Racism and Katrina.
I don’t usually comment on political happenings mainly for the fact that I’m not American and I wouldn’t know much about what goes on concerning Americans politics, and politics of my own country would seem far more unimportant considering Americans tend not to care about their own selves much less for others where politics are concerned. I also tend not to comment on the news because it isn’t the point of this blog, it’s about tech and comedy, yes I said comedy, whether it is good or bad is another story but that’s the intention nonetheless even if you’re now discovering that. Also I don’t because no one cares, but I’ve decided to toss my hat into the insignificant blogger’s news commenting ring.
I recently looked at CNN Headline News, as I usually do, and was looking at Showbiz Tonight. I like the show even though it seemed to take on more news that entertainment. Anyhow, they did a piece on the internet, coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, internet/media and racism. Now you must be thinking that these things are unrelated, but you’d be wrong. They showed how an Associated Press picture showed a black man wading through waist high water with a garbage bag, and the caption stated that the man had looted some food. GETTI! CHECK. Getti images on the other hand had a picture with two white people wading through water, and the caption read that they had “found” some bread and other food items. Showbiz Tonight basically wanted to point out that there is some sort of racial slant towards the suffering people in Mississippi and the media coverage being given to them. To that I say, duh.
One news anchor on a news network I can’t remember at the moment was bold enough to say that the scene looked like if it was in Africa. Yes, there are a lot of black people there, and the truth is as Kanye West said in song, “Racism still alive, we just be concealing it”. The fact of the matter that racism is very much alive and well, not necessarily outright as in the banning of blacks from various activities, or segregation taking place, no, racism is alive inside people. I remember looking at yet another news program, something like 20/20, I’m not sure since it was something I only saw once, and they were looking at how the media only wants to give attention to “beautiful people.” A woman was reported kidnapped, and no media attention was brought, no matter how much one woman tried. All attention was given to “beautiful” people, mostly women who were, get this, white.
Now we know that some people are, let’s say, easier on the eyes that others, but it really is a shame for this subliminal racism to be taking place. When was the last time you saw any sort of extensive news coverage on a black person being kidnapped? As with anything though, there is an exception to the rule. Rich people are that exception. While black people are thought of generally as thugs, gangsters and overall bad people, for good reason mind you, rich people are accepted in the media’s eye….somewhat. Before people go up in arms at me saying that people think of blacks in a negative way for good reason, let me say that it’s a fact, that the majority of gangs and thugs around the place are black, and so it is within good reason to look at black people to fit into those roles more so than whites. The generalization and stereotyping of all black people though is very much unacceptable.
Back to the media though, face it, you’re not going to be seeing Will Smith, Chris Rock or Denzel Washington on the cover of tabloids or in the gossip magazines, maybe once or twice here and there, once in a blue moon, because there was space that needed to be filled, but the only time really that you’ll see blacks in the public eye is for something negative, it’s just the way it is, need proof? How about Kobe Bryant, 50 Cent or just about any rapper for that matter. Luckily, the American culture is one where just about anyone can bounce back from any degree of negativity. While the whole racism issue isn’t necessarily there outright, it’s there nonetheless, and while I’m not black, I can see it’s there just as well as the next person.
I recently looked at CNN Headline News, as I usually do, and was looking at Showbiz Tonight. I like the show even though it seemed to take on more news that entertainment. Anyhow, they did a piece on the internet, coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, internet/media and racism. Now you must be thinking that these things are unrelated, but you’d be wrong. They showed how an Associated Press picture showed a black man wading through waist high water with a garbage bag, and the caption stated that the man had looted some food. GETTI! CHECK. Getti images on the other hand had a picture with two white people wading through water, and the caption read that they had “found” some bread and other food items. Showbiz Tonight basically wanted to point out that there is some sort of racial slant towards the suffering people in Mississippi and the media coverage being given to them. To that I say, duh.
One news anchor on a news network I can’t remember at the moment was bold enough to say that the scene looked like if it was in Africa. Yes, there are a lot of black people there, and the truth is as Kanye West said in song, “Racism still alive, we just be concealing it”. The fact of the matter that racism is very much alive and well, not necessarily outright as in the banning of blacks from various activities, or segregation taking place, no, racism is alive inside people. I remember looking at yet another news program, something like 20/20, I’m not sure since it was something I only saw once, and they were looking at how the media only wants to give attention to “beautiful people.” A woman was reported kidnapped, and no media attention was brought, no matter how much one woman tried. All attention was given to “beautiful” people, mostly women who were, get this, white.
Now we know that some people are, let’s say, easier on the eyes that others, but it really is a shame for this subliminal racism to be taking place. When was the last time you saw any sort of extensive news coverage on a black person being kidnapped? As with anything though, there is an exception to the rule. Rich people are that exception. While black people are thought of generally as thugs, gangsters and overall bad people, for good reason mind you, rich people are accepted in the media’s eye….somewhat. Before people go up in arms at me saying that people think of blacks in a negative way for good reason, let me say that it’s a fact, that the majority of gangs and thugs around the place are black, and so it is within good reason to look at black people to fit into those roles more so than whites. The generalization and stereotyping of all black people though is very much unacceptable.
Back to the media though, face it, you’re not going to be seeing Will Smith, Chris Rock or Denzel Washington on the cover of tabloids or in the gossip magazines, maybe once or twice here and there, once in a blue moon, because there was space that needed to be filled, but the only time really that you’ll see blacks in the public eye is for something negative, it’s just the way it is, need proof? How about Kobe Bryant, 50 Cent or just about any rapper for that matter. Luckily, the American culture is one where just about anyone can bounce back from any degree of negativity. While the whole racism issue isn’t necessarily there outright, it’s there nonetheless, and while I’m not black, I can see it’s there just as well as the next person.
posted by samureye at 9:53 AM
2 Comments:
Oh yeah, I saw that photo.. I agree with you..mostly. Yes, it's true. The majority of "thugs" tend to be African American. But, why do they become thugs? Because they are poor and it's hard to find a job. That doesn't cover every "thug", but I think that's an explanation for some of them...
Keep on bloggin'!
Im spanish, and this racism thing... I can feel it everywhere. People judge before they even get to know you. Racism is not just hate. There are lots of whites who dont hate, but have that feeling of superiority like its a normal thing. THAT IS STILL RACISM...
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