African-Americans

Racist Caricature of the Day: ‘The Tom’

Tony Thompson, ,

Content Note:  The subject matter in this post contains images, words, and phrases of a racist nature, some of which may be graphic.

Those of African descent have long been ‘othered’…treated as if they aren’t part of the human race…treated as subhuman…or only part human; certainly not deserving of the same rights as everyone else (often read as white people). This othering has resulted in racist caricatures of Blacks. These denigrating caricatures treat Black people in a dehumanizing manner. One such racist caricature is ‘The Tom’ (I find this caricature especially offensive because the Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was portrayed as a father who was physically strong, young, and loyal to the men he called master. He was also a principled man who tried to live by the values he believed were embodied in Christianity. As you’ll see from this article, the nature of the Uncle Tom changed over time to become one of an older man, with no children, who was not physically strong. He was also a simple man with no depth nor principles, who was loyal to his white master, and disloyal to other blacks. This version of Uncle Tom stripped the character of his roots. The alteration of the Uncle Tom to a man who was docile and passive, who wouldn’t rebel or complain was meant to show that slaves didn’t have it that bad.  It was as if this version of the Tom caricature sought to retcon slavery. This attitude is still found today in politicians who claim that slaves didn’t have it that bad.  I find this deeply offensive and reprehensible.)

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Racist Caricature of the Day: ‘The Tom’
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Racist Caricature of the Day: 'The Tom'

Tony Thompson, ,

Content Note:  The subject matter in this post contains images, words, and phrases of a racist nature, some of which may be graphic.

Those of African descent have long been ‘othered’…treated as if they aren’t part of the human race…treated as subhuman…or only part human; certainly not deserving of the same rights as everyone else (often read as white people). This othering has resulted in racist caricatures of Blacks. These denigrating caricatures treat Black people in a dehumanizing manner. One such racist caricature is ‘The Tom’ (I find this caricature especially offensive because the Tom in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin was portrayed as a father who was physically strong, young, and loyal to the men he called master. He was also a principled man who tried to live by the values he believed were embodied in Christianity. As you’ll see from this article, the nature of the Uncle Tom changed over time to become one of an older man, with no children, who was not physically strong. He was also a simple man with no depth nor principles, who was loyal to his white master, and disloyal to other blacks. This version of Uncle Tom stripped the character of his roots. The alteration of the Uncle Tom to a man who was docile and passive, who wouldn’t rebel or complain was meant to show that slaves didn’t have it that bad.  It was as if this version of the Tom caricature sought to retcon slavery. This attitude is still found today in politicians who claim that slaves didn’t have it that bad.  I find this deeply offensive and reprehensible.)

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Racist Caricature of the Day: 'The Tom'

Michael Dunn found guilty for the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis

Tony Thompson,

In 2012, Michael Dunn shot and killed 17 year old Jordan Davis. On October 1 of this year, Dunn was found guilty of first-degree murder.  The shooting has been nicknamed the ‘Loud Music Trial’ because the incident began over an argument about loud music being played in Davis’ car.  A little background:

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Michael Dunn found guilty for the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis

You know those racist caricatures I’ve been blogging about lately?

Tony Thompson,

They’re still around.  Last year, a group of students at an Arizona elementary school were bullying a young African-American boy.  He was called a monkey, as well as a nigger and coon.  Pam Aister, a teacher of 25 years at the school stepped in to defend the student.  Guess what?

She was recently terminated.

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You know those racist caricatures I’ve been blogging about lately?

You know those racist caricatures I've been blogging about lately?

Tony Thompson,

They’re still around.  Last year, a group of students at an Arizona elementary school were bullying a young African-American boy.  He was called a monkey, as well as a nigger and coon.  Pam Aister, a teacher of 25 years at the school stepped in to defend the student.  Guess what?

She was recently terminated.

Continue reading “You know those racist caricatures I've been blogging about lately?” →

You know those racist caricatures I've been blogging about lately?

Racist Caricature of the Day: The Picanniny

Tony Thompson, ,

Content Note:  The subject matter in this post contains images, words, and phrases of racist nature, some of which may be graphic.

Those of African descent have long been ‘othered’…treated as if they aren’t part of the human race…treated as subhuman…or only part human; certainly not deserving of the same rights as everyone else (often read as white people).  This othering has resulted in racist caricatures of Blacks. These denigrating caricatures treat Black people in a dehumanizing manner.  One such racist caricature is ‘The Picanniny’:

Picaninnies as portrayed in material culture have skin coloring ranging from medium brown to dark black — light skinned picaninnies are rare. They include infants and teenagers; however, most appear to be 8-10 years old. Prissy, the inept and hysterical servant girl in Gone With the Wind (Selznick & Fleming, 1939) was an exception. She was older than the typical picaninny, but her character was functionally a picaninny. Picaninny girls (and sometimes boys) have hair tied or matted in short stalks that point in all directions; often the boys are bald, their heads shining like metal. The children have big, wide eyes, and oversized mouths — ostensibly to accommodate huge pieces of watermelon.

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Racist Caricature of the Day: The Picanniny

Racist Caricature of the day: The Coon

Tony Thompson, 1 Comment

Content Note:  The subject matter in this post contains images, words, and phrases of racist nature, some of which may be graphic.

Those of African descent have long been ‘othered’…treated as if they aren’t part of the human race…treated as subhuman…or only part human; certainly not deserving of the same rights as everyone else (often read as white people).  This othering has resulted in racist caricatures of Blacks. These denigrating caricatures treat Black people in a dehumanizing manner.  One such racist caricature is ‘The Coon’:

                                 

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Racist Caricature of the day: The Coon

Racist Caricature of the day: The Brute

Tony Thompson, ,

Content Note:  The subject matter in this post contains images, words, and phrases of racist nature, some of which may be graphic.

Those of African descent have long been ‘othered’…treated as if they aren’t part of the human race…treated as subhuman…or only part human; certainly not deserving of the same rights as everyone else (often read as white people).  This othering has resulted in racist caricatures of Blacks. These denigrating caricatures treat Black people in a dehumanizing manner.  One such racist caricature is ‘The Brute’.

When reading this, I ask you to think about the critics of 18 year old Michael Brown.  Think of the people who claimed that he was a hulking brute who’s very size was a threat to Officer Darren Wilson.   Think of how Brown’s size was used to justify Wilson’s fear and subsequent actions, including his murder of Brown.

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Racist Caricature of the day: The Brute

Sapphire: The Myth of the Angry Black Woman

Tony Thompson,

On September 18, 2014, television critic Alessandra Stanley stepped into it (‘it’ being a big steaming pile of stereotypical, racist, sexist dung).  Her article for The New York Times opens with the following:

When Shonda Rhimes writes her autobiography, it should be called “How to Get Away With Being an Angry Black Woman.”

Her article went on to compliment Rhimes for changing the landscape of network television. Stanely clearly thought she was heaping praise upon Rhimes’ new show ‘How To Get Away With Murder’. Unfortunately for her, she was met with a great deal of scorn and criticism, some of which came from Shonda Rhimes herself (as well as Salon, Slate, and Gawker):

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Sapphire: The Myth of the Angry Black Woman

Fuck. Shit is hitting the fan in Ferguson, MO.

Tony Thompson

5 arrested, two officers shot in Brown memorial unrest

Five protesters were arrested and some businesses were damaged Tuesday night after a memorial to Michael Brown was destroyed in a fire. The confrontation reignited tensions in the St. Louis suburb that was rocked by violence this summer after Brown, an unarmed teenager, was shot by a Ferguson police officer.

During a news conference Wednesday, Capt. Ron Johnson with the Missouri State Highway Patrol said two St. Louis County police officers were injured during the unrest.

Johnson said one of the officers was hit just underneath his eye with a rock. He is expected to recover.

The unrest started Tuesday when a beauty supply store was looted and vandalized by several people attempting to haul out a cash register. Johnson said the manager said this was the third time the store had been broken into in the last six weeks.

Police responded to the break-in and then several gunshots were heard and approximately 200 people gathered at the site where demonstrations were held after the Aug. 9 shooting of Brown, 18, by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson.

After the break-in, a fire was reported at a restaurant on Carson Road. Johnson said the investigation shows gasoline appears to have been poured around the restaurant. He said the fire was put out by Ferguson firefighters.

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Ferguson police officer shot, but not killed

Scant details at the moment, but we’ll know more soon, I’m sure.

Update:

Police say the shooting occurred while the officer was at the Ferguson Community Center checking the building.

Tim Zoll of the Ferguson Police Department said the officer was shot in the arm. The officer’s identity and condition is unknown at this time. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the officer is female.

The suspect is still at large. No further information was immediately available.

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 Ferguson unrest

Cast as an olive branch by some, the Ferguson police chief’s attempt to march with protesters demanding charges in the killing of an unarmed, black 18-year-old by a white officer still erupted into a clash that activists Friday blamed on police missteps.

The trouble Thursday night came hours after Police Chief Tom Jackson released a videotaped apology to Michael Brown’s family that drew skepticism from residents and protesters who still crave answers about Brown’s death. A county grand jury is weighing whether to indict Ferguson officer Darren Wilson in the Aug. 9 shooting, and the Justice Department is investigating whether Brown’s civil rights were violated.

This “olive branch” ought to have been extended the same day Michael Brown was murdered.  I think it’s a bit late in the eyes of many people.  For my part, it rings hollow bc it flies in the face of the chief’s actions since August 9th.  He’s got an uphill battle ahead of him if he wants people to think he’s on the correct side of justice.

 

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Browns unmoved by chief’s apology

The parents of Michael Brown told The Associated Press on Saturday they were unmoved by the apology given by the Ferguson, Missouri, police chief weeks after their unarmed 18-year-old son was killed by a police officer.

Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, said, “yes,” when asked if Chief Tom Jackson should be fired, and his father, Michael Brown Sr., said rather than an apology, they would rather see the officer who shot their son arrested for his Aug. 9 death.

Fuck. Shit is hitting the fan in Ferguson, MO.