I'm getting personal...this past Monday, I was thrilled to have been invited to ride on a float as a "Public Figure" in the Martin Luther King Jr. day Parade. No real surprise there...I'm black, and technically a Public Figure (using the term loosely) so of course I was invited. Oh but wait, here is the surprise to most...I wasn't invited by a Good ole Baptist Black church or the Local NAACP of whom I have much respect for. I wasn't invited by the Association of Black Attorneys or for that matter any majority Black organization or association.
I was invited by the GOP, yes you got it...The GRAND OLE PARTY....for those of you whom are still lost...that's the official title of the Republican Party. I accepted as I have for the last several years...some of which I've actually had to wear a bullet proof vest, being the only African American on the float. Oh sure, many Black Politicians visit the float before the parade and shake hands and we all "fellowship" I won't name names....but its rare than any of them actually stick around to be seen on or near the float once it is rolling in front of the public eye!
I digress; here is my REAL PERSONAL COMPLAINT! You see during all parades there is a point in which each float passes a large press stage of announcers, usually community leaders and or some group claiming to be a community group. At which time they announce the passing float over the loud speakers, making mention of the organization, association or business responsible for its decoration or at the very least naming them as participants in the parade. However something I consider extremely RACIST occurred this year at the parade right here in Las Vegas....I'm not sure if many noticed...but I did....being the only Black person on the float and being subject to the BOOS and derogatory comments from parade goers and those of whom we passed.
I know for a fact that that the negative comments were directed at me as I was the only one they could have been directed at when you hear things like..."Whats a Brother doing up there?" "Oh look at this Bougie brother" and the like. Actually I took a position of pleasure when the same overweight lady asked "And who is Ben Carson" then in the same breath immediately screamed "Hey, Ronald Mc Donald". Go figure!
I expect that response from the general public whom have no obligation to conduct themselves with any decorum...but upon passing the stage.....the announcers conveniently ignored the GOP float altogether and immediately began to impress upon the audience the next float and its mascot...you got it. Mc Donalds and Ronald Mc Donald.
My plan is to file a complaint against the announcers and the "community" group they represented with the city and request nothing less than a public apology. Imagine if a group of white announcers completely ignored the NAACP float in the St. Patricks Day Parade or what have you.
1 comment:
It has long been propaganda that only white people are racist. Of course not true, black, brown, yellow and red can be racists too. I as a white person have noticed massive black racism against the other colors (especially whites)-they even have the black caucus in our Congress--what else can that be about?
I remember back in the 1970s a couple of black friends from Nigeria in college told me "Jim, Americans have no idea of real racism, they should see the tribal racism in our and other nations in Africa--we kill each other over it."
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