Not Black, just black. January 27, 2008
Posted by Lindsay in Criticism, History, Media, News, Philosophy, Politics, Race.add a comment
Obama’s South Carolina win and acceptance speech convincingly rebuked the “black candidate” perception that he has. But when listening to the speech, we must keep in mind how ridiculous the debate has become. The false dichotomy of “the black candidate versus the candidate who happens to be black” is merely a euphemism for the ignorant ideas they connote, that is, “candidate influenced by and committed to the ‘negative’ aspects of black culture versus the candidate who is black but is more influenced by white culture.” Depending on your point of view, what exactly those elements of black culture that are negative differ.
The scratched lens of history: A closer look at the words of John Lennon August 24, 2007
Posted by Lindsay in Criticism, Feminism, History, Hyperreality, Media, Music, Race, Writing.1 comment so far
It’s always interesting to find what is and isn’t in the common consciousness of United States society when we talk of our beloved national figures (even if they are from the United Kingdom). I still remember watching “Come Together: A Night for John Lennon’s Words and Music,” that concert held in October 2001 at Radio City Music Hall. In all likelihood, it was planned several months before, and in light of the September 11 attacks, the producers apparently decided to jam a new theme into all the speeches that prefaced the performances–Lennon’s love of New York. The assertion of a connection between John Lennon and New York City apparently hinges on a classic black-and-white photo that tends to adorn the walls of the most pretentious college students’ dorms, projected on the walls behind Yoko Ono’s beaming, self-assured face. At that show, which supposedly celebrated the message of John Lennon’s music, and his connection to New York City, songs from his poorly received album, Some Time In New York City, were conveniently left off the set list. Of course, at first glance, the song entitled “New York City” might be an obvious choice for a concert about New York City, but upon inspection, the lyrics don’t quite capture the sentimental, romanticized vision of New York City that post-9/11 New Yorkers thought they so desparately needed…
Well we did the Staten Island Ferry
Making movies for the telly
Played the Fillmore and Apollo for freedom
Tried to shake our image
Just a cycling through the Village
But found that we had left it back in London
Well nobody came to bug us
Hustle us or shove us
So we decided to make it our home
If the Man wants to shove us out
We gonna jump and shout
The Statue of Liberty said, “Come!”
What’s this? Is John Lennon suggesting that the practices of the powers that be don’t live up to the promise of the United States’s ideals? But how could this be? We New Yorkers and apparently, no other city in the United States, were victimized by a bunch of cowardly towel-heads who tried to suggest that capitalism, not freedom, is the prominent theme of American life, and here comes some dead British guy who’s songs we used to make out to in our parents’ bedrooms who refuses to support our misguided attempt at injecting grandiosity into his lyrics!
