Advertising the Signs of The Times

According to census data, about 7% of all married couples in The United States are interracial.  The once taboo (and illegal) union to many, appears to some degree, readily accepted in this more progressive, to each his own society.  Now don’t get me wrong; unfortunately, we still live in a hateful and ugly world where some people express their biases and bigotry in the form of nasty words and unimaginable violence, but the realization that just 44 years ago an interracial marriage between whites and people of color (namely, and specifically black people) was unconstitutional does seem to show a bit of the evolution that this nation has made since its exploitative infancy.

Even in government, media, entertainment and advertising, we’ve begun to see how interracial relationships and multiracialism have been embraced in our society.  In this political season especially, multiracialism has been at the forefront thanks to the circumstances surrounding President Obama’s heritage as well as the vastly changing demography of the U.S. in general.

Recognizing the reality of multiculturalism and multiracialism in this nation, businesses have even been catering their advertising to this small but ever growing demographic.  I noticed this recently when I did a double-take while watching an IKEA mattress commercial.

Now, I’m not sure about the anthropology or sociology in Sweden, but after rewinding and re-rewinding just to be sure, I found the retailer’s subtle use of an interracial couple who were creating a most excellent sleeper set, quite broadminded and forward thinking.

Cory’s In The House: Bristol’s House!

…Okay. Admittedly, that’s how rumors get started. But when I heard this “story” last week about Kyle Massey and Bristol Palin planning to do a reality show together (with Kyle’s older brother Christopher) while also fostering their still new and budding relationship, I tripped. Hard.

Tripped because the idea of Kyle dating the daughter of a woman who has clearly had no problem with encouraging, inciting and in many cases thinly-veiling her own racist tinged behavior seemed appalling to me.  Tripped because all the undesirable portrayals surrounding Bristol and the Palins; Kyle was now possibly allowing them to tarnish his cookie cutter image. Tripped because in my mind, what in THE heck was The Disney Kid doing with Caribou Barbie’s Kid?!?

But after I sat and really thought about it, I had to severely check myself!  The God’s honest truth of the matter was simply that I was projecting all of my “aversion” (to put it mildly) for Sarah Palin, onto her daughter; a young woman, who although made some unfortunate decisions early in her young life, had done nothing to warrant anyone’s ire, least of all mine.

And while I wasn’t particularly a fan of what I believed was her “reconciled daughter” image for the sake of her mother’s political aspirations and later, of her unfortunate and rather rigid movements on Dancing With The Stars last season, the more I saw of Bristol on the show (and out from under her mother’s wing), the more I slowly began to admire her tenacity and resolve in proving that she was more than simply a political pawn.

I mean, for all the “tabs” it appeared that Sarah Palin had laboriously tried to keep on her daughter, Bristol seemed to use the show and her newfound “freedom” to make friends (enter Kyle), gain exposure for herself and to ultimately reveal to America a bit more of her identity than just the depiction of the-girl-from-Alaska-who-had-a-baby-and-whose-mother-ran-for-Vice-President that we’d all come to know and expect of her.  What I also had to concede that I’d come to respect about Bristol was the fact that post-Levi Johnston and the 2008 elections, she had not let her mother, social pressures, political circles or anyone else for that matter, dictate what was or wasn’t suitable for her life.

With Bristol, Kyle and Christopher’s reality show currently in the works (where the trio will be sharing a residence in Los Angeles and she will be speaking to teens and promoting abstinence) and speculation surrounding Kyle and Bristol’s “dating” status, the Hollywood buzz seems to have immediately zeroed in on Mama Bear’s complete and utter displeasure.  In fairness though, I don’t know what mother would be comfortable with their daughter sharing close quarters with two young men (and having their exploits recorded and aired for all posterity), no matter how wholesome their images or lucrative their television careers.  Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be what’s been eating Sarah.

Where many tabloid and political outlets alike have pointed to Mrs. Palin’s concern with Bristol frivolously jumping from one relationship to another as the source of her current discomfiture, one has to wonder how in Sarah Palin’s mind could Bristol “possibly” dating That’s So Raven’s little brother and doing a reality show with him (with its principle theme being that of abstaining) be any more unsuitable than being made the poster child for unwed mothers, and being strongly encouraged to marry a baby’s daddy who ultimately turned out to be a Playgirl posing, family bashing pariah; all for her mother’s political gain?

Actually, I imagine one does not have to wonder how Sarah is rationalizing all of this in her mind.

Yet Another Year of Halloween Costume FAILS

*SIGH*
The idea that it is somehow cute or amusing to accent one’s Halloween costume with “thug” paraphernalia really speaks to the warped state our nation is in.  This is especially true when some members of the dominant culture make a habit of regularly dressing up as what they perceive to be representative of black culture year after year.  I mean really, Kanye’s new diamond encrusted dentures and Lil’ Wayne’s platinum yuck mouth do not represent my penchant for exceptional oral hygiene.

But I guess I should just be happy that the not so witty folks over at A&A Global aren’t marketing this product as “Ghetto Grillz”.

(Absconding to Canada looks more and more appealing as the days go by)!

Wherefore Art Thou Tiana?

During a typical week when I am not returning home from work at an unholy hour, checking subject and predicate homework, bathing a deep-sea diving toddler, or getting dishpan hands from cleaning and shutting down The Pack Kitchen each night, I try to sit and have at least a few precious moments of quality time with my family.

Such was the case last night when the big girl and I curled up in front of the television while she proceeded to tell me about her day and explain her athletic prowess at school during a game of crab soccer.  Since she insisted that we watch one of her favorite (though insipid) cartoon shows while we chatted it up, it wasn’t long before I began to check-out and slowly nod off.  But before I could totally ascend to the blissful cumulous cloud looking pillows in my subconscious, the big girl squealed in pure delight, sending me crashing back down to my lumpy couch cushions.  Stretching my eyes as to appear attentive and awake, I looked between her and the television to see what all of the excitement was about.  Apparently deciding to further capitalize on their princess niche, Disney has come out with a new line of Princess and Me Dolls (just in time for the holidays…great).

Look Mommy, Princess Tiana!

And no longer were they squeals, but all-the-way-turned-up shrieks of delight.  But when I looked again at the commercial filled with whirling dolls and little girls dressed for a make believe cotillion, all of the princesses were accounted for except our beloved Frog Princess.  It wasn’t until the end of the commercial when all of the dolls were lined up together that I finally saw the stunningly crafted Tiana figurine amidst t her princess counterparts, but strategically arranged toward the back of the group.

Wow, until just now, I didn’t even see Tiana in that commercial.

As soon as I said the words, I wanted to slap my own self upside the head, but it was far too late.  Sure enough, the big girl looked at me quizzically with those large doe eyes of hers and began to agree with my assessment.

I know, nobody really watches the Cinderella movie anymore, but I think I saw her the most.

Before I could dismiss the matter of subtle racial classification in advertising though, the big girl pinned me with another curious expression and asked me (the way only an obliviously innocent child could) why Princess Tiana didn’t appear in the commercial for the dolls very much. 

The thing about my big girl is that although she’s been gently educated by my honey and I on the oppression and injustices that people of color have been subjected to in this country, her mind won’t even begin to fathom how such depraved thinking and atrocities could be carried out against a person today, simply because of the color of their skin.  Knowing that made it all the more difficult for me to have this sort of discourse with her, so I turned the question right back on her. I asked her why she thought Tiana got so little face time in the commercial.

Probably because she is their newest princess. She’s only been out for a year, you know.

Right.  Out of the mouth of babes.

September 11th: Day of Remembrance and Renewal

Today marks the nine year anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks; the day that America uttered a collective cry of shock and horror at the growing realization that four seemingly unrelated airplane crashes were actually strategic assaults against The United States.  Even now, when recalling that day and viewing the images that capture the most catastrophic and horrific terrorist attacks on American soil, it has become increasingly evident that the wounds that this country suffered are still raw and will take years, if not decades to heal.

Having randomly decided that day to cash-in a mental-health day (which in hindsight was a good idea), I can clearly remember sitting in my living room, shocked and confused by the breaking news and live footage of an airplane crash in New York City. Some thirty minutes later, that confusion was quickly replaced by horror, dismay and paralyzing fear.  Not only had airliners devastated the New York skyline twice, but planes had also gone down in Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania.

Are the media outlets right about these crashes being deliberate?

Who’s travelling this week?

Where is my address book? 

Will more attacks occur around the country? 

Why isn’t she picking up? 

Who could have done this?

My mind was racing.  My thoughts were illogical.  Even in my quiet, out of the way neighborhood, I was continually peeking through my drapes into a cloudless sky.  In the days that passed, it became clear that al-Qaeda was claiming responsibility for the attacks.  It was equally clear that our government had begun making preparations to respond swiftly and decisively.  My friends and family were all safe and accounted for but like me, they were concerned about the political and social direction the nation would take after such a debilitating assault.

But as unified and patriotic as the American people became in the weeks and months after the attacks occurred, American attitudes of bigotry and intolerance also began to manifest against the citizens of this nation who just so happened to have similar features or be of the same faith as those heartless “architects of evil.”

I soon began hearing members of my multi-racial family using slurs and generalizations when speaking about Arabs.  Some of my black Republican friends were unabashedly adding terms like “raghead”, “jihadist” and “sand-n*****” to their vocabulary.  Two of my girlfriends from North Africa shared how draining it’d become to be deemed spokeswomen for all Muslims and being forced to defend a religion that didn’t even condone the extremist beliefs of the September 11^th attackers in the first place.  I understood that America felt vulnerable and angry; we all felt that way.  But some Americans took this opportunity to cultivate the nation’s emotions and obvious fear of the unknown into an all-out and unwarranted condemnation of Muslims; both here and abroad.

Some nine years later, America’s sentiments regarding Muslims and Islam may not be as blatantly derogatory as they once were, but it is still evident by the “Ground-Zero Mosque” debates, the “Burn a Qur’an Day” arguments or the “POTUS Religious Preference Polls” that this nation still has a long way to go in the way of religious tolerance and cultural acceptance. 

Recognizing the necessity of bridge building, in 2009 President Obama signed into law The Service America Act.  Designating September 11 as the National Day of Service and Remembrance, the president’s goal has been to encourage Americans to come together to serve their communities in the same remarkable spirit of tolerance and compassion that has made this nation a multi-cultural beacon around the world.

This year’s 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance will be highlighted by signature projects in six cities – New York City; Washington, DC; Boston; Arlington, VA; Los Angeles; and Philadelphia, as well as other events taking place in all 50 states. From volunteers participating in neighborhood and school cleanups, home repairs and assembling care packages for our armed forces members, to emergency preparedness training and interfaith dialogues, today’s observance is not only about honoring the past; recognizing the nation’s heroes in their valiant calls to action, but is also about embracing our future and supporting real efforts to bridge the gaps of understanding for the sake of becoming a one (truly collective) nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Confectionary Precipitation…As Sung By Tay Zonday

I’m not quite sure how this song got BACK in my head after all this time but hey, if I have to suffer through humming the monotonous Casio chords and droning tenor verses, then so do you!

But for as utterly annoyed as I am right now that even the stupid declarations of Soulja Boy’s Pretty Boy Swag can’t dislodge this tune from my temporal lobe, what’s really interesting to me is that after having re-listened to the song, it kinda makes me wonder if instead of the weather forecast outside The Wonka Factory, this little ditty may actually be a clever observation on race relations.  Hmm?

Still, annoyance aside and some three years and 55,000,000 views later, Tay Zonday is pretty captivating…incessant voice, habitual tick and all. 

Queue the music Maestro!

The Curious Case of Sarah Oblivious

It is never my intention to torture The Pack Faithful with my daily observations and posts, but I swear…I am, and remain on a daily basis, completely baffled by the obtuse musings and largely droll (though passed off as legitimate) analysis that Sarah Palin will duct tape together and dispense at any given time as some sort of strategic quasi-counter move against the Democrats (although she seems to  take perverse pleasure in targeting the POTUS specifically) to elicit some sort of intrinsic call-to-arms response from all of the real Americans in this here country.  As real Americans yourselves, do not her oftentimes derisive and divisive comments perplex you too, as well and make you wonder what “America” Sarah Palin hopes to take back (and from whom) and what kind of American values she is passing on to Trig and ‘dem?

I’ve said it many times before, but Mrs. Palin is a scary individual.  The fact that she has proven to be contentedly and blissfully ignorant about SO much, yet has the ear of The Earl Grey Uprising and many other uber-conservatives who fancy frameless eyewear, highlighted up do’s and who simply cannot be bothered with fact-checking, is an utterly terrifying reality.  I mean, from her erroneous boasts of being a geography aficionado to her false claims of stellar word-smithery, how in the caribou is anyone still taking Mrs. I-Can-See-Russia-From-My-Back-Yard seriously?

And wouldn’t you know it; seems as though Alaska’s former governor can now add foreign language authority and part-time presidential anatomy expert (seeing as how she has nothing else to do with her life) to her resume of randomness and inaccuracy.  In an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” this past weekend, Palin stated frankly that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer had the cojones that President Obama did not have to properly tackle the nation’s illegal immigration issue.

Now, we can’t be mad at Sarah for conjuring up brownie points with the Republican base and her (former) political peers with her recent criticism of the president; that’s sort of the nature of the beast when you toe the political line.  Also, as an American citizen she does have the right to critique her president if she believes that he is being craven on issues that she is passionate about.  Unfortunately for Palin, far too often she comes off as uninformed, nonsensical and nit-picky when she chooses to show-up to do battle against a man whom she is ill-equipped to contend with in any facet of life; politically, cerebrally or otherwise.

But hey, perhaps I am being far too critical of Mama Grizzly (oh, that’s right *snaps fingers*, she is also a covert member of the subspecies Ursus arctos).  It could be that exhibiting her mastery of the language of America’s largest immigrant population (although done to crudely emphasize the president’s supposed ineffectiveness on immigration reform) is Mrs. Palin’s first-step in proactively tackling immigration reform herself…yeah, no.

Realistically, what I would challenge Sarah from Wasilla to proactively tackle would be more quality time with her family.  I’d imagine that if she spent as much time catering to the needs of her children as she does taking pot shots at the president, then perhaps her PR people wouldn’t have spent so much time trying to circumvent the imagery of her daughter as a teen mother statistic throughout the 2008 campaign and she wouldn’t constantly be fielding questions now about Bristol and Levi’s on again/off again/on again/we stopped keeping count/engagement.

Perhaps what Sarah truly needs is the cojones to admit that she could learn something useful by taking a page from her favorite whipping boy’s parenting book!

The Apology That Wasn’t

There’s not much more I can (or even want to) say about the whole Sherrod Firegate – Reinstate Situation.  I couldn’t even blog about it this week for all the calls, emails and casual conversations I’ve engaged in about the topic.

 I think that we can all agree that due to the devious nature and malicious intentions of a few, there were many who sought to crucify Shirley Sherrod based primarily upon contextual misrepresentation of words presented in a speech she made back in 2009.  But even as her decriers were excusing their rash judgment of her due to being duped, misled and snookered by conservative web blogger Andrew Breitbart and his Tea Party Agenda, another conservative was extending the olive branch, blaming Obama and issuing the type of heartfelt apology to Mrs. Sherrod that MLK always dreamed about.  Wait…what?

There’s More to “Black Film” than meets the Madea

 

Now as much as people like to jump on the “Tyler Perry is what’s wrong with Black Movies” bandwagon, I don’t necessarily ascribe to that way of thinking. I suppose you can say that it’s because I believe that no matter how humble and modest or audacious and provocative a filmmaker like Perry may be, he had a vision, took a risk and catered his stories-to-tell to a group of people that historically, more prominent and well-known motion picture making juggernauts have consistently ignored (although I will admit that more times than not, those visions usually reach the masses in the form of predictable and under developed plotlines).  But even with TP’s unmistakable meteoric rise to fame, fortune and celebrity over the last several years as a result of his cross-dressing, pigeon-held, pistol packing hijinks; let us be careful not to make him the archetype for what constitutes Black Cinema.  Black filmmaking is more than the ascension from stage productions on the chitterling circuit to mainstream movie making.  It’s diverse. It’s impassioned. It’s raw.  It’s progressive.  It’s reflective.  It’s revolutionary.  It’s angry.  It’s tumultuous.  It’s regal.  Black filmmaking is representative of everything that we are as people of color, everything we hope to be and even some of what we wish we weren’t, told first through the eyes and then lens of brothers and sisters whose daily struggles and triumphs often reflect our own.

Thus, The American Black Film Festival was born.  As posted on its informational site, Film Life’s American Black Film Festival was established in 1997 and has been devoted to embracing, developing and fortifying the black filmmaking community through resource sharing, education, artistic collaboration and career development ever since.  Born out of the need to provide distribution opportunities for up-and-coming and independent Black films in the motion picture industry, The ABFF not only affords aspiring and established Black filmmakers, writers and actors with a venue for project showcases, workshops and networking opportunities, but also provides a strategic vehicle for better exposure for Black Films.

Kicking off today through June 26^th in sunny Miami, The American Black Film Festival will undoubtedly be the event of the summer…and surely a heat wave will commence once Idris Elba, the festival’s ambassador this year, steps onto the scene (muy caliente!).  Other notable highlights and events that will take place during the festival include a tribute to Career Achievement Award Honoree Lee Daniels, A Master’s Class Symposium on the Art of Directing facilitated by Spike Lee and Soledad O’Brien’s presentation and sneak-peak into CNN’s latest “Black in America” Documentary: Churched (LADDAMERCY…I knew it was only a matter of time).

But seriously, can you think of a more comprehensive setting for which to host the most innovative minds behind black cinema?  For the past 14 years, the festival has been integral in fostering awareness and collaborations between Hollywood and the black independent film community.  Perhaps if Tinsel Town Execs more regularly sought out the talented and multifaceted artists represented at The ABFF each year, they’d know that at their disposal they’d have a plethora of artistically endowed Black Cleopatra’s simply ready and waiting for casting in their next epic biopic…jussayin.

Let’s Talk Immigration: The Illegals, The Immigrants, The Citizens

 Funny story…

I was talking to one of my sister-friends today, and she shared with me that I probably wouldn’t see her again until June because she was going down to Arizona to spend Memorial Day with her family.  Immediately I laughed and told her that unless she planned to take her birth certificate, license, passport, medical records and other identifying documentation, then I might not see her again. Period.  To this we both had a hearty chuckle, but once she and I got off the line, I realized something.  That exchange wasn’t very funny at all.

Although I suggested in jest that my friend be at the ready to prove her citizenship while in the “Grand Canyon State”, (even though she is not Hispanic and would hardly induce any suspicion into her supposed immigration status by Arizona po-po should she roll a stop sign), I couldn’t help but think about all the citizens of Arizona (this country) who are of Latin-descent who, thanks to Arizona SB 1070 have to now contemplate whether they are going to bring their “papers” with them just in case they find themselves lawfully stopped, detained or arrested on their way to work, school, or Pilates class (read: while trying to attain the American Dream, just like the rest of us).

Don’t get me wrong, I think immigration legislation is important.  National borders are established to protect the land and inhabitants within, and the implications from the perspective of increased taxes, crime or even population surges can be quite calamitous if those borders are willingly allowed to be compromised.  That’s not to say that I believe that this nation’s current immigration laws are acceptable in their current state. 

I do believe that the images on shows like National Geographic’s “Border Wars” do highlight instances where people are simply seeking refuge and a better life than the squalor they’ve fled in Mexico, and should be afforded the right to pursue happiness here. I also believe however, that in much the same way that immigrants from all over the world have come to the United States to claim a better way of life for themselves legally, Mexican immigrants should be held to this same standard.  My issue though, especially with this Senate Bill (and only slightly amended House Bill) is that it places a stigma on an entire group of people. 

When Mexican President Felipe Calderon was given an audience at a joint session of Congress last week, he was openly critical of the Arizona law.  Although I felt some kind of way about this guest’s rebuking manner and wished that I could’ve reminded President Calderon that he ought to tread lightly; seeing as how his abode is of the glassy variety, I can admit that this is a matter in which we find agreement.  No matter what side of the volatile immigration debate you stand on, the fact (in my mind) remains that Arizona’s somewhat impetuous law breeds an unreasonable fear of and bias toward Latinos.  I cannot begin to tell you how many times I’ve heard people with a seemingly legitimate initial concern about illegal immigrants completely turn their conversation into a rant against Mexicans.  Or, while waiting in line at a store, having seen people openly disgusted and rolling their eyes at a Hispanic family speaking together in Spanish while waiting at the check-out register.  I worry that SB 1070 is emboldening a very discriminatory attitude toward Latinos as a whole; not just the ones who jumped the border fence or were smuggled in by strategically contorting themselves within the dashboard of a car (true story), but also those who are in the country legally or even born here.

I mean, look at this latest foolery with Dora the Explorer.  No longer is she the ambiguous little character who teaches our children Spanish with a notable American accent and perfect English.  Oh no! Thanks to someone’s attempt at humor (with a side of racism, I’m sure), poor Dora is now the face of the apprehended and extradited illegal immigrant, and I’m now left explaining to my kids why Boots’ best friend has an eye-jammy, a leaky faucet and a mug shot.

Trust me when I tell you; I don’t pretend to know the answers to solve this nation’s immigration debate or how best to reform the broken laws we currently have in place.  What I do know however, is that too few of the billions of people who currently live in the United States are  indigenous to this land.  At some point in our histories, we were all immigrants.  What changed that made settling here acceptable for some, but relocating, migrating and seeking sanctuary here not tolerable for others?