What We Could Be Talking About
Topics in bloom this April 20, 2021…
Today reminds that sometimes winning doesn’t feel good. I effing hate that.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” — Ruth Bader Ginsburg (quoting Sarah Grimké)
The marathon continues.
Of course Derek Chauvin being found guilty on all counts was good. But it doesn’t feel so good, both because George Floyd is dead and there is a long way to go in trying others — both in this case and others. Breonna Taylor’s killers are not facing charges.
To watch news today after the verdict though, reminded how far there is to go with public discourse in a way that doesnt put white fragility front and center. Dear lord was it ever. Immediately after the verdict MSNBC was on the air and I heard Nicolle Wallace and Brian Williams all to quck to dismiss Jason Johnson, black journalist and professor at Morgan State when he described that this was not some great moment — at all — because it took video, massive deadly protests for months, and a ton of white co-workers to say what Chauvin did was wrong. They didn’t want to hear that though. So they awkwardly paused to pivot to relief. That’s clearly their agenda.
To listen to backs though, thats not whats up. Because there is a long way to go. Just wait til the next trials of those officers who watched their co-worker kill a man. Let’s see what happens to them.
That’s how justice was had today, so much evidence and whites saying it was wrong and months of unrest. That’s bananas.
So no Brian and Nicole and guests, you can’t just skip to relief. Because black people are not there. They can’t walk down the street in broad daylight and feel safe. Or sleep in their beds at home with ease. You should see how much work is still to be done because that is as clear as this case was clear. That’s what we need to change.
Breonna and so many others are waiting.
- So the ex-President of the Golden Globes, Philip Berk, sent an email around slamming the Black Lives Matter movement as racist. Of course that’s not all he did in his 40 year membership, there’s some accused sexual harassment that was allegedly ignored. How do these white guys just go around being all gross and never get told to stop and change?
And don’t forget how the LA Times revealed this past year that in the past 20 years there hasn’t been one black member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Background: This eight term former Hollywood Foreign Press President is the one, you may recall, who in 2018 Brendan Fraser said sexually assaulted him by grabbing him in 2003 (it involves the word taint and so you google to read more I’m not doing that here). Nothing was done, according to Fraser.
“Fraser later condemned the HFPA’s handling of the allegations which Berk dismissed as a ‘joke’ and ‘total fabrication’”
So cut to all these years later and he’s flagrantly sending emails that out his racism.
8 terms as president of the HFPA this Berk guy.
You may recall in the last year the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was outed by the LA Times as having exactly ZERO black members in the last 20 years.
I’d LOL for absurdity but it’s so not funny.
Berk is an 88-year old current member of the HFPA, well, this morning he was a member. After 44 years and at least one sexual assault claim (?!) this racist email was apparently the last straw.
Meanwhile Berk’s memoir, that caused a stir but along with his abuse of Fraser (and others?!) was not enough to get him kicked out, was called: With Signs and Wonders — My Journey from Darkest Africa to the Bright Lights of Hollywood, Thank You for Sharing
Racism in a title much? Somehow I think that Dark South Africa *cringe* is much happier with you far away.
Can we please stop pretending every institution doesn’t need a massive overhaul to root out racism.
And we haven’t even gotten to dealing with misogyny…
2) “Feds Finally Link Trump 2016 Campaign to Russian Spies”
Lol how they write feds finally link. 👀
Trust is eroded everywhere as those running things haven’t been honest with intent and motive. Much change needed.
3) Shakespeare and Mindfulness on Instagram.. amazing follow.
The creator takes Shakespeare quotes and applies it to life lessons of consciousness in ways I never would’ve expected. Cuz Shakey is not easy and requires translations anyway, glad to get this elevated look not often discussed in classrooms lol.
Aren’t people so cool!? Be well…
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without — Confucius
