The key moment in this conversation is the 13th through 19th seconds. In 6 seconds Lohan both states he thrill at an Obama win, and then insults him harshly. It’s so simple and obviously so common that Maria Menounos of Access Hollywood doesn’t even notice.
Colored. As in the defining word in Jim Crow laws and segregation that prevented Blacks from voting, or even sitting on a bus, for nearly 100 years.
I have a friend, who is 50, and he mentioned to me what she had said and asked why it was a big deal. He honestly had no idea though in several years I’ve never heard him utter the word once. For the benefit of others in the world, it is a big deal to many. NEVER call an African American colored.
That one word was used, along with the n-word in less polite circles, to describe African Americans. And it was meant as a derogatory term. It was a means of separating and belittling. It was meant as a way of inferring both difference and dislike.
Is it a hateful word? Not entirely, depending on the person that states it. But I can say that I have never heard the term uttered by anyone under 60 before. I’ve encountered diehard racists that never used the term, though they did use the n-word with frequency (while they had teeth). And in the years since 1970 the only reference I have been aware of for that usage is when someone is trying to be polite in public and does not want to use the n-word. It’s a tell that would be like jumping up and down at a poker table.
The fact that Lohan uses this term does not surprise me. I am sure that her circle of drug addicted, drunken friends are anything but the most enlightened souls. Often the most ignorant, stupid, small-minded, weak-willed, imbecilic and verbally constrained people are drunks, drug addicts, and/or racist. Which makes perfect sense when considering the crowd around Lohan.
But I did notice that Access Hollywood seems to be taking up for Lohan’s racial remark by stating
“We believe the word in question that Ms. Lohan used was unintelligible.”
Unintelligible? Hardly. I heard it a clear as a day. And it is not some kind of made up word out of the dictionary only Don King uses. It was very intelligible. And no one should be trying to obscure what she said.
I know that the NAACP has stated that they think the use of colored was
“…outdated and antiquated but not offensive.”
And I disagree. Not one friend I know, nor any person of color I have ever known would find her comment inoffensive. Perhaps if I were born in the highly racist 1950’s or earlier in America it wouldn’t matter. But I and most Black Americans alive today were not. Nor was she.
Is it racist? No. Is it racially insensitive and insulting, Yes. The mere fact that as America has become less racist the term has ceased being used is proof enough of that. One day the term Black may be as well. But right now, there is no reason why Lohan would use such a term without being in an environment that fosters and promotes negative stereotypical views of Blacks.
One thing is for sure, the fact that much of America didn’t blink an eye, like Maria Menounos and the editors of Access Hollywood, tells me that thinking of Black people as second-class and offensive still is as much a part of America as it was half a century ago.
President Obama is Black, and that one act did not change America’s racist heritage nor the racially charged problems of today.
2 comments:
As found at 1800blogger.com, where I am a contributing author.
OliveMarie Says:
November 19th, 2008 at 4:38 am e
You mention that the NAACP does not consider the term “colored” to be offensive. I guess not since the acronym NAACP stands for National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Despite the term being antiquated they have chosen not to change the name of their organization. I guess the writer of the above piece did not know what the acronym stood for. I have heard Obama refer to himself as a “person of color” so he obviously doesn’t have an issue with the term either. I think that because he is of mixed race (white mother and black father) Lindsay Lohan perhaps didn’t know the correct way to refer to his race or whether he considered himself “black.” Some people of mixed race feel that by identifying themselves with the race of only one parent you are being disrespectful to the other parent. It can be a confusing issue. I am giving Lindsay the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think she meant to offend.
Olive,
Actually I am fully aware of the full name of the NAACP. I have been for decades. But the name is not the question or point.
The name came about at a time when the racist nature of America was unabated. While the organization has moved forward with changes in American perception the name has remained because it is a reminder of the distance traveled and what things were like in the recent past of this nation.
As for a person of color, that is not the same as being called colored. Asians, Blacks, Native Indidans, Eskimoes, and so on are all people of color. It is a term that is often used when anyone choses to use a more accurate term than minority. Only in America is minority considered an accuarate description of any race other than White.
While in America the majority of the population is White, on a global basis it is highly inaccuate. In fact as compared to Asians Whites are a minority. But such a mindset is unpleasant to the historical image of supremacy and superiority. In fact by calling anyone other than White a minority it implies a level of superiority. Such is the subtle racial conflict in America.
Thus in using the correct term, person or people of color, there is no implied inferiority nor negative inference to be made. It really has nothing to do with his mixed race heritage. And many people use the term (mixed race or just non-White alike) in writing and speach. If you search my site you will see that I use it as well.
And I don’t think Lohan meant to offend. Just as an 80 year old, or back in the 50’s, calling an African American the n-word was assumed to not be offensive. There is no thought in the statement. It is just an assumption that it’s ok.
Again I state that such a usage (colored) is archaic for a reason. Again I state that in my travels around the world and nation it has never been used in my presence. Again I state that those that do use this term are either very old, or very close-minded.
Let me put it another way. If Lohan was referring to a White person of Italian heritage and refered to them as a ‘wop’ would that be offensive? It was a term used in the 30’s that was considered a description and not meant as an insult (as least by the White Americans using it). Or someone Irish as ‘mick’? Or Polish as ‘pollock’?
Each of those terms were considered fair at one time in America. Would you use any today? Would it be offensive today, at least to some portion of the nation? Colored is no different in my opinion. And it’s usage tends to be by the same kind of people that would use these other terms.
Just because Lindsey Lohan does not think it was offensive, just because no one reacted to the term, does not mean that it is without impact or meaning. It just means that to Whites and people without color it has no impact or relevance to thier lives.
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