Re: Ebonic Xmas

The Gray Wizard wrote:

> > The poem had no malevolence.  In fact I do not recall it expressing any
> > desire (positive or negative) whatsoever.  It was a recollection of a
> > fictional, and (thanks to numerous BLACK COMEDIANS) comically
> > stereotypical
> > bronx-style christmas.  And my comments about how it can be humourous:
>
> To blame black comedians for the existence of racist stereotypes is to
> ignore history.  If black comedians exploit these stereotypes it can only be
> because they pre-existed in a not very comical context.
Indeed.  Just last week I was watching "The American Experience" on PBS
(the public television network in America) which was airing an episode about
America at the turn of the last century.  One scene depicted the basic, fundamental
racism that was part and parcel of American society, showing the flyer for a
vaudeville show entitled:  "All 'Coons Look Alike to Me:  A Darkey
Misunderstanding".  Now, if that does not epitomize racism and hate, I don't
know what does.

The idea that black comedians are at fault for this is simply laughable.
Disgustingly laughable.

> Racism is political, social and economic.  It is not racist merely to make
> judgments based on race. If I say that black people as a rule have darker
> skin than whites, I am making a judgment based on race, but am not making a
> racist statement.  Words do not stand independent of the context in which
> they are used.  THAT is a linguistic principle.
I couldn't have said it better myself!

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Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
AIM: Deuterotom ICQ: 4315704
<http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."
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