"We have come far, but we have a ways to go."
Granddaddy Omen used to say that to me when I was younger, especially whenever I told him anything relating to "breaking barriers." Whether it was Oprah's success or one of my cousins' graduating from college, the response was the same.
I took such comments for granted for a long time, until I went to college. Part of me wishes I had a chance to see Grandpa again to tell him he was (sadly) right.
I also wish I could tell him that "a ways to go" isn't that far. But then, I'd be lying.
In the wake of "Imuscalation," everyone from both the politcal and sports world have been chimming in on "what's appropriate to say." This morning, Meredith Vieira from the Today Show asked Al Sharpton the following:
Well, let's talk about accountability Sir, because when you had Imus on your show on Monday you brought your daughter out at one point and this really resonated with me because I have a daughter, and you asked him to look at your daughter and said "this is not a 'ho;' this is my daughter." A lot of people around the country understood what you were saying because so many young ladies and young men everyday on the airwaves are exposed to ugly language: to the "n-word," to the "b-word," to the word "ho" much of it orginated in the black community, with rap music, and hip-hop music, as you have acknowledged. What are you gonna do now to immediately stop that filth that is coming over the airwaves in the way you've tried to stop Don Imus?
Sharpton response was that he's worked with prominent black orginizations and the FCC. He also mentioned that the music industry isn't exactly part of the black community, but Vieira didn't seemed phased by that.
I don't ever remember Shaprton explicitly saying that those words "orginated in the black community." I have heard him say that those words need to be expunged from both black and rap culture which is entirely different from saying that the "black community" came up with those words.
Well, Vieira's claim is just plain wrong.
I've gone into the nuances of the "n-word," so I'm not going to repeat myself here.
As for the "b-word":
Bitch is a term for the female of a canine species in general. It is also frequently used as a derogatory term for a woman, taken to mean that she is malicious, spiteful, domineering, intrusive, or unpleasant. This second meaning has been in use since around 1400.[1] When used to describe a male, it confers the meaning of "subordinate", especially to another male (as in prison). More recent variants of bitch are bitchy, ill-tempered (1925), and to bitch, to complain (1930).[1]
Sometime during the late 1990s or early 2000s, the term "bitch" became more and more accepted and less offensive, and is now very rarely censored on television broadcasts or otherwise. Prior to the term's general acceptance, euphemism terms were often substituted, such as "gun" in the phrase "son of a gun". More generally the term has also acquired the meaning of something unpleasant or irksome, as in the expression "Life's a bitch".
Hip-hop orginated in the 1970's. Vieira is off by about 570 years.
There's also a "nonprofit, independent, quarterly magazine by the same name." I'm not saying this justifies using the word, but wouldn't the magazine's title (and probably their content) have to change under Vieira's logic?
Vieira may be right about "ho," but only as a slang term for the word "whore." And "whore" itself is another word for "prostitute," which, again, predates Hip-Hop.
So to recap: these words are used in "the black community (as well as others, but who's counting?)" but they did not "originate" there...the original words were taken and "slanged-up." In other words: Vieira's just plain wrong.
*****
I wish this was the only instance of people proclaiming themselves experts in what black culture is all about. My second rant is directed towards Tony Blair.
He's being criticized by black community leaders today for these comments:
Giving the Jim Callaghan memorial lecture, the PM said: "In respect of knife and gun gangs, the laws need to be significantly toughened.
"There needs to be an intensive police focus on these groups. The ringleaders need to be identified and taken out of circulation; if very young, as some are, put in secure accommodation.
He went on: "The black community - the vast majority of whom in these communities are decent, law-abiding people horrified at what is happening - need to be mobilised in denunciation of this gang culture that is killing innocent young black kids.
"But we won't stop this by pretending it isn't young black kids doing it."
This wasn't as offensive as Vieira's comments, but it still peaked my interest. So did a search. I found a story in late March about doorstep killing which, a day later, was attributed to "a reflection on the availability of guns in society" by Detective Chief Inspector Ian Stevenson.
Then there's the sad story (this past Saturday) of a pregnant woman being shot dead. But:
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton said: "We think that this took place as a result of some sort of dispute. There was nothing at all to suggest it was related to any other crime. It seems it was just a very disproportionate escalation of some sort of dispute."
Then there's this story, that ran yesterday:
Detectives investigating the murder of a 14-year-old boy in an apparent gang attack have arrested two more teenagers, also 14, Scotland Yard said yesterday. Paul Erhahon was stabbed to death in the lobby of a block of flats in Leytonstone, east London. A 15-year-old friend was also repeatedly stabbed in the attack and remains seriously ill in hospital.
Officers are continuing to question two other teenagers, one 19 and the other 13.
Disturbing, but (unfortunately) not uncommon. So I read on:
Police believe that the gang that cornered Paul and his friend may have numbered up to 15. Witnesses saw several youths fleeing the scene in Gean Court, just before 8pm on Friday.
Although detectives are keeping an open mind about any possible links to gang crime, locals have spoken about tensions between rival gangs over "postcode" territories.
Again, disturbing but umcommon. Gangs are traditionally territorial. Then I saw this:
Amateur rap videos posted on the internet - some of which feature Paul under his performance name MC Hell Reiser - appear to show boys threatening others who enter their territory. But Paul's rap songs also contain lyrics about his fear of being attacked and his despair at the random violence enacted against, and by, younger members of the community.
Paul, whose murder is the seventh killing of a child under 16 since the end of January, attended Kingsford community school - the school attended by 15-year-old Adam Regis, who was stabbed to death last month.
I went back to the "criticism story:"
Tony Blair yesterday claimed the spate of knife and gun murders in London was not being caused by poverty, but a distinctive black culture. His remarks angered community leaders, who accused him of ignorance and failing to provide support for black-led efforts to tackle the problem.
After reading the comments from those in London's black community, I have to say that I agree with them. The Paul Erhahon story - whether the reporter meant it or not - gave the impression that Erhahon's status as a rapper (and by extentsion, "the black community") was a factor in the attack. Now I'm not sure why Blair decided to come out when he did, but the timing of his speech, words he used, it gives another impression: that his focus was on the crime involving "the rapper" and not the ones that were just as violent, but had no known connection to "the black community."
I don't think Blair or Vieira should speak as if they are authorities on "the black community" or "black culture." Considering their roles/positions, they need to be more careful when they make such assertions about an entire group of people.