Thoughts

10/18/07

Are we clowns?

I was reading Black Enterprise magazine, when I came upon the editor’s column. What caught my eye was the subject of his latest editorial; it mentioned how we, as blacks, have allowed ourselves to be viewed by the majority(and other minorities) as clowns. This resonated with me, since I have been thinking about this for awhile. Especially since the whole T.I and Micheal Vick’s incidents. Why, oh why, the black community continues to allow such individuals to be glorified and be our representatives to the world? Do we hate ourselves so much, that we are o.k. to allow such distorted portrayals of our community to continue each day on T.V. and in the movies? Why can’t we pushed positive images of blacks in the entertainment world. Images such as, the studious young adult, who is proud to go to college and learn such subjects as Greek Mythology; or, the young black professionals who are moving up the corporate ladder. Or what about, the CEO’s who have succeeded to achieve what our ancestor could only dream? Nah, they are not interesting, these upstanding pillars of our community. Nah, they are not “glamour” enough. Then, lets not complain when we are portrayed as gangster, drug addicts, whores, the best friend but never the lead. Until we change our perception of what needs to be shown, ourselves, then the majority will never show it for us.