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	iamnotyourmuse 2009-06-30 04:54 pm UTC (link)
	That is really awesome. (Reply to this)

	notjo 2009-06-30 04:56 pm UTC (link)
	I love a lot of Jay's stuff. I'm at work right now, and the site is blocked, but if you go into his YouTube you should be able to find his one about "The Gay Rapper", which is equally amazing. (Reply to this)

	dez_chan 2009-06-30 04:56 pm UTC (link)
	Win! (Reply to this)

	re_weird 2009-06-30 05:05 pm UTC (link)
	All of his stuff is good. He even has Palin and Biden in a rap battle and it's funny. (Reply to this)

esorlehcar
2009-06-30 05:16 pm UTC (link)

If that's the piece I think it is (youtube is blocked at work, so I can't be sure), I think it's wonderful, but I also think that it's not necessarily all that likely to work in many cases. Look at how many people did exactly that during RaceFail and what the response was. It's why the tone argument is so insidious--in a hell of a lot of cases, it doesn't matter what you say or how you say it, it will always be taken, or at least responded to, as if you said, "You are a dirty racist/sexist/homophobe who should rot in hell."

It's one of the things I find most frustrating about trying to talk about these issues in canon--people routinely interpret "This text has some serious race/gender/sexuality/whatever issues" as "You are a horrible person for liking it and should never show you face in polite society again," despite the fact that the person saying it usually also likes the text in question.

I don't know. I love his commentary, and I think he has a lot of really smart, interesting things to say, and I'm sure there are plenty of people this technique would work on. I just haven't often seen it, following stuff like this in fandom.

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kijikun
2009-07-01 06:26 am UTC (link)

It's one of the things I find most frustrating about trying to talk about these issues in canon--people routinely interpret "This text has some serious race/gender/sexuality/whatever issues" as "You are a horrible person for liking it and should never show you face in polite society again," despite the fact that the person saying it usually also likes the text in question.

I had this reaction with Revenge of the Fallen, until my friend hit me over the head. I always feel like I should apologize for liking Pretty Woman.

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kookaburra
2009-07-01 12:51 pm UTC (link)

Thank god it wasn't just me with that movie. I loved it, and I'm a bigbig fan of Transformers, but that doesn't mean I can't also realize that there was pretty blatant racial caricatures in the movie. (Also, the Cairo: modern city, not just sand and goats!) And it frustrates me because so much of my flist is going "NONONOTHEREISN'TTHEY'REROBOTS!" Dude. You are not a horrible person if you liked the movie. /I/ liked the movie. It still has major, major issues, and denying that makes you look like you're burying your head in the sand.

*ahem* sorry, I'll clean up. I've just been biting my (metaphorical) tongue on this for a week now. Anyone have a tissue?

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	soupspooks 2009-07-01 05:43 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. And here I thought I was the only one with a few issues over how certain TFs behaved. I haven't seen anyone else comment on it, and I'm generally unfamiliar with standard racist tropes so I wasn't sure if I was imagining it or not. :x (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

kookaburra
2009-07-01 08:28 pm UTC (link)

My unfamiliarity with racial tropes is the reason I can't believe that other people are sticking their heads in the sand over it- if I, someone who had to have the use of blackface in a webcomic pointed out to her, and is generally completely oblivious to such things, (y helo thar white privilege) felt uncomfortable? Then there's something pretty egregious going down.

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	kijikun 2009-07-01 09:18 pm UTC (link)
	The twins were so over the top I'm not sure how people MISSED that. Part of me really really hope's they were making a point about how potc are used as comic relief in action movies (and I swear their voices were the same as the actor from Fifth Element), given how over the top they were. I'm sadly probably wrong. :( We won't even speak of Wheelie. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

soupspooks
2009-07-02 09:22 pm UTC (link)

I think it's because the vast majority of people will project "themselves" onto non-humans. IE, if they're white, when they "humanize" a non human, they will generally make them their own ethnicity. So they view the twins through the filter of them being white and don't make the connection.

And, I guess, you also have to ask: are you really stereotyping a black person, if the person who's the stereotype is not black, or even human? If they aren't even human, doesn't that just make them a being who's behaving in X fashion? And what about automatically associating their type of speech pattern (poor grammar, slang, and general indications that they aren't too bright) with black people? Is that right?

All I know is that I have very mixed feeling over them.

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	kijikun 2009-07-01 09:15 pm UTC (link)
	nods You can recognize a movie that has some problems and issues with gender, race or sexuality, but still enjoy watching the movie. The key is to recognize those issues and realize the movie has these flaws. And to be able and willing to talk about those issues. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	sandglass 2009-07-03 06:17 pm UTC (link)
	With one of the podcasts I listen to, the conversation basically went like this: "I didn't find them that racist." "But don't they speak Jive?" "Yeah, but" "And doesn't one of them have a gold tooth?" "Yeah, but" "And aren't they illiterate?" "Yeah, but I wasn't offended by them." Apparently racism and racist caricatures are totally different things. (Reply to this)(Parent)

coffee_mug
2009-07-01 05:51 pm UTC (link)

True, true. I find it ever-so-frustrating to have the arguments of "no, I'm not saying you hate people of color, I'm just saying what you said/did reflects the kind of racist ideology/white privilege we need to become aware of and steer away from in order not to offend" to people who think so long as they don't use the n-word, they're not being racist. (I don't live in the US but a 90% raciallyðnically homogenic society so I run into these situations a lot.)

One of my friends did their thesis on white liberal guilt and how offended some white liberals would get at PoC's trying to have these kind of "what you did/said was racist" discussions. The defensiveness is really unfortunate and makes even smarter people sound like utter retards.

It's never an easy conversation to have, but I think Jay's point is fundamental; to not get caught up in the "what you are" conversation, because that's ultimate the one people would rather talk their way out of.

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aliaras
2009-07-04 03:04 am UTC (link)

Oh man, I so wish I could read that thesis. Because that stuff makes it difficult to have conversations, even with "allies."

Me, I still have an essay lurking in my head about why "Mood Rings" by Relient K is a misogynist piece of crap, but that doesn't mean I hate anyone who likes it. I like "Crazy Bitch" by Buckcherry, and that's at least as bad. I just want the people I talk to about it to go, "Y'know, it does have some gender problems. Catchy as hell, though," instead of "Well, but, but..."

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	kylenne 2009-06-30 06:00 pm UTC (link)
	I think my favorite Jay commentary was on the whole "no homo" thing. Dude is awesome in general, though. (Reply to this)

	persona 2009-06-30 07:30 pm UTC (link)
	I'm saving this link, as this video is excellent. I'm definitely going to look up the rest of his commentaries. (Reply to this)

	erototoxin 2009-06-30 07:53 pm UTC (link)
	I heard him on NPR - first time I've heard from him, but he seems extremely cool. Good sensible advice on the racism thing, IMO. (Reply to this)

	lab 2009-06-30 10:34 pm UTC (link)
	He's fab. I really love his "No Homo" commentary. (Reply to this)

	lilgoala 2009-06-30 11:17 pm UTC (link)
	Ok, I just watched No Homo and The Gay Hip-Hop Book, and... I just can't even express how much I admire this person. "When we find ourselves believing that killing a man makes us more of a man but loving a man makes us less of a man, [etc.]"? Jesus Christ, that's fucking brilliant. (Reply to this)(Thread)

	lilgoala 2009-06-30 11:27 pm UTC (link)
	Oh god, the more I watch, the more I love him! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	kelmendi 2009-07-02 01:01 am UTC (link)
	Have you watched "The Truth About Perez Hilton & Miss California?" I am crying with laughter. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	coffee_mug 2009-07-01 05:42 pm UTC (link)
	I had that as a Facebook status for the longest time (okay, nearly a week which is long in Facebook time) because it was so well-said. (Reply to this)(Parent)

faultypremise
2009-06-30 11:55 pm UTC (link)

Funny you should post this. I spent the majority of the day listening to two of my coworkers discuss Michael Jackson's children and how they are too white to actually be related to him. This went on /all day/. Up until my coworker noticed one of the patients looked like someone from a Terminator movie and then they got on a tangent of how Russians are all white.

Thank god for pandora.com, a set of earphones in my desk and the ability to plug in and tune them both out.

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	lilgoala 2009-07-01 03:26 am UTC (link)
	What? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 03:45 am UTC (link)
	I know. That about sums up my reaction as well. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	finchbird 2009-07-01 04:28 am UTC (link)
	One of my best friends is an albino Indian-Canadian-American (Canadian-born Indian who just became a U.S. citizen) who dealt with that kind of stuff growing up. they got on a tangent of how Russians are all white. headdesk Another friend recommended pandora.com less than a week ago. It's amazing! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 04:50 am UTC (link)
	This isn't the first time these two darlings have gotten onto weird racist or classist conversations. I'm tired of listening to them and hope they both lose the ability to verbally speak one of these days and have to chatter on with hand signals. At least then I could get some work done in relative peace. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 04:50 am UTC (link)
	Also, yeah, I love pandora.com. Got several radio stations set up playing exactly what I like. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	bigbigtruck 2009-07-01 10:30 pm UTC (link)
	For some reason, it keeps throwing Swedish death metal into my Arvo Part/Philip Glass station. :I (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 11:46 pm UTC (link)
	Send it my way, I love Swedish death metal. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	tree 2009-07-01 08:07 am UTC (link)
	I'm going to step away from the unfunny and just express extreme envy at you having access to Pandora. I had the misfortune of trying it out while it was still available everywhere, got totally hooked, and now I can not has! wails (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 01:25 pm UTC (link)
	Now you cannot has? (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	tree 2009-07-01 02:49 pm UTC (link)
	No, it will only work if your IP is in the States. There are workarounds via VPNs and whatnot (proxies fail with Flash-based streaming sites), but most of them require you to have somebody in the States who'll host the tunnel for you, and it's just too much fuss to listen to some music. Crap. :( (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 11:55 pm UTC (link)
	Licensing likely. Oh that makes me sad for you. :( (Reply to this)(Parent)

	chasethecat 2009-07-04 04:23 am UTC (link)
	The Hotspot Shield is heaven-sent, I think. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	kosaginolegion 2009-07-01 10:51 pm UTC (link)
	I'd just like to thank you for mentioning Pandora. I am now a happy little music listener. Not that I didn't have tons of music on my iTunes but now I can find other songs that I like. Yum! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	faultypremise 2009-07-01 11:56 pm UTC (link)
	I know, I've bought so much music off iTunes that I've discovered on Pandora. It is the bestest. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	profsmith 2009-07-01 08:20 am UTC (link)
	Why oh WHY did I read the YouTube comments? Will I never learn? headdesk (Reply to this)

coffee_mug
2009-07-01 05:55 pm UTC (link)

Love this dude. His blog made me seek out more hiphop blogs and commentary on modern American hiphop, its variety and smart individuals who comment on its happenings. I used to be prejudiced against hiphop because I had serious issues with the homophobia and misogyny of some of the hiphop scene and lyrics, but the more I look into it, the more good stuff I find that doesn't offend me in the least.

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	eleutheria 2009-07-02 12:40 am UTC (link)
	Do you have any good links? I love hip-hop and am trying to seek out the better stuff and the better commentary. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	par_avion 2009-07-02 07:02 am UTC (link)
	Jay is extrememely cool: he's a DJ on WBAI, and he comments about hip-hop culture in his blog and elsewhere, but he is not a rapper. (Reply to this)

darsynia
2009-07-03 04:55 am UTC (link)

I was busy with the baby and hadn't gone to look up the entry but I heard the piece on NPR and I completely agree, it sounded fabulous--and now that I've had a chance to listen to it, I have GOOSEBUMPS. It doesn't hurt that his voice is INCREDIBLY easy to listen to and he is one of the most articulate people I've ever heard on the internet, which sounds like a backhanded compliment but I swear it isn't! The wallet comparison is fantastic, and the point about 'you don't want to accuse someone of that because you might be right' is SUCH a good point.

I think I need to add this guy to my daily checking-the-web roundup, because I'm very, very impressed.

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