The last couple of weeks have seen yet another manufactured crisis designed to drive wedges in society and create victims and animosity. The outrage over the name of Washington's football team is designed, purposely timed, and completely phony.
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When the President of the United States jumps in on the faux debate, it's supposed to give it more gravitas but underscores how quickly the left can rally a topic into prominence even when it's dormant and victimless.
The Redskins have represented the District of Columbia since moving from Boston in 1937. In Boston the team was initially called the Brave. Throughout all of those years there was rarely a peep about the name being offensive and polls of native and non-native Americans never hinted an outrage.
Now, the name is an obvious racial slur, except I don't see where it's so obvious.
When Blacks were ExploitedWhen liberals come to the rescue of so-called minorities, it always means making those minorities feel lesser about themselves. I witnessed this growing up and hearing but not understanding that a surge in black-made movies in the early 1970s were somehow an improper portrayal and actually exploited the entire race. I was too young to know what the argument was, but of course the notion that blacks were exploited angered me. Yet, as I got a chance to see the movies that were so awful that liberals had to join in with venerable black organizations to ban them, I loved them.
What did the NAACP, SCLU, and National Urban League not like about movies in which black men were handsome, intelligent, brave, not poor, and not cowering in fear?
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Are you serious? These guys fought corrupt politicians, the mob, and local drug dealers. They broke down doors for real not pleading for handouts but to rescue the damsel in distress. These guys made love to women on screen. (Will Smith and Denzell Washington seem like eunuchs no matter how macho their roles.) Still, blacks were told these movies were bad and exploitative and finally the community agreed they shouldn't be made.
Before these movies popped up most black men on the silver screen were too afraid of the dark to fetch a bottle of wine from the cellar. Little Shirley Temple chuckled at the frightful nature of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. After blaxploitation movies were banned, the nation kept itself amused with black sitcoms of families that were always giddy despite living in junkyards or housing projects without heat.
They were no longer super men (and women - Pam Grier) just goofballs that saw the most desperate situation in life as dynamite.
Of course these days Hollywood nor the NAACP, SCLU or Urban League see any problems with Quentin Tarantino making blaxploitation movies where the "n" word is tossed around more than 100 times. (A Tea Party event where one person out of three thousand has a confederate flag makes everyone at the event a racist). The fact is black people; particularly young black men were pimped back in the 1970s by the left that worked overtime to keep us under the spell of victimization. It had its perks like being able to act a fool and blame society or cash-in responsibilities of manhood for taxpayer funded benefits.
Talk about exploitation, talk about a Faustian deal, talk about a sham.
Now, I see the same script being used with Native Americans.
Blonde-ploitation?
Marilyn Monroe is considered a universal icon of beauty, yet there are some that see her as an airhead, lazy, talentless, and self absorbed (Leo Mckinstry), but nobody suggests she's a divisive symbol. There are no television analysts questioning why Monroe is used over and over again as a positive symbol for women. There is no movement to stop her photos and famous figure from being used to sell products (her estate made $27.0 million in 2011) and the President has not weighed in on the topic yet.
I've seen several articles that point out a natural linage from Monroe to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and others, but still she is seen as a positive role model for young girls. Monroe committed suicide, but she is more often than not portrayed as a happy person. Her image survives while that of strong black men like Shaft were buried because the left knew it might have embolden kids heretofore told everyone hated them and there was no hope outside government help and liberal politicians.
I think of Monroe in a positive way, but in reality putting her on a pedestal should ruffle the feathers of those so busy telling Native Americans they are victims of the name and image of a football team.
Indian Role Models
Before these movies popped up most black men on the silver screen were too afraid of the dark to fetch a bottle of wine from the cellar. Little Shirley Temple chuckled at the frightful nature of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. After blaxploitation movies were banned, the nation kept itself amused with black sitcoms of families that were always giddy despite living in junkyards or housing projects without heat.
They were no longer super men (and women - Pam Grier) just goofballs that saw the most desperate situation in life as dynamite.
Of course these days Hollywood nor the NAACP, SCLU or Urban League see any problems with Quentin Tarantino making blaxploitation movies where the "n" word is tossed around more than 100 times. (A Tea Party event where one person out of three thousand has a confederate flag makes everyone at the event a racist). The fact is black people; particularly young black men were pimped back in the 1970s by the left that worked overtime to keep us under the spell of victimization. It had its perks like being able to act a fool and blame society or cash-in responsibilities of manhood for taxpayer funded benefits.
Talk about exploitation, talk about a Faustian deal, talk about a sham.
Now, I see the same script being used with Native Americans.
Blonde-ploitation?
Marilyn Monroe is considered a universal icon of beauty, yet there are some that see her as an airhead, lazy, talentless, and self absorbed (Leo Mckinstry), but nobody suggests she's a divisive symbol. There are no television analysts questioning why Monroe is used over and over again as a positive symbol for women. There is no movement to stop her photos and famous figure from being used to sell products (her estate made $27.0 million in 2011) and the President has not weighed in on the topic yet.
I've seen several articles that point out a natural linage from Monroe to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and others, but still she is seen as a positive role model for young girls. Monroe committed suicide, but she is more often than not portrayed as a happy person. Her image survives while that of strong black men like Shaft were buried because the left knew it might have embolden kids heretofore told everyone hated them and there was no hope outside government help and liberal politicians.
I think of Monroe in a positive way, but in reality putting her on a pedestal should ruffle the feathers of those so busy telling Native Americans they are victims of the name and image of a football team.
Indian Role Models
[img align="left" src="http://www.wstreet.com/shared/images/030970/box3.jpg">Often when I get in my Jaguar, I can hear the music from the opening scene of Superfly, and I smile. I grew up playing in the rubble of abandoned buildings that were in several scenes of that movie and others including "Live and Let Die" where James Bond found himself in the hood.
Back then I wanted to be brave, strong and make money. I saw these strong brothers as role models. For young Indians where are the strong symbols? If the team name is changed and logo altered what comes next?
Back then I wanted to be brave, strong and make money. I saw these strong brothers as role models. For young Indians where are the strong symbols? If the team name is changed and logo altered what comes next?
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Maybe the lefties in Hollywood will come up with a television series of unemployed Native Americans dealing with alcoholism and witha 60% dropout rate but always in a great mood. In fact, they should have the lead character have a catch phrase, something like ..."Dynamite!!!!"
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