>jsmith1283@aol.com (JSmith1283) writes:
>I must say that I was very suprised to see this posting by a European
>in this section. I was impressed by the speedy reaction which led to
>the authors demise in the Net.
>My next reaction is the question of whether or not there would have
>been as speedy a reaction if the subject had been African-American
>women.
Why are you imagining a slight before it occurs? Fact is, black women
were not an issue here, leave it at that.
>A few years ago, I listened, with a hall filled with other people, to
>a fellow probation officer read a poem about his youth. In the poem
>he referred to National Geographic and how much he enjoyed looking
>at the pictures of native women with their breasts swinging free.
>I was insulted as a African-American woman because I understand that
>National Geographic was the predecessor of Playboy type mags and the
>majority of women depicted in N.G. looked like me.
If you were insulted, the fault lies with you. I doubt very much that
the author intended to slight you. After all, he was reminiscing about
his youth. Are you suggesting he should have edited for your benefit?
Poetry is a free form of expression and should not be subject to
constraints. If you do not like the material, get up and leave. Quit
demanding that other people conform to your sensibilities.
>Following this insult, I watched as every applauded. I was angry with
>the African-American men because they seemed to appreciate the piece
>as well.
Maybe the poetry was good, and by your description, it was poetry, not
social comment. Your implied suggestion that anyone should have stood up
and booed, hissed, or otherwise protested is political correctness at
its dumbest.
>Now if the subject of that piece had been white women, the white women
>would have jumped the guy, AA men would have been next, then white
>men.
I very much doubt it.
>I doubt that AA women would get into the fight because we suffer so
>much from insults that no one attempts to protect us from.
Quit demanding protection from the vagaries of life. If you don't like
the book, the speech, the poem, the show, the movie, the word, then
ignore it, turn it off, or walk out.
dlloyd