Things White People Who Don't Understand (or like) Black and or Brown Folk Worry About.

 I am going to mention Althouse again.  And I am not going to call her a racist, but . . . .

She has jumped on the bandwagon of racially tone deaf white folk who are concern trolling about the story about some Lutheran College brats accused of "blackface."  What they actually did was wear blonde curly wigs and danced a routine to the theme song of "Fresh Prince of Bel Air."

Let me snag a quote from her blog post:

"Are young white people getting the message that they should never sing songs associated with black people? Never do dances that originated with black dancers? Never dance to music performed by black musicians? Or is it just don't demonstrate your enjoyment enthusiastically? Be sure to maintain whiteness as you sing and dance? Who can understand these rules? "

She posted that after noting  the the brats did not literally blacken their faces.   Literally correct, but misses the point.  And I will explain in context of replying to the tone deaf, concern trolling quote above.

Regarding her questions; if it is necessary for them to be totally disincentived from doing that, which is literally the epitome of appropriation?  Yeah.  White kids should not do that if they are just fucking around, as opposed to being serious about actually singing the song like a serious performer.  (And beware the trap.  never sing rap that is too "black," as in too deep in hip hop slang.  Just don't do it bro!)  If you are auditioning for American Idol, yes, you can use a song written by and or performed by a black or brown person.  Just do it respectfully,  meaning, don't try to be black or brown while doing it, either as drag or for fun.

I repeat, as this is the punishable social crime:

 "Don't try to be black or brown while doing it, either as drag or for fun."

So to answer the last question in Althouse's quote.  A fourth grader could understand the rules, never mind  a college student.  And to prove my point.  Social and Emotional Development of Fourth Graders.  From the list at this linked page Fourth Graders should be:

       

• Learning to take responsibility for his/her own actions
  
  
  
• Self-aware.

Re the blackface charge.  Of course it was black face even if they did not burn cork, or otherwise darken their faces.  It takes Megyn Kelly level racial ignorance to not get that was every bit as much blackface as Al Jolson in that damn movie.  I am not going to summarize the entire history of Minstrelry but here goes the thumbnail.

 Minstrelry is defined as:

"A simplified depiction of another culture, especially black African, for entertainment purposes, generally seen as offensive."

People who are  less informed  than me, but get the wrongfulness  at an emotional level, would simply label some things as blackface, without having the knowledge to articulate it as well as I can.  Blackface is just one aspect of Minstrelry.  And that is the more proper term.

America loved that shit.  White boys dressing up like black folk, to entertain themselves and other white folk, by making fun of black folk. Can't say what year the shift happened,  but actually blackening faces fell out of style/favor.  But Minstrelry continued  on and off, and eventually died out as far as on stage/on film and TV entertainment.  These days this revolting remnant of white supremacy is mostly performed by stupid brat college kids.  

Here is the part where I cuss extensively to add emotional context to the underlying message.

Fucking intent fucking matters.  Fucking using fucking blond curly wigs and fucking calling them "Napoleon Dynamite wigs,"  is  a fucking patently obvious white supremacist fucking lie.  The fucking white supremacist brats were not acting out a scene from fucking "Napoleon Dynamite."  

Oh, and this reminds me. If the choice is between accusing someone of being too fucking stupid to not get the obvious, or accuse them of being (knowingly) evil and trying to get away with it?  Chose the latter.

This was just another example of white privilege and insensitivity.  But as far as Althouse's defense goes, I am going to say the general rule does not apply to her.  She is so tone deaf about racial issues that if she ever sees this, she still isn't going to get how fucking wrong she is on this shit.  That fucking racially clueless.

Oh.  And just for the record.  I remember when the sport was Pimp and Ho Balls, parties.  They were popular on college campuses in the early  '90s.  I was already out of law school, but was hanging out at my local bar in PA that was a hangout for Villanova kids, and saw the brats in their drag.  I did not lose my shit over it.  But my brain registered that shit at least as evidence of white entitlement.  And that is the foundation on which white supremacy is built.  And that is why colleges are stomping down on that shit now.  Every fucking body, on some if only weak level, knows that shit is not tolerated anymore.  So it must be called out.  And any bullshit excuse must as well be called out.

"Napoleon Dynamite," my black ass!  I could write a academic Theatre report on the history of Minstrelsy mostly off the top of my head, and just track down the footnotes after my first draft.  Not the point, though.  The point is, you don't have to have a knowledge of the stock characters in a typical Minstrel Show to know on an emotional level.  That shit is not right.  What those boys did is not right.

Lastly, Will Smith did not wear a fro during the run of Fresh Prince, you fucking racist bitches.

Oh.  And just to make the lives of white appropriators harder.  Blackfishing!  Althouse posted about this a few weeks ago, naturally adding nothing of value to the conversation.

Is Ari blackfishing?

For my money, Ariana Grande gets a pass.  She is so talented, and pretty, and has been making bank for so long in the dance/soul/pop genre?  Not only is she eligible for being one of us, she has been, for years and years.  Same goes for Dua Lipa. If you are talented and hot we will claim you as one of us!  That tradition goes at least as far back as Teena Marie.  

Trick is, if you are not talented and hot enough, don't do it bro or babe.  Don't even fucking try.

Link is to a vid about Ariana.  Pic of  the late, great Teena Marie.  Miss you!

PS:  If Rick James  says you are in the club.  You are in the club.