(NAME-MCE) GodTube and Race Relations

Tue Feb 19 07:09:53 EST 2008

Hi all, am I the only one that noticed that the "evil" people in the video were both white and people of color?  I mentioned this in my earlier post but it has not been picked up on in this conversation.  How come? With that knowledge, does it change the conversation?
Sue McKevitt
NH DOE

________________________________

From: name-mce-bounces at nameorg.org on behalf of Bill Howe
Sent: Mon 2/18/2008 9:41 AM
To: 'NAME-MCE - National Association for Multicultural EducationEmailDiscussion Group'
Subject: (NAME-MCE) GodTube and Race Relations

Thank you Teja and Steve for engaging in this conversation. I appreciate the
dialogue.

Two thoughts come to mine. From my perspective, as a person of color, I
don't share the viewpoint that "there stands a very good chance that much if
not most of the public would have accepted the reversed roles as you
proposed. Acknowledging the noisy exceptions, we are reaching a point where
race and ethnicity is less an issue than it used to be."

Maybe it's because in my line of work I deal with bias complaints daily. For
many of us things have gotten worse, not better, here in the US of A. The
number of incidents where the "noose" is being displayed is on the rise.
Headstones in a another Jewish cemetery were all overturned. Yet another gay
student committed suicide just this past week after years of harassment.

Then again, it is most likely that we will finally have a woman or a black
man as the Democratic party nominee. Who would have thought this possible?
Never say never, I guess.

I am encouraged that maybe race relations are much better in Finland. I'd
like to hear more about what Finland is doing right. I would like to hear
from persons of color or different religions in Finland as to whether they
share that same optimism. The cynic in me says they might have differing
perspectives, but I would love to be pleasantly surprised.

I was appalled by what I consider the racist undertones of the video. It
would be such a powerful message about faith, without that spoiler. Being
"unaware" does not excuse anyone from their bigotry. I dealt with a black
mother just recently who told me that after she confronted the white school
principal about students calling her son the "n" word. In front of the
mother and young elementary aged son, he allegedly said, "You mean someone
called you a "N"! You need to get used to people calling you a "N". That's
life."  And he actually used the word. He may have been well-meaning, but I
would say insensitive.

One of the mainstay beliefs of multicultural education is to teach students
to detect the hidden, unspoken messages and one-side perspectives that are
so often in our curricula. We need to challenge the messages that thrown at
students throughout their schooling.

As I say in my classes, we need to teach that sometimes it is a helpless guy
tied to the railroad tracks that is rescued by the brave, young woman. 

Bill Howe
Web - http://www.billhowe.org <http://www.billhowe.org/> 
Blog - Travel - http://billhowe.org/BillBlog/
Blog - Multicultural Education - http://billhowe.org/MCE/

**Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) - http://apaact.com/

-----Original Message-----
From: name-mce-bounces at nameorg.org [mailto:name-mce-bounces at nameorg.org] On
Behalf Of Crawford Steve
Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 3:35 AM
To: name-mce at nameorg.org
Subject: Re: (NAME-MCE) Name-mce Digest, Vol 737, Issue 1

Thank you for your reply, Teja.

I think it always matters who produces a cultural product, and who 
performs in it, as well as who the intended audience is. I wonder 
whether the actors in the production felt they were participating in 
and perpetuating stereotypes. But I also agree that the light versus 
dark contrast has been symbolically applied throughout global history, 
and that this has been a featured aspect of media both consciously and 
unconsciously.

I think that today there stands a very good chance that much if not 
most of the public would have accepted the reversed roles as you 
proposed. Acknowledging the noisy exceptions, we are reaching a point 
where race and ethnicity is less an issue than it used to be. This 
means that we are also at a point where, operating from a more 
balanced viewpoint, we need to be critical of situations where we do 
perceive inequity. But this should be a case-by-case process wherein, 
as in this case, the producers are brought into the conversation and 
the process. The ideas and concerns that you raise are very important, 
but I think we should refrain from convicting someone without due 
process. For this reason I propose that we bring the producers into 
the discussion and see what their thoughts are about it. This is risky 
but this is where change takes place. Anything could happen, but I 
feel that whatever does happen will advance everyone's perspectives 
and world views. I am also curious to know what the producers might 
say about it. If the issue is simply about being "unaware," as you put 
it, then perhaps we should obligate ourselves to help make them aware. 
So if you wish I can from Finland contact the producers and ask if 
they would like to address the issue. If you would like to do so, just 
let me know. If not, we can let the opportunity pass by this time 
around.

Steve Crawford

On Feb 17, 2008, at 7:00 PM, Name-mce-request at nameorg.org wrote:

> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:09:24 -0500
> From: Teja Arboleda <Teja at EntertainingDiversity.com>
> Subject: (NAME-MCE) GodTube response from Teja
> To: <name-mce at nameorg.org>
> Message-ID: <C3DCC944.AD07%Teja at EntertainingDiversity.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain;     charset="US-ASCII"
>
> I appreciate the reflections on the GodTube video link I posted. It 
> almost
> doesn't matter who produced it, and who performed in it. What 
> matters to me
> is the perpetuation of images of dark skinned people being the bad 
> ones.
> This is a world-wide issue, has been for a long time, and will be for
> generations. I went to a Catholic school in Japan - we represented 64
> nationalities, and whenever we had a Christian based school play, 
> Jesus was
> always White and Blond, and Judas always was dark with black hair. 
> In this
> particular GodTube video, the dark-skinned man was throwing money at 
> the
> White 'victim', and the dark skinned woman sauntered around as 
> 'temptation'.
> Even James Earl Jones who I interviewed for PBS years ago said that 
> as a
> Black man, it's important to get powerful roles, like any actor 
> should, but
> the consistency of Black characters who are bad is overwhelming, 
> worldwide.
> Check out Japan and Germany  - you'll know what I'm talking about. 
> So, let's
> switch it around. Do you think this video would have been as 
> acceptable and
> effective to the general public if the 'victim' was the Black woman, 
> better
> yet, the Black man, or the Black man throwing the money around 
> played our
> main character, the savior? Probably not because the world is taught
> differently. It is OUR job as educators to look at all media 
> critically
> because we HAVE to. I'm not saying the producers did any of this
> intentionally, nor am saying they are bad, irresponsible or even 
> racist
> people. Just unaware.

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