Photos taken during "costume day" at Bestival, Isle of Wight, Summer 07
Ohhhhhhh snizzap, me and my fat fingers. It appears that I got a bit too real in my previous post about M.I.A. which won me this gem of a comment. Now I don't usually respond to anonymous negative opinions because that's about a step above having an argument on GChat, but I do feel like this particular situation gives me a good opportunity to follow up on subject matter that some of my writing has revolved around lately.


So my M.I.A. post as well as something I wrote on thickwitness the other day have both centered on the subject of white people. It's true, I do write about white people sometimes. I live in the United States, and there are a lot of you here. Usually I try to make sure that I provide context and background information as to where I'm coming from, and I feel like I've done a pretty good job not sounding like a dumbass. But over all, lets clear some air about this: Do I dislike white people? Not at all. Do I appreciate my white fans? Of course I do. But if I ever get on stage and see a crowd full of white people pushing Asian folks out of the way to get to the front, will I cause a ruckus? Indubitably.


I don't think there's anything wrong with white people digging M.I.A., or anyone else for that matter. I don't really reflect much about Stuff White People Like, and I wouldn't act like my opinion on that matters anyway. However, I do think there's a problem when white people view someone like M.I.A. as the dish of the day, and meanwhile a large proportion of White America still can't tell the difference between a Sri Lankan and an Iraqi. I think that it's a disgusting display of privilege when hipsters from Orange County can dance to the type of music that they were mocking and ridiculing South Asian kids for up until Urban Outfitters said it was cool. White American culture likes to hold up the red light on cultural tidbits until it finds a way to commodify, market, and claim them as their own. As a result, we live in a world where Gwen Stefani can rock mendhis while Pakistani Americans are harassed amidst post-9/11 rage. We exist in an age where white folks are getting star shine off having band names like The Muslims and Black Kids, while actual Muslims are locked in American detainment camps as suspected terrorists and actual black kids still find nooses where they sit. These labels and cultural artifacts and music that are today's fads are things that people throughout the world have endured relentless turmoil just for the right to exercise. So I find it incredibly twisted when I'm standing in a crowd waiting for M.I.A. and I see a huge white dude shove two Indian girls out of the way so he can see better.


What I saw at Saturday's show was a rude awakening that we haven't progressed much since the days when black folks in Birmingham had to sit in the back to watch Ray Charles play. Nowadays, you don't need a "Whites Only" sign when the white people are physically tossing the colored folks aside. Yes, people are trying to have a good time, but at whose expense? At whose exploitation? I've lived through enough Jet Li movie premieres to know that just because people are clapping to your movies and dancing to your music doesn't mean that they're embracing your culture. After the show, how many of these people are actually taking heed to the message in M.I.A.'s music that details the harsh sociopolitical atmosphere of these countries that are, like, sooo eccentric? While you wave around your glowsticks and self-entitlement, the people described in the music are still rebuilding their tsunami-stricken homes, and your diverse iTunes selection isn't doing anything for them.




Anyway, aside from that whole thing I'd like to point out that this is my blog with my personal thoughts and opinions, and until I sell this to the Fox Network I'm going to continue speaking from my own perspective, unabashed. In the meantime, if you're looking for a blog that you can read without risk of being offended, I can kindly redirect you to this.

Dealt with it.