Talking about race makes me tired (take 2)

[hackthis_archive]

I made the following post earlier this morning, and then deleted it, and then started wondering how the hell I'd come to think of my LJ as a place where I can't say what I want when I want, and how fucking WRONG that is. This is my space, and as long as I'm not hurting someone else I am entitled to my opinion, because that's what this is at the end of the day, *my opinion*. I own it and I'll be damned if someone else's failure to respect or understand other races is going to make me worry about it. So, if you don't like it, you are more than welcome to fuck off out of here. In fact I'll even hold the door for you.




I was all set to make a post about the speculation behind Alexander Skarsgard from Generation Kill being cast as Thor after his lunch meeting with Kenneth Branaugh and how excited I was at the prospect of him finally getting a chance to be appreciated and adored by a wider audience, that he would be working with Bob and Sam (Robert Downey Jr and Samuel L Jackson respectively), and how I couldn't wait for him to get off that HBO show, because it is my opinion that True Blood is a POS, waste of production value and invokes all sorts of racist stereotypes that makes my blood boil.

I say this having attempted to watch several episodes simply because Alexander was/is on the show (I tried this with Castle, because it has Jon Huertas (Poke), but that didn't work out). But then I wasn't going to say anything, because I knew the minute I said I thought True Blood is a stereotypical racist piece of shit, somebody would come along and say, "Hey, it's not racist!" and I would say, as a black woman, "Fucking, yes it is!" And then it would be more of the same. More of that shit that everybody's been saying about Race Fail '09, and how obviously my POV doesn't count because I'm a POC and that's some BS.

And then this made me think of Race Fail in general, which I hate to break it to you, happens all day every day every year, but if you're not a Person of Color, you probably don't know that. Probably don't think about it unless it's thrust in your face, which is what seems to have happened at this point. And I could address it, but POCs deal with racism 15 times a day EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES. Plus, I have better things to do with my time. I will say, however, that a) outing people just because you are being mean and hateful is just WRONG. And you should be ashamed. And b) as active as people are being about this, when it's over, it'll be forgotten, like it always is, because if you spend enough time dealing with racism, you know that's how it goes. People who don't deal with it every day dismiss it until someone forces them to look at it and then they wave their hands around and shriek, "I'm not a racist!" Um, you're missing the point.

Talking about race is good. Screaming about how you're not a racist? Not really the point. I agree with Eric Holder (The new US Attorney General) I do think Americans are afraid to deal with race, and Race Fail shows that, because instead of dealing with the issue at hand, it becomes, "How dare you accuse me of this!" Which has nothing to do with race, but everything to do with someone being offended that someone else would dare to accuse them of being anything less that the most liberal of liberals, because we're all post-racial now that a black man is in the White House!

Except that's how distraction works, if I yell at you loud enough, maybe you'll forget what you were angry about in the first place.

People, don't be distracted from the issue at hand: racism is alive and well.

And to that white guy at the grocery store who was staring at me like he'd never seen a black woman before? Fuck you too.

Goddammit, I'm so angry now I can't even be happy about Alex. The fact that I didn't even want to come to my OWN LJ and say what the fuck was on my mind because it deals with race and I know how people are about race?! This is just untenable. And yes, there are lots of people, who say this better, and with more coherency, and on some level I hope you'll go and find them and listen to them, because this whole thing just makes me tired and upset.

God, sometimes I hate the world.


*Do not link. I like to keep my meltdowns in house.

**Also, I most likely will not be answering comments. I just needed to get this out. Badly.

The fact that my day has mostly been made up of awesome things that have totally been overshadowed by racism doing its thing again? Wow. That's power, dog.

Comments

[circe-tigana.livejournal.com]

I have totally missed this race fail stuff.

But just wanted to say Hi :)

[linaerys.livejournal.com]

I need an icon that expresses standing up in support of all of the above, and expresses my sorrow that this RaceFail and others have made you feel hesitant to post your own awesome opinions in your own LJ. Pretend this icon is that. (Edited for typos.)

[sparky77.livejournal.com]

God had a plan. Everyone said so. Ray liked to say that his existence was just proof that God's plan was even greater and more complex than any being could imagine. Walt said that it was just proof that everyone fucked up every once in a while, even God. Never let it be said that Angels couldn't be assholes.

[suaine.livejournal.com]

May I offer crackfic of your choice and the hopes that Alex does get to play a Norse god like he is clearly meant to?

[romancandles.livejournal.com]

True Blood is most definitely a racist, sexist bodice-ripping piece of shit television show that HBO only gets away with pouring money into because they're HBO and people will watch anything with enough boobs in it, especially when they think they're beind edgy.

I always really enjoy your race posts. I find that they lack all the finger pointing that moves the conversation away from the topic at hand and manage to get your point across.

But really, this was to ask what exactly you're talking about here: a) outing people just because you are being mean and hateful is just WRONG. And you should be ashamed. Outing people as what, exactly? I went back and re-read the paragraph (and the preceding paragraph) and I'm still a little lost. But now, reading the comments, I think I'm missing a much larger discussion about race and scifi that's resurfaced lately?

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

But really, this was to ask what exactly you're talking about here: a) outing people just because you are being mean and hateful is just WRONG. And you should be ashamed. Outing people as what, exactly? I went back and re-read the paragraph (and the preceding paragraph) and I'm still a little lost. But now, reading the comments, I think I'm missing a much larger discussion about race and scifi that's resurfaced lately?

Answer here (http://musesfool.livejournal.com/1695094.html)

[romancandles.livejournal.com]

Oh! Thanks, lady. Sorry for my current events fail.

White girl apologizes on behalf of other mean, crazy-shit white people

[redheadaholic.livejournal.com]

Geez. I'm with whomever said they are happy to stay in their own little corner of fandom, blissfully unaware of this ugly crap (okay, that's not exactly the way they put it, but...)

If we could only take all the energy and passion put into these defensive attacks and actually use that to help eliminate racism...

[vylit.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I didn't weigh in on this one because I was less than two months out of a race discussion in the feminist blogosphere, and I did not have the energy to argue with ignorant people online. It's tiring as hell, and the thing I don't think people understand is that for every time I mention something that's racist, there are ten times that I bite my lip, because otherwise I'd do nothing else.

[isagel.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you decided to do a take two on this post, because it made me more than sad for us all when you took down the first one. You're one of the most remarkable people I've had the honour of meeting through the internet, and I want to hear your voice. I want to hear your opinion and your anger, just as I want to hear your squee and read your fiction, because I know it comes from a place of knowledge and experience and talent and an intimidating amount of intelligence, and I'm fortunate to get to read it. The world is a fucking horrible place when someone like you can't speak their mind. So I'm glad that you posted this again, and I'm so sorry that you or anyone should ever have to have that struggle.

[musesfool.livejournal.com]

♥

[farwing.livejournal.com]

I'm glad this post is back.

[twoweevils.livejournal.com]

see icon.

[kristories.livejournal.com]

I want to hug you and make you feel better. You know, in a non creepy way.

I can ship you a suit? I can ship you a suit Alex in it? Might be pretty hefty shipping fees but for you, I'll manage.

*hugs*

[alethialia.livejournal.com]

it is my opinion that True Blood is a POS, waste of production value and invokes all sorts of racist stereotypes that makes my blood boil.

My opinion agrees with your opinion. Oh, and it totally takes a tough, capable female character and turns her into a little girl lost who needs to be saved by the big, strong men in her life.

Umm, I have issues with that show. On which I've expounded, so moving on. Alexander playing Thor?

YES, PLEASE! Also, it would make me freakin' ecstatic if Alexander got all famous directly due to GK (because that role got him TB, after all). ::draws hearts::

[veryshortlist.livejournal.com]

Skarsgard is going to be playing Thor? Brilliant!

He's pretty good in TB, he does what he can. What bugs me is that Tara's not even black in the books. There was no point in changing her character.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

This is HBO's attempt to diversify the cast, which is some what noteworth in my opinion, but not after in the matter which they've exploited it in the series.

[ionaonie.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you reposted this. I started to read the last post and between one refresh and the next, it disappeared. First I thought I was going mad (one of those days) and then I realised you must have deleted it. So, yeah, glad you decided to put it back up. Also, this is so very much your journal. You should never feel that you can't talk about something you want to talk about.

I just want to say a 'hell, yeah' to both this post and the one you wrote about True Blood. And you description of what a useless human being Jason is, is spot on.

[logans-mom00.livejournal.com]

So glad you put your post back up! Don't let the turkeys get you down :)

[pandorablu.livejournal.com]

I've stayed on the edges of RaceFail '09 mostly because it infuriates me to the point where no *headdesk* makes me feel better. But yes, this. (That and most other people say it loads better than I could.)

And never feel bad about do an in-LJ meltdown. It's part of what LJ is for. That and discovering new shiny things. Like Alex possibly in Thor :)

[dissident.livejournal.com]

True Blood is not exactly excellent writing, but I watch it for the Eric storyline, mainly which sort of shames me - I never usually watch shows for the eyecandy. UGH.

I haven't heard about him being cast as Thor, but I can't think of anyone better than Alexander for the role, so yay.

I notice the stereotyping on the show, but I think I'm simply not as bothered by it because I never went into the show (or any show...) with high expectations. Maybe that can be seen as being ignorant of the plight of My Own People, but I tend to think I'm just naturally pessimistic and therefore easy to placate. Which is probably bad.

[noeon.livejournal.com]

"The fact that I didn't even want to come to my OWN LJ and say what the fuck was on my mind because it deals with race and I know how people are about race?! This is just untenable."

Yes. Yes it is. And perfectly understandable from your POV. And execrable in a larger sense.

black man is in the White House

[ender24]

unless all bio's I read about him were wrong, he is a half white, half black man.
does this qualifies in US automatically as "black man" if you are just half of it?

I am curious, and I am not just about semantics or hairsplicing here.

in my family, a half white , half Chinese man?
would certainly not qualify as a "Chinese man".

and no, I dont think, you should ever censor yourself in your LJ.
not writing as much as you might, because you have to deal with fucking RL racism, yes.
but not, because you thought you cant.

Re: black man is in the White House

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

unless all bio's I read about him were wrong, he is a half white, half black man.
does this qualifies in US automatically as "black man" if you are just half of it?

Yes.

[sorrelchestnut.livejournal.com]

Totally unrelated to the RaceFail issue, but... I find myself thinking that I Do Not Approve of this guy's casting. (But only in the mildest of ways!) And that is on purely physical grounds. I'm sure he's a brilliant actor- I've only seen him on True Blood, where I don't like him- but I laughed when I saw him cast as a vampire Viking on True Blood, and I don't think it'll be any less silly for me on the big screen. I mean, I always got the impression that I'm a good two or three inches taller than that guy, and outweigh him by at least twenty pounds. When I think "Viking," I think "physically imposing," and he's just... not. Maybe he can act well enough that it makes up for it, though! Him as Eric had none of the exuberance and joi de vivre I've always associated with his character in the books, but it's possible that's just a director's choice, and he'll be less, well, *boring* as Thor.

Yeah. That had nothing to do with your main post. Sorry.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

As the first part of this post was about the fact that I think True Blood is a racist mess, I can't unbiasedly comment to your opinion on his acting, but he is 6'4, so I think he's plenty tall enough to play Thor.

[sorrelchestnut.livejournal.com]

...seriously? But he looks so... frail. Mind you, that could be because he's always slumped disinterestedly in his little throne-thing. *sigh*

The only reason I commented on the acting was that I got the impression that you'd seen him in something else and liked him, but I've only seen him in True Blood and I mislike him in that role for the simple reason that it's *bad.* I know that we're supposed to divorce the show from the books, but I love the books and his character (actually, all the characters) measure up poorly in comparison. He's supposed to be this big, grinning (and smirking) *presence,* all energy and (ironically) life and dominance and cruelty and intelligence. He's my favorite character in the books, and he's so terribly written in the show that it's one of the reason I gave up before the season was out.

Which, again, doesn't really touch on the larger issues you were posting about, so I'll stop now. I think I've had so many conversations about True Blood (and why the show is awful) that they've just sort of worn a groove into my brain. Sorry I sidetracked.

[antheia.livejournal.com]

I know I'm not who your comment was direct at, but I'm stepping in:

1. Yes. Generation Kill. Rent it, behold the awesome. Move on.

2. The point isn't whether True Blood is good or bad, here: it's the racist portrayals that are the problem. Birth of a Nation is a brilliant film that is also a racist piece of shit.

3. If you're going for historical accuracy on what a Viking looked like, try to keep in mind that people were significantly smaller a few centuries ago. As an example, take a look at Henry VIII's armor - it's wee.

4. And this is the real point of the matter: are you on glue? She made it very clear that the (I wish it were) unbelievable racist bullshit had angered her so much to the point that she couldn't even be excited about this movie news or much of anything else. So maybe you should take the news about Thor, post it on your LJ and be happy with having a debate about appropriate casting there. Instead of coming over here and co-opting a post about disgraceful behaviour and her personal reaction to it to talk about why you think she shouldn't be excited about the one thing she was maybe cheerful about in the whole meat of the post.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

For the record:

The point of this post is to discuss my problems with True Blood as a program, Race Fail in general and the manner in which POCs tend to be silenced by the majority. This is not a post about Alexander's acting skills or your opinion thereof, if you wish you discuss that please do so in your own journal and not in mine.

[acroamatica.livejournal.com]

Glad you decided to put this back up. You're one of those people who always seems to be able to rant COHERENTLY, if that isn't an oxymoron, and I'd hate for the coherent voices to be silent when we all know that the incoherent ones will go on in allcaps until the end of time. Not that I want you to be mad all the time, of course not, but at least when you are, you're still worth reading.

[and-the-damned.livejournal.com]

I could write my dissertation on how fucking awful true blood is
not that I'm writing my dissertation, but that show is patently offensive

[and-the-damned.livejournal.com]

also, thank you for posting this and sharing and for being articulate and moving

[lazulus]

then started wondering how the hell I'd come to think of my LJ as a place where I can't say what I want when I want, and how fucking WRONG that is.

Utter, entirely wrong. I am glad you re-posted because it would be a damn shame if you felt unable to say what the fuck you want in your own lj.

On an utterly shallow note, THOR!

[jenparakeet.livejournal.com]

I lurk, because I never have anything meaningful to say and honestly am in awe of you, a little. This reminds me why.

[bearfairie.livejournal.com]

"Except that's how distraction works, if I yell at you loud enough, maybe you'll forget what you were angry about in the first place.

People, don't be distracted from the issue at hand: racism is alive and well."

so so so true. I hear you about being too furious to find fannish pleasure. It broke my heart to hear you say that you felt that you couldn't talk about this in your own journal - I totally get why you'd feel that way, and also that's awful and I think speaks to how horrid (and quite frankly, dangerous for folks) the whole overall racefail conversation's gone. Lots of us are listening and supporting you and want to hear what you have to say. I'm glad you're talking.

[lyricl.livejournal.com]

Hey, so I've never really read your LJ, just a huge, huge fan of your fanfic. And now seeing your blog (cough Rahm) I have a ton of respect for you as a critical thinker and a writer. I just wanted to know if you ever read racialicious.com? They've written extensively about True Blood in the same vein (no pun intended) and it's really worth taking a look. Latoya Peterson especially, my fellow DC resident, has some interesting things to say. I think you'd find the comments a great place for open and thought-provoking discussion; it's all very thoughtful and mostly spared the one-dimensional, privilege-laden rants that show up other places. Anyway, again I just wanted to say I think you're awesome, and keep on keeping on. God knows fandom, hell the world, could use more people like you.