Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Slave Quarters and Mad Men

First of all thank you everyone who is missing my presence on FB . I send love although I must confess I don’t miss it as far as its time suck but I do like the convenience of knowing everything about everyone. Not coming back to it though it feels amazing to rebel against 500 million users. It does creep me out I feel as if I am being herded into a matrix that could at a moment’s notice turn sinister. Last night I dreamt about two different groups of people one was from Israel and the other a Muslim mix each was seemingly peaceful together they shared an area that was neutral. In this dream while one group (they didn’t integrate) was busy watching a show being performed the other was preparing to slaughter them as they left the venue. So in my dream was a tension. Word reached the group inside the theater and they waited. While the ambushing group waited everyone was forced to think about their stance. Each group was holding a hard line and they had to think about it before any action occurred. I woke up before the battle or lack thereof happened. I hope it never happened. I liked the standoff and feel it represents something, maybe how silly each of our so called beliefs is when it separates us from each other, maybe. Meanwhile I woke up and read about plantations in the south and how the owners are whitewashing the history of slaves in order to make their property less malevolent and evil and or soiled by historical rape and brutality. Which is like saying Nazi Germany was a paradise for Jews, which we all know (some) that it was the opposite, it was murder? So there it is the south wants to say it was a peaceful time one that was benevolent to persons of color. More insult to unspeakable injury. I think we are foolish and entering dangerous territory when we allow anyone to forget or white wash behaviors. I don’t support continuous torturous memory but I think try and present history as close to truth as possible. Because for the future generations it is important NOT to repeat the crimes! I confess I cannot watch the show “Madmen” because I know the sixties were unkind to my people that we had to march and fight for basic rights. I get why people are fascinated by the clothes and the martini lunches and the cigarette smoking all I see is lack of integration. I feel oppression which I don’t ever want glamorized and I think no matter how hard Hollywood tries that show is intrinsically wrong and won’t be a big hit. Why? Because if it gave equal time to what was also going on during those martini lunches and showed how out of whack it was in the late fifties early 60’s it would be fitting and it would be cautionary. The show doesn’t do this instead it focuses on the lives of the privileged and it glamorizing (yet again) a darker more disturbing period. I think this insensitive. We are desensitized to each other and the world and it is expensive and it is dangerous. That hurts.

3 comments:

Kim said...

Thank you, Rae. I thought I was the only Black women who is appalled by "Mad Men" and it's revisionist stance.

Daania Nova said...

Hi RD, this is Angie Supernova... I have not seen the show "Mad Men" so I cant really comment on that. But I did want to leave a comment to say hello and let you know that I stopped by. I'm so glad you're still blogging. I've added this page to my favorites so that I can come by and visit more often to see what you're chatting about these days. LOL!

Still love u much!
-Angie

glt said...

Mad Men is a true rep of whitie in the '50s and early'60s...transferring domination of the nipple to poor white slaves as well and in addition to the blacks... but I couldn't even get to that part of yer note! You have too much to share to bow out of FB before it's hardly a teenager...what are you scared of? This note reads like a masterpiece....how many are reading it? Just curious... I dunno...I think FB needs pioneers...so much potential there...blogs are a hassle to remember...and I don't see the personal friendship and connection...people(ME!) need to connect!

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