I am exhausted.
My video was featured on YouTube and what it has done is opened up a torrent of race baiting and ignorance in my direction, the likes of which I have never seen in my lifetime and I have lived in Alabama, Philadelphia, and The South Side of Chicago. I know I can disable the comments but that seems like the coward's way out. If I am to do a show about racism in the 21st century I might as well take this unexpected scenario to experience some. It's interesting to me because I was always stunned to hear that Hank Aaron saved all of his hate mail, and yet I find myself in the position of doing the same. (Although I deleted the first nigger comment.) Being featured on YouTube should be some sort of confirmation of job well done I guess, but it feels like grist for the already full mill. I am angry, frustrated, and my heart rate is up, and I feel like starting a fire.
The thing that most frustrates me is that I NEVER thought that what I do is for EVERYBODY, and yet now I am getting comments from every 15 year old virgin and 50 year old... well also virgin... on the Internet. It is ignorant and excessive AND I KNOW that NONE of them would EVER say these things to my face, and that's not just because I am a 6'4" black dude. It's because they wouldn't say it to ANYBODY. Because if they did say it in public as much as they say it on the Internet, then America would be one unending bar fight. (At least the people in bar fights have the courage of their convictions. To think I wanted to end racism and it seems that I have made it more manifest and thereby worse.
In conclusion, I don't normally get inspiration from this guy, but today it feels like the hug I need...
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4 comments:
I didn't read any comments on your video for a reason.
Do you not find inspiration in MLK because he's over used, too simple in his ideals, what? I'm kind of curious?
And you're taller than 6'4" because I'm 6'4" and you're taller than me.
"To think I wanted to end racism and it seems that I have made it more manifest and thereby worse."
Oh Kamau, I know you're exhausted and furious -- and maybe a bit blindsided by the hate -- and you have every right to be. But you have NOT made it worse. Making something that already exists visible does not increase it, it just makes it visible. 59 THOUSAND people have viewed this video that made them laugh and think. 83 people left comments. Maybe 50 of those comments were hateful and ignorant and racist. The rest of the 59 THOUSAND people can watch the video, read the comments, and THINK about whether racism is "really over" or "relevant" or etc. and draw their own conclusions.
You've done good work here. Nobody said it would be easy. You are an inspiration. I usually say that to you ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek because you're a comedian and ha ha ha all that - but I always mean it 100%. LOVE.
Okay, now I'll watch the King video.
Hey man, practice your lovingkindness meditation - may I be peaceful, well and filled with lovingkindness. And know that racism is the worst evil ever to fight if it doesn't kill ya while doing. I think what you do is great!
I enjoyed all the "comments" that were nothing more than random plugs for their own YouTube postings...
...and speaking of random plugs... I started inouyedean.blogspot.com of some MySpace blog repostings. Take a look if you have some Internet time to kill...
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