Discussing @mikhaill Racism in the Elevator: Misogyny in the Video Production Room My friend, methinks thou doth protest
too much. The point of the elevator video was to highlight white fear and unfounded racism; it winds up, from your perspective, concerned with patriarchal misogynistic behavior; its singular purpose washed out in continued efforts at misplaced feminist manifesto, page 1, no bitch.
The most glaring omission is the fact that NO ONE noticed enough to care about the (unintended) continued casting of a Black man as angry, disrespectful and violent; obviously incapable of intelligent discourse regarding this matter. This sterotype, emboldened by D. W. Griffith's "The Birth of a Nation," continues the portrayal of Black people as the American boogeyman. Continued negative imaging of Blacks must be addressed and corrected.
"The man in the video did not utter bitch out of frustration. He uttered it because the script writer thought the most important or best thing was (to) assert power. I see it as a misogynistic act..." I believe that is a totally incorrect assessment. You have to learn to appreciate humor...test tube baby. Have you ever laughed when someone said bitch or motherfucker? If you haven't, you dont get it.
Shulamit Berlevtov (@shuliji) tweeted, “The misogyny I perceive in this video frightens me more than his Blackness...After watching this video, I don’t want to hang out with this guy." Unless born and raised in America and well studied on the subject, most don't really understand the subtle dynamics of black white relationships, especially if you're neither. Much like knowing how to play the blues, without having the soul to feel them.
Instead of saying bitch, (or other profanity, which, by the way, if executed correctly, should follow action by 2 seconds,any more or less and it loses value), what if the Black man said motherfucker, would you care? Would you then decry oh, being meany to white woman?
Change the woman to an elderly man and depict fear with body language and lack of eye contact. Now have the Black man say bitch or motherfucker; anyone gonna complain?
Reverse the players, Black man on elevator minding his own business, white woman gets on, sees she's alone, shrinks as far away as possible while further securing her purse, voice-over intones, "MDKRS; murder, death, kill, rape, steal."
Now voice from man follows, "after picking up Susanna from school, I must get some orange juice for home and flowers for her grandmother, she's been so nice to me lately." Doors open, white woman, still clutching purse, looks back furtively as she scurries away.
As doors close, Black man, whose face or body posture hasn't changed the whole time, turns to camera, smiles and says..."mo...tha...fuc'ka!" Bastard, bitch, asshole, and others technically, work equally well; mofo adds particular humor.
Black man noticed her innate prejudice, chose to ignore; yet he did not miss her misplaced fear. The profanity is understood to be addressed at the actions of the woman, rather than gender; anti-racist message left intact. Most importantly, the white woman is the villian - Black man is not.
What is being singled out is misplaced fear and racism from the white woman/race. What you chose to focus on was the use of bitch and some perceived denegration of women. I believe you speak truthfully from your perspective, however, I think it's one huge step backwards...(2 second pause), a friend.
PS - I was on an elevator today and smiled as I took subtle notice of the actions of 3 white women. I didnt discern anything unusual, maybe that's because I was like Ellison's "Invisible Man." JK, but I dont think I will be able to "just ride" an elevator again, thanks.
that is all
No comments:
Post a Comment