Just letting everyone know that I have relocated my blogging activities to:
http://stonecries.typepad.com
Come find me there!
Thanks for reading!
-Fred
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Racial bias and Gatorade AM
Before you read any further, watch this current TV advertisement for Gatorade AM:
Gatorade AM ad on YouTube
Most idle viewers agree that this is a pretty funny ad, but usually for reasons they can't explain. Myself, as a conscious viewer, will explain to you my reasons why I do not find this advertisement funny at all; in fact, I find it an indictment of idle acceptance of racial bias in mainstream media culture.
First of all, we can name all the athletes in the ad. Kevin Garnett (basketball) as the deliveryman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball) doing yardwork, Mia Hamm (soccer) picking up the soccer players, a pee-wee football team, and Peyton Manning (football), running to catch his team bus. At first glance, this appears to be a very well-balanced advertisement. Three men (of which two are black), one woman, and children. But a few questions arise:
- Of all the characters in this ad, why is the only service position played by a black man? He was dressed up in a cute little all-white uniform (complete with hat), as a reference to a 1930's-1950's-era milk deliveryman. What influences the conscious decision to cast the black athlete so?
- The other black athlete, Abdul-Jabbar, is doing yardwork (spraying a hose). This is significant because at this point in the ad we have seen two recognizable athletes not being portrayed as athletes. So far, one black man is a deliveryman, and another black man is doing yardwork. Despite the fact that he is wearing a lavender polo-shirt, he is not representing his success in his sport. Why cast Abdul-Jabbar this way? Couldn't he have just as easily been shooting baskets in his driveway? You could argue that Abdul-Jabbar is retired from his respective sport, but so is Mia Hamm, the next athlete we see.
- Hamm is seen pulling up to a house where two current female soccer players are rushing out, presumably to either practice or a game. Hamm is driving a mini-van, the undeniable "white, middle-class soccer mom" status symbol. Why is she in a mini-van? Why isn't she picking up any of her black former teammates?
- Peyton Manning is our final celebrity athlete to appear, also rushing out of the house, presumably on a road trip with his team. As Garnett reminds Manning to get his playbook (which he forgot), you see the self-satisfied nod of a servant who has once again protected his master's well-being and best interest. Why end the ad with the only interaction being the roles of service position and served position solidified?
The answer to these questions has everything to do with the ever-prevalent racial bias still flourishing for all our eyes to see. Conscious casting decisions had to be made during the conception and creation of this advertisement. I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt to Gatorade's ad agency (which also holds Altria (Philip Morris) as a client, a company centuries deep in slave labor and share-cropped tobacco money), as most people who are not only tolerant of but traffickers of racially-biased material are not aware of how what they are doing contributes to primitive and dehumanizing thought patterns concerning subjugated peoples. But benefit of the doubt aside, one must wonder how Gatorade, the most powerful brand of its kind can let these subtleties slip by without a word of caution from media consultants who surely did not miss them.
Some are ignorant and stubborn enough to claim that Abdul-Jabbar and Garnett should have protested their roles if there really was negative association occurring. Maybe there is some truth to that, but I definitely believe that if I was a professional athlete with multiple endorsement contracts and infinite demands on my time, energy, and likeness, something like protesting my role as a black man doing yardwork in a Gatorade ad is not a high priority, if I even notice its potentially racially-biased association. So do not indict the athletes as perpetrators. Their roles were almost indefinitely chosen for them.
This ad is just one example of what exists in so much of our over-stimulating media presence bombarding our lives today. We miss these subtleties often because we are so desensitized to media frenzy that it is difficult to remain conscious and aware of underlying messages and themes in all the avenues through which we are exposed.
More to come on this issue, as through conversation I have found deep and genuine interest. Think about these sorts of decisions made behind the programming, as you watch television (especially advertisements, music videos, and news/current events programs), movies, and think honestly about it.
I'll be posting a piece about ESPN, and also a piece about BET as part of the Viacom group. So stay tuned....but keep thinking!
Gatorade AM ad on YouTube
Most idle viewers agree that this is a pretty funny ad, but usually for reasons they can't explain. Myself, as a conscious viewer, will explain to you my reasons why I do not find this advertisement funny at all; in fact, I find it an indictment of idle acceptance of racial bias in mainstream media culture.
First of all, we can name all the athletes in the ad. Kevin Garnett (basketball) as the deliveryman, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (basketball) doing yardwork, Mia Hamm (soccer) picking up the soccer players, a pee-wee football team, and Peyton Manning (football), running to catch his team bus. At first glance, this appears to be a very well-balanced advertisement. Three men (of which two are black), one woman, and children. But a few questions arise:
- Of all the characters in this ad, why is the only service position played by a black man? He was dressed up in a cute little all-white uniform (complete with hat), as a reference to a 1930's-1950's-era milk deliveryman. What influences the conscious decision to cast the black athlete so?
- The other black athlete, Abdul-Jabbar, is doing yardwork (spraying a hose). This is significant because at this point in the ad we have seen two recognizable athletes not being portrayed as athletes. So far, one black man is a deliveryman, and another black man is doing yardwork. Despite the fact that he is wearing a lavender polo-shirt, he is not representing his success in his sport. Why cast Abdul-Jabbar this way? Couldn't he have just as easily been shooting baskets in his driveway? You could argue that Abdul-Jabbar is retired from his respective sport, but so is Mia Hamm, the next athlete we see.
- Hamm is seen pulling up to a house where two current female soccer players are rushing out, presumably to either practice or a game. Hamm is driving a mini-van, the undeniable "white, middle-class soccer mom" status symbol. Why is she in a mini-van? Why isn't she picking up any of her black former teammates?
- Peyton Manning is our final celebrity athlete to appear, also rushing out of the house, presumably on a road trip with his team. As Garnett reminds Manning to get his playbook (which he forgot), you see the self-satisfied nod of a servant who has once again protected his master's well-being and best interest. Why end the ad with the only interaction being the roles of service position and served position solidified?
The answer to these questions has everything to do with the ever-prevalent racial bias still flourishing for all our eyes to see. Conscious casting decisions had to be made during the conception and creation of this advertisement. I'd like to give the benefit of the doubt to Gatorade's ad agency (which also holds Altria (Philip Morris) as a client, a company centuries deep in slave labor and share-cropped tobacco money), as most people who are not only tolerant of but traffickers of racially-biased material are not aware of how what they are doing contributes to primitive and dehumanizing thought patterns concerning subjugated peoples. But benefit of the doubt aside, one must wonder how Gatorade, the most powerful brand of its kind can let these subtleties slip by without a word of caution from media consultants who surely did not miss them.
Some are ignorant and stubborn enough to claim that Abdul-Jabbar and Garnett should have protested their roles if there really was negative association occurring. Maybe there is some truth to that, but I definitely believe that if I was a professional athlete with multiple endorsement contracts and infinite demands on my time, energy, and likeness, something like protesting my role as a black man doing yardwork in a Gatorade ad is not a high priority, if I even notice its potentially racially-biased association. So do not indict the athletes as perpetrators. Their roles were almost indefinitely chosen for them.
This ad is just one example of what exists in so much of our over-stimulating media presence bombarding our lives today. We miss these subtleties often because we are so desensitized to media frenzy that it is difficult to remain conscious and aware of underlying messages and themes in all the avenues through which we are exposed.
More to come on this issue, as through conversation I have found deep and genuine interest. Think about these sorts of decisions made behind the programming, as you watch television (especially advertisements, music videos, and news/current events programs), movies, and think honestly about it.
I'll be posting a piece about ESPN, and also a piece about BET as part of the Viacom group. So stay tuned....but keep thinking!
Blackalicious show!
Hey all you wannabe hip-hop heads! Blackalicious is rolling in to town and playing a show at the Nightlight on Monday the 28th! If you are at all interested in hip-hop, come to this show. Perhaps you are like me and you already love Blackalicious and the Quannum crew. If that is the case, you'll be happy to hear that Blackalicious are bringing their own openers, which are probably up-and-coming Quannum artists. So come check it out! If you want a preview, I have a DVD of Blackalicious performing in Seattle. So come check that out if you want!
Tickets are $22, available at the Nightlight, Avalon, and various other establishments. You can check out the Nightlight's website if you want more info.
ALSO!!!!
The Nightlight just posted a show for June 15th! None other than GZA (the Genius) from the Wu-Tang Clan! If you aren't familiar with the Clan or GZA's solo work (start with Liquid Swords), then GET familiar! And them come to the show with me! Not too often that Bellingham gets any New York hip-hop.....
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
justice
"I don't have a minute to hate. I'm going to pursue justice for the rest of my life."
-Mamie Till
-Mamie Till
Mamie Till, in 1955, at the funeral for her son, spoke these prophetic and beautiful words to her fellow mourners and also to the unjust of the United States. She stood beside the open casket, where her son's head was five times its normal size, and spoke for true justice. Justice driven not through vendetta but by merciful grace and relentless concern for all man's well-being.
As I continue to change and grow, justice has, and probably always will stand at the forefront of what I am committed to and willing to sacrifice/restrain my own personal freedoms for. I hope that I can pursue justice in the same way that Mamie Till prophetically demanded herself to do. Look up the story of Mamie Till and her son Emmett. I won't post any links this time so you can find it yourself.
I deeply hope and soberly pray that we could all be so full of grace in our committments to justice and love. Life is a selfish and empty experience otherwise.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Gutterfly: the Original Soundtrack
Yesterday, Portland's finest, the Lifesavas dropped Gutterfly: the Original Soundtrack. I can immediately say that this concept album has not only a smoother listening flow than Spirit in Stone, but the production of the individual songs are far more complete. Spirit in Stone was like most debut albums for gifted hip-hop artists: a collection of excellent songs. With Gutterfly, JUMBO, Vurs, and Shines have given themselves the extra challenge of telling a story in film format, with only songs. They take on alter-egos throughout, but remain true to the essence of their hip-hop chemistry. Through only one listen, I heard references to Public Enemy, Tupac, Wu-Tang Clan, and many other lesser-known MCs. They don't bring in any other Quannum MCs which is odd, but they do have a wide collection of other underground stars like dead prez and Smif 'N Wessun. They even bring in Seattle's own Jake One to produce a few tracks, and if we know Jake One it is probably from his work on Gift of Gab's 4th Dimensional Rocket Ships Going Up, or his recent work with E-Real as Universoul. If you are an early fan of hip-hop this album probably wasn't made for you. I feel it was probably made for hip-hop heads, heads enveloped with headphones, hands busy scratching out hopeless rhymes, feet tapping to the snare. But it's great listening--so give 'er a spin!
The Lifesavas are celebrating their album release in Seattle on May 9th, at Neumo's. While Neumo's isn't exactly my favorite venue, the Lifesavas put on a great show (I've seen them twice) and it should be a ton of fun. There is a 21+ bar area and an all-ages area too, so everyone should come down with us and get crazy!
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
First Response to the Manifesto
04.16.2007
I've just begun reading An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, and already have been struck deeply--only one chapter and 32 quickly-consumed pages in. I sit, though shaking, in the East Holly Street downtown Bellingham Starbucks. They keep brewing Gold Coast, and I keep coming in to drink it.
Part One of my new book is written by Mark Scandrette ("a writer, spiritual teacher, executive director of ReIMAGINE"). He writes quite prophetically that as the Emerging friendship progresses, we must seek a deeper friendship than that which we've surely been left unsatisfied with. We need to have a more "Jesus friendship." He recognizes the mis-interpretations, mis-representations, and even the mis-givings and mis-guidedness of people who make up the Emergent conversation, while still clinging to the hope that their confusion, "lost-ness," and awkwardness will somehow bear a variety of good fruits in a world that we are all slowly recognizing is taken for granted and as a beautiful creation of God, deserves our true "Jesus friendship." Scandrette only skims over the current state that the Emergent conversation is born from and surely is a response to. This is probably best, bcause most of us interested are most likely critical and cynical to a fault. His no doubt conscious choice to move on with his submitted essay recognizes this over-critical nature of his audience, friends, and probably himself. I can only hope that any contributions and conversations I facilitate can do the same. Progress, in a progressive way, to the deep, tragicomic hope that Jesus allows us to have.
I have only recently felt interested in hosting "conversations" that cultivate a healthy, conscious awareness of how Christians are changing, and how we must change in the midst of such a chaotic culture. I am convicted to facilitate dialogue(s) among my peers that demand a more conscious approach to the language we employ to express our emotions, tell our stories, and flesh out our spirituality. Shedding language that contributes to the sterility of our faith can be the catalyst for shedding ourselves of anything else that deters us from a more genuine approach to God. I find that most of us are trying very, very hard to read the "right books," attend religiously the "right church," pray aloud the "right words," vote for the "right candidates/political party," have the "right friendships," the "right marriage," feel the "right way" about the "right controversies" and issues, pursue the "right degrees" that lead to the "right jobs," give the "right amounts" to the "right organizations/causes," and all with the "right attitude" and "right reflection" of God. That is just too much pressure. When submitted to that kind of pressure, one knows that he or she is bound to fail, and from that fear, we allow a shallow defensive pride to represent us to the world that we falsely accuse of pressing this weight upon us. So we tell everyone we know what book we read last (with little to say about it except that it was either "so good" & "you should read it," or that it was "not that great"), or that they should really come check out the church we idly attend, put bumper stickers on our vehicles that boastfully associate us with some politician we've never met (much less shared a meal with), subtly interject the fact that we tithe in to otherwise spiritual discussions, portray ourselves as missional renegades in money-hungry career fields, all the while casually sipping a latte, surfing the web, scrolling on our ipods, and feeling like we really ought to be reading our bibles.
We work and work and work, foolishly deceived into believing deeply that what God really wants us to be is tireless, relentlessly optimistic busybodies with an appreciation for our privilege but a secondary desire to share the privileges to anyone not born with such luck. True, serving out of conviction and the idea of potential shame is incomplete service. But perhaps we all need to start somewhere, and this is where the privileged class enters the age-old internal debate of what "service" is.
Do we know what God desires of us? Can we know, and translate that in to a tangible orthopraxy? Our bible only provides stories of how our ancestors responded to these critical internal wrestlings. We have to leave those in their own contexts. The only case in which we get to see an example of how God practiced life was of course, through the example of Jesus. Jesus responded to the Roman Empire and it's societal misgivings by having many conversations that sought manifestations of Truth, shared meals with the powerful & the powerless, and eventually accepted that his prayers and actions both would be held under the soveriegnty of his father, God. Jesus did not respond with pride, "right practice" alone, or monasticism. Nor mere criticism or righteous anger. Surely he employed these things in his time, but always understanding that all comes from God, and all shall return to God. So he refused to work to be right, and instead worked to honor the Truth by spreading it, one person, one meal, one conversation at a time. Let's look at this example, strip down all else, and let's do it now.
-hvc
I've just begun reading An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, and already have been struck deeply--only one chapter and 32 quickly-consumed pages in. I sit, though shaking, in the East Holly Street downtown Bellingham Starbucks. They keep brewing Gold Coast, and I keep coming in to drink it.
Part One of my new book is written by Mark Scandrette ("a writer, spiritual teacher, executive director of ReIMAGINE"). He writes quite prophetically that as the Emerging friendship progresses, we must seek a deeper friendship than that which we've surely been left unsatisfied with. We need to have a more "Jesus friendship." He recognizes the mis-interpretations, mis-representations, and even the mis-givings and mis-guidedness of people who make up the Emergent conversation, while still clinging to the hope that their confusion, "lost-ness," and awkwardness will somehow bear a variety of good fruits in a world that we are all slowly recognizing is taken for granted and as a beautiful creation of God, deserves our true "Jesus friendship." Scandrette only skims over the current state that the Emergent conversation is born from and surely is a response to. This is probably best, bcause most of us interested are most likely critical and cynical to a fault. His no doubt conscious choice to move on with his submitted essay recognizes this over-critical nature of his audience, friends, and probably himself. I can only hope that any contributions and conversations I facilitate can do the same. Progress, in a progressive way, to the deep, tragicomic hope that Jesus allows us to have.
I have only recently felt interested in hosting "conversations" that cultivate a healthy, conscious awareness of how Christians are changing, and how we must change in the midst of such a chaotic culture. I am convicted to facilitate dialogue(s) among my peers that demand a more conscious approach to the language we employ to express our emotions, tell our stories, and flesh out our spirituality. Shedding language that contributes to the sterility of our faith can be the catalyst for shedding ourselves of anything else that deters us from a more genuine approach to God. I find that most of us are trying very, very hard to read the "right books," attend religiously the "right church," pray aloud the "right words," vote for the "right candidates/political party," have the "right friendships," the "right marriage," feel the "right way" about the "right controversies" and issues, pursue the "right degrees" that lead to the "right jobs," give the "right amounts" to the "right organizations/causes," and all with the "right attitude" and "right reflection" of God. That is just too much pressure. When submitted to that kind of pressure, one knows that he or she is bound to fail, and from that fear, we allow a shallow defensive pride to represent us to the world that we falsely accuse of pressing this weight upon us. So we tell everyone we know what book we read last (with little to say about it except that it was either "so good" & "you should read it," or that it was "not that great"), or that they should really come check out the church we idly attend, put bumper stickers on our vehicles that boastfully associate us with some politician we've never met (much less shared a meal with), subtly interject the fact that we tithe in to otherwise spiritual discussions, portray ourselves as missional renegades in money-hungry career fields, all the while casually sipping a latte, surfing the web, scrolling on our ipods, and feeling like we really ought to be reading our bibles.
We work and work and work, foolishly deceived into believing deeply that what God really wants us to be is tireless, relentlessly optimistic busybodies with an appreciation for our privilege but a secondary desire to share the privileges to anyone not born with such luck. True, serving out of conviction and the idea of potential shame is incomplete service. But perhaps we all need to start somewhere, and this is where the privileged class enters the age-old internal debate of what "service" is.
Do we know what God desires of us? Can we know, and translate that in to a tangible orthopraxy? Our bible only provides stories of how our ancestors responded to these critical internal wrestlings. We have to leave those in their own contexts. The only case in which we get to see an example of how God practiced life was of course, through the example of Jesus. Jesus responded to the Roman Empire and it's societal misgivings by having many conversations that sought manifestations of Truth, shared meals with the powerful & the powerless, and eventually accepted that his prayers and actions both would be held under the soveriegnty of his father, God. Jesus did not respond with pride, "right practice" alone, or monasticism. Nor mere criticism or righteous anger. Surely he employed these things in his time, but always understanding that all comes from God, and all shall return to God. So he refused to work to be right, and instead worked to honor the Truth by spreading it, one person, one meal, one conversation at a time. Let's look at this example, strip down all else, and let's do it now.
-hvc
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Devendra + LB + Killa Bees = Kick-ass Bumbershoot
I was excited to read Bumbershoot 2007's partial lineup released last week! As always there is a decent mix of artists from various genres, including some of my favorites. Lyrics Born, straight out of Oakland, CA will be performing--here's to hoping he gets some of the other Quannum guys in the door, too--those could be some crazy shows. I saw him a while back at Neumo's in Seattle and he definitely is worth the price of admission.
Much to my surprise, the nine-and-only Wu-Tang Clan will be there. How many of them will actually show up o the day of is highly questionable, but for the reigning supergroup of New York hip-hop, I'll be happy with whatever I get. If you go make sure you are ready for some crazy fun combat rhyme slingin' and an even crazier crowd for sure.
Finally, I was actually happiest to see that Devendra Banhart is performing. The whole freak folk movement is moving forward as we speak, and it sure is fun to watch. Devendra is maybe the most visible member of the movement, but there is a lot of talent spread throughout. Another great band you could classify in that movement is DeVotchKa, and they're set to play too. So get down to Bumbershoot this year!
And remember, there's still plenty of more artists to be booked and announced over the Summer. You never know what could happen.
Check it out at Bumbershoot's official website.
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