Yes, dear reader, that probably means you. Especially if you have “reactionary” or “curmudgeon” in your username. Or if you’re Henry.
Today a new film called “Dear White People” opens. Set at an elite college campus, the film includes a prepped-out black protagonist and assorted other characters who look like this:
Here’s the trailer:
I read a review in The Village Voice. Apparently the movie’s not bad. It also posits that the minimum number of black friends a white person should have to prove they’re not racist has been upped from one to two.
I made friends at the golf range yesterday with a guy from Bhutan, but apparently other minorities don’t count. — CC
Even if you have 2 black friends, if you disagree with Obama’s policies – you’re a racist.
My first thought was a shallow one: “Was the cast able to keep their clothes?” My second was: “I’m looking forward to this show.” From the preview, the film touches on several interesting identity issues, including what it means to be preppy, African-American, and mixed race–all of which are rarely spoken about in conjunction with each other. Just like fashion “rules,” society has certain “rules” for how a person should look and behave based on their outward appearance. It makes complete sense I’m preppy, because I’m white; however, I’m also a science nerd, which is out of the ordinary for a woman. What happens when the apple cart gets upset? Our societal “rule” boundaries are pushed out a little further.
“Or if you’re Henry.”
Har!
Also, George, you’re right on the money. Remember, everyone who disagrees with Obama is a racist—just like these people.
And these people http://thyblackman.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/2014-BlackGOP.jpg
I have not seen the movie yet. However after seeing the trailer, I believe that the movie will be thought provoking while also being entertaining. I see this movie as not only addressing race relations between races and within the black community. I believe that it will spur great discussions all around. Thank you for this post, Christian.
You’re welcome. And thank you to Rachel. It’s not often we get comments from women, and hers was well thought-out and she signed her name to it. Anonymous snarkers take note.
It is nice to have a woman’s perspective and to have a woman participate.
@George
I’ve been single for 9 years now (I’ll turn 59 in December), and in that time have dated several black women–I’m white myself. They were in their mid-forties. Two were quite conservative. One was a Republican and was a project manager for a major defense contractor. I found quite a divergence of political views among these women, from very conservative to one who averred that George W. Bush planned 9/11 (that was a difficult date).
I judge people by the color of their clothes, not the color of their skin.
Christian and A.E.W. Mason,
Never have I received such warmth from fellow commentors and bloggers–thank you for being so generous with your kindness and inclusion.
Rachel
You have a nice blog, spent the last hour on it. No I’m not a crossdresser, but I’ll turn some “wemenz” friends on to it.
@RT
Not much hope for black either way, is there?
Well played, Chens. Well played.
Thank you, MAC. I just put up a menswear post featuring Mr. Dunbar sporting a Brooks Brothers suit he just got back from the tailor a few weeks go.
Far warning to other readers, he’s black.
On the contrary, Christian.
What I meant to say was that I do not look at the color of person’s skin when judging him, I look at his clothing. As you and I well know, many Black people dress in a far more civilized manner than many White people. I am reactionary in my taste in clothing, not in my racial attitudes. I am equally disgusted by Blacks and Whites who do not conform to my ideas of how civilized people should dress.
@Ms. Dunbar
You’re very welcome. I’d say this is a pretty civil blog. Look forward to hearing more from you.
I find millennials to be obnoxious, self involved, and uniformed, screeching about the unfairness of the world while ignoring their own blatant hypocrisies
The trailer for this movie does little to change that view.
Why does race have to be injected in everything these days?
At least once weekly, around Manhattan, I receive a compliment on the way I am dressed. More often than not, it is from a black person of a certain age.
“Why does race have to be injected in everything these days?”
Maybe because there’s huge structural racism in our society – in jobs markets, in housing markets, in our justice system, in mass media and entertainment, in health care. Perhaps in other domains as well.
Just sayin’.
Well, here we go with even MORE propaganda films. I think the ultimate goal with these films are to demonstrate to white women that black men are worthy of dating. What these kind of films won’t tell you, but the FBI statistics indirectly will, is that:
* You are more than 20 times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS from a black man than a white (even though black males are only about 6% of the U.S. population.
* You are 3 thousand times more likely to be raped and murdered by a black man than a white.
* Black men rape around 28 thousand white women a year; in contrast white men rape, on average, 0 black women a year.
* Black males aged 18-28 are about 4% of the U.S. population yet commit almost 70% of all violent crime.
Google is your friend.
I know, I’m a “racist” (say that word with a sheep bleating sound, haha) because I dare to point out FACTS. Hollywood can get you infected with a deadly illness, or raped and murdered.
Idealism often gets girls killed.
OK, speaking of propoganda, why was this comment left on a thread that stalled six weeks ago?
Because I just now found out about this film on your blog?
Facts are propaganda? I’m not twisting the facts, just presenting them. I will not apologize for telling European-American women the truth about the risks of dating (most) black men.
Not trying to make your wonderful blog a forum for racial politics, but is not the topic of our traditional American clothing (Ivy, Preppy, Trad) tied indelibly to our traditional American values? When people who dress like us are the laughing stock of the mass media –who never missed a chance to incite hatred and defame us for decades now — shouldn’t we hit back at their PC propaganda machine? Is it a crime to stand up for European-American interests? Isn’t the entire idea that it’s “wrong” a product of their hateful propaganda against us? How “tolerant” does one have to be? Do I have to tow the multiculturalist party line to be a “True Prep”?
We can either push back or be destroyed by sacrificing our (genuinely felt) values on the altar of their political correctness.
It’s your blog and I can respect that. Your something of a public figure and likely don’t wish to be associated with these kind of comments. Nor do I assume that you agree with my views at all. I’ll try to stick to your more neutral posts.
I appreciate Ivy-Style not censoring comments.
My guess is a reaction to the current news cycle, the air time giving to race hustlers and the “hands up, dont shoot”‘ meme. It also speaks to Hollywood’s constant leftist slant.
I personally ascribe to the Golden Rule when dealing with individuals with the understanding that the world is a dangerous place.
Unfortunately, I learn from the race academics that this in a “white priviledge” attitude and subconsciously racist, who knew? I’ve also learned from MSNBC, I’m part of the “white patriarchy”, which means sexist, misogynistic and a supporter of “rape culture”.
The film, I thought it was just a film and a hoot.