We know that they are not getting proper training at home. We can't blame the schools because most of them are not in school. We can't blame the church, because Pastor Jones can't go and drag Jerome out of bed on Sunday morning. And we can't blame city and state officials because it's not their job to police your damn kids.

We could blame the various negative influences in the neighborhoods for creating these little monsters, but where did these negative influences come from in the first place? Television? Movies? Rap Videos? I suppose we can say all of the above. But we all watch television and movies, and we don't go around splitting people's wigs in the middle of the day with automatic weapons. That is just some depraved s&^t that sociopaths do.

Thing is, when you meet some of these monsters they are nothing like you would expect. It's as if they reserve their anger and depravity for kids who are in similar situations as they are: Other kids in "the game" as they like to call it. They actually refer to people who aren't in "the game" as civilians. As if they are waging some kind of sick inner city war against each other that the rest of us will never understand. Unfortunately, the only time I get to really get their ear is when their war infringes on the rest of society and society takes action. Then it's my job to see if society acted properly and if justice is being served. It's enough to keep even the hardest field Negro up at night.

But I have some ideas, and hopefully someday the right people will listen to what I am saying. Right now poli-tricksters are too busy trying to get paid and maintaining the status quo to really care. (And no, I am not talking about white folks. I am talking about you Negroes who happen to be local poli-tricksters who care more about getting reelected than making the tough decisions that's best for your community.)

Oh yeah, those ideas:

• Start kicking out the bad seeds from our public schools at an earlier age, and make more alternative schools available for problem children.

If kids in class want to learn they should not be distracted by thugs who want to act the fool instead of hitting their books.
We need more schools like Glen Mills with committed teachers and counselors who will step in your ass if you get out of line. We have to start identifying violent kids at an early age and get them off the street and into some type of environment where they can be counseled and monitored. 

• Start fining parents who don't attend parent teacher's meetings, and whose kids are always late or absent from school.
• Give parents more choices (I know I sound like a wingnut, but this is one area where I part company with my progressive friends) where they can send their kids to school.
• Make some overall changes to the the child support process by making the guidelines a little more payor friendly.  (This is a little inside baseball, but believe me, it's something that needs to be done.) For instance, give a downward deviation in the support guidelines for overnight stays between the non- custodial parent and their child. Right now in Pennsylvania you have to spend at least 40% of overnights throughout the year to get a downward deviation of your child support order. Maybe if we can give some of these sperm donors some more incentives they will spend more time with their children. Maybe.
• More sex education. More sex education. More sex education. You all need to stop having all these damn kids you can't take care of.
• Decriminalize some of these drugs to lower the street value. I could do an entire treatise on this one, but I just don't have time. Let's just say that drug dealers carry a lot of money, and they don't go to the police for protection.
• Make more athletic and extra- curricular activities available to these kids at a younger age. (See the first part of this post to see what can happen when kids become involved with athletics and other activities.)  
• More sensible gun laws. No one is trying to take your gun away from you 2nd Amendment wingnuts, we just want to keep certain automatic weapons off the streets of some of our urban areas. I promise you, I have never seen a deer running around Center City, Philadelphia. 

I could go on, but you will just have to wait for the book.



 

       




 

And the best actor award goes to Scott Walker.

It's Oscar night. Yawn. Mrs. Field is in another other room watching the Oscars right now, but I could care less. I think that of all the movies nominated for best picture I might have seen one: The Social Network. BTW, shout out to my homie, M. Knight, for winning a Razzie for the worst film of the year. WTF happened to you? Ever since The Sixth Sense it's been all down hill. (I see bad movies.)

I know that a lot of you Negroes are lamenting over the lack of people of color in this year's parade of nominees, but you will have to get over it. I agree with Anthony Mackie; you Negroes in Hollywood are too damn lazy. You need to start making and producing your own movies. Stop sitting around and hoping and praying that major studios will green light a deal for you. Make your own. There has to be more than Tyler Perry and Oprah out there. Jesse and Al care about black actors in "Hollweird", I don't.

Finally, if I was wearing a hat right now I would tip it to those protesters in Wisconsin. I must admit that I didn't think that they would hang in this long, but they have. I am sure that the wingnuts were hoping that it would be over by now. And you can sense their frustration mounting as their man in Madison makes some PR missteps. They have even attempted to make it racial. Yes, in the Twilight Zone of wingnut politics, it's black wingnuts who are subjected to racism from left wing liberals. But any confrontation to fire up the base is good. Blame the unions for putting us into this mess when Stevie Wonder can see that it's not the evil union's fault.

Since it's Oscar night I will stick with the theme and say that the phony governor should get a best actor award for his job of hoodwinking people into believing that his union busting tactics is about balancing his state's budget. If it really was about balancing the budget, he would forget about trying to end the right to collectively bargain by state union employees and accept all the financial concessions that the unions have given. But he will not. He is the main actor in this play and he is enjoying being on stage.

"Work it girl! Field come look at Jennifer Hudson's gown....."

I give up!