Cynique

...and while I'm at it, I am also compelled to pose the question that since the Secret Service has all of these new and improved sophisticated ways of detecting danger and protecting the president from it, why doesn't that prove that he is in less danger than other presidents were. Yes, there are more crackpots threatening his life but there's more of everything today than there was a few years back - and that includes unemployed people!

I find it puzzling that Carey, who was such a staunch defender of "The Help", would be so derisive where this white author is concerned.

You've convinced yourself that everybody who supports Obama is intelligent, reasonable, and totally informed, Carey, when actually most of these sheep are in denial, sticking with him because their vision is clouded by blind faith.. Other supporters who are more realistic are quite aware that Obama is in over his head but feel they have no choice but to stick with him. The only notable thing Obama has had success in, is polarizing black people. All of which is why It's foolish to call anybody a "fool" who doesn't see things your way. "If not Obama, then who?" is your robotic mantra and as long as you chant this, your mind remains a blank. The "body politic" has become a 2-headed monster, and now more than ever, freakonomics will come into play because no matter which party gets in, things will get so bad that they won't be able to get any worse, and there'll be no where to go but up. By that time, Obama will be looking for a pick-up basketball game.

Slave descendants who identify themselves as black people, are of the opinion that blackness is a state of mind, not a color of skin, something they can claim because nobody actually has black skin. We are no more headed for extinction than white people are. And if Africans are so interested in disclaiming African Americans why are they becoming so "westernized", themselves??? As has been shown by the weather, you can't completely control nature. If the races mix and the outcome results in a new racial stock, then that could be a sign of progress if this new breed represents that best of all races. Who is to say this is not a natural evolution? Change is bound to occur in the scheme of things? Otherwise we would still be Neanderthals.

Well, John, since you singled me out in your response, I'll make my previous remarks a little clearer. It seemed to me that because you felt the need to seek out the reaction of black readers to your book about black characters, implicit in this gesture is the idea that you, yourself, feared writing such a book was "presumptuous". Hence my comment. Where Teddy Roosevelt is concerned, may I remind you that racism is not always aggressive and inflammatory. It can be benign. White people can be so steeped in their sense of entitlement and superiority that they can condescend to be civil to Blacks in spite of the fact that they don't consider them equal. That's why racism still exists today. Teddy appreciated educator Booker T. Washington because where the races were concerned, Washington favored racial separation, while encouraging Blacks to excel in the fields of agriculture and mechanics. This was why he was such an anathema to W.E.B. Dubois. Abe Lincoln freed the slaves not because he thought they were equal, but because he hated slavery. To expose Teddy as an "aristocratic racist" would not necessarily make him a villain. It would, indeed, make him a man of his times. I read the excerpt from your book and had no problem with its use of dialect. Cynique

Question #1: Aside from the fact that they both involved drips, what do Kim Kardashian's wedding and Hurricane Tropical Storm Irene have in common? Answer: All the hoopla was more "la" than "hoop", courtesy of a disapppointed media. Question: #2: With the revelation of her pregnancy, will Beyonce's new baby inherit her beauty and Jay-Z's brains??? Answer: We can only pray. Question #3: Where in the world is Chris Hayden???? It's times like these that we need the benefit of his inimitable analyses of current events. Answer: he retired to a monestary to watch re-runs of Mayberry RFD.

The media is not who would have us believe most black men are into white women; black women are the ones who make this complaint. Actually black men, like all men, are attracted to fione, well-stacked up women, whatever their color. Whether these women can maintain the interest seems to be where the problem lies. It doesn't help that black men are spoiled because eligible ones are in short supply. And, unfortunately, it's a constant struggle for sistas to shed the "attitude" that a long history of mistreatment has insulated them with.

Crystal, you write with such style and charm that you should consider one day trying your hand at being an author! Your endorsement of Obama on our other discussion forum was priceless.

I'd actually have to read the book for an in-depth response, but I think it would be safe to say that if you portray the black protagonist sympathetically, depicting him to be an individual with emotions that transcend color, black readers will give you a pass. Your acceptance will be even more if you expose Teddy Roosevelt as a racist aristocrat. It also counts for something when you acknowledge that a white guy writing about a black one is presumptuous. Most resentments about such endeavors stem from the idea of white people telling black peoples' stories, as was the case with "The Help". It smacks of paternalism when the implication is that benevolent white writers have to step forward to do what poor ol mistreated black folks can't do for themselves. Bottom line, truth and honesty, like justice, are color-blind. In a perfect world.

I want my props, too! I (along with everybody else) always said that Dubya had the hots for Condoleeza. Ms. Rice is, after all, a cool, bright, golden brown sista.

The review of the Malcolm X biography was an excellent one. The reviewer had a really good grasp of the subject and the author's intent. I focused on this particular critique becaue I started but didn't finish this book.

Cherokee Indians and all the other native American tribes can do all the kickin out that they want to, but that doesn't change DNA. Slave descendants with Indian blood in them can still claim this heritage by relating to the particular ancestor who they got it from. Who needs to belong to a tribe when, like me, you had an Indian grandmother who would never have disowned my father. We are who we are. Nobody can change that. Moreover, I don't think black people revere Native Americans any more than they revere white folks. We've reached the place where we know better than to depend on the acceptance of other races.

I'm not Troy, but I am an Obama critic. What you seem to be saying, Carey, is that instead of Blacks deserting the sinking ship of state that Obama is the captain of, we should go down with this ship and by doing so, we help Obama save face. This is a noble sentiment, but sentiments are for Hallmark cards. When it comes to black folks and Obama, you imply that unless they have something good to say, Blacks should not say anything at all. They should all just shut up and forego their right of free speech. You warn us against the "divide and conquer tactic", obviously preferring the "misery loves company" alternative that is at the root of being loyal to Obama. But I think you underestimate the intelligence of Black voters, They are are no longer naive and gullible. Obama challenged us to hope. We did hope and it didn't do any good. We're entitled to bitch and vent. This doesn't mean that Blacks will be switching their loyalties to the Republican party. I predict that despite my not voting, black support will overwhelmingly take the form of voting against the hated Republicans by voting for the Democrat wimps. If Obama loses it won't be because his people abandoned him. The realty is that American is a runaway train, and the economy which represents its engine is broken. To carrry this analogy further, such a train is on a collision course with a crash. Only then can it be salvaged and rebuilt and whoever is in office will be faced with this monumental task. Republicans are also divided and they will be at odds as to how to save their beloved country. If they get in it will be the same ol partisan dissention for a long time. Finally, Obama and his advisors can't be entirely exonerated from being the architect of his doom. He doesn't take a definitive stances on issues and doesn't seem to realize the importance of image. He's too busy playin it cool instead of puttin on a game face, at least making us think that he's gonna kick ass rather than giving us snow jobs about compromise and being the president of all the people (except when it comes to silliness like jockin the athletic teams of his home town).

Considering that the African continent is the cradle of civilization and mankind, Kola, do you have an explantion as to why the way its native people look has become the object of almost universal rejection??? It seems like over the centuries the black race is being punished. WHY???? BTW, Troy and Carey, Deesha(Ferocious KItty) and I are FaceBook friends. I also met her for lunch when she came to Chicago a couple of years ago.

I agree. The ad with the lighter skin model has a more personal touch, speaking directly to the consumer while offering a helpful suggestion.

These 2 testimonials were certainly very heart-wrenching. To make their point, the producers of the documentaries understandably focused on the angst that arises from life as it exists in an imperfect world. But the subjects these disillusioned females touched upon are multi-faceted and beg to be explored further. I don't feel that qualified to speak on some of these issues being a light-skinned woman who grew up with a father in my life. But I can make certain observations. When it becomes obvious that the color-consciousness that has been around for 400 years is not going to go away because America does not value blackness and black people have become inured in a culture which places a premium on light skin, then who can say it is a crime to want your daughters to be spared the demoralizing existence that supposedly accrues to having dark skin? Can certain Blacks be blamed for mating with someone whose genes will help lighten up their offspring? Frivolus, yes! But we are are obviously a superficial society. White people think blondes have more fun. We are also a society that generalizes because there are plenty of dark women out there who pull just as many men as their lighter-skinned sisters. Just as there are plenty of women who had fathers in the home and still didn't get the love and support that they craved. There are 2 sides to every question. And you have to ask the single young fatherless girls why they are so eager to bring into this world babies who will also grow up deprived of a father, repeating the cycle. Certain mind-set are so entrenched in the heads of the black underclass that they fail to see the obvious ways to improve their lot in life, But these losers continue to wallow in a dead-end lifestyle that assures the same fate for the children they so indiscriminately give birth to. BTW, anybody, including the interviewees in these 2 documentaries, who think that light-skinned sistas automatically have it made need to think again. Golden brown girls are the ones who enjoy unanimous approval!

If not, Obama than who? Well, I've voted in 12 presidential races, and I feel like I've paid enough homage to the people who came before me and made it possible for me to vote. I now have the right to NOT vote, and I refuse to vote for Obama simply because he's the best we can do. I personally don't think it matters one way or nother whether I vote and I probably won't do so in this upcoming election if I'm still alive. I'm sick of people excusing Obama's gaffes because Bush and Reagan and Clinton did something just as bad. Obama needs to give the semblance of empathizing with victims of the bad economy and cut that damn Martha's Vineyard holiday short and get his ass back in Washington DC and do his chilling out in private, while at least outwardly giving the appearance of being on the case! When it comes to projecting the right image, when are he and his inept advisors gonna quit playing into the Republicans' hands by making the president look silly and stupid???

Hattie McDaniels was from another era, and she was type cast. The other films and documentaries you named from 15 or more years ago were roles where the strong female characters were not defined by their occupation, in addition to the fact that they were given star billing in these "housekeeper" roles. Plus, the 2 white men who starred opposite Queen Latifah's comedy movie were cast as utter buffoons. Except for "The Help", what maid roles are aspiring black actresses in this century playing because they are passed over for other characters? Until Hollywood changes its standards of perfection, no female, dark or light, black or white who doesn' meet these criteria is gonna make it as anything other than a character actress. Who in show biz gives a damn about giving fair and equal treatment??? Profit is the name of the game.

Sorry, Kola, but I need to be filled in about all these movies where black women are featured as maids. I'll agree that there is a paucity of roles for black actresses but with the exception of "the Help", when I do see a black one in a movie it isn't as a maid.The characters they play are feisty, yes; sexy, yes. "normal", frequently. It's not so much about how black women are cast, it's about them not being cast at all because black-oriented movies aren't being made, thanks to black film makers not being able to get financial backing. "Art imitates life", and unless a role is a supporting one with no romantic overtones, a black actress cannot compete with a white one to play opposite a white male romantic idol. Older white actresses are also complaining about there not being any roles for them either. Show biz is about youth and beauty and money. Blacks can come up with the first 2, but not the last. In answer to your question, Troy, as entertainment, "The Help" had a certain amount of broad appeal, but as a social statement, it did co-opt the right for black women to tell their own stories, and produce movies where the heroines are less docile and less attached to the children of white folks.

I went to see "The Help" yesterday and, as reported by others, it did prove to be a very faithful version of the book. So if you liked the book, you'll love the movie. If the book offended you, seeing it portrayed on screen will require that you endeavor to appreciate the messengers, if not the message - which is to say that the acting was good and the 1960s era re-created very well. I would categorize "the Help" as a simplistic movie, pitting good against bad with the sympathetic characters eventually triumphing over their antagonists who get their comeuppance by being reduced to objects of ridicule and laughter. Did I like the picture? Well, I credit it with doing an adequate job of fulfilling its good intentions, and I'd give it two-and-a-half stars. With the schedule and the time of day being factors, my daughter and I ended up seeing this film at a theater in Elmhurst, Illinois, an "old- money" suburb of Chicago, and it was interesting that the early afternoon audience was made up almost exclusively of white women, many of whom were elderly. The reaction of these ladies was appropriate as they chuckled and sniffled in all the right places, seeming to have enjoyed the movie. Ironically, as we were filing out of the lobby it suddenly dawned on me that my mother once worked as a part-tme maid for the president of the Elmhurst National Bank! She was allowed to bring little me to work with her and I remember this residence being a big mansion. The only other thing I can recall is that when my mother once caught me jumping up and down on one of the beds she scolded me, much to the amusement of the lady of the house who would always gave me cookies. I guess I have come full circle.

Thank you all for the birthday greetings. I appreciate your well wishes!

Today, August 18, 2011, is my 78th birthday, and I had considered engaging in a self-indulgent monologue attesting to the old adage of Life being not about the destination, but about the Journey. Yet, who needs platitudes? Uppermost in my mind is actually an amazment exceeded only by the gratitude I feel over having made it this far. My parents and siblings and so many of my friends have all gone on ahead, including the good buddy who was my husband. Yet, In moments of self-imposed solitude, I am alone but not lonely; reminiscence and serenity are my close companions serving as a Yin to the Yang of the vivacious children and grandkids who rejuvenate me. So, all things considered, I have no complaints. Well - maybe one; a persistent foreboding that nudges my peace of mind. I have lived through so much history and seen so much change, but never have I witnessed the turmoil that is going on in the USA today. I never thought I’d be around to see a black man elected president. Or did I ever expect to see the nation on the brink of a collapse that may be triggered by divisive attempts to bring Barack Obama to his knees. This country has survived many calamities but I fear its luck is running out, and those scoundrels masquerading as patriots bent on taking “their” country back, would do well to consider that "pride goeth before a fall". I don't know. I sometimes think that I have lived long enough. And so it goes.

Guilty as charged, Troy. I do tend to want to stifle others' right to promote their causes. Smiley and West are, indeed, entitled to speak out and crusade for whatever mission they're on. I just get the feeling that these two are more interested in ridiculing Barack rather than empathizing with him in regard to the impossible situation he is mired in. Poor ol Obama BTW, I LOVE the new and improved format you've facilitated. It makes everything so much more accessable!

I assume, in spite of the controversy, Tavis Smiley and Cornel West are continuing their mission, leveling accusations at President Obama for his lack of focus on black poverty in America. IMO, these 2 self-appointed champions of the underclass need to re-order their priorities. Has there ever been a time when poverty didn’t exist in America? “The poor will always be with us”, goes the familiar dismissal of this segment of the population. And they will, for the simple reason that ministering to the needy is, in itself, an industry, and the have-nots somehow manage to survive with the help of charities and social services. At this point, lamenting the ongoing plight of the poor shouldn‘t be a priority. This unproductive class of people contribute very little to the welfare of the country, spending most of their time begging for assistance. So, who needs 2 do-gooders basking in the publicity generated by their lamenting the fate of folks who already depend on the government to help them subsist? What about Smiley and West agitating against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, instead, - lost causes that have depleted the treasury and are killing our youth? What about adding their voices to the concern about Social Security and Medical insurance and the fading viability of the middleclass? If Tavis and Cornel truly want to hold the president’s feet to the fire, they should stop playing it safe. They should gripe about more urgent things like the sorry state of our educational system and the high cost of gas. Of course whatever they bitch about is going to fall on deaf ears because solutions are not forthcoming, and things are going to get worse before they get better. All of which is why these 2 nomads should just fold their tents and steal away in the night. Put a sock in it, guys, your hot air is just contaminating the already polluted environment. The failing economy that is plaguing Obama's effectiveness doesn’t deprive the poor because they didn’t have anything in the first place.

Nothing propels me into Obama's corner more than criticism by racist, conservative white people or - self-serving black detractors. I no sooner finished wincing over the President's inappropriate behavior as he reluctantly offered congratulations to Green Bay Packers during the traditional white house visit earned by Super Bowl champs who undoubtedly hope to receive dignified non partisan congratulations from their commander and chief, as opposed to the petulance of the sore losing Chicago Bear fan Obama showed himself to be, - then along comes the dog and pony show comprised of Smiley and West edging me back to Obama's side. Like a stand-up comedy team, these 2 jack-offs go into their glib spiel showcasing their skills at articulating specious arguments in an attempt to expose Obama's vulnerabilites. Jesse Jackson must be proud. But, talk is cheap and, in this case, counter-productive. In spite of Cornel and Tavis making a great show of their past loyalty to Obama, it's clear that these 2 ego-trippin black men have always been secretly jealous of the brotha who became priesident because they both feel this was a position they were just as capable of being incapable at as Obama. This country is so screwed up nobody is going to be able to fix it. It will just end up unraveling and undergoing a make-over, wherein the United States will be history. Babylon. Rome. America.