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Filed Under Politics, U.S. Studies

On Rene Marie and The Black National Anthem

There is a time and a place for protest. I’m not one to determine when that time and place is. If Rene Marie felt now was the time, then so be it; however, I find myself agreeing with this comment from Jack and Jill Politics. Here’s a snippet:

Get ready folks. This is one of the many formulas his critics will use. It’s easy pickings. . . take anything ANY black person says or does and get Obama’s opinion on it. If it’s black and say’s “Obama” it must be a national story. Get ready, it’s coming. Every preacher, every rapper, every actor. . . any criminal defendant with an Obama t-shirt . . . the media will be right in Obama’s face asking his opinion.

Because we all know he’s either “too black” or “not black enough.” Doesn’t have to make any sense . . .just has to fill a news cycle so the people on cable news can waste more time talking about another non-issue. The headlines will take care of themselves and the media will have little trouble painting the story as an attack on the “traditions of hard-working white folk” or an attack on “the experiences of the black community.”

Read the rest here.

Discussion

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  1. I haven’t kept track of René Marie, but I used to listen to her in college, and as I recall she was always fond of mixing up songs controversially. To wit: on her volume Vertigo, she sang “Dixie” together with “Strange Fruit.” It was good in a creepy way. I don’t know what kind of flack she got at the time, just that it was long before the possibility of asking Barack Obama to comment.

    Posted by Natalia | July 6, 2008, 12:34 pm
  2. I wanted to blog about this story but felt as a Cannuck I would be over stepping my boundaries. I think that was she did was great personally. It is ridiculous to ask Obama about this but it is typical behavior for the media because of course they believe that we all speak with one voice…no wonder they cannot tell us apart.

    Posted by Renee | July 6, 2008, 7:51 pm
  3. Yeah, I’m not mad at her either, Renee. From what I can tell, she did what she felt she needed to do. More power to her.

    It is sad that Obama will be asked to answer for every thing any black person does that pisses off certain white people, though. To be expected, but still sad.

    It’s like I told a friend yesterday; If Ice Cube farted in Denver while wearing an Obama pin, Obama would be expected to give an opinion on gangsta rap and smelly farts by black people. It’s not right.

    Posted by Kevin | July 6, 2008, 11:00 pm
  4. I don’t see this as an Obama issue but I am outraged. I don’t believe one should be swapping out the national anthem for another one based on one’s ethnic group. I am asian so should I start singing my countries national anthem in the US or change the lyrics in the Star Spangled Banner to include something about the Chinese immigrants? Maybe I should protest to have the US dollar incorporte some images from the Chinese Renminbi.

    Posted by Mia | July 7, 2008, 3:15 pm
  5. One hundred and fifty years ago blacks were emancipated by President Lincoln. Over forty years ago desegragation was outlawed in the Deep South. But there’s lots of folks still living in those times. Can’t move forward. Only look backwards. Revel in slavery and oppression. Makes the young blacks feel schizophrenic. They’re imbued with racial hatred, brainwashed with liberal claptrap and hindered in social and economic progress. The marketplace may take care of Rene Marie. Hopefully her concerts will not sell and her music sales will wane. No encore performance for her.

    Posted by Mary | July 9, 2008, 2:25 am

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