tea party!

Last weekend, hours before the final vote for the new Health Care came in, protestors were reported, saying the protestors were saying racist slurs, homophobic terms, and even spitting- all towards Democratic lawmakers.  However, some of the protestors are complaining about the media, saying they exaggerated it.  This article points out what happened and what claimed to have happened.  Apparently, there are at least three claims of negative behavior.  An example of this behavior that the article points out is claiming that the group began chanting the N-word.  Two of the lawmakers walking by are African American.  Another claim is someone calling a lawmaker "faggot" and then everyone bursting into laughter.  The worse claim, however, is a lawmaker being spit upon.  Though police had someone in custody for this disgusting act, the man decided not to press charges.  The other side of the argmument is that the crowd was chanting "Kill the Bill" not the racist slur.  Whether they are simply to do "damage control" or not, it's unclear.  There are many other links connecting to interesting related articles, bringing up questions such as if the lawmakers were simply playing "the race card."  However, there is also the exact opposite view that the lawmakers "brushed it off" and are handling it seriously.

This effects us as a society in so many ways.  First of all, how is degrading any race or sexual preference related to the new Health Care system?  The protestors were simply taking out their anger and frustration on the innocence of the lawmaker's race.  On top of that, if the lawmakers are simply brushing this occasion off and not handling it properly, isn't that telling the protestors what they are doing and saying is okay? This is evidence of racisms and discrimination still existing in our world today.  The protestors were not seeing the world simply trying to make a better health care system- in their eyes, people of a lower race or sexual preference are making laws they won't follow.  This could cause so much trouble and disruption if they continue thinking this way. 



Audra


check it out- http://theweek.com/article/index/201108/Tea_Party_racism_Truth_or_fiction

Jet Magazine... Why?

Over spring break, I was lounging around my house watching TV being unproductive when I noticed a Jet Magazine resting on the arm of the couch.  As I begin to flip through the magazine, I came across an advertisement for a DVD collection. The ad was for the complete season of Amos n' Andy.  Immediately in my head I said "Oh! Amos n' Andy!"  Being that I'm just a lowly (late) 80's baby, I never had the opportunity to see the show when it was on the air; however, I have heard a lot about the show- mainly from conversations in my media course. As I continued to read the advertisement, it read something along the lines of 'Purchase your copy of the complete season of Amos n' Andy today. One of the funniest television shows ever!' The rest of the advertisement proceeded to compliment and promote the sale of the show.  Not long after I had read the ad in its entirety did the irony of this ad occur to me.  

When we discussed the show Amos n' Andy in my media class, it was in a much different light.  We first examined an excerpt by Herman Gray called The Politics of Representation in Network Television.  Here, Gray analyzed different aspects of representation in the media, especially among minorities.  It illuminated the fact minorities tend to fit very familiar stereotypical roles in the media. Amos n' Andy, though considered one of the funniest shows ever, is also considered one of the most racist as well.  The show was so racist in fact that it was eventually removed from the air by the NAACP.  I found it extremely ironic that a show such as this would be advertised in Jet, a magazine that targets a black audience. 

When Amos n' Andy first aired, it was during a time when it was rare to see black actors on television at all. I believe that the integration of different minorities into network television is by all means an achievement to be acknowledged; however, I don't believe that blacks and other minorities should accept these positions at their own expense.  By Amos n' Andy being promoted in such a way to a black community (target readers) I feel that in many regards it makes allowances for such portrayals as acceptable norms.