Continued from Ramblings of Michael Vass Part 1...
Some say it’s because of racism. While it exists, I know that first hand and recently as well, there is no comparison to what existed in the 50’s and earlier. There were no television channels featuring Blacks, nor African American characters of note. There were no African American political candidates, or mayors. Being in the wrong place or looking at the wrong person easily led to attacks and in many cases lynchings. Even with the far too common police or mob actions of today, there is no comparison.
Some of the more dim say it’s because that is ‘being real’. First reality is real, to have to say that is both redundant and an indication of the limits of the mind that spoke such a statement. Secondly the reality is not what various marketing systems portray on a daily basis. Music videos, songs, television programs and that ilk are merely means by which to separate a consumer from their income. They are exaggerations and excerpts of reality and no more accurate than the world of JRR Tolkein or Issac Asimov.
The media, in all its forms including entertainment, may state that EVERY African American uses drugs, has 5 kids that they don’t see, never graduated high school, and is involved in some form of criminal activity but even casual observation in the worst of neighborhoods prove this wrong. The overwhelming average of African Americans are people that work, raise families, have sought and gained basic and the highest levels of education, without a single criminal incident (many without even so much as a parking ticket). But that reality just seems to escape the major media, and often the blogosphere.
Where are the posts celebrating the contributions being made every day? Celebrity donations are always decent news, but how often do you hear about something being done by a Black or Hispanic entertainer/celebrity? There are many of them, and more than just Ms. Oprah Winfrey is out there doing things. How about the efforts of Mr. Don Cheadle, or the work of Mr. Montel Williams in providing 4 million people with free or nearly free medication. Doesn’t that deserve a bit more than just the mere soundbites they get now?
So yes, I get tired. It’s hard to write to all the blogs everyday. But I do, and I look out for the positives. I’m not perfect; I miss stuff I should write about. I get caught up in an issue and don’t have the time to get to other issues. It happens.
But there are positives out there. There are alternatives. Leadership is the act of leading, and I like other bloggers are trying to lead to a better path than what is out there now. I just felt like mentioning that. Thank you for reading and your patronage.
This is what I think, what do you think?
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