33

The Problem With “Solutions”

Wednesday Jan 26, 2011 – by

“I’m tired of talking about the problems. Do you have any solutions?”

Surely you’ve heard this sentiment before, usually in reference to a speech or article about some sort of social or political issue, challenge or deficiency. Whether or not the speaker is a certified expert on the matter at hand, or standing on the corner with some questionably researched reading materials, there’s usually someone there to say, “Enough of your talking, what are you going to do?”

They aren’t entirely wrong. Lip service is a booming business. There are loads of people who can (and do) talk all the livelong day about the perils of the world, but can’t lift more than a finger to a keyboard to complain. However, we can’t simply fire back with, “What you gon’ do about it?,” when they discuss racism, sexism, poverty or any other widespread malady.

Why? Well, it’s difficult to prescribe a solution to a phenomenon that hasn’t been universally accepted as a problem. A discussion of racism with the average group of White Americans, as studies have shown, would likely include remarks that race is no longer a major issue in this country. Similarly, attempting to engage the typical man about sexism and patriarchy can be a frustrating task. And if you dare to bring up race specific issues of gendered oppression and maltreatment with a Black man, more often than not, you better be prepared for him to run his LOLerskates all over your argument.

And even some of our cultural problems that seem to be widely acknowledged still rear their heads often enough to merit a discussion that invites folks who may not acknowledge or recognize them to take a serious look at the issue. For example, just over a week ago, one of the creators of the Mixed Chicks hair product line tweeted, “#teamlightskin sure hope all will try @mixedchicks to care for those curls.” #Teamlightskin and #Teamdarkskin are hashtags that have been used on Twitter by folks promoting all sorts of divisive foolishness about the ‘superiority’ of one’s complextion. This tweet was, of course, a PR headache for the small California-based company. Whomever maintains the account later went back and apologized in a few tweets, adding, “didn’t realize there was still a war. thought everyone celebrated differences like that. again, we apologize.”

I wasn’t angry at whomever the Tweeter was; I honestly think that the remark was made out of major naivete. Somehow, this person didn’t relealize that complextion is still a painful subject for a lot of folks. It’s odd to me that someone wouldn’t know that, but then again, I wasn’t raised by an interracial couple and I’m not surrounded by mixed couples/people. There are groups of people in this country who DO have that experience and some of the more nuanced, yet significant, matters of Blackness may not be constant topics of conversation. There are also Black folks who ARE dealing with very common Black issues, yet travel in circles in which they simply aren’t acknowledged or discussed as problems. I’ve heard full-grown Black people make statements about a certain complexion being “prettier” with no hesitation, no, “I know this is kinda bogus, but…” as if they were simply stating a fact.

The path to solutions is marked with a LOT of discussion. Now that the anonymous Tweeter is even slightly more aware of the color issue, hopefully she’ll look at things a little bit differently. Or, perhaps she’ll even take the time to do a little research and find out how such an “innocent” comment could get so many people upset. When dealing with matters that require individuals to adopt some sort of paradigm shift, there is a level of discussion and convincing that needs to take place to get them to that point. Increased diversity in the appearance of Black people in the media is a tangible step towards helping us end our issues with color; however, how do we expect the art directors and casting agents to choose a more varied pool if they haven’t first had some exposure to the problem? And if audiences respond most favorably to pictures of the man who looks like this and the woman who looks like that, then the conversation with the casting agent becomes even more complicated.

We can’t bypass discussion and skip to solutions. Furthermore, the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. In some cases, the discussion IS the solution. And, in others, the two work hand in hand to get us where we need to go.

33 Comments – Add Yours

  1. avatar African Mami says:

    There is a major disconnect amongst us as a people because we are yet to move forward from the ills of the past. Slavery and colonialism are largely to blame for this disconnect which has given way to: colorism, discrimination and stereotyping amongst us –a people of the same race-

    In reference, to the emerging team light-skinned versus dark-skinned wars that are becoming more apparent on the social media platforms, marketing tactics etc; a lot of it has to do with the disengagement brought forth from not having reconciled our past with our current present and future. There was a transfer of emotional and mental realities resulting from the aftermath of slavery and colonialism which were not properly dealt with. As a result, we now have to deal with them or rather combat the ugly truths of these realities.

    The realities that I reference to are the following: During the scramble for Africa, the colonialists made inferences towards the lines of being light skinned meant having 1.) more class 2.)more privileges 3.) better opportunities. This led to a division amongst my people which in turn gave birth to ethnic wars, tribal conflicts, regional conflict etc. Of course there are other factors (e.g. corruption, greed, kissing Western nations behinds.) combined with the aforementioned that have contributed and impacted the way we think and do things over there.

    With slavery, a lot of damage was done considering the fact that a people were forcefully uprooted from their origins and made to acculturate to a foreigner’s way of life. This resulted in a partial loss of culture, freedom of expression and oppression. In much the same way the colonialist discriminated between light and dark skinned so did the slave master.
    Without going into color technicalities, we are collectively seen as a black people, however we are yet to acknowledge and embrace the differences amongst us positively. Instead, we engage in competitive behavior amongst ourselves denouncing the other’s culture, norms and value systems as not being at par with the others. This sort of mentality has not added value to anything, rather it has mentally regressed us into the slavery and colonial era minus the chains and lynching.

    The physical scars from slavery and colonialism have long healed, but the mental scars are still fresh, painful and ever-so present. Moving past these differences amongst us will require a thorough decolonization of mental attitudes that have developed overtime.
    We need to be in a DECOLONIZED STATE OF MIND.

    Decolonization of the mind is MY solution.

    • avatar QueenofNewcastle says:

      I dont know if I can accept your theory though well argued. This phenomena, among black people is mainly between women. Men dont necessarily struggle with this issue as much as women do because it is wrapped up with our value, as women, in the sexual market.

      Besides, this phenomena is world wide-from Japan to Meso-America before any of these people had any contact with Europeans. In the case of Japan, they had only limited contact with Europeans. In case of India, the issues of skin color goes back thousands of years.

      I dont know how important this issue is. When compared others in the black community, it is a non issue. I refuse to have these endless debates because it makes us so bitter toward each other that we are never able to address the literally life and death issues in the black community.

      We should save the hue debate when we have the luxury to do so.

    • avatar Emelyne says:

      @QueeofNewcastle: i understand what you’re saying, but you must understand that, as far as Asians are concerned, lightskin is more than just a “white” feature to be admired. Most Asian nations have a caste system that puts lighter skinned people at the top because dark skin is associated with being a common laborer in the sun and light skin with being pampered, rich, and in many cases royalty. This is why, although many Asians glrify light skin, you don’t see many going out of their way to bleach their hair, wear colored contacts or get that dangerous eyelid surgery for a more “Western” (read: white) look. Of course, I’m sure skin bleaching, once it was introduced would have become popular among them anyway for the reasons I’ve stated. These dangerous trends and the glorification of light eyes in their culture started post-colonization. The fact that, thanks to slavery, most blacks are the descendants of laborers, coupled with our dark skin is the reason why their is so much racial dislike amoungst a lot of Asians towards blacks. And the fact that skin tone, eye color, and hair texture is not an issue for any uncolonized Africans proves that in our case, slavery is the culprit for our self-hating disease.

    • avatar sloane says:

      @african mami- YES!

      @emelyne- thank you for so eloquently explaining how the history of asian culture may have affected their motivation for prizing lighter skin. i can speak from personal experience concerning why black people often view lighter skin as superior: it came from centuries of indoctrination from slavery, segregation, and colonization.

    • avatar sloane says:

      @queenofnewcastle- i’m not sure why you seem to be minimizing this issue but it IS a serious problem for many people. when people are constantly invalidated by the society they live in as being unworthy and unattractive based on their natural skin complexion alone, it can diminish their self esteem and thus their life chances. it can become a self-fufilling prophecy where people believe that they are worthless and don’t strive for more or fulfill their potential. besides the fact that colorism can and does affect people of color in the job market which also affects their socioeconomic status.http://www.multiculturaladvantage.com/recruit/diversity/bias/Skin-Tone-More-Important-Than-Educational-Background-African-Americans-Seeking-Jobs.asp.

      often the first way to tackle a problem so insidious that some don’t even see it as a problem is to acknowledge it. this is most definitely still an issue, we haven’t gotten over it, and it needs to be addressed. then another step in the process is to have a dialogue, where you came come up with feasible ways of eradicating or at least lessening the impact of the problem.

      yes, i agree the black community has many serious issues, but i don’t think that concentrating on this one will definitetively will completely siphon our attention away from the others. i think we have a larger attention span then and ability to multitask then you’re giving us credit for.

    • avatar QueenofNewcastle says:

      @Emelyn,

      Thanks for the response. The glorification of light eyes may be recent. Light eyes and hair do denote some health benefits. Then again so do wide hips (benefits for carrying children and places less stress on our hearts) and kinky hair (no lice or fungal infections of the scalp.) I dont believe these things exist in a historical and evolutionary vacuum. There is a reason for everything. Its why I dont think these things personally.

      Lastly even light hair and eyes is not very common among white people. Its mainly concentrated among Northern Europeans.

    • avatar QueenofNewcastle says:

      @Sloane

      There are a range of physically characteristics in society that give us advantages or disadvantages us. The problem with women, all women, is we are constantly told they we have to be liked by everyone. When we are not we become embittered. No one is saying people should accept ridicule, humiliation, threats, or disrespect. But we arent going to be received positively all the time. We have, in this society, come a long way as black people and as black women. I dont want us to descend into the trivial when there are other, rather large elephants in the room.

  2. Ashley Sykes says:

    i think it was really dumb for the person who tweeted from mixed chicks to assume that only light skinned women have curls. wth? i thought they said on the bottle that their products were for everybody…. oops?

    • avatar oh really says:

      i won’t be buying nothing from them anyway.. thy have a touch of black – congratulations but stop acting all uppity n shyt w/your hair.. that’s how i feel about them..

  3. avatar Emelyne says:

    African Mami, you make an incredibly valid and thought-provoking point. I personally agree with you. I have never used Mixed Chicks products because the brand name alone rubbed me the wrong way, and while i do agree with the author as far as naivete on the Tweeter’s behalf, i believe that that naivete was fueled by willful ignorance and a feeling of superiority that has been embedded in the minds of bi/multi-racial blacks by the friends/family within the black community, that their light skin, light eyes, and curly loose hair is somehow better simply because it is more removed from black. The sad part is, being mixed does not guarantee one non-kinky hair, light skin or anything else outside of the African aesthetic, and glorifying the feautures the way or community us will only keep us apart as a people and mentally enslaved.

    • avatar African Mami says:

      @Emelyne,

      You made a very good point:
      “and glorifying the feautures the way or community us will only keep us apart as a people and mentally enslaved.”

      Mental enslavement is the worst form of slavery ever. The physical form of enslavement leaves visible scars that heal within no time, the mental leaves scars that are not visible to the naked eye, but whose ripple effects are felt or rather are still being felt generation after generation.

      That’s why Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’ lyrics are still poignant to this day. Ain’t nothing like being mentally liberated. Meditate on the lyrics.

      Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
      None but ourselves can free our mind.
      Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
      ‘Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time.
      How long shall they kill our prophets,
      While we stand aside and look?
      Yes, some say it’s just a part of it:
      We’ve got to fullfil the book.
      Won’t you have to sing
      This songs of freedom? -
      ‘Cause all I ever had:
      Redemption songs -
      All I ever had:
      Redemption songs:
      These songs of freedom,
      Songs of freedom.

  4. avatar CAsweetface says:

    African Mami and Emelyne, I could not agree with you two more. I grew up in California and now reside in the East Coast so this superiority sentiment that ocassionally rears its ugly head regarding being light skinned or bi-racial has always inferiated me. I’m caramel so im in the middle and can go either way and I have heard comments like, “I only date light skinned women so in the winter you fit the bill.” Really? Really? And then when they see me in the summer they can’t believe how brown i’ve gotten and if they can take it. Its ruined their California “light skinned dream.” As someone who takes the high road and refused to be in mental shackles and proud of who i am regardless of what bs some people have internalized at the hands of colonialism, institutionalized racism, discrimination and the list goes on i was going to rise above that. Its sad because I go back home and the majority of my family is happily brainwashed, accepting this let me mate with every nationality possible except for African-American because i want my kids to have a “look chance.” I just dont think, as the article stated, some parts of the world are exposed or “enlightened” if you will on the progressive discourse like minded and self loving African Americans have for themselves and our people say in the East, North, etc and i dont think theyve truly internalized the historical ramifications of words, of images of the standard of beauty, and lyrics glorifying the “red bones” only. I’ve always taken a position of beauty comes from white to red to cooper and how boring it would be live and see one type of color. Until you see a problem, deal with it, and accept it, finding a solution will hopefully be near and easier to reach.

  5. avatar Tlynnsmith says:

    First off, I don’t use, nor will I ever purchase Mixed Chicks products. The whole concept is…interesting. Hair has no “race”, and not only “mixed chicks” have type 3 hair. Their agenda has nothing to do with hair, in my opininon. They’re part of the “I’m Bi-Racial, not “Black”, DAMMIT!” movement. Perfectly fine. But, I’m just a garden-variety, everyday black person.

    Secondly, both founders are old enough to know better. “…Didn’t realize there was still a war…” Really? Seriously? They must live under some mighty big rocks.

    Just an issue among women? Hmmmm…I think black men throw it in the ring (the shade game), and watch us go at each other. Black men are the ones hosting these, “Light Skin Get In Free” parties. Some dudes tried it in Detroit, and it got shut down, only because black WOMEN spoke up and had a fit. I do wonder how it would have played out. Did they plan to have a brown paper bag at the door, to “colorize” the women as they entered the club? Dummies.

    We have so far to go, and not much time for the journey.

  6. avatar kellys says:

    Folks have been discussing for decades and thats the problem, if you look at old Ebonys and Jets you will see the same discussions. It is time for solutions or just let it be

  7. avatar BFS says:

    I never trusted this “Mixed Chicks” line of products or it’s purveyors, and now I see I was right not to. Then you have the people who want to sweep this issue under the rug because addressing it would mean calling their sacred cows (The biggest sacred cow in the Black community) out on their misogynistic garbage who keep perpetuating this sick colorism game with their “Light skin get in free” parties (Thanks Tlynnesmith) and other anti-dark-skinned Black women racist crap., destroying the self-esteem and spirit of countless young Black girls and re-opening old wounds for older Black women who are trying to move on and do something with their lives inspite of constantly being told they are ugly worthless garbage for the “Sins” of being female with dark skin and kinky hair.

  8. avatar MP says:

    I know that this is not the point of the article, but this was not a one-time “slip-up” on the part of Mixed Chicks. I’ve been frequenting curly hair message boards for about a decade or so now and the cultural views of the Mixed Chicks owner(s) have been a hot topic before. They have color, ethnic, etc. issues. I believe back in the day they were very vocal about a separate interracial designation for exclusive, not inclusive purposes. Sort of like keeping the South African/Louisiana style caste systems alive.

    I agree with the point that discussion can be a solution.

    • avatar RadioRascoe says:

      MP,

      I’ve been looking from some curly hair message boards to check out and get ideas. Which ones do you follow?

  9. avatar Brina says:

    As a brown-skinned, natural curly hair female…I feel that the only way to overcome the issue is to validate ourselves INDIVIDUALLY. Yes, history has misguided the black community for some time now but how long are we going to hold on to that mess? Again, being brown or dark or whatever color you see me, I can’t help how some ignorant people view me because what they eat don’t make me ish. You have to look beyond and behind some of the messages that misguided people will use to act as superior to others….usually it’s their own fears and insecurities. I grew up with mixed children and I’ve seen first-hand how some were mistreated and honestly it’s not fair because for them it seemed like they couldn’t catch a break…either they’re celebrated for the wrong reasons i.e. their looks not personality or mistreated because of insecurities from others who ALSO experience hurt from inner/outer hatred..So it’s only natural that they would want to exclusively form a group, just like dark-skinned ppl form their own and so forth and so forth. Do you get what I’m saying? Basically what it comes down to is just ACCEPTING YOUR OWN AND BEING YOURSELF without letting the outside in.

    Imagine me…because I’m dark, some black women AUTOMATICALLY ask me where I get my hair from assuming it’s weave and not mine own but then will side-eye me when they see it comes from my scalp. We do it to each other and when we stop this madness then the played out discussions of skin tone and hair texture will diminish but as long as we let the outside affect what’s inside, dead horse will never disappear.

    BTW, I’m not mixed and I use mixed chicks products because it works for my hair. Having a strong sense of self will help you to overlook things like the brand name because that’s all it is.

    Solution? Love yourself first and everything else will follow

    • avatar BFS says:

      Brina, with all due respect, that is the same tired, “Blame dark-skinned women for this problem as if they created it” standard evade/deflect tactic that is really qoute old and sickening at this point. No matter how much people want to spin it, dark-skinned Black women did NOT create this problem, and the sooner that is realised and accepted then MAYBE we can get somewhere. No matter how bad you may think those “Poor” mixed females you speak of had/have it, they DO NOT have to put with even a tiny fraction of the ish that darkskinned Black women & girls have to go through, period. This is really getting tiresome, this cronic protection of who keeps perpetrating this mess while our little girls cry themselves to sleep and hate what they see in the mirror!

    • avatar Emelyne says:

      @BFS: Co-sign!

    • avatar Brina says:

      @BFS

      I’m sorry but where did I say “blame dark-skinned girls for this mess”? That’s not where I was coming from….Please tell me where you read that.

      My point in the mixed PEOPLE (because I don’t recall specifying gender) example is to show you where it comes from….I’m speaking of PEOPLE who shove their insecurities onto others in order to deal with their pain which cause the “victim” to act out based on their experience with that person’s pain. Examples: A bully and they come in all colors, sex and sizes.

      Your response, as well as your co-signer, spoke volumes in how you feel about you….Again…ACCEPT YOUR OWN AND BE YOURSELF.

    • avatar Emelyne says:

      There you go again, talkign about things you don’t understand, Brina. i happen to be a woman of medium skin tone who is “red bone” when I remember to wear my sunscreen or during overcast weeks and I get quite dark in the summer or when I unwittingly tan. You assume because I co-sign BFS that I’m some dark-skinned woman who’s been put down all of my life and is just heaping with insecurties when the truth is, I merely have eyes to see and ears to hear how dark and light skin women in the black community are treated on a daily basis. Being in the middle is a blessing for me, because I personally know that society in general loves to feed and manifest insecurities and then turn around and say “Love yourself” and if you had imagined your problem into existence. These women have suffered a lot and believe it or not, both sides of the spectrum suffer ridiculous prejudice. Accepting yourself is one thing, being continuously told that you are not good enough constantly, however, might be a deterrent to that. Try turning on your tv or radio once in a while and hearing what is being said, really listening. Dark skin women are talked down to openly and in insinuation all the time and “red bone” women are not just glorified, but objectified for male pleasure. This is a problem that, altough an individual may solve for themselves, is difficult to resolve because skin tone priviledge is so deeply embedded in the black psyche.

    • avatar Isis says:

      Co-sign BFS!!!!

    • avatar edrina says:

      @Brina. Sorry that your comments have totally been misunderstood.

      This article is a missed opportunity for the discussion of solutions within the black community. Based on the comments the light vs dark topic is the primary take away issue from this article. Stated in this article, “However, we can’t simply fire back with, “What you gon’ do about it?” …”when they discuss racism, sexism, poverty or any other widespread malady”. IMHO this statement represents a same tired response and this is why nothing changes and stays the same (always looking for someone else to solve the problem). Why are people expecting others to do something about it-Damn! Let it start with you as an individual! Educate and advocate and if you are not willing to do that than STFU.

      Also stated, “The path to solutions is marked with a LOT of discussion.” Hell, all we do day in and day out-24/7 is discussion with complaining with an adversary tone! Solving nothing! Although as stated, sometimes the discussion can be the solution (requires good listening and reading skills ).

      Here we go again expectations of others, “how do we expect the art directors and casting agents to choose a more varied pool if they haven’t first had some exposure to the problem?” People create your own opportunities. Stop expecting mainstream validation for your existence but do command respect as a human being.

  10. avatar BFS says:

    Thank you Emelyne.

  11. avatar Anonymous says:

    Women of color can take a (vocal, economical/monetary, micro [family], macro [community]) stand on this issue and hopefully start the dialogue and process of healing for our colorism (not only pigmentation, but the manifestation of “blackness” in terms of hair texture, eye color, physical features) and internalized racism and begin therapy session for mental slavery/”plantation” thinking/”post traumatic slave disorder”. We must also acknowledge that colorism has adverse affects on men too. Put a spin on this, what would be the response if we held the black men entering the club to the ” brown paper bag” standard? **crickets**

    “Chocolate”, “Caramel”, “Red Bone”, “Yellow Bone”, “Mocha”, “Ebony”, “Dark”, “Light”, “Fair”, “House Negro”, “Field Negro” (the list goes on) are NOT who we really are. On a personal level, I can start by challenging those labels and I do but it gives many people “indigestion”. Is “Yellow Bone” really a compliment or something to be proud of when “Yellow Bone” women get a shout out in Lil Wayne and (recently) Justin Beiber’s (!!) rap songs? Did Yung Berg’s declaration that he doesn’t date “dark butts” sink in? More importantly, what about our children (the future) and the recent results of “The Doll” test (hint: compare to results from 1954)? What about the blatant colorism going on in Tyler Perry’s films that many black women support? What about the people (the ones who can’t confirm their genealogy) claiming I have “indian/french/creole/Japanese/spanish/anything but an ethnicity/culture of African descent”)?

    Stop the madness! There really are some deep issues going on here. @Tlynnsmith we do have a long way to go but only a short time to make it. WAAAAKE UUUUUUUP!

  12. avatar Anonymous says:

    @kellys

    Yes, history is repeating itself.

    Whew, I definitely went on a tangent. Solutions? Well, we can’t stop the “Light Skin/Dark Skin” parties. But we don’t have to patronize the clubs that throw them. Or maybe we can throw parties with all inclusive titles for “Black” people (I’m on the fence about the Jesse Jackson approved “African-American” label; “Black” better include s Black people on a “global level”–where do people who reside in Africa and the Caribeans/Islands and South America (“the latter two regions have people of African descent that aren’t African in nationality/geography) and multiracial people who identify as Black and forgive me for forgetting others that fit under the “Black” umbrella too!) .

    More Solutions?
    Race is very tricky. You can self-identify however you like but reality is that society categorizes and a lot of the times may designate (or give you not so subtle reminders) of the identity/role/status you have whether you like it or not @MP I was aware to that the owners of Mixed Chicks had involvement in “I’m Biracial…not Black damn’t” documentary. And that documentary is a very interesting commentary on race for multiracial people (that cosign on that mindset/position).

    But put a spin on it, the title alone is telling. Why isn’t the title “I’m Biracial…not White damn’t”? What is wrong or where is their shame with being confused for Black? @BFS @Emeleyn it’s definitely something to take to task/challenge with Whites (and others with light skinned privilege) who put the white/light is better out there (e.g. media, fraternities/sororities, businesses, policies for major societal institutions/”spaces”–places of worship, education, housing, politics, business, marriage/family, etc). But I digress…

    Solutions? Vote with you dollar as @BFS @Tlynnsmith and others stated. Race or no race, multiracial or not multiracial that’s sloppy business on the part of mixed chicks. I don’t see Carol’s Daughter or even DevaCurls refusing the money of any consumer. Although Miss Jessie’s is almost in the skillet with Mixed Chicks with the subtext of their “marketing”.

    Solutions? How does one debrief and rehabilitate people with colonized mindsets? I don’t know. But I’m ready to meet to discuss that and share ideas and collaborate with Black people that WANT to start the dialogue and find solutions. The Black people that are resistant or fighting to stay in the colonized mindset… Well you can’t help those who don’t want the help…

    • avatar Tlynnsmith says:

      ^^ AMEN!

      We all have to held accountable for this race thing. It’s not just about “dark skinned women having complexes”, and “just love yourself”.

      NO! I’m going to love myself, most definitely, AND I’m going to hold you accountable if you feed the monster. If the only way to wake you up is to mess up your bottom line, then I will do it. Gladly. Because I don’t have to use “Mixed Chicks”. There’s other stuff out there that works just as well, or better, and doesn’t cost as much (monetarily nor psychologically).

      I’m sorry about this to: I’m not about to feel sorry for the “poor bi-racial girls”, who have it “so hard” in the world. Now, I understand that those of us who are just “straight up black” have our own issues and many of would give our last, to be a “mixed chick”. I know. I know we can act ugly. But I understand where that comes from, even though I don’t condone it. I also know there are some “mixed chicks” who glory in their skin color/hair texture, and love to flaunt it, in the face of the “simply black”. Plantation mentality is alive and well. Let’s tell the truth, so we can get better.

      Until black folks stop making stupid, ignorant comments like, “She’s pretty, to be so dark…”, and we stop calling our own folks “Black #%@@!” when we wanna hurt them, or making reference to their “nappy hair” (I don’t have a problem with the word, “nappy”, but I know it’s a go-to word for many colonized black folks, when they wanna dig deep and do damage), THEN I’ll believe we’ve come far enough that we can step of the soapbox, and settle down.

      From the looks of it, that day is so far away. Instead of moving past all this, seems like we’re running right into the eye of the storm…and we’re just as happy as can be. Ain’t got a CLUE of the destruction that’s right in front of us.

      What a sorry state.

  13. avatar Tlynnsmith says:

    Sorry for the typos, y’all.

  14. avatar Brittany says:

    Why can’t people just see themselves as humans and stop causing unecessary arguments? I have a mixed parent and I don’t see her running around losing her head over something so trivial. My grandfather is a creole and he married another half black half creole woman and she got along fine. I think the media fuels a lot of this nonsense. If you need to belong to a group that bad then go join a support group or start your own country. :D

  15. avatar Anonymous says:

    Interesting V-Blog from Shira J of SugarFeeTv; One Perspective but a good conversation piece for this blog. The “Light Skinned Girls’ Club” metaphor…

    On That Controversial Tip: “The Light Skinned Girls’ Club” (Part I)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&v=d1fiVskGj9w&annotation_id=annotation_772764

Leave a Comment

  • We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.
  • Please keep comments related to topic.
  • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

You are commenting as a Guest. Optional: Login below.

Daily Blog - News.Gossip.Info