As the Internet, media, and adoring fans mourn the death of Micheal Jackson, here in the real world it is business as usual. A 7 year old child was murdered in Kansas City Kansas. That makes two children this week who have been callously murdered. Two kids who will never have the chance to realize their potential. So it only stands to reason that the BIG NEWS here in KC revolves around the death of an entertainer, who shared nothing in common with his legions of fans. A guy who silenced child molestation allegations with millions. A walking cartoon character, whose face changed more often than Liz Taylor's husbands. Sure he was talented, innovative, iconic, give it a name. While his fans weep, wail, and gnash teeth, they hold little in common with the walking freak show behind the mask. Maybe I'm just a surly, cynical, prick. Perhaps I'm being unreasonable to feel so contemptuous of the masses who weep for a man they never really knew, who they shared nothing in common with, who was so far removed from the everyday reality of the world the rest of us live in. Maybe I expect too much. Maybe I'm the one with the screwed up priorities. Maybe the local news stations are right to air endless Michael Jackson memorials, while only offering up a few minutes every hour to the news that a 7 year old child was brutally murdered in our own backyard.
Now for a dose of reality and common sense. The new Transformers movie is RACIST!!!!!! 'Transformers' Sequel Brings Jarring Issue of Race". That's the headline on the ABC news web page. Apparently two of the cars are speaking in a manner that some people are saying is disrespectful to African Americans. One of the actors who did the voice over says "When he took the role, he was told that the alien robots learned about human culture through the Web and that the twins were "wannabe gangster types." While critics and pundits are raising voices filled with righteous indignation, decrying the use of street slang and a gold tooth as demeaning to black folks, an insulting parody. What I find offensive is the assumption by these politically correct douche bags, that black people all speak in gangsta dialogue, or sport gold teeth. Voices rise up to lambaste a sci fi movie, while remaining mute over the stereotype laden movies that star black actors. Go figure, it is perfectly acceptable for Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Griffin, or Chris Rock to make movies poking fun or getting laughs through parody and stereotype of both blacks and whites, but a robot is totally offensive for speaking like a gangsta and sporting a gold tooth. Somewhere along the line, in our need to be sensitive and politically correct, we have lost our sense of humor. We are afraid to laugh, poke fun of ourselves, to lighten up. People go out of their way to find offense where none is intended. Hey, that shit sells.
I don't normally take shots at comments, other than the occasional troll, today I'm going to make an exception. A commenter on my Citadel Plaza post, who lives or lived in the Ivanhoe area off of Troost, a white woman, took exception to my post. She went so far as to describe me and my readers as, and I quote " white people and middle class people making their pronouncements about poor people and minority neighborhoods. Most of them are so scared of these areas, they never go there. To offer up a slice of this persons mindset here is another quote from a post on her blog. " Ah, the fallacy of my white privilege came on full display. I, me, the privileged one, had cared about and been in the life of this young man. Ergo, he should be safe. " She was referencing a young black guy who was recently killed. Nothing like a well off, white college professor to put life in the inner city in perspective. She feels guilt over her whiteness, so much so that she jumps at the chance to write off any white folks with differing views as, middle class, fear driven, chicken littles. Normally I take the time to read what someone writes before I take a shot at them. I like to make sure I'm not making a decision based on my own bias and prejudice, rather than fact. This self described "White Girl in the Hood", an educator no less, can't be bothered with facts, not when there is a race card to be played. Not when there is perceived injustice to address, wrongs to be set right. Fuck the truth, who needs truth when you can sling accusations based on bullshit.
What pissed me off about her comments and her post, isn't the fact that we disagreed. People disagree with me all the time, I get shit wrong, it's rare, but it happens. What pissed me off is this guilt ridden morons dismissal, based solely on the color of my skin. Never mind that I spent half a lifetime in places this clueless bleeding heart would never tread. Ignore the fact that most violent crime takes place on the east side. In fact she wrote " Having lived much farther east in KC than this particular location, I feel I can say with some assurity - they are all full of crap. Yes, there is crime. Yes, there is poverty. Is the area as safe as the most affluent neighorhoods? Yes and probably safer ". I have to say that little snippet, is either the most delusional or moronic thing I've heard in recent memory.
So whats the fuckin point MM? The point is I find it impossible to suffer fools. When people say stupid shit, I can't help but react. When some out of touch, over educated, white broad, who plays the race card in place of logic, who trots out her white guilt and angst, while enjoying its fruit, I tend to get a little pissy. When she calls me out as some Suburban middle class white guy, which is her way of calling me a racist, I get pissed. Being white doesn't automatically make me a racist, or fear monger, or clueless, any more than being black automatically means you speak in Ebonics through a gold tooth. I'm harder on white people on this blog than I've ever been on Black people. That doesn't mean I automatically give them a pass, or lay all of their ills at the feet of white America. We got where we are today, through the fault and to the credit of folks white, black and brown. Nobody is free of blame, or denied credit. So I'm going to have to trump that race card. Common sense and facts beat out white guilt and hyperbole every time.
I'm done. Have a safe weekend, make sure and drive to the Piggly Wiggly on Linwood to do your shopping, even if you live in Blue Springs, you over privileged white devils you.
Now for a dose of reality and common sense. The new Transformers movie is RACIST!!!!!! 'Transformers' Sequel Brings Jarring Issue of Race". That's the headline on the ABC news web page. Apparently two of the cars are speaking in a manner that some people are saying is disrespectful to African Americans. One of the actors who did the voice over says "When he took the role, he was told that the alien robots learned about human culture through the Web and that the twins were "wannabe gangster types." While critics and pundits are raising voices filled with righteous indignation, decrying the use of street slang and a gold tooth as demeaning to black folks, an insulting parody. What I find offensive is the assumption by these politically correct douche bags, that black people all speak in gangsta dialogue, or sport gold teeth. Voices rise up to lambaste a sci fi movie, while remaining mute over the stereotype laden movies that star black actors. Go figure, it is perfectly acceptable for Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, Eddie Griffin, or Chris Rock to make movies poking fun or getting laughs through parody and stereotype of both blacks and whites, but a robot is totally offensive for speaking like a gangsta and sporting a gold tooth. Somewhere along the line, in our need to be sensitive and politically correct, we have lost our sense of humor. We are afraid to laugh, poke fun of ourselves, to lighten up. People go out of their way to find offense where none is intended. Hey, that shit sells.
I don't normally take shots at comments, other than the occasional troll, today I'm going to make an exception. A commenter on my Citadel Plaza post, who lives or lived in the Ivanhoe area off of Troost, a white woman, took exception to my post. She went so far as to describe me and my readers as, and I quote " white people and middle class people making their pronouncements about poor people and minority neighborhoods. Most of them are so scared of these areas, they never go there. To offer up a slice of this persons mindset here is another quote from a post on her blog. " Ah, the fallacy of my white privilege came on full display. I, me, the privileged one, had cared about and been in the life of this young man. Ergo, he should be safe. " She was referencing a young black guy who was recently killed. Nothing like a well off, white college professor to put life in the inner city in perspective. She feels guilt over her whiteness, so much so that she jumps at the chance to write off any white folks with differing views as, middle class, fear driven, chicken littles. Normally I take the time to read what someone writes before I take a shot at them. I like to make sure I'm not making a decision based on my own bias and prejudice, rather than fact. This self described "White Girl in the Hood", an educator no less, can't be bothered with facts, not when there is a race card to be played. Not when there is perceived injustice to address, wrongs to be set right. Fuck the truth, who needs truth when you can sling accusations based on bullshit.
What pissed me off about her comments and her post, isn't the fact that we disagreed. People disagree with me all the time, I get shit wrong, it's rare, but it happens. What pissed me off is this guilt ridden morons dismissal, based solely on the color of my skin. Never mind that I spent half a lifetime in places this clueless bleeding heart would never tread. Ignore the fact that most violent crime takes place on the east side. In fact she wrote " Having lived much farther east in KC than this particular location, I feel I can say with some assurity - they are all full of crap. Yes, there is crime. Yes, there is poverty. Is the area as safe as the most affluent neighorhoods? Yes and probably safer ". I have to say that little snippet, is either the most delusional or moronic thing I've heard in recent memory.
So whats the fuckin point MM? The point is I find it impossible to suffer fools. When people say stupid shit, I can't help but react. When some out of touch, over educated, white broad, who plays the race card in place of logic, who trots out her white guilt and angst, while enjoying its fruit, I tend to get a little pissy. When she calls me out as some Suburban middle class white guy, which is her way of calling me a racist, I get pissed. Being white doesn't automatically make me a racist, or fear monger, or clueless, any more than being black automatically means you speak in Ebonics through a gold tooth. I'm harder on white people on this blog than I've ever been on Black people. That doesn't mean I automatically give them a pass, or lay all of their ills at the feet of white America. We got where we are today, through the fault and to the credit of folks white, black and brown. Nobody is free of blame, or denied credit. So I'm going to have to trump that race card. Common sense and facts beat out white guilt and hyperbole every time.
I'm done. Have a safe weekend, make sure and drive to the Piggly Wiggly on Linwood to do your shopping, even if you live in Blue Springs, you over privileged white devils you.
I think the reason some of us hated to see the death of Michael Jackson was that it made us reflect on the good times we had that were somehow associated with his music and now gone. What came to my mind when hearing the news was taking my then 14 year old daughter to his 1984 Victory Tour at Arrowhead. We had a great time. It was a great concert. She showed up last night wearing the t-shirt she bought that night. That t-shirt is now 25 years old
ReplyDeletebut damn when I saw her last night she was 14 all over again.
As far as the professor, I pity the young minds she's infecting. She's a narcissistic attention hog who feeds on her self perception as one above everybody else because nobody could possibly know what SHE knows or experience what SHE has. Pity her delusion.
When she means farther east she mean Grain Valley.
ReplyDeleteMy, aren't you all threatened by the words of a delusional professor with mornonic ramblings, to spend precious blog space spewing at me. I'm glad I touched a nerve, because that is what the discourse is all about. MM, I never called you anything. I know you have lived in midtown. I know you have a positive and supportive outlook on the urban core. Your readers, however, and in particular, the comments to your original post were right there. So if you see yourself in that category and take offense, well that's your decision. As to my playing the race card, all I can say is - huh? How does a white person play the race card? I'm just calling it as I see it. Maybe I get a little pissy too when I read moronic posts and comments. We agree to disagree as always, but thanks for the chance to say my piece.
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way - the Piggly Wiggly is long gone and the store that replaced it is gone too. However, you might try the Happy Foods on 30th and Cleveland. It is one of only 3 groceries east of troost...
ReplyDelete"I'm glad I touched a nerve, because that is what the discourse is all about."
ReplyDeleteExactly what I suspected. It's not about the truth or getting to the bottom of things, it's about contrariness and pricking the people we've learned to believe have inferior experiences for grasping the nuances of race, class and gender. Luckily for white college professors who've drank from the cup of priviledge they can assuage their learned guilt and self-loathing by sticking up for people they not-so-thinly patronize.
Oh, Miscreant. I dig your blog, man, but your Citadel Plaza post made me sad. I'm not knocking your belief that the development will be a miserable failure - I'm not knowledgeable enough to even ponder that - but I live across the street from it.
ReplyDeleteI love my little neighborhood, my neighbors, and our house. My ethnically-mixed family has been accepted more there than any other place in this city (I'm one of those suburban white girls).
I don't care what the hell they decide to put in over there - park, church, Erotic City, whatever - but THEY (CDC/City/Whoever) fucked it up. They need to CLEAN it up, and they need to do it soon. I'm tired of worrying that my son will play in the wrong dirt and die from it.
Your post makes me worry that the rest of the city just wants that corner to rot - I'm in agreement that maybe a $90 million development isn't such a great idea, but I don't think it's fair to leave it the way it is. On the bright side, at least someone's paying attention, right? :)
The Chi Lites Son Darren Cubie - Jones Says:
ReplyDeleteSeptember 29th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Creating a Bill to protect the legacies of legendary black entertainers is the way to stop further deaths are mistreatment to legendary entertainers like Michael Jackson and my father from his Legendary Chi Lites group.
Oprah Winfrey helping by doing a show and informing as well as supporting a Bill on To protect all Legendary Black Entertainers legacies and including your on legacy that would be protected under this Bill for your own sisters and family don’t hide the abuse of legendary black entertainers tell my father’s and the Chi Lites, and Chi Lites and legendary black entertainers exploitation abuse it!!!!
The Chi Lites Son Darren Says:
October 10th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Chi Lites Son Darren To LISA PRESLEY
LISA PRESLEY father died in abuse Lisa Pressley do you think that a reform inside of the entertainment field with Elvis Legacy and the legacies of legendary black entertainers?
I think Lisa Presley and many of the legacies of Entertainment Icons like my father Creadel Jones from the legendary Chi Lites and our families legendary legacies from the entertainment Hollywood and music should work to gather to fight the abuse of legacies like my father Creadel Jones from The Legendary Chi Lites music and his nick Patten town Chi Town none as Chicago Ill and your legendary father Elvis.
By you and your legendary father Elvis legacy working with our legacies all of the legacies and the legacies of legendary entertainers your legendary Elvis Legacy can be the way to protect legacies of Legendary Michael Jackson the real king of pop, and your King of Rock will stop the abuse that cases entertainment legendary Icons like our father’s legendary historic founding of the American Culture and our planet treasures and values for your children and generations in the future.
The Deaths of Michael Jackson could have been prevented and the deaths of Legendary Icon the Chi Lites founding singer my father Creadel Jones that died sleeping homeless from abuse and exploitation homeless could have been stopped.
Michael Jackson is very close to the Chi Lites and my mother and father Creadel Jones and me.I believe we can create the first ever Bill government protected and enforced Bill that will stop abuse to Elvis legacy and my loved father Creadel Jones and his Legendary Chi Lites and all Legendary entertainers like Marvin Gaye, and Icons that made America what it has been shaped.
With you helping and president Obama Oprah Winfery lead on the Bill To Protect legendary Icons from abuse are exploitation Michael Jackson and your father’s legacy and children empire will be protect along with American Icons. The first ever Bill to Protect Legendary Entertainers Historic Dreams and legacy.
You’re for Mr. Elvis Would love your guiding lead to protect the legacies of all legendary American Musicians and Icons. This Historic Bill will protect all icon historic achievements tour out the world. Contact Oprah. Michael Jackson said Make That Change help do it.
Thank You
God Bless
The Exploitation of Legendary Black and Minority Entertainers New Film are Oprah Winfery Show Project. Darren Cubie Son of Creadel Jones A Fellow singer and Friend and business associate the Chi Lites and legendary Black ntertainers needs your help and involvement and cooperation with the death of my father Creadel Jones and his wife Deborah Jones and Assistance with Helping Bring The Family of my father Creadel Jones together For a In deep resolution in the issue are matter involving my father Creadel Jones and our family and the untimely death of my father Creadel Jones do to Legacy Exstorion And Exploitation are Abuse And The of Black Pioneers are Enterainment black icons. The death of my father Creadel Jones was under exploitive conditions and poverty conditions that not only affected my father Creadel Jones but also me and my father’s family.
ReplyDeleteRecently information from the internet and News has and was presented on the sites over the internet and seen displayed on the web and sites music and others. The story presented on the web was the best information available and filled under the story involving my father Creadel Jones and Black Entertainment Pioneers my family the real family story concerning my father Creadel Jones I wish to deal with the under standing of the Story and the explanation for your involvement are lack of involvement from media and entertainment industry concerning the death and exploitation of my father Creadel Jones and black entertainment icons So I along with I and my father’s family and children would like to call for a formal in deep meeting on my father Creadel Jones and all issues involving my father’s And I and our family’s question are concerns with the death of my father Creadel Jones and the abuse of the Chi Lites music from my father Creadel Jones work and legendaryblack and minority Pioneers icons in entertainment with you and my family and father’s legacy in order to bring closer and to stop abuse and exploitation to I and my father’s legacy.
I hope you will honor your verbal agreement stating your interest in helping Legendary Entertainers with movies and your Industry stop legacy exstrotion and exploitation to me and my family and black pioneers it could bring me anf our family legacy and us icons out poverty and financial hardship do to music abuse. By keeping your agreement to help with having the story of my father Creadel Jones on the Oprah Winfery Show as entertainment story on the legacy’s of legendary entertainers that die in poverty and have legacy abuse and who have families that are left in poverty from this>
The Chi Lites legacy is very important to me and to my father’s Creadel Jones family and to you I am sure So Let’s Work together to resolve the abuse and fix he maunder standing of my father’s Creadel Jones and our legacy in efforts to bring the family together resolve poverty and exploitation and misunderstanding with I and my family Creadel Jones from the music group the Chi Lites and our legacy. I encourage you to read not only what I have stated in my site but what my father families have wrote on the Chi Lites forum under Chi Lites Creadel Jones Died From Mistreatment , Chi Lites Creadel Jones And Isaac Hayes Let’s get this fixed and sorted out asp!!!!!!!!!
Contact me at ChiLitesContact@yahoo.com and ChiLitesLegacy@yahoo.com http:://www.ChiLites.Ning.Com