Tuesday
Jul312007
Not Buying it Jameela
Tuesday, July 31, 2007 at 8:15PM The Blogmother
This is my response to some of Jameela Donaldson's recent comments on What About Our Daughters.
Yeah it is a little late to be trying to discuss why you created THAT WEBSITE. I read your comments (see post called "What About Our Daugthers Wins Battle!!!) and find it interesting that you are maintaining that you receive images of children and post them in the hopes that parents will see or someone will help the children. Sure Jam. The next time I see someone getting hurt or making a fool of themselves I'll just post them on the internet and maybe someone will help them. Sure. I guess it wouldn't be helpful at all to send those photos to an organization that helps children or something. I don't know about the US but in Canada, if someone suspects that a child is being abused then they have a duty to report that to the proper authorities. We don't post their photos on the internet.
So what if the photos are posted elsewhere on the net? It matters where it is posted and in what context. Putting them all together on a site called YOU KNOW WHAT makes a big difference. People don't expect others to take their profile photos, or photos on social networking sites and re-post them somewhere else. They probably feel safe on those sites with people who want to make friends or date. If they wanted their photos on THAT WEBSITE they would have sent them in personally.
I have an idea for you. Why not start a site called "Ugly People Who Should Hide Their Faces". Go around to dating sites and Myspace and find people who you consider unattractive. Then post their photos on the site. On the same site post people you consider attractive. Then those ugly people will learn that they shouldn't take photos of themselves, and they should wear make-up, get surgery, or hide their faces so they are no longer ugly. If we use your reasoning Jam then that would be a public service.
Maybe Jam, people don't notice the gallery with positive images because THEY VISIT YOUR SITE FOR THE NEGATIVE IMAGES! If they wanted nice photos of people they would not visit a site like yours. They want to see the train wreck and they are not going to be distracted by the pretty flowers you place around it. It doesn't work. That goes the same for the articles. People go to your site to see Black people looking badly and I doubt they care very much about anything else posted there. You even said yourself that no one mentions the articles or positive images...pssst here's a secret...they didn't even notice them.
I would suggest scrapping the site and creating one about positive and historical people of African Descent all over the world. We need a site like that where people can go and see how to be leaders, successful, and happy in their lives. The media is already flooded with negative images of us. We don't need to add to that. Hey Jam, I understand that you are trying to use the internet to inspire Black people to do better. Well many bloggers, newspapers, magazines, and websites are using theirs to inspire you to do better. Doesn't seem to be working on you either.
Bronze Trinity
Yeah it is a little late to be trying to discuss why you created THAT WEBSITE. I read your comments (see post called "What About Our Daugthers Wins Battle!!!) and find it interesting that you are maintaining that you receive images of children and post them in the hopes that parents will see or someone will help the children. Sure Jam. The next time I see someone getting hurt or making a fool of themselves I'll just post them on the internet and maybe someone will help them. Sure. I guess it wouldn't be helpful at all to send those photos to an organization that helps children or something. I don't know about the US but in Canada, if someone suspects that a child is being abused then they have a duty to report that to the proper authorities. We don't post their photos on the internet.
So what if the photos are posted elsewhere on the net? It matters where it is posted and in what context. Putting them all together on a site called YOU KNOW WHAT makes a big difference. People don't expect others to take their profile photos, or photos on social networking sites and re-post them somewhere else. They probably feel safe on those sites with people who want to make friends or date. If they wanted their photos on THAT WEBSITE they would have sent them in personally.
I have an idea for you. Why not start a site called "Ugly People Who Should Hide Their Faces". Go around to dating sites and Myspace and find people who you consider unattractive. Then post their photos on the site. On the same site post people you consider attractive. Then those ugly people will learn that they shouldn't take photos of themselves, and they should wear make-up, get surgery, or hide their faces so they are no longer ugly. If we use your reasoning Jam then that would be a public service.
Maybe Jam, people don't notice the gallery with positive images because THEY VISIT YOUR SITE FOR THE NEGATIVE IMAGES! If they wanted nice photos of people they would not visit a site like yours. They want to see the train wreck and they are not going to be distracted by the pretty flowers you place around it. It doesn't work. That goes the same for the articles. People go to your site to see Black people looking badly and I doubt they care very much about anything else posted there. You even said yourself that no one mentions the articles or positive images...pssst here's a secret...they didn't even notice them.
I would suggest scrapping the site and creating one about positive and historical people of African Descent all over the world. We need a site like that where people can go and see how to be leaders, successful, and happy in their lives. The media is already flooded with negative images of us. We don't need to add to that. Hey Jam, I understand that you are trying to use the internet to inspire Black people to do better. Well many bloggers, newspapers, magazines, and websites are using theirs to inspire you to do better. Doesn't seem to be working on you either.
Bronze Trinity
Don't forget to like our Facebook Page. We shut down our NING network. My book More Than Words is now available for download for $3.99 | 5 Comments | Share Article
5 Comments | Share Article tagged Uncategorized in Uncategorized
Uncategorized in Uncategorized
Reader Comments (5)
Oh Goodness. I try to move on and like a fungus, Jameela and her minions just keep coming back. That has to be the last word on this foolishness. We have a movement to build. Let Jameela and her website be relegated to history's trash bin where they belong.
Great post Bronze Trinity.
Great job with the movement Gina.
I actually checked out last week's premiere and it was HORRIBLE. Just plain horrible, stupid, idiotic. I dare Jam, her mules, or BET to actually say that was good television smh.
When folks like Henry Louis Gates give her the time of day, you know we are in big trouble because many see him as a leader in the black 'community' and a big contributer to black intelligensia.
In the “In the Spirit” editorial page of the July 2007 edition of Essence Magazine, Susan L. Taylor wrote an apology to all the young people on the behalf of her generation, “for not governing the village more carefully, for not being more watchful over the influences we allowed into our children’s lives.”
Ms. Taylor went on to write about how she and Sean “Diddy” Combs gotten into a heated exchange about the state of the hip hop community. He told her that his generation (which includes me) feels abandoned by our elders. His generation was left to figure it for themselves.
With this as a backdrop, I sent a copy of my post to Jam Donaldson to let her know how I felt about “Hot Ghetto Mess.” She responded and thus we entered into a meaningful email exchange that forced me to open my heart and ears to her argument. At this point, I had not watched the show. I was still mad about her posting a picture of what seemed to be a homosexual young male wearing my Sorority’s jacket. (Of course, I am a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Skee Wee).
She asked me to watch and critique the show. I did.
We must admit that there is a strong disconnect between the elders and the younger generation. Our elders failed to pass the torch because they were too busy enjoying the trappings of success.
I have been socially caught in between two worlds. I am too ghetto for the burbs (short for suburb) and to burb for the ghetto. I am a first generation Attorney on both sides of my family. I can remember begging and praying for a mentor. To date, my prayers have not been answered.
I am letting my hands drop from my ears in an effort to get a deeper understanding of Miss Donaldson’s intention behind her website and the show.
In interim as I take this journey to understand the younger members of my generation, I want to apologize to Miss Donaldson for accusing her of exploiting the less fortunate members of the Black community.
I beseech my living elders to follow the dictates of Titus 2:3-5. Selah.
I think its important for everyone to contribute meaningful comments to the ongoing dialogue concerning how we can make our community better. And for that, I have been generally appreciative of the commentary posted on this blog. However, while I generally appreciate your blog, I am disappointed in your blatant attacks on my colleague, a young black woman lawyer who has a dedicated and proven track record of working within our community. A woman that I know to stand on solid moral ground. How dare you use the tools you have to tear another black woman down . . . and on a site called "What about our Daughters?" It really doesn't make any sense to me. Although, I am constantly reminded of the crab in a barrel phenomenon.
Koko. get a grip.
I know Jameela. She is the woman who libeled me when I expressed opposition to her site and her show's title. She is the woman who put up pictures of young children being abused. She is the woman
If anybody is using technology against someone, it is a grow woman picking on the poor via the internet. I went up against a media conglomerate and a lawyer, I wasn't picking on teenage girls and poor folk like Jameela.
So take your tired crabs in a barrel elsewhere. We've moved on at this blog and Jameela needs to too. That fact that she is till sending her minions here just really demonstrates that she has no defensible position.
As far as the title of the blog, What About Our Daughters? Did Jameela think about folks daughters when she posted their pictures all over the internet?