- Jun 8, 2004
- 3,210
- 64
cocobutterskyn said:"should Oprah not complain about racism because she, perhaps, does not experience racism at the level that less notable African Americans???"
did the content of my post convey that?
No person(black or white) should tolerate racism.
I’m not hating on Oprah. I give her MADD props for her accomplishments. What I’m making reference to is... ordimary blacks live face to face with racism and are reminded almost DAILY that the world frowns upon darker hues. Blacks with money and fame are tolerated, til white society slips up and let the cat out the bag... that they’re still #%$$^*@. I can’t speak for anyone but myself on the envy, jealousy issue. I’m not jealous of, nor do I envy anyone’s fame and fortune or ANYONE PERIOD! God favored me and saved my life 2 years ago... that is worth more than all the Oprahs in the world. All I’m saying... WHEN IT COMES TO THE BLACK RACE... ALL THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS and MONEY IN THE WORLD doesn’t make us immune to the stench and ugliness of racism. And the Oprah incident is proof. Perhaps with her worldwide fame, money and the noise made about the ordeal will stir things up for the better.
If she is upset because it’s a racism issue, YES by all means stand up and take a stand, but if its because she didn’t get to shop when she wanted to... then don’t cry racism and involve the whole world. HELL just buy the **** store. (just joking) on the real... handle it with the store owner
for responding to the thread
jus'sayit!
Coco
Sister Coco Butter, thank you for your reply to my post, as I gained clarity from your words...
Let me just say this, beautiful sister, I do believe that Oprah and her crowd share stories of racism among themselves no less than we do at this board... I'm sure that Oprah's favorite cats, like Jamie and Will Smith and Danny Glover and them, share their experiences with the authorities all the time, so it is no strange creature to them... Glover sued the Taxi and Limosine commission in New York about 10 years ago behind not being able to get a cab to take him uptown(that's Harlem for non-NYers)...
Historically, African American celebs have experienced racism on, perhaps, a more visceral level than the average African American by virtue of their CONSTANT CONTACT with White folks... They've got more stories to tell about racism than we can ever imagine; Nat King Cole being assaulted on stage in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, Dorothy Dandridge having the pool drained at a chic hotel after she swam in it, Bill Russell coming home from a road trip, and finding the N-Word scrawled on his bedroom wall in excrement,and of course, Jackie Robinson, who was sent to an early grave because of his internalizing of the madness he experienced...
Listen, these folk are in a touchy situation as regards maintaining their status, and alienating the wrong folks... You and I might be a little more principled, and take a stronger stand against racism were we in ther position, but I have to admit it is not an easy decision to make from their vantage point... No one wants to do what Maqmood Abdul-Rauf did some years ago when he called the American flag a symbol of slavery and genocide, and was basically white-balled outta the NBA... Does any of us remember our brother??? I imagine he is somewhere making a living, but not on the level of the salary he was making in the NBA... That's the kind of thing I am considering, because I can't pay Maqmood a dime if he is unemployed...
Having said that, I tend to allow folk to do what they can do, and try to support them when and where I can... Now, if that was Condolezza Rice, however, making a charge of racism, I might have the attitude I've seen expressed by some of us at this board...(smile!)
Peace!
Isaiah