thursday, april 12, 2007
Happy Being Nappy
I suppose I should be irate about the latest comments by Don Imus as it relates to the Rutgers Women’s’ basketball team. I guess I should really be disgusted that young girls can rise to the caliber like this team did by unexpectedly defeating higher ranked opponents and gaining the opportunity to play in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game. But you know what? I am. I most certainly am. I’m outraged because even after these young women achieved such a huge accomplishment, they were still relegated to what one fool would deem as “nappy headed hos”. As hard as they worked and were able to beat the odds, they still were not given the respect they deserved. I have to keep in mind that this was one man with one idiotic remark. But it goes to show the power of one. The power of the media. The power of the tongue. Whether it is used for good or whether it is used for bad it is still powerful. I can easily say that that comment would not have hurt me much, seeing that I have been called much worse in my lifetime. But these young women, and might I say ALL black women did not deserve the downright nasty, hurtful comments of this buffoon. In three simple words he was able to outrage a whole race of women. He was able to somewhat temporarily overshadow the accomplishments of these beautiful women. I know that the affect is indeed temporary, but the sting is still there. I guess I will never see the day when the color of our skin will not matter. You may be able to understand to some degree the hurt or the indignation felt, but I am not sure that you can ever quite understand the depth of the pain that it caused if you are not a black woman. Yeah, I know that we were taught that sticks and stones may break our bones, but words may never hurt me. But they still do. Like I said, I have been called a lot worst, and by better people than Imus for sure. You know…people like Snoop Dog, Yin Yang Twins, and Camron just to name a few. What does a happy nappy headed black girl have to do to get respect around here?
Comments:
05/10/2007 - Jason C.
"that which attacks us, but does not kill us, will only make us stronger” Yes this guy is an idiot, but he did awaken a sleeping dragon. By this I mean the way we (everyone) treat woman. But I’m more concerned about our black women. We (black people) have come a long way. We have been mistreated, neglected, & even ignored for many years. And it’s the black women that have had it worse of all. Our ladies have come a long way, have made many contributions and sacrifices that have made the world and our country a much better place. Then you have people to still mistreat them & speak to them in any way as if they were nothing. As a black man, I am proud of black women. I can’t think of a stronger race of women. Much love goes out to you all. Do not forget about this. Respect our ladies. They are our friend, your wife, your lover, your sister, your mother. Teach this to our sons at an early age so they will grow up to respect women, especially our black children. Don’t believe the lies that the Rap community is putting out about our women. They are saying the same thing that Imus said, and making money saying it. You are paying these guys to disrespect every black woman in your life. It’s time to wakeup world. Respect.
04/23/2007 - Angela
I must say that I was more hurt than outraged when I heard what this man had to say...I guess it made me ponder, for just a minute, who I was. For someone of his statue to say what he did, made me think for one moment, how many other people felt the same way. It made me think about my big round eyes, my high cheek bones my full lips and my round butt. It made me question my muscular physique and my dark brown skin and my hair...The more I thought about it the more I began to smile. GOD made me this way and if HE saw me as being well done and wonderfully made....why should I see myself any different? I love everything about my being. Black women are so strong and we have overcome so many obstacles. We will overcome this one as well. This man obviously has issues that run far deeper than the comments he made. GOD allows something good to come out of something meant for bad....Let's pray that our own will see how much their words have hurt our beautiful black women and stop "allowing" others to think its ok to say the same.....Joy. TYL
04/12/2007 - Patrick Medley
"accept the things you cannot change, change the things you can, and have the wisdom to know the difference". Man verbally riduculed and abused Jesus Christ himself. You and all of our beautiful black women are in the best of company. Rise like the queen you are and smile in the mist of adversity, for you are part of the rare breed that has this ability................
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