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  • African-American nonsense

    African-American nonsense

    DIANE ABBOTT

    Sunday, March 09, 2014

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    MCQUEEN… some African-American writers are complaining that he is not qualified to make a film about plantation slavery At right: NYONG’O… a wonderful actress

    THERE is no question that the star of this year's Oscars was the dazzling Kenya-born actress Lupita Nyong'o. She carried off the best supporting actress Oscar for her role in the film of the year, 12 Years a Slave.

    But what really captured the media's attention were her charm, exquisiteness and smooth dark skin. In an era when the archetype of black female beauty is Beyoncé, with her light brown skin and blonde weave, Lupita could not look more different. She is slim but not voluptuous; dark-skinned, and sports a short Afro. Her looks are a world away from the traditional Jamaican "browning".

    In fact, it is difficult to see how Lupita could have been given a starring role in any film cast and produced in Jamaica. But her photograph has been everywhere, with Lupita looking effortlessly stylish and glamorous. She has even been dubbed Hollywood's new "it" girl.

    Lupita is well aware of the significance of a woman, with skin as dark as her own, being feted by the mainstream media. She has said: "I too remember a time when I would turn on the TV and only see pale skin. I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin. And my one prayer to God, the miracle worker, was that I would wake up lighter-skinned.

    "The morning would come and I would be so excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself before I was in front of a mirror, because I wanted to see my fair face first. And every day I experienced just the same disappointment at being just as dark as I had been the day before.

    "I tried to negotiate with God. I told Him I would stop stealing sugar cubes at night if he gave me what I wanted. I would listen to my mother's every word and never lose my school sweater again if He just made me a little lighter. But I guess God was unimpressed with my bargaining chips, because I never woke up lighter."

    But there has been an undercurrent of some negativity about her from some black Americans. Mostly it is online and on blogs. The argument is that Lupita is not really "black". Lupita is obviously a lot more physically "black" than many African-American actresses. But the thinking behind this bizarre argument is, apparently, that to be authentically "black" you have to be American.

    This ludicrous argument is just straightforward American cultural imperialism. But it is put forward by otherwise intelligent commentators. They try to support their argument by claiming that Lupita's education (she studied at Yale) and the fact that her Kenyan parents are professionals make her an inauthentic black person.

    One writer, Stacia L Brown, said, "For her (Lupita), blackness, in a context of white American oppression, is a role. It is not intrinsic to her identity." This is clearly nonsense. And it is sad that some African-American commentators seem to believe that, to be authentically "black" you have to be a member of the underclass. Yet I have seen this argument all over the Internet.

    In parallel with this, some African-American writers are complaining that the director of 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen, is not African-American and therefore not qualified to make a film about plantation slavery. McQueen is from Grenada in the West Indies and has lived most of his life in Britain.

    However, his American critics seem to be unaware that the West Indian experience of slavery exactly parallels the American experience. In fact, the only difference between McQueen and his critics is that his ancestors disembarked from the West African slave ships one stop before theirs.

    It is unfortunate that some African-American writers are unable to enjoy the success of 12 Years a Slave and Lupita Nyong'o. But it is still an extraordinary film and she is a wonderful actress.

    — Diane Abbott is the British Labour party MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington


    www.dianeabbott.org.uk
    THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

    "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


    "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

  • #2
    I made said comments awhile ago,black americans act as if they have a lien on the slavery experience.

    Its not nonsense ,its madness.
    THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

    "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


    "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

    Comment


    • #3
      That's because slavery and the slave experience is not taught in American schools. It is like a footnote in history classes. This one of the reasons why racism is perpetuated in America. Kids are not taught about slavery and its savagery so they grow up without empathy. That's why movies like Twelve years a Slave is viewed with such awe, especially by white folks. We from the Caribbean knows much more about slavery than even the average American high school history teacher. We know about the Middle Passage and the many slave revolts which paved the way for the abolishion of slavery, because they are in our text books. America tries to rewrite their history by omitting huge chunks of facts about slavery as if black struggle started with the Civil Rights Movement.
      Hey .. look at the bright side .... at least you're not a Liverpool fan! - Lazie 2/24/10 Paul Marin -19 is one thing, 20 is a whole other matter. It gets even worse if they win the UCL. *groan*. 05/18/2011.MU fans naah cough, but all a unuh a vomit?-Lazie 1/11/2015

      Comment


      • #4
        One of the things about american history is the teaching of the submissiveness of the african american in slavery,there was little to no revolt and if any ,it was led by the white man.N.America has a history of slave revolt and it didnt start with the civil rights or John Brown,like you said it wasnt taught in their history books.That seems to be where black americans come from ,this perception that their experience was different in submissiveness and ours was revolt,leads to a feeling of envy.

        Truth is we all revolted ,the difference is we embraced ours after independence ,theirs was suppressed because obviously they are still fighting for independence to tell their story.This is a small sample ,some historians document 250 revolts.

        1526 San Miguel de Gualdape
        (Sapelo Island, Georgia, Victorious)
        c. 1570 Gaspar Yanga's Revolt
        (Veracruz, Victorious)
        1712 New York Slave Revolt
        (New York City, Suppressed)
        1733 St. John Slave Revolt
        (Saint John, Suppressed)
        1739 Stono Rebellion
        (South Carolina, Suppressed)
        1741 New York Conspiracy
        (New York City, Suppressed)
        1760 Tacky's War
        (Jamaica, Suppressed)
        1791–1804 Haitian Revolution
        (Saint-Domingue, Victorious)
        1800 Gabriel Prosser
        (Virginia, Suppressed)
        1803 Igbo Landing
        (St. Simons Island, Georgia, Suppressed)
        1805 Chatham Manor
        (Virginia, Suppressed)
        1811 German Coast Uprising
        (Territory of Orleans, Suppressed)
        1815 George Boxley
        (Virginia, Suppressed)
        1822 Denmark Vesey
        (South Carolina, Suppressed)
        1831 Nat Turner's rebellion
        (Virginia, Suppressed)
        1831–1832 Baptist War
        (Jamaica, Suppressed)
        1839 Amistad, ship rebellion
        (Off the Cuban coast, Victorious)
        1841 Creole, ship rebellion
        (Off the Southern U.S. coast, Victorious)
        1842 Slave Revolt in the Cherokee Nation
        (Southern U.S., Suppressed)
        1859 John Brown's Raid
        (Virginia, Suppressed)
        THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

        "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


        "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

        Comment


        • #5
          So right, X. African Americans won't do, but get upset when others do. Give me a break! If it's not taught in schools, it still can be taught in your homes and communities. No excuses.

          Dianne Abbott is to be reminded, however, that Lupita is Mexican-born, and is proud of that too.

          Still waiting on that Marcus Garvey movie. How come that has not yet been done?!??


          BLACK LIVES MATTER

          Comment


          • #6
            I would give them a bly, they are just exploring the resources to do such after centuries of it being denied.
            THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

            "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


            "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

            Comment


            • #7
              Agree with the overall point being made by Ms Abbott but I think she is also going overboard with the success of Lupita.

              For example:
              In fact, it is difficult to see how Lupita could have been given a starring role in any film cast and produced in Jamaica.
              Well, if it was a Jamaican movie about slavery, as 12 Years a Slave was, then it is very easy to see her being given that role. This is what I think is being overlooked here. She was playing a slave! Clearly a Beyonce look-alike, weave flying in all directions, could not play that role!

              Let us see if the talented Lupita will be given lead roles as the romantic interests of Denzil or Will Smith, not to mention DeCaprio and Matt Damon. If that happens then yes, we can start feeling like her success has brought some real changes in Hollywood.
              "‎It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" - Frederick Douglass

              Comment


              • #8
                Disagree totally. Both us and America would cast a Beyoncé look alike.

                Comment


                • #9
                  To play a slave based on a true story in the 1800s?

                  Roots? (Madge Sinclair)
                  Color Purple? (Whoopi)
                  The Butler (Oprah)

                  It doesn't always happen but its certainly nothing new for a dark skinned sister to play those kind of roles.

                  For me the true test on whether her award winning role, which she no doubt deserves, is something of an industry breakthrough will be if she is cast in the kind of blockbuster roles typically reserved for women with a certain type of look.
                  "‎It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" - Frederick Douglass

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    If I can play the devils advocate ,not every mulato was a house slave others were in the field and to say they got any better treatment is irrational,position doesnt mean better treatment be it , field or house .I just wanted to point out that the browning experience didnt start in the 19th century,It started when them drop off the ship , in some cases before.

                    Beyonce and Karlene could well have played any part, we stereotype ,pigeon hole ourselves ,but hey it fits a narrative.
                    THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

                    "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


                    "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I wouldn't disagree but don't miss my basic point, which is that dark skinned sisters playing that kind of role is nothing new to Hollywood. Hattie McDaniel won an Oscar for such a role in the 1930s.

                      Do you think Hollywood will cast Lupita in blockbuster lead roles opposite the Will Smiths and Denzils? I hope so but not holding my breath.

                      Maybe she will find work and make good money in Science Fiction type roles where race is less of an issue. Matrix , Star Wars kind of thing.
                      "‎It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" - Frederick Douglass

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Agreed.
                        THERE IS ONLY ONE ONANDI LOWE!

                        "Good things come out of the garrisons" after his daughter won the 100m Gold For Jamaica.


                        "It therefore is useless and pointless, unless it is for share malice and victimisation to arrest and charge a 92-year-old man for such a simple offence. There is nothing morally wrong with this man smoking a spliff; the only thing wrong is that it is still on the law books," said Chevannes.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          You guys who they signed to play Nina Simone?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Should be you guys heard.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I remember reading about that, Zoe Saldana, makes no sense.

                              That is the kind of role I could see Lupita really owning.
                              "‎It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men" - Frederick Douglass

                              Comment

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