First, an interesting perspective, encouraging "liberal apologists" (so to speak) to NOT hold back from criticizing "victims" of the world. Not sure I agree with it at first look, but it is something that has made me think. And thinking is always good. Ayaan Hirsi Ali fled an arranged marriage in Somalia and ended up as a parliamentarian in the Netherlands, which is now trying to expel her. She is moving to the US. Here are some excerpts from her book, "The Caged Virgin."
Transitioning thoughts...
Slate Magazine looks into Tyra Banks questionable attitude towards ethnocentric characteristics of the models on her show looking at tyra-statement's like, "I don't want another black bitch," "we're gonna get you some voice lessons girl," regarding the latest winner's southern-american accent, and her dissapproval of a past-show model's hairwrap. Is she just trying her best to give these girls the advice they need to make it, or has she fallen victim to a euro-centric aesthetic?
And if you hadn't been skeptical of Blackwater mercenaries being deployed in New Orleans wait until you read this Nation report detailing how they went down there themselves, unrequested, and were basically given the contracts to secure New Orleans by default since they were already there. Now they are getting paid more than $900 per guard while money to repair levees is still insufficient and people are still without homes, sufficient medical facilities, and schools. (plus, I know when I was down there a few months ago, the only food around was McDonalds *aka WACK ARNOLDS* some nasty Burbon Street pizza, and fried chicken, unless you could travel to the intact areas where folks were laughing it up enjoying sandwiches accross the street from the armed-guarded FEMA camp.) It all sounds like some kind of gold rush right?
And I'm still crunching thoughts in my head trying to figure out what to think of the reality that (according to this Democracy Now! report) the US is probably funding war lords in Somalia so that they can prevent islamic terrorists from gaining ground there in the devastated and destabilized country. Omar Jamal from Minneapolis, executive director of the Somali Justice Advocacy Center in St. Paul says that the US' activities are only adding to the chaos and that they should be instead working to help the interim government gain control and legitimacy among the people.
(lemme know if you figure this all out. cause i could use some help.)
-b 2da k.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Caged Virgins + Racist "Top Models?" + Black(water) Down In New Orleans + Instigating Civil War In Somalia.
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8 comments:
I remember seeing Ali's story on of the news magazines. Im confused about why they are trying to expel her from her post in the Netherlands---didnt they offer her protective exile or something like that? I wonder what has changed...too much backlash from the piece that aired???
As for the problems she sees with withholding criticism of so-called victims, I can grasp what she means ( which is not to say that I agree or that agreeing or not matters;-))...at least I think she is saying that to "baby" victims and not call a spade a spade is to do them a disservice...meaning that just bc you have been greatly wronged doesnt absolve you of all responsibility for your own actions--that to do this further dehumanizes...if that aint it, maybe Ill find out by reading her book..Im all for women (people in general) who speak out..."Your silence will not protect you"
As for the Tyra comments....like many women my age I watch ANTM( we even have an acronym hehe!)and find myself deeply engrossed in the show every week...sure, some of the stuff that comes out of her mouth does assault my sensibilities and cause a blank stare... as for her "having fallen victim to a euro-centric aesthetic"....who hasnt???!!!????!!!??? I mean come on now lol.... this is by no means a defense of tyra and she was a bit ridiculous over Danielle's accent...but why is it surprising that a woman who has made a name for herself emulating white beauty standards and who grew up in america of all places, isnt free of the internalized disdain for any self that isnt white/euro---this learned attitude acts in direct agency of white supremacy/colonialism/globalism/and any of the other isms you want to use....why is there any surprise?
As for Somalia and New Orleans..nothing I can really say that will suffice....America a "walks softly and carries a big stick"...im quoting teddy roosevelt...wow...sometimes not so soft though
yeah the US involvement in Somalia doesnt suprise me either. neither does the Tyra thing... but nothing in america has ever suprised my people! LOL. (that thought makes me wanna holla and cry and laugh at the same time.) the point i guess is to always be challenging it through provoking thought. cause i aint necessarily suprised by Tyra either but i feel the question provokes thought and dialogue and if anything just REMINDS us that she has bought into this BS hook line and sinker which reminds us that we have bought into this mess hook line and sinker. ("how much is it gonna cost to buy you out of a reality that originally bought you?!?!")
... but it's really just like the muslim sister ali is doing, provoking thought and reminding us. i think that's what most truth is about... not trying to hold us up to be perfect or ideal... or even expecting that of us... rather truth exists as a reminder because it assumes that we will fall into falsehood and inevitably need that balance to bring us back on the path... even tho truth knows we are going to stumble right into those bushed over there off the path, or that we are gonna run into that tree 2 days from now...
i agree with you about ali tho, you said exactly what i was thinking when i posted that. my concern is that i hope people find balance. the vicim is sometimes the oppressor of self indeed and the oppressor is also the victim, but the oppressor is still oppressor and the victim is still victim. if any of that makes sense. ha! so i agree with her essence when it is placed in proper context. out of context i "grasp" it (good word) but cant really agree with the "totality" of it, "wholistically"... and all them other big words... ya kno! LOL.
I see what you're saying and imma have to ask if I can borrow that cheeky/witty little question: ("how much is it gonna cost to buy you out of a reality that originally bought you?!?!")I have a hard time pasing judgement on folks who are caught in the same little maze i find myslef running around in....is that yours or do the quotes mean you're quoting?
regarding the oppressed, here's a quote I ran across in New African magazine: "the last task of the oppressed is to enlighten the oppressors" by Paulo Freire. Not sure what I think about that one. WHat do youuuuu think?
And big words burn calories..Im sorry I meant to say big words can incinerate your caloric intake...ok admittedly lame;-)
Paulo is a BEAST. (just had to get that out now).
[i agree with you that not passing judgement is vital, although we confuse constructive, loving criticism for judgement. we just have to become clear again that they are not the same thing which will make us feel better about doing it]
that's saul williams' quote by the way off his first album (sure it was in a book first, but i first heard it on the album).
about paulo: i agree. ONLY i think there is a time context that must be proposed. does he propose that the oppressed make that their first priority above all else? if so i humbly disagree. in the book "2000 season" by Ayi Kwei Armah, a west african village is attacked by colonizers and slave catchers. chaos ensues. death, war, destruction. there is a group of captives that are constantly trying to figure out how to get free. they end up taking over the boat they are on and killing their captors (not to mention their formers brothers/sisters who are now called "zombies" who assisted in their capture). ONCE THE GOT FREE... they had to then ask themselves what next. the only logical choice is for the to return to their village(s) and begin the process of rebuilding (the next book in the series is called "the healers" it has been on my shelf but i have yet to read it)... i see the time context like that: i think the oppressed enlightening the oppressor has to come after freedom has been attained and the villages have been rebuilt. the enlightenment does not come through sitting down and teaching, but like garvey hinted at, the enlightenment for the oppressor comes through witnessing the triumph and ressurrection of he who was oppressed (kinda like that guy names jesus).
NOW THAT I RE-READ THE DAMN QUOTE I SEE THAT HE DID INFACT SAY THAT IT IS THE "LAST" TASK... SO I AGREE WITH PAULO.
(damn all that typing for that.)
came around full circle i guess :)
I agree with you though. We should not make an active effort/campaign to enlighten the opressor. Change starts with you. One must make the active decision to be "enligtened". The only thing we can do is live to be free; live by example. We owe the opressor nothing, we owe ourselves freedom. Damn, I'm starting to sound like Jesse Jackson with all those catch phrases but yeah so it was said, so it shall be done.
...and by opressor, I mean oppressor
it's all good! we mispell everything around here.
msel! missspell! mispel! misspel!
knock yourself out!!!
(we'll love you anyway)
:)
Armah's books are fantastic reads...I just finished reading both of those a few weeks ago. Read the Healers!!!!! LOl ive been recommending this book like crazy after it was recc. to me.....the images in 2000 Seasons blew me away and the messages are pretty strong too... the narrator points out that those returning to villages where the people who assisted in their capture were in for a potential difficult time...Im saying that to say that I dont see it as the sole responsibility of the opressed to enlighten the opressor..I agree that they HAVE to come to an understanding own their own via witnessing the rebuilding and re-gathering together of the formerly oppressed....now what Im not so sure about is the responsiblity we have to those within our own ranks( the people Armah calls the "ostentatious cripples" who helped to perpetuate the madness...do we owe them the task of helping to enlighten them? part of me says that we should but- I think Armah would say no especially because of characters like Ababio in the Healers..people who carefully orchestrated the demise of their fellow people for some relative "riches"..in some ways what they helped to do is worst but .what is the responsibilty to them if anything?
i do that too...start off with the idea of disagreeing while actually ending up in full agreement--i like it when that happens..dexterity ( i cant spell either:-) is good.
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