Wednesday, February 06, 2019

Who Needs to Think When Your Feet Just Go?



I work with a bunch of incredibly smart and kind people, but right now I'm scratching my head in utter disbelief. One of our senior editors said she is "shocked" by this latest revelation out of Virginia -- that No. 3 in line to the governor's mansion now admits that he dressed as Kurtis Blow for a party in 1980.

Shocked????

I can see disgusted, angered, disappointed. But shocked?

I would say, "Have you ever been to the South?" But what I'm really thinking is, "Have you ever been outside your apartment?" And she's not even young.

I don't exactly know what I'm getting at here. But are we sure we as good liberals aren't doing ourselves a major disservice by (in my opinion) pretending that you think this stuff didn't -- and doesn't continue to -- go on?

I'm the one who's shocked ... by this almost "woke naivety" that strikes me as very insincere.

Here's a thought: Let's just admit a lot of people did it down South and elsewhere, draw lessons, and move forward -- ideally with policies that redress the wrong.

12 comments:

JohnMc said...

Not just the South & not just high school or college kids in the 1970s/80s...
https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-assemblyman-dov-hikind-slammed-blackface-pic-article-1.1272951

Kenneth M. Walsh said...

Exactly -- which is why I said, "Have you ever left your apartment?"

Mike in Iowa said...

Seriously, what was the AG thinking when he called on Northam to resign over35 year old conduct in which he himself engaged? It boggles the mind.

northalabama said...

kenneth, i grew up in a small rural southern town, then attended a southern university in a slightly larger city, and never saw anyone in blackface, or knew anyone who would have ever considered it, not for theater, a costume party, or halloween.

blackface originated and as survived as a national american and british theater performance tradition from 1830-1930, then transitioned to american tv into the 1970s, is not of southern origin, and has been practiced by racists nationwide since falling out of favor.

i understand why your train of thought migrated to the southern states when you considered blackface and it's racism, and i'm not claiming your behavior isn't well earned or deserved, but please be accurate with your attributions.

Anonymous said...

In 1993 I moved from NY to DC. I took a day trip and drove to Colonial Williamsburg VA and stopped at a Shoney's. I was shocked to see a huge stand (really a tiny store) of Mammys and Pappys statues, cookie jars, lamps, bookends, salt and pepper shakers, magnets and more. I was embarrassed at the though of anyone seeing me even looking at this. I knew no one home in NY would believe me so when no one was looking I bout a small magnet of a little boy in a straw haw and cut-off overalls with big lips and eyes eating watermelon!

Matthew said...

Gay men are pretending they've never seen white dudes dressed as Diana Ross. Really?

northalabama said...

drag queens in blackface? really?

i've been to hundreds of drag shows across the country, and not once.

in fact, if it'd been attempted around here, she probably would have been chased out the door while heels were being hurled at her head. :-)

jaragon said...

It would bother me more if the guy made racist statements now .

Matthew said...

We get it. Your heartstrings are definitely tangled around Alabammy.

northalabama said...

matt, that's uncalled for, and since i'm not a native of alabama, you're only further showing your ignorance.

northalabama said...

it appears i'm not alone, catch joe's comments at the beginning of the clip:

https://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/rev-al-a-national-crisis-in-terms-of-race-relations-1438705219541

Kenneth M. Walsh said...

Sorry. Not interested in what Republicans cum independents (aka a Republican who's too embarrassed to admit it anymore) from the South have to say about, well, anything.