CNN's Black In America

[Gengiswump]

Sure - and it's been done.  I just think that biting off all that, as CNN did, is just a recipe for disappointment.  For everyone.

[Julie Fern]

yeah, but at least they addressing something important.

julie would like see stuff on whether racial prejudice exists.  many white people would say not, and even claim that whites ones actually at disadvantage.  it seem julie that big hump that need be overcome.

[Gengiswump]

I think that would be a worthwhile project, but I have to wonder if it would actually change anyone's mind.

/pessimism

[Julie Fern]

maybe if trick them into watching it.

[vjm]

I caught part of it this weekend, and while it was definitely a superficial take on complicated subjects, I think there was value there.

It was a surprise to me that a black male job applicant was on equal footing with a white male applicant with a felony conviction. That seems horrendous.

I actually appreciated that they brought up the disparity in treatment within the black community of darker and lighter skinned people. I had heard about this, but had never actually seen it in practice until I worked as an assistant in public school. The teacher I worked with was black, and it was depressing to see her preferences acted out in the classroom. Most light skinned kids or blond, white kids were always her favorites (and, yeah, she acted on that), while usually the most darkskinned child in the class got picked on. There was some difference in treatment depending on the child's behavior, but by and large, the preferences were pretty obvious.

Sad to see it passed onto another generation,and especially from a teacher.

The content of the CNN piece was probably most useful to people who do not have much/ any contact with black Americans. I am sure there were more surprises in there for folks who don't live it every day.

And, Miss P, thanks for the link. You are an awesome resource, as usual.

[Nande]

I think that would be a worthwhile project, but I have to wonder if it would actually change anyone's mind.

/pessimism

I concur.  I only watched the first part...still haven't watched the one on black men.

One thing that I did like to see, was the family who had managed to send all five (or six?) of their students to college.  I could understand their story since my mother also made the decision to send me to schools out of the 'hood.  The beauty of magnet schools....

I caught part of it this weekend, and while it was definitely a superficial take on complicated subjects, I think there was value there.

It was a surprise to me that a black male job applicant was on equal footing with a white male applicant with a felony conviction. That seems horrendous.

That is surprising....

I actually appreciated that they brought up the disparity in treatment within the black community of darker and lighter skinned people. I had heard about this, but had never actually seen it in practice until I worked as an assistant in public school. The teacher I worked with was black, and it was depressing to see her preferences acted out in the classroom. Most light skinned kids or blond, white kids were always her favorites (and, yeah, she acted on that), while usually the most darkskinned child in the class got picked on. There was some difference in treatment depending on the child's behavior, but by and large, the preferences were pretty obvious.

Sad to see it passed onto another generation,and especially from a teacher.

That's a damn shame it had to come from a teacher.  I'm not surprised, it existed in my own family. We have the White Smiths* who are light (creole) and then there are of course the Black Smiths who...aren't lol.  (No lie that's what we say when we refer to the different sides of the family.)  But when you make it seem as though someone is BETTER just because they are lighter...  I'm just real disappointed with that teacher.  ESPECIALLY being in a postion of influence like that.  That runs me hot since so many images continue to feed into that mindset and I have to deal with a 7yr old cousin who claims she isn't as pretty as my niece because her hair isn't long. WTH!  /end rant

Sorry...I agree with your comment though 

[vjm]

It made me very, very sad. Especially since so many parents were thrilled to have a black teacher, assuming that it would support their kids forming positive images of black Americans.

Yeah...not.