Ok, since this is fresh in everyone's Twitter Feed and running rampant on every other social media platform, let's talk about Roseanne and Racism!
ABC cancelled the Roseanne reboot yesterday after the Tweet that broke the camel's back. I say it that way because Roseanne has been known to do some grotesque things in the past, from dressing up as a Nazi and taking burnt "Jew" Cookies out of the oven for a photo shoot to...well, I shouldn't have to give another example after that one...
Roseanne tweeted, "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby - vj". VJ refers to Valerie Jarrett. That tweet became the subject of the day in the Twitterverse, and eventually Roseanne pulled it down and published an apology. ABC ended up cancelling her show and sending out their own response stating, "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
Donald Trump, someone who has very publicly congratulated Roseanne on her ratings, also took to Twitter today stating, "Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that 'ABC does not tolerate comments like those made by Roseanne Barr'. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?" Interesting that Trump talks about himself in the first and third person in his one comment.
Here's the deal, many people have publicly come out in support of the decision ABC made to cancel the show. Many others are against the decision that was made. It has turned into a 'What About' game with many people online. What about this person, and what about that person. The fact here is simple. What about Roseanne is what we are talking about. Look at this issue. Look at this Tweet that is obviously racist at its core, and in no way can be construed as a joke. Was ABC right to cancel the show? They were absolutely right, and very much within their right to do what they did. Roseanne's Tweet was repugnant, just like they said, and was something ABC doesn't want to be connected to. This was a statement from ABC that money isn't everything, and the statement was strong.
Are there other cases like this out there where someone didn't get cancelled? Absolutely, but everything has to start somewhere, and this is where it started. One can make the argument that ABC should have never taken on the reboot based on Roseanne's past Tweets, but I am sure there was some discussion during contract negotiations about that. I can speculate but obviously don't know for sure. There is obviously verbiage within the contract that covers things like that Tweet.
None of that matters as much as the subject of racism right now though. We have seen racist, bigoted, and hateful comments from Roseanne before. We have seen the same from the President, the person who so eloquently made his Tweet today about him getting harassed. But what concerns me is the same thing that Valerie Jarrett brought up yesterday. I am concerned with the fact that we have people getting the cops called on them while waiting for a friend at Starbucks, after falling asleep in a common area at a dorm hall, while loading luggage up in a vehicle after an Air BnB Trip, and there are so many more instances. These are regular people who are being singled out simply because of their skin color, and not because of any actions they took. That scares me greatly; that we have such a closed minded cross-section of our society today who still live with a mentality that existed decades ago.
I was just watching 11.22.63 last night, the Stephen King Produced television show. There is a scene where the main actor goes back in time to 1960, and while walking to the bathroom a black man comes out and says to him, "You're going the wrong way sir." He quickly realized that there were Black's Only and White's Only bathrooms. That got me thinking about time. The civil war ended on April 9, 1865. Segregated bathrooms and water fountains weren't stopped until the Civil Right's Act of 1964. That's almost 100 F$cking years people! Our country is very slow to learn and grow.
We have a large populous within the United States who have lived by different standards for a very long time, and who still feel the stigma that comes with having a different skin color. That's right, the only difference is skin color. People who aren't white aren't different. We are all born the same way, have the same development throughout our lives, breath the same, eat the same, put our pants on the same...so why in the hell can't we all get past the issue of Race?!
I have three brothers who are half white and half black. I have never looked at them any differently than I look at any other person on this Earth. Interestingly enough though, there are people who walk down the street and watch as others cross the street to avoid them because they have a different skin color. They watch as people clutch their belongings harder, or speed up if they see a black man behind them on the sidewalk.
It needs to stop. Here we are in 2018, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE years after the Civil War and we are still living with racism. That's one very slow learning curve.
To those out there who are racist and who happen to read this blog, I ask that you find a way to get over it, because you have a problem. Parents, teach your children inclusiveness. Teach your children that we are all created the same, regardless of our skin color or country of origin. Kill the hate with Love. Until we all step up and raise our children to be kind to everyone, we will continue to live in a nation where racism is normal and more accepted than it should be.
Don't get me wrong. This conversation and change needs to go both ways. I am talking about all families raising their children with love for others. Let me put something into perspective for those who haven't thought about it before. Most all of us who are parents of teens have had to sit and have, "The Talk" with our children at some point. It is uncomfortable for most parents, but it is a conversation that needs to happen so teens are prepared to deal with sex in the real world. Not only sex itself, but the feelings they will have, and the pressures they will be under.
Now put that talk aside and put yourself in the shoes of the parent of a black teen or other minority teen. They have to have "The Talk", but they also have to have a different talk. They have to talk to their children about how the world in some cases is going to look at them differently. People in the world are going to look at them and treat them differently. Why? the teen will ask; because your skin is a different color. You're skin is different therefore you are different, and there are certain things you need to do differently than other people. When a package is delivered to our porch that was meant for the white neighbors down the block, we won't kindly walk it down the block to them. We will call the post office and tell them to pick it up and deliver it, because we don't want our neighbors to think we are trying to rob them. You will be treated differently at times, but at other times, you will be treated very well. The problem is, you don't know when you will be treated well or when you will be treated badly.
You hear the term 'White Privilege' often, and sadly, it is true. As a white person, you are automatically better off than a large portion of society just because you are white. Now, before I get comments about how white people are horrible and minorities are all great, let me clarify that there are horrible people of every race. The point I am making is that there are people in this nation whose families have been dealing with racism to some degree for hundreds of years. These are people who are only in the United States because one of their relatives from the 1800's was forced to ride on a boat from Africa to the United States to be slaves .
Love one another as you want to be loved. The fight to end racism in our country starts with each of us doing what is necessary in our own lives to end it. Talk to your children and drive a positive message about race moving forward, because right now this country needs a good swift kick in the racist a$$!
DUNK
ABC cancelled the Roseanne reboot yesterday after the Tweet that broke the camel's back. I say it that way because Roseanne has been known to do some grotesque things in the past, from dressing up as a Nazi and taking burnt "Jew" Cookies out of the oven for a photo shoot to...well, I shouldn't have to give another example after that one...
Roseanne tweeted, "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby - vj". VJ refers to Valerie Jarrett. That tweet became the subject of the day in the Twitterverse, and eventually Roseanne pulled it down and published an apology. ABC ended up cancelling her show and sending out their own response stating, "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."
Donald Trump, someone who has very publicly congratulated Roseanne on her ratings, also took to Twitter today stating, "Bob Iger of ABC called Valerie Jarrett to let her know that 'ABC does not tolerate comments like those made by Roseanne Barr'. Gee, he never called President Donald J. Trump to apologize for the HORRIBLE statements made and said about me on ABC. Maybe I just didn't get the call?" Interesting that Trump talks about himself in the first and third person in his one comment.
Here's the deal, many people have publicly come out in support of the decision ABC made to cancel the show. Many others are against the decision that was made. It has turned into a 'What About' game with many people online. What about this person, and what about that person. The fact here is simple. What about Roseanne is what we are talking about. Look at this issue. Look at this Tweet that is obviously racist at its core, and in no way can be construed as a joke. Was ABC right to cancel the show? They were absolutely right, and very much within their right to do what they did. Roseanne's Tweet was repugnant, just like they said, and was something ABC doesn't want to be connected to. This was a statement from ABC that money isn't everything, and the statement was strong.
Are there other cases like this out there where someone didn't get cancelled? Absolutely, but everything has to start somewhere, and this is where it started. One can make the argument that ABC should have never taken on the reboot based on Roseanne's past Tweets, but I am sure there was some discussion during contract negotiations about that. I can speculate but obviously don't know for sure. There is obviously verbiage within the contract that covers things like that Tweet.
None of that matters as much as the subject of racism right now though. We have seen racist, bigoted, and hateful comments from Roseanne before. We have seen the same from the President, the person who so eloquently made his Tweet today about him getting harassed. But what concerns me is the same thing that Valerie Jarrett brought up yesterday. I am concerned with the fact that we have people getting the cops called on them while waiting for a friend at Starbucks, after falling asleep in a common area at a dorm hall, while loading luggage up in a vehicle after an Air BnB Trip, and there are so many more instances. These are regular people who are being singled out simply because of their skin color, and not because of any actions they took. That scares me greatly; that we have such a closed minded cross-section of our society today who still live with a mentality that existed decades ago.
I was just watching 11.22.63 last night, the Stephen King Produced television show. There is a scene where the main actor goes back in time to 1960, and while walking to the bathroom a black man comes out and says to him, "You're going the wrong way sir." He quickly realized that there were Black's Only and White's Only bathrooms. That got me thinking about time. The civil war ended on April 9, 1865. Segregated bathrooms and water fountains weren't stopped until the Civil Right's Act of 1964. That's almost 100 F$cking years people! Our country is very slow to learn and grow.
We have a large populous within the United States who have lived by different standards for a very long time, and who still feel the stigma that comes with having a different skin color. That's right, the only difference is skin color. People who aren't white aren't different. We are all born the same way, have the same development throughout our lives, breath the same, eat the same, put our pants on the same...so why in the hell can't we all get past the issue of Race?!
I have three brothers who are half white and half black. I have never looked at them any differently than I look at any other person on this Earth. Interestingly enough though, there are people who walk down the street and watch as others cross the street to avoid them because they have a different skin color. They watch as people clutch their belongings harder, or speed up if they see a black man behind them on the sidewalk.
It needs to stop. Here we are in 2018, ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE years after the Civil War and we are still living with racism. That's one very slow learning curve.
To those out there who are racist and who happen to read this blog, I ask that you find a way to get over it, because you have a problem. Parents, teach your children inclusiveness. Teach your children that we are all created the same, regardless of our skin color or country of origin. Kill the hate with Love. Until we all step up and raise our children to be kind to everyone, we will continue to live in a nation where racism is normal and more accepted than it should be.
Don't get me wrong. This conversation and change needs to go both ways. I am talking about all families raising their children with love for others. Let me put something into perspective for those who haven't thought about it before. Most all of us who are parents of teens have had to sit and have, "The Talk" with our children at some point. It is uncomfortable for most parents, but it is a conversation that needs to happen so teens are prepared to deal with sex in the real world. Not only sex itself, but the feelings they will have, and the pressures they will be under.
Now put that talk aside and put yourself in the shoes of the parent of a black teen or other minority teen. They have to have "The Talk", but they also have to have a different talk. They have to talk to their children about how the world in some cases is going to look at them differently. People in the world are going to look at them and treat them differently. Why? the teen will ask; because your skin is a different color. You're skin is different therefore you are different, and there are certain things you need to do differently than other people. When a package is delivered to our porch that was meant for the white neighbors down the block, we won't kindly walk it down the block to them. We will call the post office and tell them to pick it up and deliver it, because we don't want our neighbors to think we are trying to rob them. You will be treated differently at times, but at other times, you will be treated very well. The problem is, you don't know when you will be treated well or when you will be treated badly.
You hear the term 'White Privilege' often, and sadly, it is true. As a white person, you are automatically better off than a large portion of society just because you are white. Now, before I get comments about how white people are horrible and minorities are all great, let me clarify that there are horrible people of every race. The point I am making is that there are people in this nation whose families have been dealing with racism to some degree for hundreds of years. These are people who are only in the United States because one of their relatives from the 1800's was forced to ride on a boat from Africa to the United States to be slaves .
Love one another as you want to be loved. The fight to end racism in our country starts with each of us doing what is necessary in our own lives to end it. Talk to your children and drive a positive message about race moving forward, because right now this country needs a good swift kick in the racist a$$!
DUNK
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