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Everyone is right based on the question. Agreement or disagreement is irrelevant. Everyone can see different problems and not see others because of perspectives and experience. I prefer to be Johnny Ideaseed. Talking about whether race is a relevant topic isnt all that important to me. "Indians are red Niggers" - Ghost Dog. Does your concept of race matter to your oppression , your oppressor or even fellow poster more than their own? Is there a solution to the problem. Yes but because of heterogeneity the solution is probably more individualistic than socialistic. It is interesting that Zaji agreeing with Pioneer has a different reaction than when I did the same. Fascinating. Also you (plural) can say and believe whatever you want. It is eaier to side with Cynique Mel Pioneer or Troy in the main since there's a ideological basis that is consistent. Zaji is writer and the group is interesting material. Juat some observations or are some of them conclusions. I am not certain. Sincerely, Doubtful Delano aka not having very strong convictions or pronouncements. And like i have done earlier I will watch from the sidelines.

LOL every time i get ready to post this, somebody beats me to the draw for the next opening spot, so what i say now may be off-point, but here's my response to earlier posts... i don't think anybody doubted that there are people out there who agree with Pioneer's points view. I often wondered why they didn't show up and side with him. Because zaji is invariably in lock step with him, i now have my suspicions, and while she is watching me, i am watching her. It's too bad that Pioneer is oblivious to all of all of the admonitions and advice she offers, - her stream of conscious monologues that mesmerize us even as she has lapses where she doesn't practices what she preaches... But, hey, nobody's perfect! . But she's a welcome addition to this forum; the new blood needed! i love her meta-physical vibe. And i love how Mel always provides a different angle to things. But deliver us from a legion of Pioneer clones. It will be like an onslaught from a movie studio, a group of who have stages inside the auditoriums of their skulls, a place where scripts are created and then produced for public consumption, films that objective thinkers will give a thumbs down to. Pioneer lives and dies by his paranoid anecdotal-drenched scenarios. He never thinks past his nose or looks at the big picture because this would require him to be a critical thinker. He has this race issue all plotted out, replete with heroes and villains, naturally casting himself as a hero, obsessed with rescuing black people from the evil white cabal. He apparently thinks that white forces are united and act in concert, all awaiting the next memo sent out by The Man to do this and do that, install one race in some countries and many races in others. "They" are the "them" against "us". He's incapable of taking an over view and seeing that THE SYSTEM has been in place for centuries. White people don't have to do anything but bask in the privilege that comes with the territory. Changes come and go, sentiments shift and stabilize, rights are given and taken back, and THE SYSTEM remains constant - and powerful, leaving black individuals with no choice but to do their best to navigate the obstacle course of white superiority. This debate on race is all about rhetoric that doesn't translate into practice. Its a showcase for exposing Pioneer's lack of credentials, and a discussion that is tailor-made for those who want to vent their frustrations and vie for the last word. No minds are being changed. Del is the only convert on board. Well, that's my scenario. Now amp up your rebuttals. And let the Pioneer dog and pony show continue to chase its tail.

@Mel Hopkins Yeesss!! I SOOO think in images!!! I know when to be silent. When I see people are shackled to words, I drop the conversation, because I know they cannot understand the images I see and the meaning I've derived or created from those images. The cartoon you posted is so on point. LOL.

@Mel Hopkins It is interesting that you posted this. I just responded to something stating that we shouldn't get hung up on the words when it comes to certain things. I have had long discussions with folks on the difference between definition and meaning. This culture is focused on the words in a dictionary and keeping us trapped in that. When in many old world cultures, meaning was what was primary. I try to think in terms of meaning, rather than merely words. Words sometimes confine us, cage us, and keep us unable to see beyond the word itself. We tend not look within because we don't trust our own thoughts, ideas and meaning. So many need words to ground them in ideas. I don't. Meaning, in my opinion, is a far more enriching way to live and understand each other and the world. It opens us up to myriad thoughts and ideas unconfined by the words we let dominate our thoughts and emotions.

I've noticed these discussions seem to get stuck on etymology, connotation, and or denotation of words that we use. I find it fascinating that our conversations continue to take this turn especially on this is literary website. Maybe there's a message in our musings. I'm not sure what is but like earth wind and fire sings: "Watch for the signs That lead in the right direction Not to heed them is a bad reflection They'll show you the way Into what you have been seeking To ignore them you're only cheating..."

i certainly can identify with all of this. I love language, but it is, indeed, a prison. Even so, words can be weapons. The world exists outside the constraints of written symbols and spoken syllables. Sights and sounds are subjective experiences. i especially appreciate conciseness and how brevity is the soul of wit. As i mentioned before, Zen encompasses this esoteric realm. The impact of spaces and pauses, the power of what is not said, the reading between the lines, the awe of silence. There's so much to life that is not spoken. Emotions are a wordless language. Living in the moment can be an eternity of minutes. My daily ritual includes working a patternless crossword puzzle that runs in my daily newspaper. It's me against a totally blank grid. No black squares are included. A list of numbered clues are provided under the headings of Across and Down. You have to fill in the blanks with words that have to be separated from each other by blackening the square/squares between them. In the course of doing this, instead of the grid being my challenger, it gradually become my enabler. i read the clue and stare at the space provided for the answer. Sometimes the clues are easy but the hard ones require that i wrack my brain for an answer. Without fail when the answer is not forthcoming, after staring at length at the blank, the word comes to me, as if it was there all along and i just needed to bring it in focus. And as the completion of the puzzle finally begins to take place, it's like the grid has become my alter ego and together we have brought blank spaces into a completed pattern. it's a very intriguing exercise, one that provides a lot of fufillment because i am always successful in finishing the puzzle Whatever. My take away is that everything we need to know is right before our eyes just awaiting concentration and fruition.

See, you and I are gonna invent flying in a new way. LOL.

Your sentiment is beautiful, Zaji. Goddess level. I'm so at home in words but words have imprisoned me , as they have so many others like you've stated. There's a reason for "you have the right to be silent". It frees us from self-incrimination. Speaking of Goddess. Dr. Leonard Shlain shared how words imprisoned the Feminine in his groundbreaking book "Alphabet and the Goddess" : The conflict between word and image. I think in images. It's our birthright. Unfortunately. I can't draw a lick. Still I need to find a way to express myself visually - it's time I rid myself of the rest of these shackles. .

@Troy Let me first set the stage for my answer. I am NOT hung up on words/terms. So the term race means nothing to me in the context of my overall ideas. Race is just a word that a human created to describe something they are observing. The word (race) is a filler for their conclusions around an observation. I am focused on the observations and then, how I interpret what I observe, not how someone else interprets this very real observation of phenotype. So try to not to be attached to the word race too much, even as I use the word to forward the conversation at times. I live in the space of ideas and thoughts where there are no words interfering with my observations. For example, before there was a word for gravity, it existed and people knew it existed. They didn't need a word for it. We don't need a word for it now. We experience and know it is there, doing something for or to us. Having a word does not make a thing real or not real. So race is just a word. The conversation for me is whether or not there is something observable here. And there is. Some have decided to interpret this observation one way (with the word race) and others have decided to interpret it another way (with the word phenotype or ancestry). Again, don't jump on the words and the definitions humans have given to them. Focus ONLY on the observations made visually and biologically, then you will come to your OWN conclusions about what is being observed, rather than the conclusions being handed to you. To your question. I have absolutely no idea how many races exist, if there are even what we call races. Remember what I told you...I believe that "races" is just a cunning term for "phenotype". Essentially, it is a construct. BUT, being a construct does not mean that phenotype, where I think they derived the term/idea race from, doesn't exist. Phenotype is real and observable. I believe it is POSSIBLE, based on observation, that there are differences in our DNA that make us look the ways that we do. Looking at what makes us the same, doesn't mean there is nothing to see that makes us different. Someone with Down Syndrome doesn't cease to be different overall biologically from humans. Their 99% sameness to the human species is irrelevant. The DNA clearly shows an issue that they have pinpointed scientifically that makes someone who has Down Syndrome LOOK the way they look. So the sameness as a species, that can be discerned by DNA, does not negate the fact that there is a difference that can be pinpointed, by DNA, as has been done with Down Syndrome. I also try to remember that the inability to prove something ALSO does NOT make it untrue. Air existed before we could prove it. It wasn't until we created instruments and scientific methods that allowed us to understand air. The atom did not cease to exist simply because we didn't believe or know it exists. We merely didn't have the ability to observe it. Is it at all possible, in anyone's estimation, that we simply do not yet have the scientific ability to see/know/understand that there COULD be a gene(s) for phenotype(s)?? Isn't this possible? History shows this to be a fact, that there can be a thing we theorize that exists, even though we can't yet prove it. The Dogon people knew about Sirius B, yet could not prove to the people they spoke to that it was there. How did the Dogon know, without proof to present to the world? We may never know. Again, I don't know anything for sure and like some, won't pretend to. I learn and reconsider my ideas daily. I block NOTHING just because it makes me uncomfortable. I do NOT 100% reject the notion that race doesn't exist. But I also do NOT 100% reject the notion that it does. What boggles my mind is that we so easily shift with the tide of science without questioning it as an overall institution. Did you know that the co-founder of the DNA Helix, James D. Watson, made a statement that blacks are less intelligent than whites? LOL. I've been sitting with his statement and what it all means. I'm still dissecting it and letting it unfold into what it implies scientifically. And why he, one of the fathers of Western DNA discovery, would say this. I am not an all powerful being and cannot know all. And that goes for every single human being on planet Earth. It is dangerous for us to always fall in line with only how others interpret real scientific observations. We shouldn't dismiss every single thing that comes our way, but we shouldn't be afraid to question it either. That is how we invent, by questioning our observations...by questioning gravity so we can invent the plane. Questioning a thing doesn't mean one believes it doesn't (or does) exist. It simply means they are attempting to see it differently, so they can understand it and create from that new understanding. That is why we are able to fly today. No one denied that gravity exists, they simply did not accept it as the end of the conversation. I do not deny that race is an illusion, I simply do not accept this as the end of the conversation, hence why I entertain the other side. I'm here to invent flight baby!! LOL.

@Mel Hopkins, you nailed it. LOL. I observe you, me, us, human nature and beliefs in general. I watch to see how we dissect our own ideas and how we dissect our observations. I reject no observation made by us humans. What I question only is how we interpret those observations, which can be varied. This is what we as a species can't seem to accept. I experience gravity, another person experiences gravity, but our conclusions can still be different based on how we see the world. One will say it cannot be defied because of the observable fact that they cannot jump off a cliff without damage to the human body or death, and another will say it can be defied and go forth to invent something such as...I don't know...an airplane. LOL. All because they did not fully go along with the observations made by every human on Earth. Observations are not conclusions. Those who never imagined it could be defied, invent/create nothing. Creation happens in a space of fluid being, not accepting or rejecting a thing, so creation and discovery can be possible. Taking a solid stance on any side of a subject blocks creativity, and, to a degree, the ability to be aware of possibilities. I stay fluid. So yes, I operate, when I am aware and awake enough to do so, outside of this status quo of thinking and processing information. I try to live in that other dimension/plane. I'm an adventurer. I want to explore ideas without being told that I'm not allowed to do so. Those first people who discovered flight were rejected, laughed at, told they were being ridiculous. That their experiments were dangerous and would lead to nothing because humans cannot fly. Had they fallen in line with conventional "science" we wouldn't have planes today. Frankly, they didn't even need science to tell them anything. Our personal experiences SHOW us that we cannot fly. Yet, someone decided to go against even their own personal observations and create something that defied what they knew to be true. I'm that person inventing the plane in this discussion. LOL. And no matter what anyone says, we gonna fly!! Cause I'm looking at ALL sides of the wind and my creation to figure this thing out. Thanks for your words Mel!

Troy I can't entertain stereotypes -- indeed they are racist. If RACE doesn't exist....how can RACISM and RACIST stereotypes exist? It would be like me calling the Easter Bunny a buck-tooth fool and you getting upset and saying I shouldn't insult the Easter Bunny that way. If there is no White race or Black race then how can any talk of them be considered racist?

I can't entertain stereotypes -- indeed they are racist. Hey @Mel Hopkins, can you make a graphic of a bald headed brown skinned man lying prostrate from exasperation. Like the woman you posted recently?

I noticed this even as a teenager working for and with White people on jobs. White people would do everything the hard way and insist on everyone else following their lead. Even if I found an easier and better way to mop a floor or sort papers.....they'd often times either refuse to do it that way and TRY to force me not to either OR they'd take the easy way and MAKE it hard by increasing the production.....lol. In other words............. If a worker had to clearn atleast one floor of an office building every night and this would take them the entire night only to go home tired- If you found a way to get the entire project done in half the time and go home feeling fine, those bastards would try to FORCE you to either stop doing it that way OR force you to do TWO FLOORS in one night!! As much as I critize the Asians, one thing I notice about them is when there are NO White people around and they're running their own businesses their way....it runs much smoother and far more effiencent.

Troy The pyramids are an excellent example of BLACK SCIENCE and what we can accomplish when we employ it.

When Australians asked how I am treated here i say, "Fine I am not aboriginal, I am black guy from the Bronx. " I wasn't getting any love in Italy. But Italian men like black women. Context matters. @Pioneer I would love to do some projects in the states. But I am not so keen on living there. Overall i would agree with your post.

I think traveling to other lands and meeting different people's is one of the best things you can do to educate yourself. Believe it or not, in my brief visits to Europe I learned a lot more about AMERICA. I would look at the buildings in Europe and recognize that THIS is probably what they were trying to build in Philadelphia or Chicago....but didn't have the patience to do so....lol. I found out that White Europeans tended to have a different mentality on certain things than White Americans. I always encourage AfroAmericans to travel. Get a passport and get out of the country every now and then to see other possibilities and other ways of thinking and doing things. But at the end of the day, America is where it's at...... THIS IS OUR HOME. If Black people don't learn some sense and settle down here and get some land, business, and a proper knowledge of themselves and the world HERE...it's useless to pack their backs and go running off anywhere else. If you're a fool in Los Angeles....you're gonna be a fool in Lagos or Capetown or Berlin or Shang Hai. With the right knowledge....Black people can turn Haiti into Fantasy Island.

Zaji Originally we didn't need written laws. Our very nature was that of righteousness. You only have to tell someone NOT to sleep with animals if they were. You only have to tell someone NOT to sacrifice their children to a big wooden statue if they actually doing these things. You have to tell them what to eat and how to eat to keep them from getting sick. Religion....especially scripted religion was made for Caucasians in order to GIVE them a framework to build their civilizations on. The original belief system of people of color around the planet is what some would call ANCESTRAL WORSHIP or ANCESTRAL VENERATION where you are reunited with your ancestors and relatives when you die.

I know that Black people invented science and I know there are Black scientists. Knowledge is knowledge. Truth is truth. It doesn't have a color or race to it....... BUT THOSE PRESENTING THAT KNOWELDGE AND TRUTH TO US DO HAVE A RACE/COLOR TO THEM! And if those who are presenting that knowledge are racist with evil ulterior motives then they will skew that knowledge, hide it, and corrupt it. And every other scientist THAT FOLLOW in their footsteps through that same scientific methods they practice will be just as confused and corrupted as they are....either wittingly or unwittingly. Which is the problem I have with many of these so-called Black scientists who get their training from Western academic institutions. They are just getting hand-me-down knowledge from smarter even more educated White folks. But much of that knowledge has been skewed and corrupted. I consider George Washington Carver a Black scientist who practiced Black or neutral science. He had his own laboratory where he went directly into nature HIMSELF and actually talked to the plants and studied them up close with his own hands and arrived at his OWN conclusions. And invented over 300 product just from the peanut alone. When Black people practice science in OUR OWN way using OUR OWN methods un-encumbered by the restrictions of the typical Western scientific format....we excell at phenomenal levels. It's the same way.....not just with science....but with everything else. When Black folks freed themselves from the restrictions of Western music and made our own....we produced JAZZ, MOTOWN, RAP. We had the entire world bouncing and rocking to what we produced.....because we did it OUR WAY, not their way. If we'd only practice science OUR WAY...we could cure the planet and everyone on it.

We 3 women here all seem to be on the same page. My inner-narrative is constantly prompting me to exercise my 3rd eye, and to make sure i'm seeing what i'm seeing, and hearing what i'm hearing. The ego can be a capricious filter. Zen is the key to my inner sanctum. Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

@zaji Thank you for your presence!

Yes, Yes, Yes,! (I'm over here giggling -because I have to meditate on this All.The.Time. )

The book club I have been working with The Tea actually selected Tayari's novel An American Marriage for the February Reading list, for which the topic was romance. The video below showed the selection process. The book club's discussion has taken place and I'm a guest participant. That video will be published later this month. I'm hoping the fantastic attention generated by being an Oprah selection will draw more attention to The Tea's Videos. The video below shows the selection process. Basically The Tea shoots three videos for each month's selection. The selection process (the video below), the get to know the author video (these videos are just about as good as they come. I find it amazing that they are not getting much more attention), and the book club's discussion (which will be published on Thursday). The photo below is from Tayari's book party which took place on Thursday, February 8th, in Brooklyn, New York. From left to right is; Rob Fields, who is the President & Executive Director of the Weeksville Heritage Center; Poet John Keene, who was one of the 1st people I put on AALBC.com; Tyehimba Jess, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry; Tarari; me; Mike Thompson, owner the Brooklyn Moon Cafe, which is well known for their poetry readings; Clarence V. Reynolds, is the Director of The Center for Black Literature, and runs the National Black Writers Conference; I actually don't know the brother on the far right. Finally, the dude kneeling is Ron Kavanaugh, who run the Literary Freedom Project and published Mosaic Literary Magazine (@Mel Hopkins, Ron was in our class at Tech).

@Mel Hopkins, I think you dropped the Buddhism bomb. Attachment. I cannot speak for anyone else, but I have found in the past that when I have too much of a stake in the outcome of a conversation, I become too passionate...I want to be right, I want the world to revolve around my views. I am not open to possibility. No matter WHAT I discuss on ANY forum or in person, no matter what I express, I am NOT attached to it, no matter what I say about my feelings on a topic. That is why I do not get upset with anyone who has a different view or experience and eventually go silent when folks cannot consider another view on a topic. I don't want anyone to "take my side" but to just consider ideas. Because at the end of the day, my stance is, we could ALL be wrong about our thoughts/ideas/opinions, even, dare I say, our observations that we define a certain way. Our observations in and of themselves may not be wrong, but our interpretation of what we observe could be 100% wrong. There could be 6 billion separate views of life and existence, and they could ALL be wrong because we have yet, as a human species, to advance to the point of understanding what we THINK we are looking at. So while I enjoy discussions about things and I share what I THINK I know, I am not attached to anything. I leave myself forever open to possibility. Possibility. That is the crux of it. So many are attached to their view of the world and how they've defined their observation that they cannot consider possibility. For example, I've pondered the changes in weather/climate, etc., and have not come away with this doom and gloom that is pushed by the scientific community and something that needs to be fixed. Just like we go through seasons in a year--winter, spring, summer, fall--what IF the planet is merely going through a couple millennia long season? What if what we think is some terrible warming that could destroy everything on Earth is merely the planet's normal shift into Summer that will last for about 2,000 years? I am not saying for sure that is what it is, but because we are so stuck on what we've decided the observation means, we cannot consider other possible reasons for what we are observing that does not include doom and gloom. Love your assessment on attachment. It brought up a lot that I often meditate on. I detach when I see I am communicating with those who are attached to their way of seeing things, or have decided that their conclusions on their observations are the ONLY conclusion that can be derived from an observation or experience. That is why you will rarely if ever hear/read me use the words, "you are wrong" no matter if I think they COULD be. I am more inclined to ask, "Could you be wrong?" If someone said to me they are going to walk off a mountain because gravity doesn't exist, to be frank, unless it is my child, I am not arguing with grown folks who think the way they see is the ONLY way. I'll merely ask them, after a bit of discussion to gauge how they came to their conclusion (can't let them go out without at least speaking on gravity), if they can, to let me know how it goes when they've tried it. Cause at the end of the day, maybe they've developed a way to fly that I am unaware of. So who am I to tell them they are wrong? LOL. :: closing eyes and crossing legs :: I detach myself from my opinions, knowledge, information, facts and beliefs. Ommmmmm. Namaste...

The Harlem Book Fair is a far cry from it heyday over a decade ago. I trust it will see better days if was the premier book focus on Black books. I'm not aware of anything that has duplicated it since. Why do you ask @Nah'Sun?

These titles are some of the most popular in AALBC.com. The ladies of The Tea, have created videos pitching each of these titles. The Wide Circumference of Love by Marita Golden Be My Forever Bride by Martha Kennerson Have You Met Nora? by Nicole Blades There are many others and and more to come. I've been sharing these on AALBC.com, but The Tea can benefit by readers subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/jointhetea

<a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/readingblack" data-widget-id="956911751261454336">#readingblack Tweets</a> <script>!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+"://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,"script","twitter-wjs");</script> The code above will result in the display below. The display is both responsive and supports https: #readingblack Tweets

The following quote was from the article, “How Google may be jeopardizing African-American literature websites”; which was published yesterday on the The Outline website: Ouch! The author of the article, wrote what I thought was an important article on a subject that has gotten virtually no coverage outside of what I have written, so despite the scathing critique, that I've shared above, I'm glad the article was written. However, the paragraph, quoted above, was over the top. The site does not look like it was developed in the late 1990's indeed none of the technologies the site deployed were available in the 1990. Now I'd accept the site looks like something from late 2000's which is why I'm engaged in a website upgrade. The site is sprawing and has well over 15,000 pages, but that is stated as if it is a disadvantage and opposed to being an good thing. With the exception of the sites homepages (homepage, and other main section pages), the typical page on the site is not busy-- certainly not as busy as many other content websites. I plan to residesign all of the main pages because they are busy, but the vast majority of pages on the site are fine, in my opinion, and I will not me change their design as part of this upgrade. I actually pride myself on the internal linking of web pages. I think it is a benefit of the site, and how the web is designed to work. I will not cut out internal linking of pages--that is a strange comment to make especially when using the word "zillions." It is just hyperbolic. I agree the menu is has more links that it should and I already know how I'm going to address that issue and it will also simplify how the site is organized to visitors. I do sell books directly (drop shipped by Ingram) and also though Amazon, B&N, and other affiliate programs — AALBC.com is not just an Amazon affiliate site. I also send readers to the author’s website or to the publishes website. All of the buy links for Black Classic Press and Just Us Book send readers to the publishers websites. How I sell books depends upon the book. I’m actually growing the direct to author/publisher websites to combat Amazon’s dominance. Finally, the majority of book descriptions are the same ones most booksellers use; they are provided by the publisher. If the writer looked or was familiar with how book sites typically work she'd know this. B&N, Amazon, Google, and I often use the same book descriptions. If any keyword stuffing is done, it is done by the publisher, in the copy they provide to booksellers. But keyword stuffing on the publisher’s part seems unlikely. I have never engaged in in keyword stuffing (the practice of using specific word in copy, more than you would normally to rank better in search). I did ask to author to provide me with an example of this to better understand how she came with this idea. Other than book descriptions, Kam's articles are the only "syndicated" content that AALBC has ever used, and I actually had to stop using Kam's articles because of Google penalties (I know one publisher of Kam's content who deleted almost 2,000 of Kam's articles. i refused to remove content that I have paid for and that was published legitimately -- I don't care what Google says). ALL the rest of AALBC.com content, articles, lists, reviews, etc is unique. So while I do not say that Kam's film reviews are syndicated, they are such a small portion of AALBC.com, to use this as a critique for the site overall is extreme. At the end of the day, Google is indeed using it's dominance in search to redirect traffic from book websites to their own book store and content they have copied from Wikipedia, Goodreads and other websites. This has prevented many website from succeeding, hobbled the efforts of the sites that remain (including AALBC.com), and have essentially prevented any new one from launching -- which is the point of the article. The issue is much larger than AALBC.com or any individual site, so despite the factually inaccurate smackdown of AALBC.com the fundamental issues raised in the article needs to be addressed and are worthy of broader attention, something I think the article will help accomplish. I thanked the author of the article, Adrianne Jeffries, for bringing additional attention to this issue. Of course I pointed out the issues I had with her critique of the site .

@Delano, you answered your own question. Viola s a great actress but she is a commodity, very easily substituted... this is the nature of celebrity. Which also goes to @Frederic's point. I'm sure Viola is accustomed to people talking about her in ways that she may find surprising, incomprehensible, or even silly. Again, it is the nature of celebrity. I asserted this conversation is not about Viola--it could have been anyone. Is it a debate about the depiction, and resulting perception, of Black women in a white racist society. Obviously, there is some disagreement on the nature of these different perspectives. These differences in perspective come up ALOT. Another example is that way Black women are portrayed in rap music video and lyrics (I have not watched a rap video in several years so I don't know if anything has changed). We all know the negative ways Black women were(are) portrayed. We have also heard the rap artists explain away and justify depicting Black women in an objectified, misogynistic manner. I always viewed this as a racist treatment of our people, but I was always an outlier on this issue. @Mel Hopkins as far as the book is concerned I "understand" the portrayal--this was not the first book like this, nor will it be the last. Little Black Sambo was a happy character too. But both are straight up racist. Mel of course white men "see" Black women differently in the context of this white racist culture. Here is an example that will help you understand the difference: When Black American men go to other countries (DR, Rio, Ghana, etc) the women in those countries treat Black American's "extremely well" (wink, wink). Can you appreciate why the local men in those countries would look upon these women differently that the American men would? Now here is the kicker Mel; if these local women also believe that the American men were better to them, or somehow less critical of their appearance than their local men; how do you think those local men would feel? Now think about that in the context of how you described the way white American men look at Black women here. @Cynique, I did not recognize Viola, so the image is extremely unnatural in my opinion. Pioneer did not recognize here either. But before you say this is more about us that the picture consider the following: I've yet to come across a cover photo in a major magazine that is 100% "natural." But some covers are more natural looking than others which of the magazine covers below do you (please anyone may answer) think is more natural looking? Which cover do you find more flattering? Please explain your answer. @Pioneer1, I see now I have the add back the Time magazine cover, content is important here. I'll launch the survey later this morning. Thanks everyone for the comment so far, it has been very enlightening.

I stopped short of calling Viola's expression a "grimace," because of her eyes which look happy, but I did consider being hyperbolic to emphasize the point. I think we all can agree that this is not a complimentary photo of Viola, particularly when you contrast them with the many other great looking shots you can find of her on the web. The question is what was Time's motivation for creating and publishing this unflattering image of Viola. I called it racist because a Black person would have selected a nicer image. Magazines understand the importance of imagery--especially one that has been around as long a Time. Time selected the image for a reason, and it was not a reason that any conscious Black person would have used. Maybe I'll create a survey to see what others think.

Well, Pioneer I agree; this is not an appealing photo of Viola. I probably would not have known this was Viola Davis--I think the hair threw me off. I would be willing to bet money no one Black person was involved with this photo shoot. If there were any involved they may as well have been white. It is obvious the look they were going for: Here are a few covers from Essence. The worse of these is far better than Time's cover. None of the Essence covers have Viola sporting Sambo red lipstick and exaggerated grin. The nicer shot have Viola sporting a more natural looking hairstyle. Is Time's cover a racist treatment? I think so. But Time know's their audience and don't have to worry about any sistaz raising a fuss.

A few quick points: 1. Yes Judaism is a religion. However the definition of a "Jew" has expanded far beyond just a member of that religion. It's now a ethnic group. You even have atheist Jews like Karl Marx and Woody Allen 2. There is more than just one race (human race) living in Africa today. You have millions of Caucasians living in both the North (as Arabs and Berbers) as well as the South (as Afrikaners) 3. Jennifer Lopez is NOT Puerto Rican. She was born in the Bronx....U.S.A....thus she is AMERICAN regardless as to what she calls herself. Infact, since America basically owns Puerto Rico now I'm not sure if Puerto Rican should even still be considered a nationality. The same goes for Hawaiian. 4. I must admit that you got me on the "nationality" issue. You're right and I thought about the fact that different nations have different methods of establishing nationality before I posted. I understand that you're not really consider a French citizen regardless of whether either you OR your parents were born there and this has led to a lot of hostility between France and the children of French born immigrants. I think you're not considered British unless your White too....but I may be mistaken. However because of the complicated and often nonsensical legislation of many nations I decided to make it a little more simple so that folks can understand the differences between a person's RACE (how they look) and a person's NATIONALITY (where they were born). But you're right....technically nationality is actually based on legislative rules of the respective nations. What do you mean those opinions don't reflect AALBC? Man...... Instead of distancing yourself from this knowledge you should EMBRACE it and take it to your class and TEACH it to your students! Lol....pass the torch!