RACISM, CIVIL SERVANTS, AND MICHAEL JACKSON
66MICHAEL JACKSON THEN AND NOW!!!
RACISM, CIVIL SERVANTS, AND MICHAEL JACKSON
Years ago -- the late '90s -- in Queens, three civil servants -- one police officer and two firefighters -- rode a parade float in black face. Michael Jackson walks around in white face -- surgically evolving since the 1980's -- on a regular basis. All four men show their contempt of Blacks.
The civil servants rode a float, throwing fried chicken and watermelon at a cheering crowd, and -- these employed protectors of civilians -- also dragged a black rag-doll behind the float, like, an infamous -- criminal case -- in Texas.
The press got a hold of a video, and every TV news station in New York seemed to have lead with it. The public was outraged, the mayor -- seemed -- outraged, and the -- offensive -- civil servants were fired. Hurray! you say? Not so fast, because these former civil servants sued to get their jobs back, and according to a judge their First Amendment rights were trampled on. In other words, they -- the one police officer and two firefighters -- have the right to express racist views when off duty and keep their job. Would anyone hire David Dukes as a New York firefighter or police officer? Should someone? Did the civil servants express their contempt for Blacks -- they would have to serve -- on their psychological exams, before getting hired -- as New York City Civil servants?
If the New York City police officer, who was convicted of sodomizing a black man, in a police precinct, had first pretended to sodomize a black rag-doll, while off duty, and it got out to the media, would people consider that freedom of speech? Or be concerned about what that officer might do to a real person, in the future, while on duty? A civil servant who shows pure contempt for blacks -- who, along with other races, he has to serve and protect -- should not be a civil servant.
Now, Michael Jackson. Well, his face is white, he was born Black, he was born in America where some founding fathers and presidents had slaves, and so laws were against Blacks at the formation of this Republic. In America, where light complexioned slaves were -- thought -- better than the darker complexioned slaves. America, where in the early part of the twentieth-century, young Black children -- some as young as five -- were placed in prison work camps on trumped-up charges. America, where, Black-American soldiers fought for freedoms of others in World War Ii, while Blacks were being lynched back home. America, where a young boy is beaten to deformity for a supposed infraction against a white woman. America, where a woman, refusing to get out of her seat on a bus for a white man, gets arrested, which started the Civil Rights Movement.
These events were before, around, and after the birth of Michael Jackson, the white-faced -- shamed of himself -- Black-American, who lived in a country where some civil servants -- and he -- proudly show contempt -- in his own way -- for Blacks' existence.
I wrote this essay several years ago. N.E. Wright
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Thank you.
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interesting post. i have been an mj fan. a black one, for a long time, and it has been hard for me but i had to accept that he just didn't want to be black. didn't like being black. but i feel he has no excuse when people like obama still came out fine and still came out proud of who they are. michael's dislike for himself is too blatant. the autopsy report stated he had vitiligo though, so i'm not sure why he would lie about that. people think okay he was told his nose was bigger and he simply just made it small and they say it doesn't have to be race related, but it IS. having a huge nose is a common african trait. the fact that Joe was namecalling his own son for looking african is where the problem starts. i know michael himself dealt with racism...he had to during those times. not winning those grammies for Off the Wall and being told that 'black artists don't sell magazines' by Rolling Stones probably had a lot to do with him striving so hard for approval from white people. To me, that is the disgusting part...not even the fact that he had surgery to become more acceptable, but this obvious need to appeal to white people or rustle their feathers is what makes me lose respect for him more and more.
First we all know he went with Brooke to the Grammies to get people talking. Openly interracial dating was still a big deal. The media was already havinga hard time dealing with this massively popular black man for the first time in modern history, a black man who was very sexual on stage and viewed as a sex symbol across America. He had white fans screaming for him (which he has emphasized as though that is something to be so proud about and obviously saw as a huge achievement as opposed to being screamed for by his own fans), and his album sold a rate that people had never seen PERIOD from a single artist much less a BLACK man. It's like he was insatiable, then you saw him hanging around all these white folks suddenly after Thriller. Even Janet said their relationship was not the same after Thriller but it could've just been siblings simply growing up and drifting apart. But when he dated Tatum O'Neal, he would talk about her constantly even to where an interviewer asked him if he liked any black women. He also asked photographers to take pics of him and Tate as if he wanted the white world to see hey, i've arrived. And i always find it weird that Stephanie Mills says they dated but you never hear Michael acknowledging her. I'm not sure why.
The women in his videos obviously became 'less black' the bigger he became (with the exclusion of Naomi Campbell and of course You Rock My World because the marketing strategy was to become more approachable and he also came back to his black roots whenever the whites he so desperately sought no longer wanted him). Then of course he married two white women and people still speculate whether those kids were his. I think that was the last straw for people, the possibility that he, the first beloved black man around the world, hated himself and his blackness SO MUCH that he couldn't even stand to see a carbon copy of himself. I mean, what black man dyes his son's hair blond? (even with the bs reason that it was done because of some alleged kidnapping threats against his kids). The kids are a lot darker now than they used to be and even if they are his it still stands that he obviously didn't want to have children with a black woman and basically alienated his black fanbase. I guess as a black man he was glad he was no longer just limited to his black fanbase and was now accepted by the world but i think he alienated his own by doing so.
Of course as a fan you try to let certain things go but then the pictures of Neverland came out and there's all this artwork of him being surrounded by white/nonblack children and it makes you wonder why. Why not just black children? What is wrong with being seen as a black icon? Years later when people find these things, they wont even recognize Michael as a black man and I think he felt that was something that held him back. I wish he was proud of it because there was a time when black people weren't accepted and when Thriller became big black people felt good about themselves. I know he was not obligated to be proud but it sure would've been nice. I also feel as if he didn't want full black children because maybe he felt the media wouldn't be kind to them. Now the media dots over his children gushing over Paris' 'electric blue eyes' and so forth and you know they wouldn't have done that if his kids were full black children they wouldn't even be on the news. Stuff like that, as a black person, makes it hard for me to respect him. He will still be the greatest performer but I just have no respect for someone who clearly did not see black as beautiful or even worth it. I say he has no excuse because you look at somoene like Obama who is half white but clearly proud of who he is as a black man. The reason why Michael disappoints me is because I know many black men who will date anything that is not black (just like his brothers. that whole famiy is a sorry mess)
sorry for the rant.
Hi Bill,
This article was written almost a decade ago. I had an essay I had to write for one of my last writing assignments for my grammar course, and I needed to read some current event.
The final conclusion to the well known New York incident caught my attention, my anger, and my disgust. You can catch all of that in my article. LOL.
Those civil servants do not call themselves racist. They call themselves decent human beings, and they call Black and Hispanics animals.
Our civil disobedient reactions get people like those civil servants fired. Even if it is temporary. I am way cool with that. LOL.
I have not a clue what it is like to live in the deep south. What I do know is that most of my relatives seemed to have escaped the deep south during the great migration of the '30s and '40s.
They never spoke about any of the real details. Most of us younger children believed they came up to New York for work. Sure that was partly true, but the very next day after my great grandfather was found dead in front of his gate? What happened to their farm? Please. LOL.
My 92 year old Great Aunt will not tell even her children the truth about why they came up to the North from the South.
One of her daughters found out that my Great Uncle -- her father -- was marked to be killed by a group of white men for being interested in -- or with -- a white woman. Was it true? We have not a clue. We just know that our elders did not come to New York freely.
There would be no Civil Rights Bill if people did not fight racism. I would hate to think what would happen if people just let things be, because no one stood up to racism.
At the same time I do hear where you are coming from. Give them notice and they feed off of it. That actually is true, but today, most do not want their employers or clients know they are racists. They do have to get paid. LOL.
I so appreciate your comments.
Thanks so much.
Take Care,
N.E.
Baby I am from the deep south. If you let racism get to you then you have already lost the battle. Let the racist hate it is their right, when you acknowledge the racism in front of racist that is their pay off. They need the reaction to feed on. As a black man growing up in the south I have experienced racism like you would not believe. Racist want to insite a reaction if you ignore them then you rob them of their pay-off. Do not spend your time worried about racist history will judge them and in the end they will be seen as monsters.
Hello Hummingbird5356,
Thank you for your kind words.
You know, I am so with you about that officer. There were two firefighters also. New York has had hidden racism, but that was way too much in front of everyone. Oh, and the Mayor was Rudolph Giuliani.
Oh, I had a crush on Michael Jackson when I was a child. LOL. He was cute. LOL. Yeah, he became a freak. Sad to say.
You know your comments tell me you would be interested in my article "Loving Your Dark Complexioned Self".
Thank you so much for your comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
This is a good hub. What those officers did is an offense, it is inciting to hatred, which causes violence.
There are many people who are not happy with their skin colour. White people want a brown tan and black people often want to be white. We should be happy with the skin we are born in.
By the way, before Michael Jackson started all his cosmetic surgery to change his colour and his face he was a good looking boy. He became a freak.
Hey Roshall,
I hear ya.
Most of us have nice memories of Michael Jackson. I had a crush of him. LOL.
Once after my parents took me for my sleep away camp physical in Manhattan, they were going to take me to see the Jackson Five, but they were on break. It was a surprise for me. Unfortunately, there were no performances until later in the afternoon. They were on lunch break. LOL.
I was just happy they were thinking about surprising when it. It was not my birthday. LOL. They just knew I loved the Jackson Five.
Thank you for sharing your story.
Take Care,
N.E.
i BELIEVE SOMETHING WAS EATING HIM UP EMOTIONALLY.i BELIEVE HE REALLY DIDNT WANT TO BE WHO HE WAS AND DID SOMETHING TO ALTER HIS SKIN AND WELL WE KNOW HE HAD SOME PLASTIC SURGERY.hE NEEDED MENTAL HELP BUT NO NE SEEN IT. I LOVED HIM. HE WAS GREAT IN ALL HE TOUCHED. I REMEMBER GETTING THE ZIPPER JACKET FOR MY DAUGHTER WHEN SHE WA ABOUT FIVE.SADLY MISSED!!!! GOOD WRITING.
Hi ChristineMargaret,
I love your approach with your stepson. LOL. It is great.
It is unfortunate that your family has to go through stupid bull crap still this day and age. I am just tired of it.
I wish you and your family well though. Your stepson sounds sweet.
Take Care,
N.E.
Thanks for the article--I know more about racism now than I ever thought I would- I am white and still in an interracial marriage. I know what you mean about not talking about it to your child so early. I waited to discuss it with my stepson, too. When he was about 5 he asked why everyone looked at us when we were together. I told him maybe people thought we were cute. He was very cute!
Hi Alexander,
You were very thought provoking, and I love it. LOL.
Oh, yeah, Clinton's law license was suspended for 5 years ... and he had to pay a $25,000.00 fine to Arkansas bar officials. Not to mention he gave up any legal claim for repayment of his legal fee. Which is the real reason behind his first -- tomb. LOL. -- book.
He received millions in advance monies for his book, and it was a best seller.
Also, most people love Clinton, but do not respect his lack of self control, which is why most Democrat Law Makers were not comfortable with back Hilary. They did not want to go through Bill's antics again. LOL.
Well, thanks again for your comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
I hope I wasn't too provoking, but thanks for your kind return comments.
I did not know that Clinton was punished. If he was, then I can certainly live with that ;-) I am ignorant of what happened as a result of the actions taken against him, so thank you, I will have to get myself educated on that a little more.
Thanks for such a stimulating topic!
Hello Alexander,
Sorry I took so long to get back to you on this comment ....
Interesting, most Caucasians I have ever spoken to believed Michael had a skin disease. I am with you. I really do not believe it was a skin disease he had.
That police officer, and those firefighters were shameful, and caught on tape. It might be on You-tube.
Listen, I do not judge President Clinton for lying about cheating. No, I have never done it before, but I have a funny feeling I would not tell the truth. LOL. I know in my heart he was wrong. Too self absorbed.
Still, Clinton lied about cheating on his wife not selling drugs. LOL. He should have lost his law license as he did. He should have been disgraced as he was, but not get kicked out of office for lying.
Though I understand where you are coming from. My baby brother would not even vote for him, because he did not truth him to keep it in his pants. LOL.
Still, being under oath and lying is the problem which is why I believe the punishments he received -- and the fines -- were fitting. Impeachment though? No. That is over kill to me.
It must be nice not to deal with racism in your area. It sounds like my baby brother's area. My mother was there for a week and she loved it.
Sorry to hear about your Dad.
We all end up having some type of guilt from our youth dealing with race, and it usually has nothing do with anything we did wrong. LOL.
Thank you so much for your ... provoking comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
Wow, I'm glad I visited this hub! I feel too that Michael Jackson hated being black, and people can tell me all day long he had that skin disease that turns dark skin to white, but with all the surgery he's had, I don't believe it. His is a sad story. His father hated him, mistreated him growing up, which is probably the root of Michael's problems - add to that the burden of enduring racism, and it is possible to see how that affected his life so negatively.
The story about the police officers and firefighter is beyond belief. Your reasoning is exactly right, what about the people they serve, some of whom they have shown an absolute hatred for? This is why Clinton should have been kicked out of office - he represented millions of people, most of whom are against adultery.
As far as racism goes, it certainly does exist, but I have seen plenty of successful black people here in California. In my neighborhood, I notice a lot of black people who moved out of bad areas in the city so they could live a normal life. I am thankful that I do not see racism around me.
Growing up, my dad was racist and at school I learned white guilt so I'm all messed up ;-)
Hi Teresa8go,
When my siblings and I were children my father worked hard on teaching us not to be bigots .... Believe me that was hard to do in the late '60s, and '70s. LOL.
I am proud of not being a sorry ... bigot. Sorry you had to experience bigotry from silly human beings.
Most Blacks do have issues about complexion, it has to do with Slavery .... I know people hate hearing that, but it is so true. You seem to know that. I respect that.
Speaking about that subject, I actually wrote a Hub called Loving Your Dark Complexioned Self. LOL. The reaction to it was pretty cool. Some of other races told me about the hatred within their cultures. That shocked me.
You were not blind. You were a child. LOL. If your town did not have a lot of Blacks -- if any -- in your area why would your parents need to talk about them? They would not so you would not see how they really felt about Blacks. Out of sight out of mind. LOL. Right? LOL.
Wow, the story you shared about your Cyber Mom is so sad.
Lucky for her she has you. She cannot be herself with no one else from either race? Wow.
Still, she has to know that those so-called friends are not her friends.
At the same time I am saying that. I really do not know what it feels like to look one way when you were born another way and the only people befriending you usually do not like people of your race. It must be weird for her, and hard on the self esteem? That bothers me, and I really feel for her.
The hatred of President Obama scares me. It reminds me of why my Mother really did not want to vote for him in the Primary. She was for Hilary, and when we pressed her on it she finally said, "They are going to kill him."
My siblings and I were stunned into silence. The judgment was over. I do not know why we did not think about it that way, but we did not. Worse, my Mother looked sad and ashamed, as if she were thinking about her two sons with her at our family gathering.
Yeah, I am with you on wishful thinking when it comes to racism magically going away here in America. It would be nice for my Mother and Father to experience it also.
I really love your sharing some of your ... info. thank you so much.
Take Care,
N.E.
N.E. this is a great hub! Racism is something that has always confused me. I just don't understand it! I mean I know it's out there and I have been affected by it, in a very small way, as a white women by a few racist African Americans. And then there is the racism within the African American community about a person's skin being too light or too dark. Even though I know the reason's behind it..... I'm so confused!
I just don't understand what the color of a person's skin has to with whether or not they are a good person. And that's all I care about. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I found out my parents were racists. They were raised in Kentucky where it is common. But they kept it hidden from us kids as much as possible. Either that or I was just blind to it.
My cyber-mom has vitaligo and lives in a mostly white community. She's told me of how racist her lady friends are and how they hate Obama. They think she's white and if they found out she was really black she'd be all alone with no friends at all because the black people in her area see the color of her skin and don't want anything to do with her either. It's so sad!
You are right about how civil servants shouldn't be racists. It would affect the way they did their job and how they related to the people they served.
I pray that someday it will magically go away!
Hey Amymarie_5,
Years ago Latoya Jackson, Michael's sister said that Michael would order cases and cases of skin cream lighter and have them delivered to their home.
Using skin cream lighter for your skin for longer than recommended can end up damaging it. I learned that from one of my sister's childhood friends.
As a young girl her friend was very dark -- as my family is and was -- but she was an only child and when people made fun of her she really did not have any great advice given to her on how to handle it. She started self hating.
Eventually she began using the cream, but she used it for what seemed like a year or so. She ended up damaging her skin. It became splotches of white and pick. It looked bad. Now she uses Mocha foundation make-up for her face to even the tone with her natural skin complexion. It is sad.
My problem with racist who are hired to protect and to serve all people is that they really should not have become firefighters or police officers. What are they thinking? Not about all of the people they are going to have to protect.
Most of them work in the inner cities, and live in the suburbs. I once heard two firefighters speaking to these two Hispanic females and they asked them questions like, "How many kids you have? 10? How old are you? 20?" I just walked pass them all in disgust. I was more upset with the young women. How come they did not see they were being demeaned? It upsetted me.
It just does not make any sense to me that people would become civil servants yet have such low views of their fellow human beings no matter what their races are. It really ticks me off.
The KKK has to be so happy so many people are showing contempt for President Obama and joining their groups in record numbers. Still, their hate does not make any sense to me.
What I am happy about is that it is a lot better than I would have ever thought it could be. Also, in my life time I never thought we would have a Black President. I just still cannot believe it.
_________________________________________________________
LOL. Kim, KKK, I caught it. LOL.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
KKK,not Kim... lol, darn spell check...
Okay so let's say for a moment that Michael jackson suffered from vitiligo. That does not change the shape of your nose, eyes, lips, cheeks and all 'the other parts if his identity he tried to destroy. Thinking of Michael Jackson always breaks my heart. When I was a child we were all in love with him. Did he hate being black? It looked that way to most people. He's a sobering example of how racism can turn into self hatred. Even for someone who was as loved as Michael Jackson.
And as for those firefighters and policeman, I have to just say how tired I am of people twisting the first amendment and using it as a weapon to spew hate. The Kim has been doing this for years as well. I think our government needs to make another amendment excluding people who use the first amendment to attack, insult and belittling people. This is called hate speech, not free speech.
Pmccray, I hope you do not have that skin disease. I believe one of my nieces and her mother has it. It is sad.
Still, I am with you about Michael Jackson, I was ashamed. My parents also.
The problem with slavery is it truly had no race in the middle ages. In Europe slavers stole white women, and children all the time. It was what they did.
Race and slavery seems to be an American thing brought here by Europeans.
I wish I could blame the judge about his decision, but I cannot. I blame the mayor. Most people call him America's Mayor. Please.
Thank you so much for your comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
I'm not sure if MJ really had a skin condition, I think I suffer from the same skin abnormality, but unsure.
Anyway when he lighten himself all over I felt as an, older black woman living in this nation, embarrassed that he hated himself that much.
As for the hideous action of the city employees shown above this is deplorable and any judge that will call their actions trampling of their rights is a racist. Our people were kidnapped, families torn apart, our heritage ripped from us. Our ancestors were beaten, mutilated and whipped in an effort to bend them into submission.
After "freedom" from slavery we were hung, raped, mutilated and killed without any seeking justice for a life taken. We had done nothing to anyone, all this done simply because we exist.
We are not thinned skinned and because racism is still practiced and exists in the US there's not a damn thing funny about stereotypes.
I tell most racist that if their forefathers had not been so lazy NO MINORITIES would be here. Stomping on this type of stereotypes is the only way to get our point across. We seek not tolerance, but demand respect.
Hello Anjili,
I thank you for following me, and I appreciate your praises.
I am conflicted when it comes to Michael Jackson, because I grew up loving his music.
My parents were going to take me to see them perform in Manhattan once, but the group just went on break, and my parents and I had to get back to Queens for my other siblings who were in school. I was seven years old.
When his complexion became lighter most Blacks that I knew where offended.
Still, he did seem like a good father.
Thanks again for your comments.
Take Care,
N.E.
Hi N.E.
Thanx for the follow. I like your hub which was well done and revealing about the rock icon. I believe in being proud of what God gave us coz he knows best why we look like we do. Happy New Year and good hubbing
Oh, Valentine, I am sorry I assumed you were just going out, and not that you two were married.
I am happy to hear you two were married for nearly twelve years and sad to hear about the crap you two have to go through.
Please let me know where your other work is so I can read it.
You know, I read a woman mentioned before that she did not think racism was really around anymore until she started dating a Black man. Suddenly they get it from both sides. It became worse when they married.
I am so ... tired of ... people. Profanity is screaming through my head. LOL. I am just trying to be nice.
We all need to stick up for one another when it comes to this racist crap, because I do not see how else we can stop it.
Still, you are right, people really have too many layers of delusion. I kind of got that from some comments I have read from another Hub.
The commenter was a complete racist, and he is not a fellow Hubber. The Hubber, was a little worse than Switzerland. He reminded me of one of my professors ....
I have to take my son to his school bus soon, but I really hope to keep in touch.
N.E.
NE - I don't date him, he is my husband and has been for nearly 12 years!
We knew what we were getting into. It is difficult sometimes and as I have said I abhor racism, partly because it represents such ignorance but mostly because it strips all of us of our humanity. I have written about racism in other forums and even battled racist more frequently than I care to think about, you cannot really get through layers of delusion though.
Many people believe because of my history I should harbor prejudice and fear (the basis of racism). I do not because I was raised to use my heart and mind. What I harbor is the deep hope that someday we will banish ignorance.
Hi Valentine,
I thank you so much for your wonderful praises.
I am sorry to hear that you confront racism just because of who you date. Please be careful. Some racist really do believe they are sickly on the right side of God.
I became friendly with this young student at Columbia University about twenty years ago when I was a young campus security officer in his dorm.
He started talking to me about the break up between him and his ex-girlfriend who happened to be Black. He said he was tired of young black men always wanting to fight him whenever they went out because he was white dating a black girl.
I did not judge him, because I remembered being a young -- craven 12 year old -- girl liking a young Irish boy who liked me, but I did not want people to think I hated being Black .... So, when I was informed that he was going to ask me out I said something shameful about never dating a white boy. I must say I am still ashamed of myself for that.
I know my friend and the guy who told me this were rightfully disgusted with me. They said nothing they just expressed silent shame of me.
On YouTube there is a video In memory of Marine Sgt. Jan Powel Pietrzak, and his wife Quiana Jenkins-Pietrzak. They were murdered for his being married to her, a Black woman, by four Black fellow Marines. I never ever heard of this story until I was doing research ....
Again, please be careful, because you seem to be brave and proud. I wish I had your strength when I was younger.
Take Care,
N.E.
N.E. Very nicely done. Funny, this is the first one I read of yours, I found it well written, introspective and somewhat sad too.
Racism is an issue I confront constantly. Oddly in part because of where I live (Texas) in part because of the type of volunteer work I do (Victim Impact) and in part because I am one half of a mixed race couple. I use to be able to laugh the ignorance of other people off, no longer. Ignorance of this magnitude should not be ignored as it has such catastrophic impact on us as a nation.
I look forward to reading others of your Hubs as I have time.
I am still not comfortable with that, but you reminded me of how comforting it was for me when a young couple --who happened to be White -- smiled at me and applauded the completion of my music report.
See there were about three of our fellow classmates who showed total disrespect to me for having the nerve to attend a Rock and Roll class -- in college -- while being Black.
Still, they were great towards me -- not at all --until the day of our presentations. I listened to their presentations with respect.
Still, they made sure I knew that they thought Eric Clapton, the Stones, and etc. really did not need to listen to Black Musicans to be who they were. Yes, they lied to themselves. LOL.
Still, I listened to these bigots and clapped when they were finished, because they were informative -- in a racist sort of way. LOL.
I was the last one up and they just looked around, talked to one another and ignored me. I was angry, and looked at my professor for silent help. He just smiled at me and ignored their disrespect of me. That pissed me more, but I continued reading. To be honest it was that couples' silent support which kept me going on. From time to time they looked at those bigots with disgust, and turn back to me and smile.
When I was finished only the professor -- jerk -- and the couple clapped for me.
When the class was over they apologized to me as if they did something wrong. My anger melted away.
I thank you for reminding me of that.
Too bad any of us have to go through dumb-ass crap, but that is life.
I thank you so much for your kind words.
You make me smile.
Take care, N.E.
Your very welcome and thank you, that act of kindness you showed your friend in school, is something to be really proud of.
I understand why it would hurt you, that he asked that but it shows that we are united if more people would stand up against this, like you did.
Bless you N.E
Calpol25, I appreciate your comments.
I really do not understand why most people in all countries do not see Gay Rights as a Civil Right?
If you deny someone normal civil liberies you are taking away someone's right. Where is the freedom?
I remember a friend in high school who seemed gay, but never said he was.
Our Bookkeeping teacher actually made fun of him for being gay. Some students laughed, a few of us females --that happened to all be Black -- did not.
He actually thanked me for being nice to him by smiling at him after looking at our teacher with shock. He thanked me for not making fun of him. That hurt. What was I suppose to do make fun of him? I guess he thought yes.
I did not know about how terrible gays were treated by cops until I saw MILK earlier this year. Sad but true.
I really thank you for sharing your comments.
Take care, N.E.
Such a great hub N.E!!!
I too have had persecution for years,Here in Northern Britain, when people find out your gay some are okay with it but you do get those who try to make it hard for you.
They would kill us and sometimes they do, because we are not the same as they are, but you know something this hub shows that you should be proud of who you are and stand united against racism in every country.
Great Hub, I salute you N.E :)
Meadows_Lad,
It was Martin Luther King Jr's way that got us the Civil Right's Bill here in the U.S.. That and President Johnson's signing the Bill.
Dogs, and water hoes turned on peaceful Marchers. Still, the militants made most of us proud, because they did not turn the other cheek. LOL.
I did not know that 'Rap'Brown, Huey Newton, Angela Davis, and others were demonished in the U.K. as they were here.
Though I must admit all I ever wanted was to have an Angela Davis Afro. LOL.
Thank you for your comments.
_________________________________________________________
Giselle Maine,
Thank you. Most have not pick up on that small bit of humor, but I have as I stated, nieces, nephews, and a son so I cannot state things to them in a mean way. I have to be careful.
Micheal's looks saddens me.
Thank you so much for your comments.
_________________________________________________________
Vietnamvet68,
Everything about Micheal's childhood depresses me completely. If you believe Latoya's book from the '80s all of sister and she were raped by their father and their mother knew it.
Still, if you ever listen to professionals who worked with incest victims all children of both genders are usually raped within the family.
Who knows the real horrors those siblings went through.
With race, my biggest fear is when I will have to explain racism to my now 7 year old son. So far so good. LOL.
My younger brother was in the army in the '80s. My other younger siblings and I were concerned about how he was treated for being Black. He said, "Hey, I was treated cool until they found out I was a New Yorker." We laughed so hard. Against region not Race cool. LOL.
I thank you so much for your comments, and your service to this country!!!
Racism is such a foul word and still to this day it runs wild in this country.I begin to think we have taken 2 steps back for every one forward anymore. I seen it up close in the 60's when I was in the service and still see it today. Unfortinuately it still remains until God cleanses the earth and then we can all have a peaceful life together.This was a great essay you wrote and I could go on and on on the subject matter. I was raised in Indiana close to where Michael Jackson lived and seen him sing when he was just a young boy. He was a great singer but he also had a terible childhood at home the way he was treated by his own father
A clear and well thought out hub. Yeah, the Michael Jackson images are disturbing. (Your first caption is hilarious by the way! - I love the way you put humor into your hubs here and there!)
A very restrained and reasoned article given the story which prompted it and which I had not heard. I remember when I was a young lad back in the sixties seeing news from the Civil Rights struggle on Television. I couldn't believe some of the stories and they made a lasting impression on me. One of the things that strikes me now is how leaders such as 'Rap' Brown, Huey Newton, Angela Davis and others were demonised even here in the UK.
Much progress has been made due in part to those brave men and women, but there is still a way to go and people like that are needed to help complete the journey, and not just in the US
Hello China Man,
I thank you for your kind words.
As I commented earlier, I wish I did not know about this subject, but I do.
My fear, seriously, is what my son will experience.
Power to you - nicely thought through writing. The harm that racism does to everyone involved is almost beyond belief and understanding. Keep these ocming :)
Wow, I did not know that Tom.
I tell you, though, I thank God for my father. My siblings and I would be total bigots if it were not for him. Going through being called the "N" word just, because you are walking past someone's home to get to your home. Or being called the "N" word, while visiting Great Adventure when you are all of 14 years old.
My father loves this country, and he did not teach us to hate our Black selves, but he taught us that not everyone in any race are the same.
He would love what you had mentioned about Medals of Honor. His father -- I believe -- was in World War One.
Thanks for your kind words, and thanks again for sharing this information.
I cannot wait to tell my father.
N.E. I love this one. I've been fighting this crap my whole life. I ran across something a while back that made me go hum...Of the 3,463 Medals of Honor awarded as of April 2007[update], 88 have been awarded to 87 different African American recipients.[1] Robert Augustus Sweeney is one of only 19 men, and the only African American, to be awarded two Medals of Honor.[2] Seems the hero's were of a similar color. Well what do you know?
Peace!!! Tom
Wow, ahorseback, what you are saying is true.
I do believe not all parents agree with prejudice, but do they teach that acting like Archie Bunker is not funny in real life?
Well, my father did .... We could not get away with calling anyone out of their name or race.
I am not comfortable with how some of us of all races seem to have no problem with hating a different race or religion a season.
We will all do better with letting our children know -- out loud -- that we will not accept prejudice from them in any form.
Thank you so much for your thoughts.
Hello N.E. ,The saddest part of even good parenting is the passive continuation of prejudices , and not just racial but the "them and us ", mentality of poverty against well to do, biased against ethnicities or cultural differences. We as a nation fail in or fear mongering ways by not teaching our children to be open minded enough to see the person within first . And the visual differences last. We would teach them so much more by teaching them to look 'within'.
Hey, Ghost, I am laughing and nodding my head at the same time.
You are correct, and again funny while speaking the truth. My big deal about life is choice.
That really is what America is about in my opinion.
Masood, we are not about to throw out Moslems...or B'Hai...or Hindus...or people of any other faith. It has nothing to do with naivete, either, but with the defining principle of religious freedom on which our nation was founded.
That said, if you are referring to what has become commonly known as the "Ground Zero Mosque" in New York, we--as a people--are not about to deny the Imam's RIGHT to build the mosque in any way, shape, or form. Our constitution makes his right to build it crystal clear. Rather, those who are against it being built precisely WHERE it is being built are questioning (a) the sincerity of the Imam when he describes himself as one who wishes to bridge with other religions, (b) the overall sensitivity (or lack of same) shown by choosing that location, and (c) clear indications that the Imam is more radical than he admits.
None of this has anything to do with his legal right to build.
Now, to un-hijack this hub and get back to the topic of racism (not religionism, to coin a word): N.E. Wright, I'm a hardcore fiscal conservative, defender of the Second Amendment, and generally a to-the-political-death opponent of Progressives and/or Liberals and Big Government in general. As you know!
But socially? That's another matter. I'm mostly pro-choice (though not a big fan of partial-birth abortion and not in favor of using federal funds to pay for abortions).
And I've been fighting racism since I was ten years old, standing in a mouthfight against several grown men in our local (Montana) barber shop. (Not that they were impressed.)
Okay, done said all that to say all this: During my time in the U.S. Army, I ran an "unofficial racism survey", questioning any man I could about their attitudes on race. At the time--1964-65--my findings came out as follows:
Of every 100 people (young adult males, any and all races), 97 admitted having at least some negative "attitude" toward folks who didn't look like them while 3 appeared--on the surface, at least--to be "clean of the taint".
The mere fact that America could (and obviously did) elect a President sired by an African father makes it clear those percentages no longer apply, and that's good. But I seriously doubt racism will ever vanish from our midst. It can be a sneaky bugger.
Please don't let your damned government to build a f... mosque.Are you crazy Americans? The hell with you who have chosen this government who supports Islam only for the benefit of a handful of rich. Be yourself! Be American (not racist though).Defend your country. It is a shame for you that an Iranian (I am from Iran) tells you what to do. The hell with Islam. Just throw out Moslems and rebuild your country. don't be naive....
Thanks all of you for your kind words.
I really do not know if Michael Jackson hated his Black self I just know that most Blacks believed it, because his skin was lighter than it was when he was a youth.
Too many groups had gone through discrimination and abuse in this country. I am upset by what is going on in regards to hispanics and Muslims now.
Still, when all is said and done I LOVE AMERICA. We just need to be cool to one another.
Excellent essay! Very well written. On the issue of vitaligo; I know someone with the skin condition. She has lighter, discolored patches on her face, which she hides under make-up. I can understand where, lacking an alternative (such as a cream to darken the light patches), someone would opt to lighten the rest of the skin to match the lighter patches. As far as Michael Jackson having the condition, I cannot say.
In regards to the rest of the essay...sadly, there are many shameful chapters in this country's history. My great-great grandparents immigrated from Ireland in the late 1800's. They saw their own share of discrimination and abuse. Young Irish children forced to work in dye factories, being beaten and abused, sometimes to the point of death. I can never compare that to the treatment of blacks in this country, just another footnote in the disparaging history of horrible treatment of those that are different. Thank you for this! Excellent!
Donotfear,
Thank you for your kind words.
I actually hate that I know enough to write a story like this.
My son requested I read this story to him. I refused nicely. Too much explaining for a six year old. He is sitting next to me playing his Gameboy. I want him to stay innocent a little longer from racism....
I just do not know what to think about Michael Jackson's feelings about himself, but I know that most people including myself was bothered when he appeared fair-complexioned suddenly to the public.
I secretly thank God I did not have money. Who knows what I would have done? I am just being honest.
This a very deeply disturbing subject. I'm glad you wrote about it. Human behavior can be quite apalling.
I will say that Michael Jackson had the skin condition called, I think, vitigo (?). When his skin began lightening in some places & staying dark in others looking spotty, he attempted to smooth out the look by chemical treatments, which resulted in a totally white appearance. I don't think he was ashamed of being black. I think he had a deep in security.
Thank you for a well written article.
Thank you Anne for your kind words.
I was looking forward to moving within USA in two years, but I have been hearing so many sad tales that I may just say in New York. I just do not want to explain racism to my son.
I felt sorry for my mother when she had to explain it to me when I was 6 years old.
I look forward to talking to.
Oh, please tell Lea, I wish my Mom sent me to get my hair braided at her age. I looked a mess with nice clothing. I was so happy when my mother allowed me to wear an Afros. LOL.
Take care.
N.E.
Dear N.E,
This is an excellent hub! I was born in Berkeley, CA and lived my adult life in Sacramento, CA. Two of my daughters are African American and our multi cultural family was commonplace in CA. I moved to NC in 2006 and we are struggling with the racism in all groups. More dialogue with you would be wonderful and I will read your hubs. Anne
Sorry I took so long to respond to your comments. I had death in the family and was not comfortable with being on line. I just deleted over 17,000 unread e-mails early this morning.
Okay, for me it is hard to explain Michael's images. I did once believed that he had Vitigo, but his sister, Latoya said he use to have skin brightening cream sent to him by the case load.
Also, my sister had a friend who hated her dark complexion and used skin lightening cream until it bleached away part of her dark complexion and she now has to wear dark hued make-up. So I just do not know what to say or what to believe about Michael.
I would prefer he was suffering from Vitigo, because explaining dislike of ones self is not something I believe I can do well.
Thanks for your response Alex.
It is NOT hard to explain these images to your son.This man ,MICHAEL Jackson suffered from a disease called vitigo.It is a medical condition that destroys the pigmantation of the skin.HOPED THIS HELPED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11
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Dumbledore Level 3 Commenter 6 months ago
I believe the public servants portrayed in your hub should absolutely not have been re-instated. Freedom of speech or not, portraying themselves as police officers on the float demonstrated that their oppinion was also that of the police department.
Haven't heard from you in a while, how are you doing?