Ok, so I promised after last week's skewering of NBC News' godawful African American Women: Where They Stand series that I'd stop watching the final segments, and wouldn't waste anymore bandwidth on this issue. Two problems however: 1) Hits were through the roof last week. 2) You guys asked me to. Who am I disappoint my loyal readers?
[Editor's Side Note: if you're a fellow blogger and have stolen my "black women, it sucks to be you" tagline, be sure to give me credit at least. Respect the architect.]
The final couple of segments were by-the-numbers and hardly enlightening. There was the bland and non insightful look into the power of the black female vote in South Carolina Friday. Apparently, NBC knows no better source of black intelligentsia than the beauty shop, so many of the viewpoints on this segment were shown from customers there. Note to Mainstream Media: despite whatever message Hollywood has given you about the importance of the black barber/beauty shop as the epicenter of black thought, I can reassure you, no substantive discussion has EVAR occurred there. Period. Unless you count T-Mac vs Kobe, and "how good was that bootleg" as serious critical examinations of the state of black America. Heck, I was there yesterday getting my Ceasar, so I can vouch for this. Conspiracy theories about the death of Sean Taylor? Check. The new Jay-Z album? Check. "The State of Black America"? Uhhm, not so much.
So, can we please kill the "beauty shop soundbytes tell the heart of Black America B.S." for the last time?
Anyways, they figuratively saved the best for last and ran a tired assed story about interracial dating, specifically how many black women are now turning to white guys because they're ostensibly so tired of black men not being about idd'ish. Cue the Something New clip, and more sobering statistics. Interestingly enough, the story centered around a black woman who had admittedly always dated white guys, which I thought more or less killed the alleged premise of the episode, since she probably never exactly "crossed over". But then again, it was the expected ending for a week of lazy assed reporting.
Love breaking racial barriers [NBC News Video]
If you're really a glutton for punishment, there's some additional segments on NBC's series website, including an unintentionally hilarious bit about Black women in hip hop, starring Irv Gotti and Melyssa Ford.
My lasting impression of this series is that it was half-assed journalism at its worst. The stories were one-sided, sensationalized, and worst of all, classcist. All the segments seemed to conveniently focus on the professional black female perspective, but when men where critiqued, is was us as a whole. Why not explore some of the issues that lower classed black women have with dating, healthcare, politricks, and the workplace? I guess NBC was more interested in putting its best foot forward. It should have put its best foot somewhere else. But I'm sure last week's rating were through the roof with all the added notoriety, so let's not forget the obvious here: TV is all about ratings. Not objectivity. Not correctly reporting the facts. Not presenting all facets of a story. Nope.
It's all about the Nielsens baby.
I sure hope Raheema Ellis enjoys that Christmas bonus.
Curiously enough, since I left the Tivo Season Pass on for NBC Nightly News, I saw that there was yet another episode recording last night. And lo and behold, even though the Where They Stand Series is technically over, NBC couldn't resist throwing one more lick of salt in the proverbial black woman's wound by running a somewhat old story about a stripper turned CEO here in DC who bilked thousands out of their homes in an elaborate refinancing scheme.
Vulnerable homeowners target of scams [NBC News Video]
NBC's story was decent, but I liked the story the first time I heard it, months ago in the Washington Post.
Joy Jenise Jackson glided down the aisle of the Mayflower Hotel ballroom wearing her handmade oriental silk wedding gown and tiara with Swarovski crystal rhinestones. Trailing her was a 42-foot train, it, too, adorned with bling.While NBC's story really couldn't capture the Ghetto-Fabulousness that is Joy Jackson and the Metropolitan Money Store quite like the August story in the Post (a must-read), I couldn't help but notice the strange juxtaposition of the stories.
The June 2006 reception was equally glitzy, captured, like the wedding, on video. Patti LaBelle serenaded Jackson, 39, a former exotic dancer turned mortgage broker, and her groom, Kurt Fordham, 38. Later, the video shows the couple and their 360 guests sipping Moet and Cristal champagne and dining on lobster and shrimp fried rice, followed by four wedding cakes. As gifts, the couple gave one of their attendants a Porsche, another a house, and a third a $10,000 check, wedding guests said.
The price tag for the nuptials, Jackson told friends, was nearly $800,000.
It was a fairy tale wedding born of a booming real estate market. But even as Jackson was basking in her platinum wedding, her dreams and those of hundreds of homeowners in the Washington area were crumbling around them -- just like the market.
Investigators and attorneys say it appears that Jackson paid for her wedding and her lavish lifestyle, in part, with money from an elaborate foreclosure rescue business she operated out of her Lanham-based Metropolitan Money Store Corp.
Last month, a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of homeowners who say they have collectively lost as much as $60 million in home equity through her business.
After a week of stories that mostly reflected well on the black woman (albeit at the expense of black men), I couldn't help but wonder just who thought it was a good idea to run this completely negative story to cap things off? I mean, this story isn't by any means new, there haven't been any new developments since it broke last Summer. There's a really good chance that the segment NBC News aired was actually old. So, again, I ask, what's up with the timing?
Black women, if you had any doubt, whatsoever, NBC really didn't give an idd'ish about where you stand.
Prince George's Fairy Tale Unravels For Woman at Center of Fraud Probe [WaPost]
Average Email
Average FAQ
Average Bio
AB @ AOL BlackVoices
AB @ NPR
AB @ WashingtonPost
Posts
15 AverageComments™:
seeing a functional, in tact black couple is one of the best sights in the world. i'm not a big fan of interracial dating and marrying. i just love it when brothers and sisters can appreciate and make a commitment to each other. that being said, i do tend to take up for black women who choose to cross over while tending to give black men who cross over the blues (in my head anyway, i've never actually directly vocalized this to any male family and friends who have done this). so why do i give black women a pass- b'c 9 times out of ten, they have at LEAST given brother after brother a CHANCE and have not found one worthy. black men who cross over, in my exeperience, simply prefer white, asian, hispanic- strike that- ANYTHING BUT BLACK women w/out giving sisters a fair chance. this, to me, is a problem. it's out right rejection of black women. and i know some dudes like to hang it on environment- they grew up around white people, etc. but that's baloney. so did i and i have NEVER dated a white guy. there's too much to love about black men. and no, i did not learn this b'c i grew up with a present, super-loving father who was always there for me. i'll just chalk it up to the Truth. but i will admit that i'm blessed to have met my husband in college, preventing me from ever having to be a part of the dating scene. i never had to do the whole partying, clubbing, blind dating, singles ministry thing to find a good man. i have many, MANY girlfriends who are still single (early 30's) and have no PROSPECT of even finding a good man, not to mention a husband. and they are all still looking for black men- they haven't crossed over yet. (and now with HIV running rampant in our communities, the situation looks bleaks, y'all.) so honestly, i cannot blame these sisters who choose to look outside the black community to find love. dudes on the other hand- i have YET to hear an instance where they have tried, and tried to find a good black women and just gave up so decided to cross over...
You accuse NBC of having a class bias and yet say that nothing of substance is discussed in the barber/beauty shop. Pot, meet kettle.
That assertion is based on your experience which does not make it fact. My experiences in both type of shops have been the opposite. Especially if you go to a Muslim-owned spot. They talk serious politics all of the time. Ever had your locs twisted in Brooklyn? Lots of Serious Debate.
70% of black children grow up without fathers. No other indictment of black men is needed. Now, if the mothers dropped those children off at the church steps, well then they would be equally as scandalous.
Black men have failed their people. Black women pay for this failure. Read your own blog!
@ Anonymous. Sheba, are you back again?
70% of black children grow up without fathers. No other indictment of black men is needed.
I always hate when people throw this stat out. Yes, it's an appalling number, but let's look closer:
* This is simply a gauge of those not married when the baby is born. It doesn't account for the fact that people do indeed get married after they have kids. The number of female headed households is %50. I take this to mean that some people are indeed getting hitched, albeit after the point.
* This doesn't mean men aren't taking care of their kids. Just because the child is born out of weblock isn't an automatic indictment that means the men suddenly disappear. This is of course sometimes the case, but I'd be willing to wager that more times that not, that brother stays involved, married or not.
* Where's the woman's responsibility in this? Like I said before, it takes two to tango. Why solely blame men for out of wedlock births? If these brothers are known to be triflin', what does it say about the women who lie down and have unprotected sex with these idiots? Sure, there are probably many cases of guys who lie and say "we'll get married when the baby comes", but more often than not, it seems to be a shared lack of responsibility.
Black men have failed their people. Black women pay for this failure. Read your own blog!
Nah, to me, it seems like black people have failed black people. I don't see any innocent parties in this whole crapstorm.
Where's your blog? Still waiting to read it.
Just my 2 cents tho'.
@ deedee
so honestly, i cannot blame these sisters who choose to look outside the black community to find love. dudes on the other hand- i have YET to hear an instance where they have tried, and tried to find a good black women and just gave up so decided to cross over...
agreed, but I think this comes down to a simple numbers game. There are more women than men, so somebody is bound to get left out. God doesn't create a perfect 1:1 ratio of men to women, then the brothers in jail and on the DL throw this number off more. Thus, you have a smaller pool of men than women, and somebody's coming up short.
I think this, in part, is why part men aren't "forced to look elsewhere". They never really run out of options.
I can't personally speak about men who date white women exclusively, because I don't happen to know any, but I think the "product of your environment" explanation does indeed carry some weight here. It's valid. If that's what you grew up used to, it is likely what you'll gravitate towards as an adult.
Again, I ain't sayin' I agree either, but I sure do understand.
sheer #'s- good point- another reason not to hate on sisters who cross over (lack of availability) and another reason to be salty at the brothers who do the same (surplus that is grossly overlooked).
Ok. Interracial dater here! I'd just like to point out that some people who date interracially, do so out of happenstance. My white boyfriend came into my life because we were classmates working on a community study together. We spent lots of time together, enjoyed each other's company, and refused to let race define us, or to let race be a barrier to the happiness we have together.
I didn't choose him because of hardships with black men. I didn't choose him because black men were less likely to be as educated. I didn't really choose him at all. We landed in each others' lives and have been pleased with that circumstance for the last year and a half.
I guess it just bugs me that people (who have walked up to me and voiced their dismay) don't believe that sometimes love just happens. Some people aren't out there looking to "cross over." Just thought I'd put that out there.
Well, speaking from my own personal experience as a single, never been married, 35 year old, black woman with 2 children(twins).
I grew up in a predominantly white community and witnessed interracial dating. I grew up without my biological father but I did have a step father for a while. I have no desire to date or marry outside out side of my race and never have. I can not tell you why I feel that way but that is how I feel. I have male and a few female relatives who are married and or living with "others". I also recently had a college classmate to marry a white man. I say do what you do. For years, I have seen brothers either not stick around or leave when it gets tuff so I just figure that is life. At the same time, a lot of us settle for less than what we want and/or act irresponsibly, myself included.
No, I do not think the NBC report is accurate, that is why I did not watch it, I don't think they talk to the average black woman or man and I do not think it is fair to blame any one group. It does take 2 to tango so both parties are to blame. Like one older black woman once told me, you know what type of person you got in bed with so why do you think he is going to be different because a baby is born?
I also don't think they took into consideration that there are women who do not want to be married, or did they? One of the comments on the video by a black woman is that this conversation is going to come up about what are we gonna do, are we gonna have to go there and marry outside our race? I don't think that conversation always comes up, does it??? There are so many things to talk about and so many issues facing our community and the world, are we really relegated to discussing if we must marry outside our race? I think not.
Yes, I have told some of my younger relatives that have the desire to get married that they may have to consider a non-brother. That is if that is a major goal in your life. I personally would rather be happy and have peace of mind and if that means being single then that is what it is.
Oh yeah was the gay and lesbian community figured into these numbers? Since they can not get married and many of them adopt children. What portion of those single women are lesbians and therfore can not be married legally?
@ DA Drew,
Great insight, especially the part about personal responsibility/two to tango.
The 70% number is purely children born out of wedlock. To be certain, it's not a number to be proud of, but it's also not the most accurate indicator of the state of black families, or paternal involvement.
@ ILL,
Great insight as well.
I'm a bit surprised that people reading this post seem to have picked up more on the interracial dating part, as opposed to the ridonculous story about Metro Money Store. Have you guys read that? Pure comedy!
I don't read your blog often, I am usually steered in its direction by a friend who reads regularly. The reason I don't read your blog is because you don't speak to me and I don't think you are really thinking about black women when you do post. I am a single black woman that has been for black men for a mightly long time. On occassion I have dated other men outside my race, but I usually go back to trying to date brothers. The key word is trying. How often should I allow myself to be treated the way that so many black men in my experience treat black women (Like we should be lucky)? Over and over and over again I get shit on. And shit on me once shame on you, shit on me twice shame on me. So I decided to own up to what so many people seem to have known for a long time, I am much better off with my options open.
And I am so tired of black women who do date men of other races getting racked over the coals. Black men do it far more frequently and oh so openly. Don't we deserve happiness, healthy, stable relationships?
The reason I don't read your blog is because you don't speak to me and I don't think you are really thinking about black women when you do post.
I'm not really sure what, if anything, to say about that.
If you read any of my other posts, you'll clearly see that I advocate finding happiness with whomever you can. It's a cold world out here.
That said, I can't understand how people make blanket statements about an entire race/gender. The black men you speak about are not the black men I know.
And I am so tired of black women who do date men of other races getting racked over the coals. Black men do it far more frequently and oh so openly. Don't we deserve happiness, healthy, stable relationships?
Of course you do. But have you perhaps considered that the men you're dating, regardless of race aren't the problem? What's the common denominator in all this?
I'm just sayin'.
So, I'm the reason the black men I date misbehave? But the white ones don't. I don't think so. I always strive to be myself in all situations. But, there is no need hashing this out in a blog comment section because you don't know me. And because you don't know me, you can make a statement like you made above. I could sit and talk to you for hours about some of the things that your brotheren have done. And believe me you would probably be shocked. And I have a feeling if the things that happened to me happend to say your sister you would think differently. I am not saying that all black men are this way, I am not saying you are. I am just saying in my life in New York City this is what I am up against.
As for your other blogs, I read a couple when i was first introduced to your blog and felt it wasn't somthing I would take the time to read daily (and generally people who read do read them daily). And like I said on occassion when something comes up my friend will send me back to your blog to check it out. It's usually your segments on relationships because I am a single black woman in a major city.
Be well, and don't be so quick to point the finger back. Because people can't control what others do, they can only control how they react.
So, I'm the reason the black men I date misbehave? But the white ones don't. I don't think so.
Ok, here's a dumb question: if the white guy don't misbehave, why aren't you married to one of them yet? I mean, I judging by how triflin' you say some of the brothers are by comparison, I'd think your white knight in shining armor would have swept you off your feet by now.
I don't doubt for one minute that you've been hurt by black men. I can clearly feel that in your comments. But let's not make this a race thing. Like I said, be happy with whomever makes you happy. If someone else has a problem with this then that's their problem. But let's stay away from sweeping generalizations. Has EVERY black man you ever met been a philandering dawg? Really? Has every white guy been Prince Charming? Probably not.
Most weekends, between mentor/tutoring, coaching bball, and church, I run into dozens of black men who are educated, civic minded, selfless, and care about things bigger than themselves. I don't know jack squat about how most of these men behave in their relationships, but by my measure, these are all good guys. That said, I just refuse to believe that ALL of us are lowlife, good for nothing dogs. Sorry.
Reality is, there are men (and women) of all races who aren't sh*t. But in my admittedly distant dating experience (I've been out the game for years), you attract what you put out. Namely, if you're open minded and willing to get to know someone, you'll generally attract likeminded people.
Maybe NYC just isn't the place for you. DC's nice. Consider a road trip.
Et contrairement à d’autres casinos, le casinocasino online Baraka
autorise, dans la majorité de ses jeux,
les paris sophistiqués et les véritables règles de Maximum/Minimum. Le joueur peut ainsi miser
jusqu’à 5000 euros sur le tapis au lieu de 300 euros ailleurs.
In a casino online casino en ligne, a player's
choices are not so a heap of unlike in serious casino settings.
Land-based casino offer countless games that could blow anyone's head away.
Informative content, In bachelor party you can drink all night but between the beer and the strippers, wouldn't it be fun to have a few bachelor party games such as Despedida Soltero.
Post a Comment