tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.comments2018-08-21T19:01:11.186-07:00Her Foolish WitAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09890881512406611515noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-58403739571267389862018-08-21T19:01:11.186-07:002018-08-21T19:01:11.186-07:00He was 17 years old and the evidence, the fact he ...He was 17 years old and the evidence, the fact he new where the weapon was hidden, is not shaky, he was guilty. He was a rapist and a murderer though didn't deserve what he received but he shouldn't be propped up as a martyr. He doesn't deserve that either. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14222303526431303936noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-73806084538714004652016-04-06T11:25:57.089-07:002016-04-06T11:25:57.089-07:00Can we get rid of "trope" as well? That ...Can we get rid of "trope" as well? That one annoys me too ;-)The Point, Howeverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13246390773998877833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-13050000058092768082016-01-11T17:22:37.604-08:002016-01-11T17:22:37.604-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Zaria Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14555325652813570348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-40268352431659840922015-12-12T11:15:30.812-08:002015-12-12T11:15:30.812-08:00I LOVE this piece! I'm quite a bit older than ...I LOVE this piece! I'm quite a bit older than you, and am sad to hear this is still very prevalent today.<br /><br /> I am a mixed-race mom/educator and didn't grow up having to identify (many folks don't know I'm Black). That all changed when I went to Penn and then NYU in the late 80's and early 90's. I learned real quick that once you open your mouth to point out stereotypes and racism, you immediately get branded a "black nationalist" in white spaces. It is still happening to me as a mom, both in parent email groups, and on my blog. But now I know to expect the backlash. Listening to young folks like you really strengthens my reserve and my impetus to speak up. <br /><br />Being silent or "good" doesn't fix the racism in our country. We have to change things so my now 10 year old girls (twins) won't have to fight so hard to be seen and valued.<br /><br />Please keep writing. We need more voices like yours! (Check out my post if you're interested on "why I'm not going anywhere!" http://sfpsmom.com/why-im-not-going-anywhere/Ali M Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14005749272511044434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-64606694595347372652015-08-24T00:46:29.742-07:002015-08-24T00:46:29.742-07:00hello there. dropping by today. nice writing. wish...hello there. dropping by today. nice writing. wish you could drop by my site too. have a nice day. :) the Charioteerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11699357846578159312noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-62224061454048251042015-03-23T15:53:01.432-07:002015-03-23T15:53:01.432-07:00Thank you for commenting! From the comments and re...Thank you for commenting! From the comments and responses that I am receiving from this post, it seems that a large number of students of color had their "moment" during our time in high school as well. <br /><br />And yes, I cannot express the importance of learning our TRUE history. Now, because I am more educated (though I have not and will never stop learning), I can generally go toe to toe with any would-be racists in my classes. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-973948237819979222015-03-23T15:37:18.387-07:002015-03-23T15:37:18.387-07:00My moment was at chamblee high too. On that same s...My moment was at chamblee high too. On that same subject (affirmative action). This is why knowing our TRUE history is so important. If we were taught our true history, you would have schooled that boy you were arguing with. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07726068365020113701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-59959390158077934482015-03-11T12:57:04.897-07:002015-03-11T12:57:04.897-07:00Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! Alt...Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! Although it may not always be easy, I truly do think it is important to acknowledge inequalities in our society in the hope that they will ultimately be removed from our culture altogether. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-4086305583430266102015-03-11T09:29:28.212-07:002015-03-11T09:29:28.212-07:00This hits so close to home for me (as a recipient ...This hits so close to home for me (as a recipient of excessive bullying based upon my supposed "sluttiness" & the life I live with the resultant & permanent PTSD). Thank you for this. It's absolutely crafted with your usual flair for honesty and eloquence and I feel so much better for having read it :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559606442532762950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-41092581755743330982015-03-11T09:20:48.675-07:002015-03-11T09:20:48.675-07:00amazing :'(amazing :'( Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559606442532762950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-90835920281124075402015-03-11T08:43:12.246-07:002015-03-11T08:43:12.246-07:00A thoroughly amazing read (as usual)!
I can't...A thoroughly amazing read (as usual)!<br /><br />I can't begin to express the joy I feel whilst reading your brilliantly crafted, socially enlightening, & brutally honest "exposés".<br /><br />You tirelessly expound the blatant injustices & overt hypocrisies. The terrible reality festering beneath a <br />"(white) flesh-tone" bandage is all that much more close to being revealed because of your words.<br /><br />Your blog (and a few rarefied others) give me such hope for our planet, our World, our only HOME.<br /><br />You are on the GOOD side, a champion of truth and justice, & I have a feeling that GOOD will ultimately prevail!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559606442532762950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-2488251584211045172015-02-12T14:15:10.223-08:002015-02-12T14:15:10.223-08:00Travis,
Thanks for commenting! I actually just re...Travis, <br />Thanks for commenting! I actually just read your article, and you also brought up some very interesting points about how Beyonce's album actually sounds to the ears of the Grammy selection committee and how her sound matches up (or rather, does not match up) to previous winners. I was particularly drawn to your argument of Babel and Fearless winning AOTY because while both albums have crossover appeal, they retained some country or bluegrass roots, which are genres that have been historically categorized as being more palatable to White Western tastes than R&B or Rap. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-74196851835227265852015-02-12T13:58:58.701-08:002015-02-12T13:58:58.701-08:00I really enjoyed your article, Amanda. You brought...I really enjoyed your article, Amanda. You brought forth some really interesting thoughts. Beyonce's album was Black, feminist, sexual, and a masterpiece, and people are mistaken if they don't believe that race/gender are not factors that apply to the voting of these awards. I wrote an article about the Album of the Year category, and I would love your opinion.<br />http://www.heypopcraze.com/popnews/2015/2/10/beyonc-behaving-badlyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14487584881285639082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-13223792397701555972015-02-12T13:52:35.354-08:002015-02-12T13:52:35.354-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14487584881285639082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-13855017580395392132015-02-12T10:53:20.606-08:002015-02-12T10:53:20.606-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12745963945310982365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-41877158433151908682015-02-11T19:34:18.138-08:002015-02-11T19:34:18.138-08:00Vett,
Thank you for your comment! And yes, while r...Vett,<br />Thank you for your comment! And yes, while race is not the only factor that goes into deciding who receives these awards, the cultural history of race and the connotations that we attach to each race are critical to understanding these trends. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-59461824457139060182015-02-11T19:20:19.250-08:002015-02-11T19:20:19.250-08:00this was so well-written and really interesting to...this was so well-written and really interesting to think about! you made some great points and made me think of things I hadn't yet regarding the Grammys.Vett Vandiverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16511225362390677060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-14363648937881828842015-02-09T20:07:52.452-08:002015-02-09T20:07:52.452-08:00Hey Amanda, I really loved your last article! It w...Hey Amanda, I really loved your last article! It was very well researched, but I wanted to address a couple of things outside of the public eye<br />1. While I do agree that Eminem's lyrics are offensive, the Grammy's have stated that their awards are artistic and not political or social (Buju Banton's wins for his homophobic content). I do not agree with this, but it does not surprise me that Eminem won. Message and content aside, he is one of the strongest rappers of our generation. I do agree that Common was his only serious competition. <br />2. The Grammy's have stated that they do not factor commercial success in their selections (haha) but I'll take their word for it. So the mainstream success of Beyonce and Janet Jackson, in theory, should not have helped their chances. I will say that Paul Simon (of Simon and Garfunkel) had some of his best work in Graceland. Bob Dylan's peak work was Time Out of Mind. Not to mention that Time out of mind also beat Radiohead's OK Computer (often ranked one of the best albums of all time), so Janet Jackson was not the only snub of that year. <br />3. There are two ways to make a good album. Write the songs with a very unified sound and style, so the listener is taken on an uninterrupted journey (Mumford and Sons Babel, Lorde Pure Heroine). The other way is to make a very diverse album with many different styles incorporated throughout (Coldplay Viva La Vida, Justin Timberlake 20/20 Experience). The Grammys have historically favored the former (Norah Jones Come Away With Me, Herbie Hancock, The Joni Letters) over the latter. If they judged this year's nominees by the same standard, than Beck had a better chance of winning than Beyonce. Keep in mind that Beyonce did not even win in her own category (Urban/Contemporary) while Beck did. However I do think that Beyonce was Beck's only real competition this year and that she produced a great album. <br />4. I personally reject the notion of genres, and artists are frequently put in these boxes come Grammy season. Kanye West has won over 20 Grammys, all in genre specific categories. The solution is either to have fewer distinctions or to have more. The issue with fewer is the saturation of the music market. Without genre specific categories, less popular artists are up against artists with crossover success, without any awards they can keep for themselves. Of the album of the year nominees, all except ed sheeran went home with their own grammys, which would not have happened had genre specific categories been non existent. <br />5. I agree that award ceremonies frequently undermine african americans and racial minorites. However the argument can be made in both directions. Oscars have been given to 12 years a Slave and Crash but not to Selma. Emmys have been given to Bill Cosby but not to The Wire, Tonys have been given to Black actors but rarely black playwrights and never black composers. Grammys have been kept from Kanye West, Beyonce, and Common, but given to Lauryn Hill and OutKast. The line is very thin because for every won who lost because of their race someone can make the argument that they would only win because of their race. <br />6. How I interpret award ceremonies is like squares and rectangles. All the winners deserve to win, but not everyone who deserves to win will win. The same goes for nominations. <br />7. I will say that you're article was very well researched, and most of the peers that I have had this argument with have not had the knowledge and information that you have. I really enjoy reading your blogs and I sincerely hope you keep writing them!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15609331473631518846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-5090602736733506702015-01-05T09:01:02.981-08:002015-01-05T09:01:02.981-08:00Thank you so much Linden!Thank you so much Linden!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-18783860711850313482015-01-04T21:09:42.666-08:002015-01-04T21:09:42.666-08:00Your natural hair is gorgeous and unique, you shou...Your natural hair is gorgeous and unique, you should definitely be proud of itLinden Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14542328832731916189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-63869767333941018362014-11-27T08:25:29.467-08:002014-11-27T08:25:29.467-08:00Unfortunately, I don't see any possible end to...Unfortunately, I don't see any possible end to the systematic killing of young African American men and women at the hands of police officers because the system of white privilege continues to perpetuate and justify it. Since Mike Brown's death, 14 more people of color have been killed by police officers, and this information, in tandem with Darren Wilson's testimony calling Brown a "demon" and an "it" (and still managed to avoid being indicted) shows that the existing system of white privilege will only continue to allow the use of deadly force to support people's racist ideologies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-3623100113861361012014-11-27T07:38:45.287-08:002014-11-27T07:38:45.287-08:00Amen !! It is a very real reality ! How many more ...Amen !! It is a very real reality ! How many more black lives must be taken ....Tierrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03475500773690479859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-9252441981230801992014-10-28T19:49:14.434-07:002014-10-28T19:49:14.434-07:00Haha I've never thought of myself as having a ...Haha I've never thought of myself as having a melodic voice, but I definitely appreciate the compliment! I'm glad that my post was able to give you a new perspective- it can be difficult to understand the experiences of marginalized groups if you haven't actually BEEN a member of a of a marginalized or oppressed group. Creating analogies that other groups can understand allows the discussion to generate from a place of empathy and genuine understanding rather than a place of condescension. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-65587497305482873692014-10-28T19:04:43.715-07:002014-10-28T19:04:43.715-07:00I think your post is great!! Today in class, liste...I think your post is great!! Today in class, listening to you talk, I thought how melodic your voice sounded.So to now read the blog regarding dialect is funny to me that I thought of the melody of your voice rather than the professionalism of your pronunciations. Using the example of mimicking a white girl and saying "Like" really gave me the realization of how truly inappropriate such behaviors of trying to pass off the Sassy Black friend would be and how insulting. Thank you for providing a new lens to see things through.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03515250279427409891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1285884655548926740.post-53833436998041204782014-10-28T15:28:51.082-07:002014-10-28T15:28:51.082-07:00Great post Amanda. Your writing makes me think of ...Great post Amanda. Your writing makes me think of higher education commodifying people of color for for White students' learning moments. Not only does this trivialize Black students' experiences, but creates more power imbalances whereby White students believe they are entitled to Black narratives for their growth and development. Side note, love your (yet) comment re: capital - such a #changeagent :)Jayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02690565510034367449noreply@blogger.com