Interview
with the average (Black American) Joe is a presentation of questions and
answers put to and answered through a characterization of an average American
black man in today’s society.Joe
may not be real but the feelings and thoughts of the character express the
reality of most black American men striving towards making a better way of life
for themselves and their families. These questions
were presented in relation to social, political and personal viewpoints from
Joe.
Interviewer: A question was asked on a social media page, are you tired of movies about slavery?
Joe: It would be best served to all in and outside our community
if they would put real history back in our schools that covers the period of
slavery and the civil rights movement. The advancement of blacks in our society
is one of honor. We come from more than prancing around a stage with pants
sagging shouting the N-word like some badge of honor. I remember back in the
seventies there was black slave exploitation movies like "Nigger Charley,
Mandingo; well it seems Hollywood has decided once again that there is money to
be made from the pain and suffering our ancestors endured through slavery and
the Civil Rights Movement. Even Russell Simmons lost his mind to the point he
thought exploiting the greatness of Harriett Tubman’s legacy was okay to do.
Twelve years a Slave may be a great story to be told but is the movie maker
telling it as a reminder of what blacks went through during this era or to just
generate dollars to increase their wealth? Is Hollywood using blacks as pawns
by exploiting our emotions merely for financial gain? I hope there was not some
big board meeting and this idea was hatched because there was a lull in
creativity and good scripts; if so "Lord forgive them for they know not
what they do".
Question: What frustrates you the most about the depiction of Black
Men in society?
Joe: That we are shiftless and lazy. This B.S. is being spewed
all over the air waves by the media especially in television and radio. The
A-hole host who propel division for capital gain. Then there are the people who
watch or call in with their stereotypes of Black Americans especially black
men. They see us only as gang bangers and drug dealers or addicts. It's like
the more ignorant the commentary the more ratings and dollars they generate
from it. In politics we are ridiculed for political gain.
I’ve
worked my tail off to barley get a sniff of a decent life for my family and I
know there is a long line of us who have pride in themselves for providing for
their families and being role models to young black children in our
communities. There are bad elements in all walks of life (races and
communities). I'm sick of the baby daddy or no daddy stigma that has cast aspersions
on Black Men. Any boy can have a baby but it takes a man to step up and raise
one. The misconception most people make is that it is the legal age of
adulthood that makes a man but the truth is a boy becomes a man when he
understands that he must take responsibility for himself and that
responsibility extends when he has a family of his own. A man is accountable,
dependable and strong in his convictions. He stays on point by knowing the
difference between right and wrong.
Purposeful,
prideful caring and strong that's what means to be a man.
Do
you really want some truth?
Interviewer:
Yes (pause) please.
Well
here it is: The most feared black American Man is one who has a purpose, a goal
and the tools to obtain it.
We
are great sons, husbands and fathers etc. Black men have visions and dreams as
any other race of males in this country, we work hard. We strive to be good
men; we seek quality education and the opportunity to be successful in our
chosen fields but most of all we are men of Pride. No one gets to paint us as
anything less.
To
quote Bruce Lee from the movie Chinese Connection- “We are not weak men”
Look
for more interviews with the average (Black American) Joe coming soon.
Interviewer:
Unknown
