tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post4761334458702729905..comments2024-02-10T18:19:36.406-08:00Comments on Newspaper Rock: What's so wrong about Kesha?Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-24125159491775372242010-03-23T19:30:19.141-07:002010-03-23T19:30:19.141-07:00It doesn't matter if Indians are native to Ame...It doesn't matter if Indians are native to America and Zulus aren't. Kesha is free to appropriate any image from around the world. So why not dress up as a reasonably accurate version of a 19th-century Zulu warrior?<br /><br />The "American cultural commons" is a fictional construct, not a tangible reality. Who says you get to determine whether it exists and what's in it? Not me.<br /><br />If this "commons" exists, it includes Uncle Toms, Aunt Jemimas, and Little Black Sambos as well as Indian chiefs, braves, and princesses. If one set of stereotypes is okay, so is the other. If one is wrong, they both are.<br /><br />If I'd been blogging before 2000, I probably would've criticized the Village People, Adam Ant, and Cher. I occasionally dip into history to criticize old TV shows such as <i>Bonanza</i> and <i>Get Smart</i>. If Adam Ant comes up in some context, I still may criticize him.<br /><br />You say "blackface is an exercise in role play and caricature, it's clearly offensive and explicitly promotes stereotypes"? So is <a href="http://www.bluecorncomics.com/2009/02/brief-history-of-redface.html" rel="nofollow">redface</a>, the century-old practice of non-Indians dressing up as Indians. Same idea, same offense.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01478763837213733775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-29123280458990495612010-03-21T18:16:03.291-07:002010-03-21T18:16:03.291-07:00If the Zulu were native American in origin, Ke$ha,...If the Zulu were native American in origin, Ke$ha, as an American pop Star, could very likely have appropriated a Zulu icon for her outfit.<br /><br />My counter argument, because I am a creative guy and believe I have the freedom to use American Indian themes in my work if I chose, is that the American Indian, both in reality and even in racist caricature, it is a part of the American identity and is now, in the 21st century, part of the American cultural commons. America puts American Indians on currency even. It's therefore blameless to take advantage of what is already of the American cultural commons.<br /><br />This reality is not without controversy, how dare American Indian Culture exist as American culture!- but it is so. Sacajawea on the coin dollar no less, the Indian head nickel too.<br /><br />Ke$ha's performance, I suppose I'm a retrograded racist - I don't understand the charge of racism in this context. I get 'cultural appropriation' perhaps, but that's what happens to cultures. <br /><br />The headdress wasn't used in racist role play, as in 'blackface', because Ke$ha never stepped outside of her role as sexy white girl pop star. <br /><br />The stereotyping charge: Ke$a's a girl in that headdress contrary to stereotype. The outfit alone is the basis for complaint and is limited to a headdress and 2 strokes of 'war paint'.<br /><br />Adam Ant, back in the 80's used to strut around like a 1700's European dandy wearing American Indian war paint - was that just as offensive?<br /><br />Blackface is an exercise in role play and caricature, it's clearly offensive and explicitly promotes stereotypes. <br /><br />I mean, if Ke$ha wore an afro wig, while strutting around as a sexy white pop star - I don't see Black people charging her with racism or doing black face.myk5https://www.blogger.com/profile/17078244353554279781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29769707.post-23179840728580264392010-03-21T08:56:13.835-07:002010-03-21T08:56:13.835-07:00I supposed one reason why this Ke$ha buffoon didn&...I supposed one reason why this Ke$ha buffoon didn't want to dress up like a 19th century "Zulu" warrior, honoring blackfaces is probably because she didn't want to start another riot. Can't have that, so she chose Natives to insult. "Uncivilized" and "savages"? Well, at least we don't throw up riots in the streets nor unlike the tea party goers, we don't cause massive social discord at townhall meetings with nonsensical rants and paranoid screams. Instead, we confront these racist stereotypers with dialogue and through cultural correctness education. But is it possible to educate retrograded racists? <br /><br />--GENO--Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com