???Nappy Headed Hos???

First off, this shows just how out of the loop I've been. I hadn't heard anything about this foolishness until I talked with my line-sister yesterday. After catching up on each other's lives she asked my opinion on the IMUS situation. I had no idea what she was referring to. I don't watch too much TV and don't listen to the radio much either (I can't stand most commercial music) so I admit, sometimes I miss out on important news items (I have subscribe to a mail service now that will come to my inbox). After turning to CNN and MSNBC and doing the requisite Google I got the gist of what was happening. First I thought this must be some kind of joke, but sadly I knew it wasn't.

My outrage is on soo many levels I don't know if I can organize my thoughts coherently, but I'll try.

First I am upset that anyone would try to defend this by bringing up rap music. I am not a fan of a lot of rap b/c I do not like all the references to ho's and bitches, but and this is the thing none of those songs are directed at anyone specfically.

One the other hand, if any MC's were confused or thought that their excessive use of these terms were not having an impact here is your proof. For some reason or another this crazy man thought it would be okay to refer to the black women on this team as ho's. Is anyone unaware that ho is short for WHORE!!! WTF!! On top of that some other crazy white folk are trying to say that b/c rappers and other artists constantly use ho in place of girl, woman, etc and have black women in their videos that ho is synonymous with black woman. GRRRRR, I just want to scream.

Then I have heard the argument that if a black man had said the same thing it would not be as big a deal. WRONG!! If Tavis Smiley or Barack Obama or Snoop Dogg has said this I would be livid as well. As a matter of fact, I had a discussion with a group of my students a couple of weeks ago and one woman related a story about and informal get together of professional black men and women. They were discussing relationships and one man when talking about his significant other (who was not present) said "blah blah blah and this ho blah blah blah!" Of course when he was checked by ALL the women in the room she said he seemed genuinely surprised at their reaction.

Has everyone lost their damn minds? Can it really be like this? I just cannot understand b/c for every street walker, hoochie mama, and gold digger represented we have plenty of teachers, lawyers, doctors, and other educated professional respectable black women.

Then the nappyheaded comment just took it to a whole other level. But hey let's not front, how many black people still aren't down with natural hair? How man men would really "prefer" that women like me just get a damn relaxer? I have heard it many times and I just shake my head in disgust. This post is random, but I just don't know what to say.

Yes he needs to be fired and yes I am keeping track of who defends him, continues to advertise on his show and who doesn't. When its all said and done yes we need to rally against this idiot, but what we really need to do is take a look at ourselves and get it together.

Sometimes I think its my imagination or that I am just over thinking things when I worry about how black women are perceived in this world. I felt like we are still put into these boxes of mammy, whore, or sapphire, but wondered if I was wrong. Sometimes it seems like a waste of time to be a virtuous woman b/c no matter what you do and how you present yourself you ultimately are characterized in a negative light. When will Black woman be seen as Goddesses too? When will be held up for admiration outside of how bodacious our booties are?

I'm not surprised by that ignorant old white man's comments. He came up in an era when black people couldn't vote, sit at the same counter and all that nonsense, what really concerns me is how man younger people still hold these same ignorant views.

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