Let's Get Racy! The Race Card's Back- In the Wake of Political Correctness, A New Dialogue Emerges...yo! The most honest and engaging debate about race in America is being waged not on the floor of the Senate or at a Harvard colloquium, but at Blackpeopleloveus.com. The site, claiming to be the creation of two lily white WASPS named Johnny and Sally opens up boldly proclaiming, "Black People Love Us!" Highlights include quotes from Sally and Johnny's Black friends ("Sally's always saying: "You go girl!" while "raising the roof" to mainstream hip-hop tracks at cheesy bars. That's fun! I relate to that.") and photos of Sally and Johnny clearly losing a game of Hangman where their Black friends have given them the clue, "R _ C I S M". However, the satirical nature of the site is not what makes it so enthralling. It's the comments people who visit the site have made that make this site such a success: "If I saw you people on the street, I'd run you over with my truck" "I imagine this site began from the idea of a mixed-race group of individuals. If it is not, I hope its creators, who pose the pro/antagonists as white people, recognize the implications of doing so, and do not seek to reinforce racial hierarchies of language and debate inherent in our social and academic worlds." "that $hit was hilarious, if people don't get it, fcuk em! sincerely, a big fat black chik who enjoys surfing and skydiving" "Everyone is laughing at the site. I know it is a joke, but there are actually some people out there who don't believe that it is. Please confirm that it is for me so that I can tell these people!" Blackpeopleloveus.com goes beyond the SNL parodies and Chris Rock jabs to create a snapshot of how race is perceived in America today. Political correctness has been exposed for what it always was, a whitewashing of racism and stereotypes that served only to assuage white guilt, and in its place a new conversation has begun, often heated, never correct, but involving all colors and views. It's okay to talk about race again. Recently released from the now defunct hip-hop magazine, Ego Trip's Big Book of Racism, is an in-your-face tour guide through the many ghetto's and mansions that make up American race culture. Catch a showdown between The Beatles White Album and Prince's Black Rain. Find out who is more Latina, Cameron Diaz or Christina Aguilera, based on such criteria as "size of booty" and "likelihood she'll whip out some crazy nasty Spanish sh-t on you". Ego Trip seems primed to offend, but the effect is actually disarming. In one section there is a proclamation of "Things We Can and Not Forgive White People For". It forgives, "Enslaving our people for centuries while denying us the right to even have our own names" while not forgiving "SUV's". The Big Book of Racism packs just about everything- and everyone into its pages. Perhaps if we can laugh at ourselves, it finally means we can recognize ourselves as well. * special thanks goes to Jimmy Dunlop for pointing out the site to me From Amazon.com:

posted by Japhy at 11/25/2002 12:40:00 PM || #