Being Black in America
My wife asked me a question last night at dinner, she said:
"Do you want to watch "Being Black in America" tonight at 9?
To which I replied:
"No, I have zero interested in seeing that type of program"
She insisted that I watch, to which again I replied I have things that I need to get done (and truthfully I did) and again, that I didn't like that type of program.
I couldn't honestly express why last night, but this morning, as I woke up and got ready for work I checked my email and browsed to CNN to see what is going on in the world. The headline was "Is marriage really for white people?"
I could not even read through the whole article, half way through it make a very clear distinction on how this article was going to end up. The point at which I stopped was this:
"The difference between Mrs. Allen and me: She was white."
At that point, I was so upset, that I had to come back to my blog, which I have since forgotten for the last two years.
Not that the story did anything wrong, I know people put careers before marriage, or plan to travel the world before settling down. My problem with this WHOLE "Black in America" special is this:
Why is it on and what message are they really portraying.
Lets get into why it is on. Its July, Black History month is in February. It seems rather odd that you would have a special not in the month that has been "dedicated" to black history and movement. Then I step back and look at what is happening in the world. This past weekend, I was at a family reunion in Virginia. My family went to eat at a little breakfast shop before we said our goodbyes. On the TV, Obama was front and center for a good while. The channel happened to be CNN.
I feel that CNN is only displaying this special to show the world "How it is/feels to be black"; because of the impending Presidential Election. America/World is still indifferent with black America, and they are on a mission to "educate" the world about our culture. Yet, I feel that they are doing disaster harm more than any good. Comparisons to white America, as if that was the control element in an experiment. I honestly think that we, as black Americans, are under a microscope and Ted Turner (who is the mastermind behind CNN) is trying to figure out who we are. With articles like the fore mentioned on earlier in this blog, what conclusions are you drawing from that?
Another quote from the article:
"If I remain in my current statistical category, a single black woman, it will be because I missed someone while gazing at the ancient obelisks of Egypt's Karnak Temple, partying with expats in Hong Kong or simply spending time with family and friends in America."
In your statistical category? As if you were a caged animal in a world with hope you couldn't get to? The world doesn't rotate due to statistics nor should you judge or base decisions on it. Personally, I know a lot of single black men and woman, in family and outside of family. Its not cause they are in a statistical category that they aren't getting married, cause before I was married, I was in the same category! So how did I break out? I didn't; I just chose to settle down with my wife. Its not like I haven't traveled, spent time with my family and friends; so how am I suppose to take this article.
By it's standards, I am white! Alumni of George Mason University along with my wife, we got married at 24 and are homeowners at 25. We both have EXCELLENT careers; so what is the message CNN is sending to me?
"Do you want to watch "Being Black in America" tonight at 9?
To which I replied:
"No, I have zero interested in seeing that type of program"
She insisted that I watch, to which again I replied I have things that I need to get done (and truthfully I did) and again, that I didn't like that type of program.
I couldn't honestly express why last night, but this morning, as I woke up and got ready for work I checked my email and browsed to CNN to see what is going on in the world. The headline was "Is marriage really for white people?"
I could not even read through the whole article, half way through it make a very clear distinction on how this article was going to end up. The point at which I stopped was this:
"The difference between Mrs. Allen and me: She was white."
At that point, I was so upset, that I had to come back to my blog, which I have since forgotten for the last two years.
Not that the story did anything wrong, I know people put careers before marriage, or plan to travel the world before settling down. My problem with this WHOLE "Black in America" special is this:
Why is it on and what message are they really portraying.
Lets get into why it is on. Its July, Black History month is in February. It seems rather odd that you would have a special not in the month that has been "dedicated" to black history and movement. Then I step back and look at what is happening in the world. This past weekend, I was at a family reunion in Virginia. My family went to eat at a little breakfast shop before we said our goodbyes. On the TV, Obama was front and center for a good while. The channel happened to be CNN.
I feel that CNN is only displaying this special to show the world "How it is/feels to be black"; because of the impending Presidential Election. America/World is still indifferent with black America, and they are on a mission to "educate" the world about our culture. Yet, I feel that they are doing disaster harm more than any good. Comparisons to white America, as if that was the control element in an experiment. I honestly think that we, as black Americans, are under a microscope and Ted Turner (who is the mastermind behind CNN) is trying to figure out who we are. With articles like the fore mentioned on earlier in this blog, what conclusions are you drawing from that?
Another quote from the article:
"If I remain in my current statistical category, a single black woman, it will be because I missed someone while gazing at the ancient obelisks of Egypt's Karnak Temple, partying with expats in Hong Kong or simply spending time with family and friends in America."
In your statistical category? As if you were a caged animal in a world with hope you couldn't get to? The world doesn't rotate due to statistics nor should you judge or base decisions on it. Personally, I know a lot of single black men and woman, in family and outside of family. Its not cause they are in a statistical category that they aren't getting married, cause before I was married, I was in the same category! So how did I break out? I didn't; I just chose to settle down with my wife. Its not like I haven't traveled, spent time with my family and friends; so how am I suppose to take this article.
By it's standards, I am white! Alumni of George Mason University along with my wife, we got married at 24 and are homeowners at 25. We both have EXCELLENT careers; so what is the message CNN is sending to me?
posted by BMass at 09:26
2 Comments:
It's telling you that you are not the statistical black male...go b!!
I think the message is that while you are doing great, you are unfortunately not the norm. Not to say some of the extremes show on the special are the norm either.
Post a Comment
<< Home