I cannot say that I have completely agreed with the actions taken against Mr. Imus. He may have just been made an example; but what do I know. I heard
Russell Simmons (the godfather of hip-hop, has used street smarts and a platinum Rolodex to create a $300 million conglomerate) talk about banning the 'big 3' (negative words: B' N' and H') from rap music; but I think I heard talk of that several times before. What's even more ironic, if not moronic, is this alleged "cult of music execs" that won't sell or promote any commercial rap without the use of derogatory language towards women and blacks. Oh come on already. I am going to have to agree with this one. How can anyone not see the similarity between the words of IMUS and the lyrics of hip-hop? How can hip-hop hide under the banner of "creative expression and freedom of speech" when it is probably more derogatory than Imus? Noone is holding a gun to anybody's head saying you have to say or portray black society in a derogatory manner except we who are willing to perpetuate it. Isn't that the same as a drug dealer who hates addicts or claims that he's not making them buy? Even worse; it's really "we" who chose to sell it because, like sex, it sells. Let's call a spade a spade. Isn't this really about dollars and cents when it comes to rap and movies? I have heard some really good rap instrumentals right up until the lyrics came. So what is it about when there are no dollars or sense to be exchanged? My father once said to me when I was very young, "I don't care what so-and-so does! So long as you live under this roof, this is how this house runs." Many years have passed but my level of respect has only increased since then. He went on to say "who you hang out with is who you become" and rich or poor, black or white, the media is full of examples that demonstrate the truth in most of his old words. I suppose we will "bob our heads" til there empty and a generation we idly raised with no respect for itself, its women, other people's property comes to power. Oh how we'll be surprised when we're casually disgarded.I don't mean that old things should all be put away and forgotten. Obviously, some bad things happened in the past; even in the name of religions. Yes, most of the worst are immortal because they serve as a reflection of what we have been or could be again if we aren't careful. I don't believe all the history books should become "politically correct" because the truth will be lost, the ugliness will be minimized and the evil will seduce us all over again under a new name. It is through the spectacles of history that we can hear and see these events, words, and terrors; but that is probably where we should leave it...on the lips of history. I think the truth of the matter is that Don Imus has only regurgitated what we have already said and joked about ourselves. Should we smear the duplicates and not the originals? With that said, people have to be aware that "yes" it is true that some of these derogatory things have been generationalize and even socialized so deeply below our psyches that we hardly if at all notice them until some crazy, angry situation happens and it erupts from below the surface. A co-worker mentioned something that I had never heard of which lends credence to the generational psychology that may still be at play...the Willie Lynch Letter. I thought this was the most appropriate with all the Imus hoopla flying around for ALL OF US to re-read, remember and NEVER FORGET, the speech given by Willie Lynch a slave owner who over 300 years ago devised a plan to help keep Black people divided...
Gentlemen:
I greet you here on the bank of the James River in the year of our lord, one thousand seven hundred and twelve. First , I shall thank you, the gentlemen of the of the colony of Virginia, for bringing me here. I am here to help you solve some of your problems with slaves. Your invitation reached me in my modest plantation in the West Indies where I have experimented with some of the newest and still the oldest method for control of slaves. Ancient Rome would envy us if my program is implemented. As our boat sailed south on the James River, named for our illustrious KING JAMES, whose BIBLE we CHERISH, I saw enough to know that our problem is not unique. While Rome used cords or wood as crosses for standing human bodies along the old highways in great numbers, you are here using the tree and the rope on occasion.
I caught the whiff of a dead slave hanging from a tree a couple of miles back. You are losing valuable stock by hangings, you are having uprisings, slaves are running away, your crops are sometimes left in the fields too long for maximum profit, you suffer occasional fires, your animals are killed, Gentleman,...You know what your problems are; I do not need to elaborate. I am not here to enumerate your problems, I am here to introduce you to a method of solving them.
In my bag, I have a fool proof method for controlling your slaves. I guarantee everyone of you that if installed it will control the slaves for at least three hundred years. My method is simple, any member of your family or any OVERSEER can use it.
I have outlined a number of differences among the slaves, and I take these differences and make them bigger. I use FEAR, DISTRUST, and ENVY for control purposes. These methods have worked on my modest plantation in the West Indies, and it will work throughout the SOUTH. Take this simple little list of differences and think about them. On the top of my list is "AGE" but it is only there because it starts with an "A"; The second is"COLOR" or shade; there is INTELLIGENCE, SIZE, SEX, SIZE OF PLANTATION, ATTITUDE of owner, whether the slaves live in the valley, on a hill, east or west, north, south, have fine or coarse hair, or is tall or short. Now that you have a list of differences, I shall give you an outline of action- but before that, I shall assure you that DISTRUST IS STRONGER THAN TRUST, AND ENVY IS STRONGER THAN ADULATION, RESPECT OR ADMIRATION.
The black slave, after receiving this indoctrination, shall carry on and will become self-refueling and self-generating for hundreds of years, maybe thousands.
Don't forget you must pitch the old black VS. the young black males, and the young black male against the old black male. You must use the dark skinned slaves VS. the light skin slaves. You must use the female VS the male, and the male VS, the female. You must always have your servants and OVERSEERS distrust all blacks, but it is necessary that your slaves trust and depend on us.
Gentlemen, these kits are your keys to control, use them. Never miss an opportunity. My plan is guaranteed, and the good thing about this plan is that if used intensely for one year the slave will remain perpetually distrustful. (see the letter)
-WILLIAM LYNCH-1772
Perhaps it is these things that are the origins of our self destructive natures. In the end, WE must chose to be our own authors. The letter above is one of the major problems of the African-American race today. With this knowledge, we as a race can overcome ourselves. To fight the problem, you gotta know the problem then be willing to do something different and differently than you are acustomed. Everybody knows what's bad; but that never stopped them from lighting up or eating too much or eating wrong or burning fossil fuels. As humans, we have a choice. Let's not pretend that failing to make that choice is the same as not having it. We can chose what words to refer to each other is songs, speeches, conversation, anger, love and disagreement. If anything, Imus is but a reflection of social hearts and the deep river raging beneath "political correctness." Who will think more of us than we ourselves demonstrate? What's even more absurd; we smile at "political correctness;" but the backlash says you can think one thing so long as you don't say it out loud or write it down around any of "those" people but "we" all know what you really meant....wink...wink...wink. Is that better? I think I would just rather people come out with it; then I know what I'm working with.
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