Black And White, The Television Show

I watched the show on FX that deals with two families, that go through a cosmetic transformation. It is supposed to take the form, of a real life experience. Allowing the two families, to put themselves in each others place. In my opinion it is not a pure inside look, at the mindset of racism. If you look for something, you're bound to find a reason to be upset. We must first admit to ourselves, everyone is prejudice to some degree. Unless you have had a negative experience with others like yourself, how could you not? What this show fails to show. Is the middle of the road opinion. Any individual of reasonable intelligence, knows that racism is alive and well. We just don't let it dictate our every move. How can you be one or the other, and not be aware that it exists? Just like everything else, you do what you must.

As in most questions of racism, the Black family feels victimized. The Whites don't see it that way, because they're usually in a position of the majority. This complaint is not totally without merit, it does happen. It shouldn't be the focus of the Black existence though. If you walk into a department store, their main objective is to get your money. If you aren't buying anything, they might assume that you're stealing. It has nothing to do with you personally. On a individual level it's hard not to racial profile. White people especially the men, know it's about the money. He tends to minimalize the effects of racism, because it doesn't generally affect him. Most things that bother the Black man, just roll of his back. On the show they both seem to spend an inordinate amount of time, trying to prove their respective points. The Black mans point being that racism does exist, the White man that it doesn't.

I find the contrasting roles of the women very interesting. The Black Woman is more outspoken and proactive in the home. Than her White counterparts generally are. She has to validate her mate, as well as herself. The Black man's ego is usually in need of stroking. His desire to be in a position of authority, usually manifests itself in the home. The White woman is more accommodating of the position of other races. She wants to understand why Blacks feel the way they do about Whites. It's funny how she is viewed by Blacks, especially other women. If she is in the company of a Black man. She is considered a traitor by her own people, an intruder by others. I must say these relationships usually fall in one extreme, or the other. Either the man has more than usual, or he doesn't have much of nothing. I can't make an assumption about White men and Black women.There are not enough examples to make a fair assessment of that arrangement. I can say this, it's usually a equally beneficial union. White men don't usually marry Black women, of a lower ring on the economic ladder. They usually marry women that are educated, and self sufficient. The kind of women that are a credit to their own race. A prime example for others to follow.

If there is a glimmer of hope in this experiment, it is the children. The offspring prove that racism is a learned behavior. It's more of a mindset than anything else. Young men think about young women, and vise versa. Little girls like to copy off their mothers. Little boys like to imitate their fathers. It doesn't matter what color you are. The young people seem to be indifferent. I'm undecided whether or not that's good or bad. They aren't the least bit concerned with history, as if it doesn't exist. They focus on the right now. In some cases that's good, in others not so much. In order to prevent going back. You have to know where you've been and why. This whole thing is fueled by ignorance or lack of understanding. Let's not continue to perpetuate this cancer in our society, by remaining close minded. If we continue to make this the center of our disagreements. We will never find a solution. I'm not accepting racism, as if I could change it anyway. I'm just not being defined by it's effects. It's not about whether it's black or white, but wrong or right.


http://www.youtube.com/watch_fullscreen?video_id=alqvB4dcDks&l=187&s=2A24520B94F7E107:8A51374783A7BCE6&fs=1&title=Black%20and%20White