When looking at the black community, violence is a pervasive “single-story” that has defined their culture for decades. Stereotypical images of gang violence, bad neighborhoods, and a generally violent demeanor are commonly associated with black people.
1. In this clip from the TV Sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, it’s funny to imagine these characters overreacting to trivial things like leaving the toilet seat up, but the message it communicates is sobering. Is it an exaggeration to imagine black people pulling guns on each other for everyday annoyances; is it closer to the truth? To portray an entire race as violent and irrational is obviously a blanket statement that is untrue, but perpetuating this idea that violence is an acceptable means of resolving conflict is an issue that black communities face.
2. With the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, stories on police brutality and white-on-black violence pervaded the media from 2014-2015. Rapper Kendrick Lamar’s recent single “The Blacker the Berry” emphasizes how responding to these racial hate crimes has led to an era of black empowerment. However, it's interesting as the song develops, that Lamar acknowledges that while he tries to feel proud of his black culture and heritage, he recognizes a deeper problem: he (speaking metaphorically representing the black community) decries white on black violence yet has participated in black violence himself. He too has killed a young black man before.
“So why did I weep when Trayvon Martin was in the street when gang banging make me kill a nigga blacker than me?
Hypocrite!”
Hypocrite!”
(Clean Version)
I think this song takes a brutally honest look at why the “single story” of black violence perpetuates itself; because violence exists. Is it hypocritical to celebrate black culture, protest racial violence, and participate in violence against your own race? If so, what is the moral course of action?
3. A recent image tweeted by Punch, President of Top Dawg Entertainment, caused waves as he drew comparisons and supported both the violent and non-violent actions of Malcom X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It seems that ingrained in the black consciousness in urban areas is a sense of justification for violence. Because violence is justified in certain situations as means to an end.
Cause when you live on MLK and it gets very scary
You might have to pull your AK, send one to the cemetery”
You might have to pull your AK, send one to the cemetery”
Rap duo Run the Jewels support this idea, pointing out that even on streets that bear Martin Luther King’s name, you still see violence, an issue comedian Chris Rock makes light of. It’s your duty and right to 1. protect yourself in violent situations with more violence, and 2. use violent means in order to enact social change against oppressive authority.
(Explicit Content Warning)
I think Run The Jewels' sustaining of violent means contrasts Lamar's realization of the devastating hypocrisy he feels inside. Clearly not all black people are violent, this is a generalization that obviously has no weight. However, if this image continues to develop, I think it will widen the chasm of race relations between black and white communities.
I liked this point you mentioned in your post:
ReplyDelete"Is it hypocritical to celebrate black culture, protest racial violence, and participate in violence against your own race? If so, what is the moral course of action?"
A big problem about the view of black people is the media. We can usually blame them
ReplyDeleteIn reference to Run the Jewels statement, I think these single stories become self-fulfilling. When you are constantly fighting against a stereotype it's no surprise that a few individuals tire of the fight.
ReplyDelete