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Keeping
It Real
By Walter P. McGill, Jr.
What Black America is talking about...or should be.
Pimp
Juice and Ghettopoly
There are
some that are calling for the boycotting of the products
"Pimp Juice" and "Ghettopoly"
on the basis that they are promoting negative stereotypes of
the Black Community. While those arguments hold lots of
merit, what about the countless other examples of negative,
unhealthy or anti-social behaviors that we see promoted in
every medium. The music, television programs, movies and
plays that are supposed to be representative of the "Black
Experience" are full of stereotypical expressions. Comic view
on BET regularly features comics whose material depends on
the promotion of negative images, sexism and unhealthy
behaviors. The promotion of "Thug Life" and loose sexuality
are staples of Rap and Hip Hop music. So what is the problem?
The
problem is that we as a community have given up on ourselves.
We freely accept that there are those that will be lost and
we have thrown our hands up in futility. We talk of unity,
but we practice survival of the fittest. We think
little about all the Black children that were not fortunate
enough to have parents or relatives that made sure that
their kid was able to get into a private or charter
school, and then to college. We are anxious to move out
of our communities, chasing the elusive "American Dream",
while forgetting the families in the community we left
behind. Watching those communities suffer from the economic,
cultural and social exodus. Then, as I have heard over and
over in Washington, DC (where I live and work), we lament the
gentrification of Black neighborhoods as white yuppies move
in and price out those that Black people that stayed.
I'm not
sure that we need to worry so much about what others are
thinking about us. We need to spend more time working
on what we do for and with each other. After all, the truth
may be an offense, but it is not a sin.
What are your thoughts?
Share them on our
discussion board
08/12/2006
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