I usually do not like to promote television news shows when it comes to coverage of racial, gender, or religious matters, for they only give you bits and pieces of information supported by a primitive critical lens. Plus, news shows have a proclivity to have so called “experts” that are mental midgets attempting to demonstrate some form of intelligence. At times, I can not distinguish what is more insulting, the fact that a majority of scholars of color are absent and replaced by a Black person who is not able to handle themselvs in a critical argument with someone on the “Right” or the manner in which these media outlets bring on Blacks who agree that racism is not a factor and Blacks are to blame for their current situation. Regardless, the information is then easily and blindly ingested by other sitting on their couches around the country. But, I think this particular show will be interesting. Tonight on CNN at 8:00p.m. (E.T.) they will be discussing the rate of Black male homicides in the U.S.
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/outintheopen/
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Good catch, Terrence! Thanks for posting that here. đ
Personally, I believe that so many black males are being murdered because of the fact that violence has evolved to becoming a “norm” to many over the years. Many of these young men are not afraid of death anymore because they feel that being a “real man” means to not be afraid of anything. When there are issues going on between them, it is now the “norm” to have a gun, it is a “norm” to use violence as a defense… and it is also the “norm” to have blood shed, usually costing one their life. Based on what I’ve observed, most of the young black guys being murdered are the ones who are either living “dirty” lives, are living within a “dirty” area, with “dirty” people or just happen to be in an environment with “dirt.” Whenever there’s money, drugs, women, pride and other valuable things involved, the risk of danger is much higher. This is a coincidence because most of our young African American men have these things as their top priorities. It is a cycle that seems like it will never end because it has evolved to become the “norm” to many.
I always feel a bit uneasy with talking about any group in general. I can see the use for generalization – both in creating and in resisting stereotypes. But at the same time I wonder if we do not re-create a group called ‘young black men’ which are always supposed to be somehow violent, yet understandably so because of social structures. And then I find myself a bit tense whenever I meet a young person as racism kicks in and makes me relate to him through the color of his skin.
I’m not sure I have a solution, but I wonder if we may ever find a way of talking about people without placing them into groups and generalizing.
The CNN show promises to be interesting, I wonder if they will post it online?
Something on the SF8 for anybody interested:
http://www.freethesf8.org/
And a fairly local murderâthe burned body of a black man, whose bones were broke, was found near the San Jancinto River, the radio recently reported the three white males responsible for this act were arrested. Whether local, where ever that may be for anybody, or nationwide, too many âhigh profileâ cases escape public attention and awarenessâŚthe impact of white on black should not be forgottenâŚ.
Your post assumes all blacks scholars are on the left! Never assume, never!
I donât think there is necessarily an assumption that all scholars are left? That leaves out the independentsâeven if relatively few, and others (many Independents lack charismatic articulationâyet tend to be very critical and have excellent ideas). But itâs not even that, the media deliberately projects such images. If the media wishes to make somebody (or a group) look bad, it willâitâs a form of manipulation. And the way the so-called right experts in general communicateâŚthey aggressively interrupt, talk over, arouse unnecessary emotion, etc.âimpossible to have any reasonable conversation with. They will argue (argue not in the scholarly sense) with each other using the same communication style, on issues they are in agreement with. Itâs ridiculous and really a waste of time. When I need a laugh, I watch ultra-conservatives and televangelists. I find the left to be very problematic too. The right and left rest on the same continuum. But he did also suggest how they bring on blacks who agree racism is not a factorâŚboth left and right would argue that.
In the past when America was far more racist blacks had lower murder rates, so I don’t see how this situation can be attributed to racism.
James, I rest my case. Don’t trip on that sheet. The smooth talkers too….