Letters to the Editor
stackey-dackey
Published Letters: 242 Editor's Choice: 8
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Homophobia and Racism
[Read the article: I Like to Watch]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I've dealt with some casting directors (whom I think are comprable to the judges on this show) and you should here some of the shit they say about actors. He's too gay (faggy.) She's not black enough. And don't get me started on what they say about an actors body. I remember one of the child actors at the talent agency I worked at went on an audition and when we got the notes, the casting director's assistant said she needed to lose "like 20 lbs, off of her face." The girl was 9. She wasn't fat. She did have chubby cheeks, but c'mon, she was cute as hell and she photographed really well. The agent had to decide whether to tell the kid literally why she didn't get the part, or to lie and say, they wanted to go in another direction.
The thing is, that the judges on this show are actually saying to the dancers what (presumambly) choreographers and directors have say amongst themselevs when they don't hire a particular dancers.
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Puhleeze LeCastor
[Read the article: Hey, Obama boys: Back off already!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]You don't think when black people complain about racism, they aren't dubbed whiners as well! Maybe you don't notice because you think we ARE whiners or because you're a white woman so other people's oppression doesn't really matter to you, but it happens quite a bit on message boards anytime there is a story about anything having to do with race. It even happens here on salon. You should read what people said about the Jenna 6 on my local newspaper wesbite. It was decidedly uncivil and there were many calls to string those ni**** up. But I live in the South, so that's pretty much the go to phraze whenever black folks act all uppity.
When any opppressed group in this country says anything about how they are treated, every other group feels the need to pile on say, get over yourself, grow a pair, stop your belly aching. You have it better than everyone else, so shut up.
Hillary is most certainly an uppity female. I do think there is an element of sexism in some people's hatred of her, definitely. The same is true for Obama; I've seen letters on here which are thinly veiled racist and awful, but then I might be overly sensitive, or a whiner, or whatever. But the thing is, Obama doesn't want his supporters or his "people" to say anything about it because he knows, rightly, that all it will do will is turn people off. I've seen death threats on some message boards; I'm sure he gets a shit load of them. I don't know the last time a white woman was assasinated in this country, but there is a history of killing black activists and leaders.
The fact is, the first female president is going to have it rough, campaigning, and running the country. If she can't take it, if her supporters can't take all of the shitty things said and done to her, then she should just go back to the kitchen and make some cookies for her husband. And for the Obama supporters who are sick of the sexist comments about Hillary, tell those frat "boy" Obamatons to shut their fucking mouths. Get in their faces and say, I might be voting for Obama, but you and I should show the same respect to Senator Clinton as we would any other member of our party. That's what I've said, to anyone who disses Clinton using potty sexist language.
I keep saying I'm not going to get sucked into anymore of this Salon-nonsense...but it's so friggin addictive.
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@LeCastor
[Read the article: Hey, Obama boys: Back off already!]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"I'd say that the 25% of America that still gives Bush a positive job rating is the same quarter that is still very racist and does not accept that racism exists, racism is bad, racism was created by our country, racism can be remedied in our country, and racism needs to be remedied in our country. I'd also say that most of these people are on the right."
Really, you think that? I don't know what to say to your assertions. Since I'm a 1) woman and 2) black, I think I've experienced both sides pretty well. I've found plenty of white people out there, especially at the lily white institution of higher learning I attended, who didn't think racism existed. Or who made racist assumptions about me (from I must love big dicks, to I must be a good singer, dancer, to the only reason I got into college was because I was black, etc.) based on the color of my skin.
But personal anecdotes are what they are. I don't have a survey to back it up, and neither do you. I just think it's funny that you are so quick to assert that sexism (which you live with) is more prevelant than racism (which you don't live with.) As a black woman, I'd say they are both equal in this country, but then I don't know if someone is hating on me for my woman bits or my dark skin.
As for "taking" it, what I mean is that if you say something about sexism, you can't expect the MAN to pat you on the back and say, ooh, of course we're evil misogynist bastards! We'll be nicer! It's not going to happen. Of course he's going to call you a whiner, and of course he (or she) is not going to agree with you because they are, see above, evil misogynist bastards. Or they aren't evil, they just, like you, don't see anything beyond their little tunnel vision. They can't see endemic racism or endemic sexism and they don't want to admit how their opinions have been formed by prejudice. They don't walk in anyone shoes and don't want to.
And I guess because I'm a black woman, and I'm supposed to be "sassy", being dubbed a feminazi doesn't really bother me.