(no subject)

[sua_lay]

After last night's Oscar gala, I'm totally fed up with Black people. No, not black people, Black people. If I hear one more funny joke about Black people (power, pride and whatnot), I'm going to puke.

As an apparent member of the White community, the female caucus and the fat annoyed bisexual wiccan community, let me just say up yours.

*glares*

Does color really matter that much? Would rather make jokes about idiots than something race related; for there are idiots everywhere.

Comments

[samy.livejournal.com]

To Americans, color really seems to matter that much, yes. It seems they just can't get off the topic.

But then, can we blame them, really? The country went through what was almost a civil war in the 50s-60s, to try and get equal rights to blacks. In many ways, it's a similar trauma that Finns have about the Soviet Union, and the loss of WWII that we had to pay for in the 50s-60s. Our country still hasn't gotten over the loss of Karelia, and we have so many people in this country still who have huge amounts of ryssäviha, hatred for Russians.

This stuff *is*, for America and for Finland, less than 50 years away. There are many people alive still who suffered then.

It's difficult for us under-30 aged people to grasp; we never lived it. We think it's just small beans, and people should just get over it.

People who were being killed or tortured might think different. And their influence does still bleed down to society.

And I'm not entirely sure it's unjustified.

Still, I *do* wish people would get off the topic and move on, but I *can* understand where they're coming from.

[wheefactor.livejournal.com]

I must agree, firstly. Secondly, Chris Rock had a point about bad movie titles. *nod*

Oop, sorry! I was looking around and saw your comment in my journal, and thought I'd pay you a visit. ^^ Don't mind me! *goes on being white*

[sua-lay.livejournal.com]

LOL

Yeah, they really do make those location -named movies....

And comment all you want! Wouldn't rant here for nothing. :D

[sua-lay.livejournal.com]

I understand issues, but gods! It's one thing to be mindful of them. It's another to wallow in it.

What really amazed me about Chris Rock's behavior, is that he was all Black Power while doing his best to be a very angry young N-word person. Excuse me, but that doesn't just work. If the academy had dissed black people, he'd have a point. With black winners, nominees and Whoopi making lesbian jokes about kissing women, he has no reason to have his black ass on fire for a racial issue.

Yeah, I agree that fifty years isn't long enough for some issues to die. It shouldn't be. But focusing on the past doesn't help. Be mindful of the history, but for crying out loud stop wallowing!

*runs off to organize a rally against men (who have oppressed women), christians (who burned witches), idiots (who just annoy me), homophobics (who bash people kinda like me but not but maybe kinda) and so on*

Someone hurts someone like me and it makes me angry. Yeah. I get that. Someone hurts someone like me and I make it a thing about me and then expect people to treat me special. Nope. It just doesn't work like that.

*shuts up before she insults half the people around here*

[shadowhuntress.livejournal.com]

I actually thought Chris Rock was relatively tame at the Oscars. I was expecting him to cross the line more often than he did, but as he later said, he was hired to host the Academy Awards, not create his own show. I think his behavior all depends on which audience he is catering to.

I don't know if it's exactly wallowing, as you said before, because race still is a relevant issue here. It shouldn't matter, but it does. Even when getting into a university, it can matter. My brother, who is more focused, intelligent and accomplished than I am, gets stopped by the police for no other reason than the fact that he fits the profile of 'young African American male' (this just happened again yesterday, in fact).

Also, Chris Rock fans (who are predominantly African Americans) find those sorts of jokes amusing (I think some of his jokes are funny, but not all. I'm more of an Izzard fan). While some things are exaggerated, in other cases, it's just the simple truth. And I sort of see angry!Rock as really just his style of delivery. He wants to stand out, and he most certainly does.

On a side note, there aired a very interesting documentary a few months ago about how hard it is for minorities to succeed in the biz (and I also have a bit of insider knowledge on this). Many people here still don't want to see a black man with a white woman on screen, and this year was only the third, I believe, for an African American to win Best Actor. And those who have won are the few to have transcended race. You don't think of Halle Berry as 'that African American actress,' for instance. You think of her as 'Halle Berry.' I'm just focusing on entertainment because that's what I tend to know about. And I do know that while things have improved slightly over the years, there's still a long way to go.

But I've rambled on and on, so I'll just say that while the race jokes don't bother me as much (probably since my family has sort of lived in the middle of all this, and as the old saying goes: if you can't laugh at yourself, who you can you laugh at? ;-)), I understand your frustrations. Not everyone wants to hear that sort of thing, and the African American community isn't the only one with issues that need to be dealt with.

[sua-lay.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I wonder what is it exactly that annoyed me in Chris Rock's way of delivering his message. Probably the angry 'in your face' -thing. I like to see humor delivered more subtlely.

The whole race issue makes absolutely no sense to me. I do get the culture issue thing with first or second generation immigrants or Italian or Greek American families that follow some traditions from the old country. But with the whole 'African' American thing... Should I call some white New Yorker an European American? *is boggled* I mean, it's not like black Americans live as nomads and raise cattle like their African ancestors did. They don't worship the same gods, share the same language or beliefs. So why make the distinction ?

Yeah... As a history freak I do get the whole slave issue - civil rights movement - whatnot -thing, but it just pisses me off.

It also amazes me how both sides of this matter make me angry. I hate the whole racial profiling thing (wouldn't want to be stopped by the cops just 'cause fat white chicks are suspicious), but the 'am black, hear me rawr' doesn't really sound good either.

Of course that fits all groups of people, ethnic minorities or religious groups. I'm not just pissed off at angry Black people. I'm probably pissed off at everyone.

About actors... It's funny how the very racially aware behavior just bites some people in the bum. I consider guys like Will Smith and Halle Berry and Avery Brooks as 'actors'. But loudmouthed chaps like Chris Rock (especially after the Oscar thing) makes me think 'black actor'. It's insane, but...

Hopefully wasn't totally too annoying in my (probably moralistically superior European way of) ranting. :D And yeah. Laughing at yourself is the main thing. And it's not about not wanting to hear someone joke about racial issues. It's more that Rock's jokes didn't really hit the right target. An award ceremony is one thing. Targeting producers and those who cast the movies would probably be the right venue. Turning a movie award ceremony into an issue is just... well, it probably gives the whole issue some attention, but it still annoyed the hell outta me.

:D *hides*

[shadowhuntress.livejournal.com]

*seeks* Gotcha!

Where else would you be more entitled to rant than your own journal? ;-) I certainly didn’t find what you said offensive (I’m not easily offended, anyway). The whole ‘African American’ thing, I think, is just a politically correct swing as far away from ‘Negro’ as possible. I also think that many African Americans still wish to feel connected to their past and land since they were forced away from it, which may be why they sometimes chose ‘African’ American over ‘Black’ American, though both are equally acceptable. Some wear African garb even though they’ve never been to Africa. So I suppose it was a matter of choice. They didn’t choose to leave Africa, so still want to hold onto that past. Yeah, while some may feel empowered by the whole ‘Black Powah’ thing, I find it a bit embarrassing to do nowadays. But whatever floats their boats; if they feel empowered, well, more power to them. ;-)

I must be so desensitized to Chris Rock that most of his jokes just slide off me like water from a welly. His style can grate on me at times, though. I have to be in the mood for Chris Rock humor.