BUT, BUT, What about the White People? - Bill Jefferson, Akon, and Hip Hop

Man! I almost made it to Wednesday without making a critical post. We interrupt "Positive Posting" Week to bring you this....

Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana was indicted this week. You know, the Congressman whose district includes New Orleans; You know,the congressman that had $90,000 wrapped in tin foil stuffed inside some empty boxes of popsicles. He allegedly bribed some people for around $8,000,000 in payments to him and his family.

When Jack and Jill Politics put up a post about Jefferson, I sarcastically bet $20 wondering how long people would take to blame White folks. Yes, the White folks made him commandeer a military helicopter in the middle of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and fly over his starving, homeless constituents so he so he could get his briefcase. I wonder what was inside? $40,000 stuffed in Hot Pockets Boxes? Some of the comments were hung up on the fact that Congressman Jefferson is facing life in prison while his white colleagues brought down by the Abramoff scandal were sentenced to less than a decade. I don't know if Representative Jefferson did anything illegal or not. I'll wait til' the trial. Indictments are not convictions, just an indication that the guv'ment might have something on you.

But this isn’t a politics blog so what the heck does Bill Jefferson have to do with the images of Black women in popular culture?

Some comments on THIS blog have indicated that my criticism of popular Hip Hop artists is UNFAIR because other aspects of popular culture are violent, misogynistic, amoral, and disrespectful to Black women. I welcome all comments positive and negative it makes the world go round. Keep it coming. Here is one such comment

The business of offensive media is everywhere but somehow rich, drunk white kids on the OC isn't seen as offensive. Drunk and ready white (for the most part) kids on Real World isn't attacked though it is much more accessible than dirty lyrics.

I was thinking back to the early 90s and wondering just how in the world did "Married with Children" ever survive.

Here is another such comment

But what i've proposed to him is WHY target hip-hop? obviously this type of climate has existed in other industries and music: hooters, abercrombie & fitch, the price is right, strip clubs, playboy, playpen, Warrant etc. etc. etc.

Here is my response:

“But White People Do IT!” Really shouldn’t be an affirmative defense for bad acting nor is it an excuse to do absolutely nothing. White women already have organizations dedicated to combating negative portrayals in popular culture. If they do nothing, that is not a prohibition against anyone else trying to do something. Somewhere our ancestors are spinning in their graves. Imagine....."Harriet Tubman, I ain't fleeing North with you! White folks don't have to run North! That's not FAIR!" Keep the comments coming, they keep me on my toes.

UPDATE: Original YouTube Video Not Available ( SURPRISE!) I found another version.
For your viewing displeasure, watch our favorite violent-felon-misogynist-freak dancing “artist” allegedly throw somebody’s child off of a concert stage. What is it with this man and violent on stage behavior? If Akon is coming to a town near you, keep your male and female children inside. Nobody is safe. I wonder if White folks made him do it?Originally seen at Concrete Loop.

In keeping with"Positive Posts" Week. ..Check out this organization, Tools of War, they have a music series that is supposed to celebrate positive aspects of Hip Hop culture. Thanks Tawra!
Our Favorite Reverend is on the case again. I can't knock Rev. Al's "Hustle." Keep the good news coming.

Comments

[Symphony]

In fairness to, well, me since the first example was from my comment--the point wasnt "white people do it...". My criticism was of the arbitrary scale of outrage only. I agree with a lot of the criticisms rap receives but our kids don't live in a vacuum.

Rap isn't the only entertainment that has a negative effect on them. They are influenced by negative behavior of people with white skin as well.

I've yet to see an MTV Cribs episode where a rapper hasn't hailed Scarface.

There is a reason why black kids (even those not from a white suburban existence) get on MTV's Real World and act like fools. They weren't influenced by Kevin Powell (New York) or Mohammed Bilal (San Francisco).

Does the Real World reach and influence more black kids than rap? Alone, I'd say no. Add Scarface (Goodfellas, Godfather, Casino and the likes), the increasing black females who feel they must look like what they see on Cosmo, and on and on....

Clearly, I'm not saying your blog should cover all these things (most economists believe specialization is highly effective after all), but we should be aware of all these things.

I hold the "white people do it" excuse right up there (or down there) with the "parents aren't doing their job so we simply must make everyone else change" stance.

There is never just one answer and the same goes for the problem.

[g-e-m2001]

Is the outrage arbitrary? I think Hip Hop has gotten a pass for about two decades. There actually seems to NO outrage when African American women are disparaged.

[Uway]

whats funny is how he tried to play it off like the kid wasn't hurt. And i saw on digg that the kid was 8!

[g-e-m2001]

Well 8 was a bit much. I was thinking 14/15 and got it about right. My problem is not only the kid that could have been hurt, but Audience members.