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Originally Posted by doubleaught
Very good point. Stinks that things came about this way, undoing this kind of past folly is so astronomically harder than preventing it in the first place. :/
Interesting! Based on this info I agree with their mission but disagree with their methodology. By all means, fill in the gap and make some money from doing so - but don't use labels if at all possible. If the goal is catering to a community to help them integrate into a healthy mainstream, remove every segregationist reference (again, that's realistically possible) and do it. If the material is truly good and fulfilling the need, the marketshare and thus money will be there - without playing the race card. win-win imo.
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I don't think of it as they are playing the race card. Sometimes the "labeling" is simply accurate descriptions. Would you (not you you but the collective you) be uspet at Sex and the City cause the name is so divisive sexually and genderwise? Or Seinfeld is blatantly Jewish!!! How divisive, how dare they label!! Desperate Housewives, more divisiveness and labeling. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
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Originally Posted by willravel
I wish BET didn't suck. I wish there was a channel that ran old speeches and interviews with Dr. MLK Jr. and Malcolm X. Maybe they have live poetry readings by black poets and feature unplugged music by black musicians (instead of demeaning, simplistic, despicable rap — they don't even feature really good rap). They discuss the effects of society of black Americans and visa versa in an environment of intelligence and awareness.
Right now, a great deal of the station promotes the idea of the gangster lifestyle: scamming, pimping, prostitution, gang banging, abuse against women, disrespect of women, assault, murder, etc. Black America doesn't have to be these things. Actually, most of black America isn't these things. BET is to black people what Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is for homosexuals, and it makes me sick. It's a stereotyping and has a negative effect not only on the image of black people by non-blacks, but actually can serve to effect black people's view of themselves (that information from many conversations I've had with my black friends. I don't pretend to know what it's like to be black. I'm white.)
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That is entirely subjective. Apparently many people LOVE BET and find it entertaining and of value, otherwise it would cease to exist. There is a channel that runs old speeches of Malcolm X and Dr. King - it's called the History Channel and PBS. Def Jam Poetry Slam DOES promote poetry readings and unplugged music - it's sort of a neo-Harlem Renaissance movement. And better yet, the featured artists are diverse. One of the best poets is Beau Sia (google him, he is amazing).
Rap is good, some of it is bad. Do not lump all of rap music as a negative. THAT is stereotyping.
So if you (not you you but the collective you) take issue with stereotyping on BET, why not take issue with the blatant stereotyping on "WET" (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX etc.etc.etc.)?
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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
IMO anything that distinguishes the differences of people promotes racism, direct or reverse. I have always hated this double standard but I've got better things to do than worry about the "What about White Entertainment Television?" question anymore... 10 years is enough time playing that game.
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Could you please elaborate on the "double standard"? I am interested in hearing what you have to say.