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Fascinating to me.
I want to see the dvd.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8q1XU07B ... ata_player

bumpity?

I am glad that you bumped this...very good topic...I've been at the National Flute Association's COnvention and I am so tired. This has kept me from cyberspace. I find Chris Rock to be very insightful into the "Black experience" . I would like to see the dvd too.

It gave me a different perspective...I still don't agree with all of itm but then I haven't lived it...interesting indeed!

Thanks Zip...now I gotta THINK...

I don't think he's all that funny, but I love to listen to him.
He's very insightful, and very intelligent.
I see him as a public speaker who happens to use stand up to talk to people.

There is another good clip from Russel Simmons.

The flute convention is over and it was the most incredible 5 days of my life. However, it has left me completely spent so I will comment tomorrow...go ahead and make more comments though.

In the course of my life I believe that racism has lessened to a degree. I don't believe it would have been possible thirty years ago to elect an African-AMerican President. You might think I'm crazy but I believe the O.J. Simpson trial actually helped lessen racism in this country. That trial had many elements that showed America that all races can succeed. The judge was Asian (as I recall), the chief prosecutor was a woman, the assistant prosecutor was African-American who had never lost a case before. O.J. had assembled his "dream team" of attorneys, but who ended up being the star of the dream team was an African-American, Johnny Cochran. Then of course O.J. was judged not guilty. African-Americans for decades had the deck stacked against them in countless trials, but for once one of their own was judged not guilty (although most people probably thought he was guilty).
Racism is not dead in the United States, probably far from it, but I can't imagine anybody that thinks it is worse today than decades ago. I have had three African-AMericans in past bands. My son who is autistic has had numerous state caregivers who are African-American and I think he actually prefers them and women to take care of him. Maybe they have more empathy for him, having been discriminated against themselves, and my son, who is empathic to a large degree understands that.
Am I free from prejudice? Perhaps not completely, but I feel with my life experiences I have become much more tolerant and truly believe that we are all equals in every respect.

You know what sticks in my head about that interview? What does it matter that his neighbor is a white dentist? That was just an odd thing to me. So what, like being a comedian is MORE work than being a Dentist? I personally doubt it's a guy who just cleans teeth for a living. I don't see how he can give his comedic profession any MORE credibility than a very successful Dentist, NBA star, Singer... So what. I don't think he had any valid point behind that story. To say " that's just white America" isn't the way I see it. I'm white and struggling and I've worked very hard my whole life. And there are millions like me. Maybe his neighbor just knew how to invest his money wisely. Obviously they ALL worked hard to be where they are.

I'm still a believer that this kind of thinking goes in every direction. Is his situation any different than someone like me who gets told "you'll never be accepted in Reggae music as much as a true black Rasta"? I haven't listened to those people from day one of me joining my band. Do I feel like the odds are against me?? Of course. Do I care? Nope. If you're good at what you do, you just are and eventually people will recognize that. Chris Rock is a good example of that.

How cool would it be if I eventually moved across the street from Chris Rock? The black man who made it in comedy and the white man who made it in Reggae.. That would be awesome!!! I don't care if my neighbor is a Jewish paperboy. If he worked his business, then so be it.

Good points made by everyone and it's nice to have a healthy discussion for once without a lot of anger coming into it.

I will say this, I love Chris Rock, and I guess one has to live it to really understand the roots of the problem. It goes far deeper than simply have friends of another race. The problem isn't the average American. The problem lies with the powers that be and how people get ingrained with their belief systems in this country. This goes for both black people and white people.

My nationality, I'm mixed. My mom was white and my father is I guess black. I was adopted by a black family, so I grew up black. I was never accepted fully by blacks or whites, and I struggled for years with my race until I just decided, screw it, I am what I am. Still, I had to contend with the effects of my upbringing.

I've always loved Rock music. But back in the 80s I struggled to get accepted by the white rock community. I was told I couldn't join bands, I was hung up on, called the "n" word. Record execs told me pretty much that I needed to stick to "my own genre". To go back to playing R&B and soul. I found out that most black artist attempting to do rock were shelved or not given any promotion. Living Colour got a little bit, but they were never truly accepted. For the longest time, I felt like on the outside of a window looking in.

Let's look at the movie and television industry. Blacks and Hispanics are still pretty much pigeon-holed into playing thugs, thieves or cops. If you look at most casting calls, 90% of them call for whites. When there are black only shows, most of them deal with the regular stereotypes of black people in the ghetto, chasing money, gangs, etc. I know, because I read these classifieds on the look out for a friend. I pay attention to movies coming out. The stereotyping is still pretty rampant.

Is it better nowadays? A bit. Are people less racist? No. Whites claim that if black people would just go to school, they'd get good jobs and they'd have the same chances as they have.

Not true.

Here's the deal. Many whites have had generations of money and a middle class foundation. They have homes which get left to them by grandparents and so on. Most blacks do not have a solid foundation such as land, homes and so on. Some do, many don't. Most of the older black generation are from days when segregation was in full force. So there aren't a lot of upper middle class or rich black people. There are more today, yes, but not a lot.

If you want to become a doctor, lawyer or any other trade that pays six figures or more, you will have to go to the right school. I didn't say "school" I said "the right school." I've worked for lawyers for over 20 years. I can count on one hand the black lawyers who have worked at the large law firms -- the ones paying wages you'd brag about. None down here in Orange County where I've work in over 15 years. Oh you can become a lawyer, but because they didn't go to USC, UCLA, Harvard, or any other big named school, they'd most likely work for a B-grade law firm. Meaning they'd be in the low six figures.

I live around the corner from an upper middle class neighborhood. I would say in the 70s, it was probably regular middle class. It's mostly white and Asian now. Many of these families who are there now were left these homes by their parents and grandparents, who probably bought it for not that much back in the day. I remember 10 years ago, these homes were about $300K, now they're like $600-700K.

It isn't racism only that's the problem, it's the schools, the neighborhoods, the cliques. Yes, things are better, but you will still have a large number of Black and Hispanic population who will not go anywhere. Because of what their education can afford these days, they will work hard and will probably get to $60K a year at the most, but don't have the education for the higher paying jobs. There will be some who will work harder and get past that, but because of social depression, they will either settle or go another route. The lower class neighborhoods will believe their only way out is through sports or through entertainment.

Why is that?

Because that's what the media tells them. They produce rap music which continually reminds them that they are social outcasts and they have to "get that money" however they can. Strive for sports and music, because that's all they're good for. It's subliminal. In movies, you still get the black clown, comic relief, oh he's so crazy because he couldn't possibly have anything wise to impart. My favorite movies are the white savior who comes to save all the brown people who were too stupid to figure it out for themselves, the one, the chosen one. Neo, thankfully, Morpheus was John the Baptist, what are you people complaining about?

And it isn't just a black or white problem. We're all mind controlled.

I work around attorneys. There are some of them here who take their jobs just a little too seriously. Like they can't look "underlings" (staff) in the eye. They actually believe they belong to some aristocracy because they're rich and a lawyer.

This is a long subject and it can go on and on. I only brought to light some of the reasons why. However bad it has been, I'm moving beyond it. I have friends of every color and nationality, religion, etc. The true powers that be want us to fight, to keep reminding each other of our differences, to not want to understand each other's problems. Whites scoff at black issues, blacks scoff at white's issues. That isn't the way to go.

We need to truly hear one another, to be compassionate towards one another. I acknowledge that there are white people who were also born with lack of chances. They didn't have money, they don't have the opportunities to go to a good school either, and their families struggle to pay the bills just like minorities do.

So my problem doesn't lie with them. It lies with the powers who keep irritating the riff between us, and that's what needs to be seen. The corporate structure is the one that's off, the political machine. Just because Obama was made president wasn't a call that it wasn't about race. Black or white, our entire policital system is so corrupt, they could put a giraffe in office and it wouldn't make a difference. It's flawed because it's full of a bunch of self-serving a-one aholes. The ones who do get into office and who want to make a difference are discredited and shot down.

My creed here is not a "lets move on" because that's what the public cries for. Black people are not just whining, Hispanics aren't, American Indians aren't. There is truth to what's being said, and if you're struggling too, I think all they really want is just someone to say "I hear you and I'm sorry you're feeling that way. I feel the same way, what can we do about this together?" That's what I'd say to a friend.

Just my take.

Well & thoughtfully said, Miss C.

Wow, that was a very nice post to read Chaeya.

First of all.. Where's the music? We'd love to hear some of what you're making.

Secondly, I love Huntington Beach. I used to live there myself. Visited there recently and cried about ever leaving.

I obviously can't speak from personal experience on this topic a whole lot. I'm a white guy from Bakersfield. Grew up in a middle-class family in a fairly nice environment. In fact I struggle more than my parents did and I'm single with no kids, they've had 8 between the 2 of them. Go figure.

I am, however, a product of my own choices in life. As are a lot of people in this country. The opportunities for me to be wealthy were supplied to me by this country, but my personal choices kind of took me in whatever direction I find myself in now. And I think that's what gets lost in this kind of issue. Choices have no color. You don't have to be black or white to decide whether to do your homework and get straight A's when you're a kid instead of watch TV, play video games etc.. Sometimes I had a choice, sometimes I didn't. That's a parenting thing. This is not taking in account kids who just plain live in circumstances beyond their control. But that is where things start right? When you're a kid and you have choices.

As I was watching the Chris Rock video, I happened to watch the interview with Serena Williams (same video series). In that interview she says (paraphrasing a little) "the reason you didn't see too many black people in Tennis, is because it's an expensive sport. I grew up in a poor family. I don't know how my parents made it happen."

Think about that for a moment. Is it a money issue? Or is it a drive issue? Sometimes I get the thought that some of these boundaries people say exist.. Just really don't. Through hard work and the drive and willingness to follow through with their goals, they made it happen. I do realize that there are still Country Clubs in this Country that are racially suppressive in Golf, maybe Tennis, I don't know, and don't agree with that kind of thing. But it does seem to be a good example of perseverance. If you're good at what you do, things can fall in place for you. Being good at Tennis can't be handed to anyone through any kind of inheritance. "Mrs. Williams, I'm sorry to inform you that your Grandpa has passed away. In his passing, he has left you the gift of being a legendary Tennis player." Not happening.

Wanna here something funny? My dad wanted me to be a Tennis player soooooo bad!! He lived in a Tennis resort. I hated it. I didn't think it was cool at all. For all I know, black youth just don't think Tennis is cool. I was a white kid and I thought it was extremely dorky. I wanted to be a rock-star. Pfffft. Duh.

I know. I'm talking about an athlete here. But can't the same be said in a lot of aspects regarding whatever choices and professions people choose? And in a lot of cases, good parenting is behind success stories no matter what profession. In some cases people hated their parents and wanted to be nothing like them and became successful. But then again, that's personal choices and drive. Where is the bar set for what's considered successful anyway? Is there a dollar amount?

People can choose whether to let the media guide them or not. Which, I'm still in a gray area about that. Hip Hop as a music is very culturally centered (not racially). There are a lot of successful Hip Hop artists, and in that genre there are a lot of thugs/gangsters/ however you wish to describe it, producing and distributing the music. The culture feeds itself it's own nonsense. I don't see it as any kind of media conspiracy in general, or even a thug conspiracy. In fact censoring it takes away from opportunities at a successful lifestyle that if they aren't made available goes against what this country has always been about. Opportunities given.. Choices made. You may find yourself living in a mansion and doing well, or poor or dead in the street. How well did you choose your path?

We live in very hard times these days. The future is very uncertain for any race. There's a big feeling that our opportunities are slipping at the hands of big business and government. But I have to stay positive and believe that our country has tipped the scales in favor of opportunities given to all of our legal citizens these days. Otherwise it's a vision of catastrophe for all races. Now more than ever, every choice we make with our opportunities mean a lot.

If I'm naive in thinking that opportunities are slipping for any particular race within our legal citizens, then I apologize. But I still truly believe that any person can achieve whatever success their looking for within reason (ok, none of us are probably ever going to reach Bill Gates' status alright. Within reason.) with a proper balance of hard work and drive and the choices you make on the path to achieve your goal. Black, white, rich, poor, dentist, comedian, garbage man, internet site-maker, baker..Ok.. You get my point.

I'm a big believer that people do embrace hard workers who are great at whatever craft they do no matter what their race is. Their successes through hard work is seen as more admirable, and very much deserved. So I'm still not getting Chris' point (yep, we're on a first name basis now seeing as how I'm gonna be his neighbor eventually). Obviously, whoever that Dentist is who lives next door to Chris has a clientele who just loves the way he does teeth. Outside of the tooth-fairy, he's the man.

Ok.. whew.. This was very long. I have a Reggae song to finish writing.

For me to comment on this matter requires me to write a dissertation. I am so mad at my computer because I already wrote one dissertation then hit the wrong button and now it is lost in cyber space. My first dissertation was about my childhood. Basically I grew up very fortunate. But I will write about that again later.

Now I want to share with you my present life. I am having a blast. My colleagues are black, white, brown, tan. We become identical twins when we get our music geek on. It doesn't matter what the race or what the culture, music is truly a fine intertwining thread. I am the only black woman in a flute choir where everyone else is white. For the most part they seemed to be afraid to notice that I was black. But as soon as we got to the flute convention they realized that I am an asset because I help them to step outta their skins. It is cool being black and my girls want me to help them with jazz. I think the flute convention brought us together as a family and we revel in each others defferences because it opens up so many doors for us.

I expect my kids to have friendships in every culture that crosses their paths. I expect them to have humor. Yes, we all love Chris Rock in my family. We also love Dave Chapelle. But I like CR because I know exactly what he is saying. His comments on the video were just the tip of the iceburg of CR insights. He jokes about the way blacks view education, how we put everything in lay away, and CP time. He is just saying things that we already know.

I know that when anyone sees me they truly don't know what to make of me. But I don't care, if they keep watching they will see who I am. Asians are a big part of my life and yesterday, I had the opportunity of helping an elderly Asian couple to learn more about the flute conventions and how the flute is the coolest instrument on the planet There was a flute choir preparing to perform in the lobby so they were going to sit on the floor. I told them not to sit on the floor, I'll get you some chairs. I got the couple some chairs and saw that they were comfortable and had to leave. But before I left they commented on how kind I was. That means everything. Racism exists everywhere and it will always be around but when someone tells me that I am a kind person that is the important thing.

I have always had a good relationship with people. I really have not had any racial problems worth discussing except for one that actually has been damaging. I will discuss that one tomorrow. I hope this wasn't a bunch of jibbersih.

Dave Chappelle is the man! I saw an interview with him on Masterpiece Theater, and of course he touched on racial issues. Funny that Comedy Central had racists telling Chappelle to involve more whites...etc. CC is the reason he left.