Denzel Washington and the “Race Man” Syndrome

from the Washington Post (Outlook)

RACE MAN
Does Denzel Always Have to Represent?
by Mark Anthony Neal

For most of his career, Denzel Washington has been the epitome of a “race man” — a well-mannered, well-intentioned role model thoroughly committed to black uplift. He’s maintaining that tradition in “The Great Debaters,” a new film in which he plays a champion debate coach in the segregated South.

But his recent portrayal of the murderous Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas in “American Gangster,” following his Oscar-winning performance as the corrupt cop Alonzo in “Training Day,” has shaken his standing as a race man — and has prompted speculation that, after years of playing characters who symbolized African Americans’ mainstream acceptance, he’s finally selling out to a commercial culture eager to make a buck off of portraying black men as thugs.

That’s not how I see it. To me, the more important question that Washington’s career choices raise is: Why, as the nation grows to appreciate the many different ways of being black, do we still need race men at all?

“Race man” is a term from the beginning of the 20th century that describes black men of stature and integrity who represented the best that African Americans had to offer in the face of Jim Crow segregation. It has lost some of its resonance in a post-civil rights world, but it remains an unspoken measure of commitment to uplifting the race. Race men inspire pride; their work, their actions and their speech represent excellence instead of evoking shame and embarrassment. Thus the pundit Tavis Smiley and the Rev. Jesse Jackson (even with an illegitimate child) can be race men, whereas the comedian Dave Chappelle and the rapper/mogul Jay-Z can never be.

Sidney Poitier had impeccable race-man cred. The legendary black actor was one of the first to achieve mainstream success, and he never wavered. In films such as “The Defiant Ones” (1958), “In the Heat of the Night” (1967) and even “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967), he made us proud to be black. At the height of the black-power movement, when his articulate, educated and even affable characters were often measured against fiery political icons such as Malcolm X and the Black Panther leader H. Rap Brown, some blacks felt ambivalent about Poitier. But the actor’s willingness to support the civil rights movement appeased those who wanted a more radical image.

For the rest of the story, click here.

On NASCAR Suddenly Declining In Popularity

“Really? Even though more money and advertising time has been pumped into stock car racing than ever? Well, all right! USA! USA! USA!”

“People must have figured out that they can watch the cars driving by their house for free.”

“In possibly unrelated news, the national literacy rate is at an all-time high.”

TheOnion.com

 Today’s photo of the day shows Wyclef and his daughter. How great is this?

Source 

Today’s video of the day shows Prodigy with his 7-year-old son at a gun range. The rapper, who is headed to prison on weapons charges, is teaching his son how to kill people using a shotgun. Am I the only one disturbed by this? I think I’m feeling a Bill Cosby moment coming on….

Since the Katrina disaster, more than 3000 residents of public housing have been displaced around the nation. As I witnessed during a trip to New Orleans two weeks ago, many have been sleeping in tents across the street from City Hall. With FEMA closing more trailer parks by the week, the number of homeless New Orleaneans is skyrocketing. Instead of scrambling to find shelter for these people, New Orleans City Council voted yesterday to take away their homes permanently. In a move supported by Mayor Ray Nagin, the council voted to tear down the city’s 4 largest housing projects.

Similar to Chicago’s destruction of Cabrini Green, the decision will clear the way for the construction of “mixed” (economically, racially, etc.) developments. Although the logic of the move is to reduce crime and violence by eliminating high concentrations of poor and unemployed  families, history has demonstrated that economic and racial diversity has not been the final outcome. Rather, large numbers of poor families are displaced from their homes and systematically denied access to comparable housing. At the same time, high income families are encouraged to purchase newly built luxury homes in the immediate vicinity. For example, in Chicago, fewer than 20% of the reconstructed Cabrini Green is reserved for former residents.

In New Orleans, the outcome could be even more unfavorable for the city’s most vulnerable citizens. Based on yesterday’s meeting, fewer than 28% of the newly built units will house former residents. With the city’s average rent price increasing by 45%, few will be able to live in the city at all.

Somehow, this doesn’t feel like a coincidence.

What can we do?

• Call your Representative/Senator urging them to support the passage of SB 1668- the New Orleans Housing Recovery Act, currently awaiting a vote in the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. There is a list of phone numbers here: www.katrinaaction.org/node/293
• Contact the following New Orleans state officials:
  Council Members
  Arnie Fielkow (President)
  City Hall, Room 2W40
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1060
  Fax: (504) 658-1068
  Email:AFielkow@cityofno.com

  Jacquelyn Brechtel Clarkson (Vice President)
  City Hall, Room 2W50
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1070
  Fax: (504) 658-1077
  jbclarkson@cityofno.com

  Shelley Midura District A
  City Hall, Room 2W80
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1010
  Fax: (504) 658-1016
  Email:SMidura@cityofno.com

  Stacy S. Head District B
  City Hall, Room 2W10
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658 -1020
  Fax: (504) 658-1025
  Email:SHead@cityofno.com

  James Carter District C
  City Hall, Room 2W70
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1030
  Fax: (504) 658-1037
  Email: JCarter@cityofno.com

  Cynthia Hedge-Morrell District D
  City Hall, Room 2W20
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, Louisiana 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1040
  Fax: (504) 658-1048
  CHMorrell@cityofno.com

  Cynthia Willard-Lewis District E
  City Hall, Room 2W60
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  Phone: (504) 658-1050
  Fax: (504) 658-1058
  CWLewis@cityofno.com

  Mayor Ray Nagin
  New Orleans City Hall
  1300 Perdido Street
  New Orleans, LA 70112

  City Hall Operator: (504) 658-4000

• Go down to New Orleans and stand with the residents and their supporters!