Gabrielle Douglas (December 31st 1995- ) is an American gymnast. She won two gold medals at the 2012 Olympics: team all-around and individual all-around in women’s gymnastics.
The individual all-around is the highest achievement in her field. She is the first black woman and, in fact, the first woman of colour ever to win it. Till now it had been white girls all the way, like Nadia Comăneci in 1976 and Mary Lou Retton in 1984.
Till Douglas the only black American woman to win any sort of Olympic gold medal in women’s gymnastics was Dominque Dawes in 1996. That was for team all-around.
President Obama called Douglas and said:
You just tore it up. I know how hard you worked to get there. Keep at it. Stay cool.
Beyonce and Condoleezza Rice were proud too. Dominique Dawes cried tears of joy.
Kellogg’s lost no time putting her picture on their boxes of Corn Flakes.
But Bob Costas of NBC television (which covers the Olympics for America) said:
While, in light of how far things have come, it’s not that remarkable, it is still worth noting.
After her win NBC showed an ad with a monkey doing gymnastics. (They later apologized.)
Earlier when white teammate Aly Raisman was on the vault NBC said, “That was an AMAZING vault! She’s off to a good start!” But for Douglas it was just, “That wasn’t great … but she’ll take it” – for a near-perfect performance that scored higher!
A few hours after Douglas won the gold she went on the Internet: people on Twitter were complaining about – her hair!
In representing the country at the Olympics she compares herself to her father who is fighting for the country in Afghanistan.
At age three she was doing amazing cartwheels. At seven she was doing such daring tricks off the furniture that her mother sought professional help and got her proper gymnastic training. At eight she saw the 2004 Olympics and knew she wanted to be in it.
At 14 she was placing in the top ten at national events. She had outgrown her coach in her hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia. She knew that to win at the Olympics she had to go big and go all out. That meant training with Liang Chow who lived over a thousand miles away in Iowa.
Chow liked her courage and determination. He found a host family for her to live with, the Partons. Under his coaching she became like a new person. Now she was placing in the top ten internationally.
But by Christmas 2011 she had become so homesick she wanted to quit and come back home. Her mother said,
Life is not easy. You have to fight and just refuse to quit.
Every morning and every evening her mother sent her Scripture to meditate on. Her faith in God gave her the faith and the confidence to go on.
By early 2012 she was outscoring even the world champion, fellow American Jordyn Wieber.
Thanks to Peanut for suggesting this topic.
See also:
Abagond 
Gabby Douglas…another welcome addition to my Chocolate Queendom 🙂
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Congrats to her!
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Abagond wrote:
when white teammate Aly Raisman was on the vault NBC said, “That was an AMAZING vault! She’s off to a good start!” But for Douglas it was just, “That wasn’t great … but she’ll take it” – for a near-perfect performance that scored higher!
Menelik asks:
do you not now see how it is only by SUBTRACTING from the achievements of Black people? What you described wasn’t an example of white racism but of the SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF WHITE SUPREMACY. Unfortunately for the white US commentators, the judges did not co-sign their fanciful nonsense lol
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This was a good post highlighting Gabby Douglas’s achievement. No one should downplay or underestimate the Incredible Feat Gabby Douglas has achieved. An equivalent for comparison would be the French 100/200m runner Christophe Lemaitre beating Usian Bolt in both these events
http://human-stupidity.com/stupid-dogma/racial-differences-intelligence/black-white-100m-race-christophe-lemaitre
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Execellent! This young girl is such an inspiration!! What courage, at the age of 14 to move so far from home to pursue your dreams. I’m a 22 yr old adult and I don’t know I have it in me to move so far to pursue anything.
LOL at NBC and their commentators trying to underscore her. SMH, this girl made Olympic and American history and that’s the best Costas can say? Can’t say I’m surprised NBC coverage these games leaves a lot to be desired.
At any rate, WAY TO GO GABBY!
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Her performance looked effortless and was flawless IMO.
A well deserved achievement.
@Abagond
Whilst NBC might have apologised, what was their ‘rationale’ for putting the ad on?
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Doubtless, the offensive advert was made weeks or months B4 Miss Douglas came to international prominence, and was scheduled to be aired B4 she was even considered a gold medal prospect. It just seemed like a tragic, though offensive, coincidence to me.
I’m just saying
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Abagond,
I live in the Virginia Beach area and, locally, they have gone as far as digging up her mother’s bankruptcy that she filed last year. As if it has anything to do with Gabby winning. People should know how taxing and monetarily stressful it is to be an elite athlete. If you don’t have mega money sponsors, you are living pay check to pay check in hopes that one day you make it big enough to get sponsors and endorsements. Most elite athletes make around 10k-20k a year and that is with odd jobs and such. I applaud Gabby and her family for taking on such a daunting task. I know my parents wouldn’t have had the resources or the patience to to make me an elite BMX rider. as musch as i wanted to be one, for my famiuly, buying me a $300-$400 bike, plus race entry fees and everything that comes with it was not an option. It was having a roof over my head, food and electricity (most of the time) or maybe take a chance on my son who is the only little black kid on the track. It’s a hard decision.
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It’s no wonder that there are so little Black athletes in other sports other than running and basketball, they make it so very apparent that we aren’t accepted and welcome. And when we do excel, it can’t be because of our own talent, skills or intellect, no it has to be because “affirmative action” or some “blind side” type white intervention.
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Super congradulation to Gabby, and, I hope she can cash in and help her mom.
As I said on another thread, I remember when if you were black, you werent suposed to play quarter back…..whites were suposed to be the expert long distance runners…..I have seen some dumb reports I havent even looked into that there were comments about her hair….gees
I hope her father comes home safe from Afghanistan
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That promo commercial was likely shot months ago. How unfortunate that NBC should give in to oversensitive hysteria. One could argue that it’s even more racist to NOT show something involving monkeys simply because an earlier program involved black people.
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@Claude
…..they have gone as far as digging up her mother’s bankruptcy that she filed last year
What, does this discredit her as person I wonder? *SMH* As a parent myself with very active children, I am often paying hand over fist for their involvment in these things.
I invest in my children because I believe in them and their abilities. My mother didnt have the resources to support me in any activities either and, to be fair, at the time not many children did do extra curricular things – you went out playing with your mates.
I have such admiration for Sports people though. Some people are gifted with natural skill and ability but others do have to work that little bit harder. Either way, what an inspiration 🙂
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@Randy
What a fantastic achievment for Gabby Douglas in winning 2 Gold medals for the U.S – dontcha think?
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Demerera,
Absolutely. Her handstand fault on the bars last night was just heartbeaking.
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@ Demerera
The ad was for a new television show on NBC, “Animal Practice”. It is apparently a sitcom about a veterinarian. One of the characters is a monkey. They gave the ad an Olympic theme to go along with their Olympic coverage. The ad had been shown before but not right after a black athlete won a medal. Much less for gymnastics.
NBC says it was an accident. No doubt the ad was made months ago.
On the other hand, most Americans watch the Olympics in the evening when NBC shows the highlights – which is in the middle of the night London time. So NBC has six hours or more to get it right.
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@ Randy
Unfortunately that kind of stuff is not as harmless as you seem to think:
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/02/25/black-people-as-monkeys/
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@abagond
The ad was for a new television show on NBC, “Animal Practice”. It is apparently a sitcom about a veterinarian.
Thanks for the clarification.
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Abagond,
I have no doubt that such imagery is dehumanizing when used deliberately. I’m referring to situations where by pure random chance that a situation like this would occur.
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She is 16 and at the top of her game…. Not many people can say that. As Usain Bolt says, “Let them talk, that’s all they can do.”
I feel sorry for her though, unlike her competitors, she will have to deal with the fact she is black and “they” are “probably” racist.
At least in track and field, if your black you don’t feel out of place.
Also at the end of the team event, I saw all the girls hugging each other and at the time I didn’t know who Gabby was, just noticed her as the token black girl. I noticed how no one ran to hug her, she had to wait whilst the rest were busy hugging each other.
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@wilson
Also at the end of the team event, I saw all the girls hugging each other and at the time I didn’t know who Gabby was, just noticed her as the token black girl. I noticed how no one ran to hug her, she had to wait whilst the rest were busy hugging each other.
As much as we are all acutely aware that racism can and does still rear its ugly head even in this day and age, I hope that what you noticed was an anomaly in terms of her general relationship with her comrades. It is also possible that they succumbed to bitchiness that young girls and women are adept at, particularly when ‘competing’ for something.
At least in track and field, if your black you don’t feel out of place
Overall though I cant emphasise enough, even to my own children how much they have to do what they do for them and not think about pleasing others. People are fickle at the best of times and talent doesnt run on appreciation alone.
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Dude, she’s like what , 12?
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They can’t attack her talent and achievements, so they have to find something.
Haters need to hate.
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Abagond:
“The Machine” can’t defeat blackwomen, no matter how hard they try. As Serena and Venus have proven to all of us, sistas can achieve whatever they put their mind to…Bottomline! We know the game, so, there is no need to highlight the bs that goes on in some circles in this country, as it relates to blackwomen. I’m proud of the sista, i wish her all the best in the present and future.
Tyrone
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great!!! simply great!! I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. Is the gymnastics some kind of a “last bastion of the white sports”? Way to go, Gabby!
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Beautiful Gabby!
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@ Satanforce,
I was wondering when you’d make a satanic appearance on here. Correction: I meant nothing untoward by my comment above re Miss Douglas. Sorry you, or anyone else, saw it that way (like I meant it, yeah?)
For the record: I have a short list of famous ladies of Chocolate skin tones I intentionally heap praise upon because the mainstream, white supremacist, mass media will INTENTIONALLY ignore them.
I hope I’ve made myself clear.
Thank you.
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Gabby is my hero. I can’t describe how proud I am of her.
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All I can is is: I love her!
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Gifted and inspiring little sister!! The world is your oyster Gabby!!!
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you are not your hair; remember that Gabby! You are a beautiful girl and an olympic champion!!!
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@ Bulanik
I don’t have a clue, and I am not interested in finding out.
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Gabby, is a shinning star. People focus on the most foolish things. Marcus Garvey was right, “Our people are cursed with petty differences. That kind of foolishness will retard our progress in society. Some sisters need to stop the madness.
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Re: Gabby
Beautiful, Powerful, Stunning, Mature, Young, Dedicated, Gifted Black Sisterhood. A Brilliant Jewel.. A Living Example of Fortitude and Sacrifice.
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Gabby Douglas is a great role model! I loved watching her do her routines. So skilled and agile. She has a great smile! Go, Gabby, gooo! 🙂
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Some sisters need to stop the madness.
What is sad is that this whole hair thing is being put on black women and I saw some tweets. About 5 from 3 girls and 2 guys and the guys went further and said that she should go away until she gets her hair done. And anyway, most black women were admiring her. Those were just a few bad apples that got and this whole stupid issue got blown out of proportion. Another way to take a dig at black women.
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Magnificent, Gabby! Magnificent!
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Kudos and a lifetime of accolades towards Ms. Gabby Douglas!!! As for those “lost” commentators fussing over her wonderfully thick, raven hair-well, all I can do is pray for their healing and self-worth to be made apparent in their Own lives..; )
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I rarely watch the Olympics, but I’ve heard all about Gabby. What an amazing young woman! It’s a shame her achievements are played down. I also heard that, despite winning the most for her team, she hardly gets any screen time. Fortunately, it seems she has no trouble ignoring this and still has strong faith in herself and her abilities. I hope she continues to forge ahead.
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[…] Gabrielle Douglas (December 31st 1995- ) is an American gymnast. She won two gold medals at the 2012 Olympics: team all-around and individual all-around in women’s gymnastics. The individual … – click title to read more – […]
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[…] on abagond.wordpress.com Rate this:Share this:TwitterFacebookPinterestTumblrMoreStumbleUponLinkedInRedditDiggEmailPrintLike […]
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LOLWUT?
http://aol.sportingnews.com/olympics/story/2012-08-07/gabby-douglas-dad-deadbeat-walks-out-olympics-2012-london-us-womens-gymnatics
http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2012/08/gabby-douglas-opens-up-about-her-father-but-why-is-he-getting-dissed-as-a-deadbeat-dad/
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^^^ I hate this kind of stuff. It is an indignity that white athletes are rarely subjected to, unless they are a Tanya Harding or something. And it is not because they all come from perfect “Leave It to Beaver” households either.
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I find that hard to believe!! I am in the military and child support is taken out of the soldier pay. A Soldier can get in alot of trouble for not paying child support. Which is why I don’t understand how he got out of paying support. All the mother had to do was complain to his Commander and they would have made sure he was making regular payments.
I don’t think they are telling the truth about her dad.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/gabby-douglas-father-blamed-for-mothers-bankruptcy_n_1753272.html
Sorry for the double post but I thought the liberal media was supportive of POC, but it seems like they support everyone but BLK POC. Apparently the original headline was
Timothy Douglas was being blamed for his daughter’s losing performance.
I mean seriously can a brother get a break in this country. Now he is the reason she lost on monday. The Huffington Post is worst than Fox Noise
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[…] Gabrielle Douglas (December 31st 1995- ) is an American gymnast. She won two gold medals at the 2012 Olympics: team all-around and individual all-around in women’s gymnastics. The individual … – click title to read more – […]
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Beautiful! She is amazing! I didn’t know that about the monkey commercial, that is just sad!
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Abagond:
All of this nonsense affected her performance in the individual events, Sadly! If not for this bs, she might be a three, four, or five-time olympic medalist. That’s the sad part about all of this…instead of having “Good Vibes” after winning two gold medals, she had to defend her blackness and womanhood. 90s babies, what can i say?
Tyrone
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just came from ‘back a yard’– saw the Olympics down there and it was wonderful!
Big celebrations thanks to Usain and Shelly-Ann.
I’m glad I missed all the negativity surrounding this wonderful athletes accomplishments. Gabrielle Douglas was the best gymanist for US team, definitely deserved the Gold.
The Caribbean newscasters spoke and praised each Gold winner equally, regardless of the country…from Gabby to Sally Pearson…too bad US newscasters couldn’t do the same (and re-gain some class)
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@son2380,
HuffPo is just a tabloid rag with an occasional leftward swing.. .generally of the “woo woo” variety of leftism. Y’know, Jenny McCarthy and Bill Maher-style leftism.
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abagond:
I have a suggestion for your next article.
I have noticed over the years,that whenever a African-American does something of great importance,significance or a first in something, that has always been of the white persuasion, white people seems to come out in large numbers”claiming” that black person as “ours too”, not just African-American’s”.
White people seem to have a problem, when black people state”she is(Gabby Douglas) an inspiration to African-Americans girls, all over the world”
White people get so upset and always respond in a serious and defensive manner and say things like, “why do black people always have to bring race into it, its not about her being black, that isn’t the reason why she is a great athlete, i don’t see her as being “black”( the racist colour blind trick is always used here ) I only see her as a “person”.
Then white people always follow that up with the old promise of a utopia society, if us black people, stop pointing out race, as if they don’t do it at every turn, if not with their lips, its with their eyes on how they look at us,their actions on how they behave around us, their thoughts on how they think of us.
The issue i have with this, isn’t what you may be thinking, i do believe that all Americans and not just African-Americans, will be inspired by her and get to claim Gabby Douglas.
I have a problem,when the only time white people, claim or except a black person, is when they are either rich or famous or both.
We see this all the time in this country, case in point:
I’ve seen white people, act prejudice toward someone black but yet they are wearing Jordan’s !
That same person will also try to get a black celebrities autograph, even though, they are racist towards black people in general.
why do white people, cease to see black people as black,when said black person is rich or famous?, opposed to a average black person?
I mean they are, obviously aware that the person is black, yet they don’t act on their racist, tendencies, with a famous or rich, African-American.
Could you please, educate a brotha? -_-
P.S. I am not sure if you have wrote about this topic of discussion,if you have, please post the link to that topic as i would love to read it as a sip hot tea at Barnes and noble,while reading your blog on my ipad. ^_^
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Did anyone see the Daily Show last night? If so, it criticised a Fox News programme’s segment about the lack of patriotism amongst American atheletes. John Stewart debunked them, of course, but the Fox segment centred on why Gabby Douglass was wearing a fusia-coloured suit and not something red, white and blue. They mentioned other athletes and talked about the lack of chanting “USA, USA…”, but the main focus was on Gabby’s clothing.
IMO, this was a thin guise for questioning her (and African-Americans’) patriotism…
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@ Sondis
I notice that too. I have not done a post on it yet. Good suggestion.
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Sondis, you mean that if the bottle thrower, had been standing in front of a US paleface former world champion, 2 Olympic bronzes, 1 silver in a “self defense” sport, he would not have been hit?
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-Gabby was my favorite person too watch during the Olympics. Her floor and uneven bar routines were beautiful.
-There is no point in mentioning she is the first black person to do anything. It goes w/o saying that a black girl is just as a capable to win a gold medal in gymnastics as a white girl. Most people know that.
-I can admit that I got a bit upset after reading a yahoo article about Gab’s hair style, however, it wasn’t until someone brought it to my attention that I realized I hv only heard a single negative comment from comedian Kevin Hart about her hair. Everything else has been comments about these elusive negative comments. It made me think about whether enough haters really existed for her hair to garner this much attention.
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@ The Cynic:
“There is no point in mentioning she is the first black person to do anything. It goes w/o saying that a black girl is just as a capable to win a gold medal in gymnastics as a white girl. Most people know that.”
No,it does not go without saying.
Are you a white person?,if you are I am not surprised, if you are black, I would be very surprised. You need to understand something, black people in general, are told from the time we are children,that we are inferior to whites, in thousands of ways.
We are told verbally, subconsciously, mentally, and many of ways that don’t even need to be conveyed.
The white supremacy society we live in as black people and other minority groups, doesn’t like giving us attention, as a “RACE” only as “individuals”, because they know, that we are actually just as good, if not bettet than them ,so that’s the reason, when someone says”gabby Douglas is a inspiration to black little girls and people in general, their face gets twisted and they get defensive about it, then try to dismiss and downplay the fact that, gabby Douglas is representing her race( regardless if that is her goal or not ) .
White people know, that if black people feel inspired,they will have more confidence in themselves and rise up as a people, white people don’t want that, not the racist, anyway.
White people have broke black people spirit and therefore, confidence.
It’s no secret that they do this on purpose, so it’s important for us to shout out loud, when someone black, does something, that can and will inspire us all!
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@Sondis
I am black. You need to release yourself from mental slavery. Restore your humanity dude. I choose not to live life with a victim’s mindset and I’m a lot better for it. Life is about so much more than race or what other people think about you in general.
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Gabby Douglas is a very talented individual. A great athlete/gymnast. She should be proud of her accomplishments.
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Dead on, Soundis. Excellent comment!
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@ The Cynic:
Please tell me, how is being proud of another black person’s achievements , means black people have a slave mentality and lack, Humanity?
What i said, had nothing to do with, white people’s perceptions of black people, it had more to do with. US as a people, lifting each other up, when we see each other, doing something positive or inspirational. i.e a role model.
The “fact” remains, that white have, broken the black family, the black spirit and our confidence, i just was pointing that out, so there would be a context to what i was trying to say.
I don’t have a victim’s mindset, just because we point our experiences out, to each other on this blog, doesn’t mean we are playing the victim.
We all need to vent our frustrations to our fellow people, since we will never get, the majority of the white people to even listen to us and change their racist ways.
It makes me feel good, that a brotha or sista, i don’t know or met,will lend me his or her eyes and read about, what we go through on a daily basis as a black women and men, in this white supremacist society.
I hear you though,brotha. I like the fact that you don’t let this white society, hold you back. ^5 brotha….
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@Sondis
I don’t feel like going back and forth with you, so I’m not. However, I will say..
Please tell me, how is being proud of another black person’s achievements , means black people have a slave mentality and lack, Humanity?
I never said or inferred that.
The “fact” remains, that white have, broken the black family, the black spirit and our confidence, i just was pointing that out, so there would be a context to what i was trying to say.
For people who constantly see themselves through white perceptions and sacrifice their entire humanity by doing so.
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Everything is about what white people thought or think about us. Forget what we think about ourselves. That is what I mean by a slave mentality.
You and people who think like you have well intentions, however fail to realize how much blog post like these hurt black people. A simple story about a good gymnast would do more to make little Gabby Douglas appear what she is. Human
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You see it as us going”back and forth”?, it’s obvious that you’re not on this blog for any dialog, that would further enrich or educate, your fellow people.
So I’ll leave it,where you wanted it placed and converse, with someone who wants to talk to me and not at me.
Stay strong, brotha!
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All I can say is America loves her, white America, Hispanic America, Black America we all love this girl her smile is viral and seems to infect everyone with happiness. You go Gabby we will see you in the next Olympics keep the golds coming for this great country.
Parents foster your kids interests, even though is it so dang expensive, and put them in those things they enjoy you never know you might find out you have a Gabby too. 🙂
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This is the most recent, murder of a black child, while in police custody.
http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/crime/2012/08/10/ac-kaye-fatal-patrol-car-shooting.cnn.ipad.qtref.mov
http://ht.cdn.turner.com/cnn/big/bestoftv/2012/08/10/ac-chavis-carter-death-questioned.cnn.ipad.qtref.mov
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Are people going to get angry, if I say that I think that Lia Neal has better hair?
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^^You’re absolutely right!
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@Sondis
ok
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Sondis@
“You need to understand something, black people in general, are told from the time we are children,that we are inferior to whites, in thousands of ways.
We are told verbally, subconsciously, mentally, and many of ways that don’t even need to be conveyed.”
“The “fact” remains, that white have, broken the black family, the black spirit and our confidence, i just was pointing that out, so there would be a context to what i was trying to say.”
Linda says,
You mean the whites affected “black American family, spirit, and confidence” because you definitely are not speaking for the rest of us black/brown people from outside of the US.
That’s what Cynic meant when he mentioned “slave mentality”….slavery and colonialism affected black/brown people in different countries differently–we all do not share the black American history and outlook on white people and how they possibly affected our lives.
In Jamaica, our ancestors fought for their freedom–from the Maroons to the many slave uprising that happened after word reached Jamaica that Haiti won their freedom.
History likes to say they (British) “gave freedom” to the slaves but that is BS, the British had no choice because they didn’t want the mass killing of whites (like in Haiti)
and our parents teach us that we come from a heritage of achievers and fighters–so that when we leave the islands, we already believe we will get what we want.
The one mentality that Caribbean/West Indians probably share with Americans is the “Crabs in a Bucket” and colourism. Black/brown people, no matter what country, need to do better in supporting one another–that’s why the Jews are so successful financially as a group.
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The “fact” remains, that white have, broken the black family, the black spirit and our confidence, i just was pointing that out, so there would be a context to what i was trying to say.
If you’re talking specifically about Black Americans, this is not true of all Black Americans. My parents are just as much Black Americans as any other Black Americans. Whites did not break them and their families down, obviously. They were not told by their parents that they were inferior to Whites and they definitely never told me any such thing.
Slavery and its aftermath affected different Black Americans differently. My parents achieved and they raised me to achieve too and it doesn’t matter who doesn’t like me.
You’re making Blacks sound like little helpless, mindless insects who have no choice but to be swatted every which way by Whites. Some of us don’t think like that at all.
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This is why I don’t get it when black people fight for this country or represent for it in the Olympics or any sports event because blacks will never and I mean NEVER mean anything to amerikkka but be an ugly a** chimp. Anything sub-human. These “people” don’t care about blacks at all. Never have, never will. Personally I could careless because I wasnt put on this earth to please/satisfy THEM.
Congrats to Gabby tho. She’s truely an inspiration and her mother taught her very well I might add.
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@ Sondis
To answer your question, it’s because of the worship of Mammon. Riches make it easier for blacks to “blend in” but never truly be accepted. Oprah, Micheal Jordan and Tiger Woods being the most prominent.
It is for that reason, the madness and the hypocrisy, that I began to slowly back away from them.
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@diaryofanegress:
I understand,now. When you say, “back away from them, are you referring to racist white people?
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@ sondis
Yes.
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White American racism most definitely hasn’t broken the spirit / confidence of all Black Americans; it certainly hasn’t broken mine … and I’m no *exception*, however their is plenty of evidence that it has and continues to have a profound effect on the psyche of American Blacks and has even broken the spirit of some. Pretending otherwise doesn’t change a thing.
Also, Black Americans, as a group, have spent the better part of the last 400 years outnumbered /out gunned, and all that entails, by the enemy, and not in any small way either. It makes a difference.
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I agree 100% Fiamma
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@Fiamma–
however their is plenty of evidence that it has and continues to have a profound effect on the psyche of American Blacks and has even broken the spirit of some.
I think it’s pitiful how some, even on this site, are complaining about how Whites won’t “accept” them. I hope they don’t allow young Black kids to hear them talk like this. Just think about what that does to a kid’s mind. It really sounds pathetic. It makes me wonder just how far some Blacks would go or what they would be willing to do to get Whites to accept them. I wonder whether they realize how they’re putting Whites on a pedestal and treating them like they’re supreme beings.
I think that more Black people need to get to know more Whites really well, like on a personal level. Then, they wouldn’t think they’re supreme beings.
Complaining about non-acceptance won’t ever make anyone accept you anyway.
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@jorbia:
Nowhere in Fiamma’s post, did she complain about whites, not excepting blacks. She simply was, reaffirming the effect, whites have had on black people as a race. I also would like to take the opportunity, to point out to those posters that keep, using their experience as to say, they are an exception to the rule. I know that, these things don’t effect, every black person, the same way, some people are traumatized by a constant bombardment of racism, over the corse if their life. Where another, isn’t as effected to the point, where it can do real psychological, damage.
I will say, that the “majority”of black people in “America”( wanted to point that out as well, being black people from other countries, tend to oppose our opinions, here in the states) Are effected in numerous ways.
Economicly,emotionally,socially and physically to name a few.
I have been on this earth for awhile, there isn’t one black person, that I haven’t spoken with and hasn’t shared at least, one story about how they were treated in a racist way by a white person.
I like believe, the majority rules and not just a few exceptions.
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@ Sondis–
Nowhere in Fiamma’s post, did she complain about whites, not excepting blacks.
I didn’t say Fiamma said that. I made a general statement about those who do and it was connected to something that Fiamma had alluded to, so I responded to her comment. Didn’t mean to imply that she said that.
I have been on this earth for awhile, there isn’t one black person, that I haven’t spoken with and hasn’t shared at least, one story about how they were treated in a racist way by a white person.
I’ve said on here before that history has shown that oppressors never change simply because you tell them they’re hurting you. Sure, they may stop for a while, but if they want to do it again, they can. It’s all up to them and whether it suits their needs or wants.
I think that instead of cataloguing all the brokenness, it would be much better to figure out why some Blacks didn’t break, or didn’t lose their confidence. Learn about how exactly some Blacks kept their relationships and families going strong and what helped them to not cave in.
But never mind me. I’m out of this.
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@jorbia:
Sorry, my mistake. There’s no need to run away”out of this”. We need you to help, encourage each other with different perspectives.
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The black American can feel many obsticles and mental issues and have to deal with personal self esteem because he/she are in such a heavy struggle. I think the black American struggle and the South African struggle , in these last 100 years or so, has been the more violent one, there for, some of the most , absolutly not all , compelling voices come from there, Malcolm X, Nelson Mandella, Martin Luther King, Bishop Tutu….Stokley Carmichael had Caribean heritage.Its a violent struggle , not like Brazil, only in the sence of there arnt huge Klan lynchings , there is occaisional neo Nazi incidents….
But, Brazil has such an insidious non violent racism, full of class and blatent media exclusion that breed an almost automatic acceptance in colorism and white is more important , they just nationaly adopted quotas, but to hear the debate and defence from the white side against it is painful.Things people talk about on here, like police killings of black people, wilt in the face of statistics like Sao Paulo police kill more people than all of the USA police put together.And you can be sure most of those people are brown or black. The prisons are as bad as the middle passage , as far as crowded conditions , except you dont get thrown over board if you are sick, and, most of the prisoners are brown or black …I could go on…
But, it is probably the violence in the USA history with black Americans that makes the struggle such a hightened one.The hightened awareness makes the confrontation more intense.
Yet, look at some of the rewards for the struggle, and Im not saying be placated, Im saying be proud….there arent many black people in Brazil waiting at airport gates to go places to do business or vacation, the TV is a joke, they are trying to improve but it is a little like after the Julia and I Spy stage…Black Americans own a lot of their businesses. I just pop into Miami and need some video work and ended up working with two differant black owned business , just from seeing their work and random calling.There is a black middle class, that is big compared to anything Ive seen in Brazil .
But, for sure, the hard struggle exacts a tough mental price…a very tough one
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Abagond, I apologize for the length but I had to get this off my chest. If it’s too long to post feel free to edit, I’ll understand, but please read it and any feedback will be greatly appreciated and I love your blog and use it for my 12 year old daughter’s hour-a-day reading. She is the one who picked up on the seemingly constant use of the race card and the illogic of white logic mentioned below…thank you and keep up the good work.
I live in Los Angeles and there is an unspoken “weeding out process” whereby a number of jobs “require” or “prefer” you to speak Spanish even if the job requires no contact with the Spanish-speaking public or you have to know someone to get your foot in the door. Having said that, maybe NBC doesn’t employ Blacks who can give constructive and/or critical input. There’s no way a Black man or a Black woman or any man or woman who ACTUALLY has Black friends would not mention the insensitive nature of showing a monkey gymnast after realizing that Gabby, THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN THE INDIVIDUAL ALL-AROUND had won the gold medal 7 or 8 hours earlier. To argue that the commercials were already shot months ago and that the monkey is a male is beside the point. They can change, remove, and/or edit commercials as they wish. I remember a few years back there was a commercial for a TV show that was taken off the air after a deadly plane crash because it showed a plane in trouble. TV stations CAN be sensitive. I’ve heard people (on TMZ) say that to remove the commercial would be the same as saying they believe that Gabby is a monkey and that would be, in a way, more racist (isn’t that a ridiculous argument?). They are white and they and Harvey Levin ROUTINELY AND STUPIDLY speak the illogic of white logic (yesterday after reporting that the president of Spelman was in London to congratulate and speak with Gabby, Harvey asked why is there still a need to have “separate Black colleges”?) and when they filmed comedian, Kevin Hart, in an airport proudly saying that “the Blacks are killin’ it” in the Olympics that first week, the TMZ guys were saying there were no Blacks since the track and field events hadn’t yet started so what was he talking about? Uh, there was Cullen Jones who won the silver in the relay, on the swimming (swimming? Blacks don’t swim, do we?) team and Lia Neal, who won the bronze for the relay, on the women’s swim team (the commentator informed us that she is half Chinese ) and there were those statuesque Black volleyball players, and Gabby too and I didn’t hear much about gold medal winner Claressa Shields but I digress.
Non-blacks are aware that one of the worse things you can say amongst yourselves or to piss off /attempt to hurt a Black person, aside from the N-word, is to call them a monkey/ape ( I’ve never seen a hairy African). We in the USA know this and if you disagree you are way in the middle of De-Nile. So while Americans, and I mean Blacks too (especially), were basking in Gabby’s history-making glory, we see the little monkey hands and he’s a gymnast too???…sadly I wasn’t shocked, momentarily saddened and angry but not shocked… this is America. NBC (or that person who made the call to air/not change that particular ad) can’t diminish what Gabby Douglas achieved and Costas can’t either. Maybe it’s just a Black phobia thing…as usual. She’s Black and she is THE best gymnast in the whole world and to top it off, she’s a lovely, refined, well-mannered 17 year old young woman who, on the world stage, has represented her country as well as her family and community very well and I am very proud of her. We Blacks (just like everyone else in the world with a sense of national and racial pride) will always take pride in reveling in the accomplishments of people who look like us and our children (and children of all races) can emulate them and say “If we work hard we can do it too!!!” Oh, wait…that’s the American dream. Unfortunately for NBC and other haters…it works for Blacks too!!!
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B. R.
I appreciate that you SEE and KNOW what’s going on because like Mexico, and the countries of Central and South America, the dirty little secret they all wish to keep secret is that THEY ALL HAVE BLACK POPULATIONS that are treated less than fairly, but you’d never know it . America’s dirty little secret that some wish was a secret is that Blacks do own businesses and there is a Black middle class and there are wealthy Blacks who are neither athletes nor entertainers…always have been in this country. All Blacks in America weren’t slaves contrary to what’s taught in schools and some of our ancestors were here in the beginning…the 1600’s and owned slaves. We continue to thrive and there may be some of us who have self-esteem problems and showing a monkey in the form of a gymnast after Gabby Douglas won the Gold doesn’t help because we are, in one sense, frustrated about it after the fact but also empowered with enough cultural awareness to understand WHAT THEY ARE TRYING TO DO AND WHY. I haven’t watched NBC since but then I don’t watch too much TV for the harmful messages that I recognize as being harmful, sexist, misogynistic and verging on…no, just plain racist and I discuss these topics with my daughter who (having experienced being out of this country on several occasions…and no, I’m not military) can recognize the hypocrisy of this country AND how magnificent and great it is. One thing we Blacks here in America believe is that we are fabulous and beautiful just the way we are (you won’t get that sense from the American media but its true). Everyone wants to sing like US, talk like US, dance like US , walk like US, wear weaves like US and control and profit from WHATEVER it is about US that makes US what and who we are. But that essence of American Blackness (that cultural identity) is unique to American Blacks. Just as being the LOUD, WHY-DON’T-THESE-FOREIGNERS-SPEAK-ENGLISH, UGLY AMERICAN, stereotypically (it’s true, I have seen them with my own eyes…very embarassing!) belongs to American whites when they visit other countries..That je ne sais quoi we have can’t be tamed so we see monkeys when we are praising a Black woman, a ridiculously offensive article is allowed on a website saying THE BLACK WOMAN IS UGLY, reality shows love showing Black men with white women…no Black women? And Black women being violent with each other…subliminal, ya think? There’s always hate in some form or another directed at us Black women but we keep doing us with a satisfied smile on our gorgeous wrinkle-free faces because at the end of the day, we Black women embrace our dark, melanin-enriched skin that doesn’t wrinkle when we hit 25 and even though some Japanese pseudo-scientist said we were UGLY he also said our Black men were physically the most beautiful. The prevailing and favorite stereotype is that Black men prefer white women. Black women know better but non-Blacks like to “remind” us as if they really need us to believe it, that Black mean find us unappealing…we don’t and it’s common knowledge that non-Black women of all races desire and prefer our Black men, naturally, why wouldn’t they? Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, those affectionate, beautiful, loving, sexy, muscular Black Gods of men love us UGLY, BLACK, ASHY, FAT-ASS, BIG-LIP (insert your favorite stereotype here) women to death! So haters, hate away and feel free to envy us, we’re used to it. Compared to non-Black women…we UGLY, Black women are (as far as men are concerned) WINNING!!! When you all catch your men sneaking sideways glances at us UGLY women, don’t fret about it…we’ll continue to pretend we don’t notice, but I digress.
I also believe that if everyone would read Malcolm, Mandela, Carmichael, Tutu, Sun Tzu, Machiavelli, among others, some Americans would realize that we are worth and can do so much more than some of us believe. If more Blacks read Abagond there would be more amusement (at some of the hate mongers who just want to upset people and get a reaction) than anger at what goes on every day in the media and less being on the defensive and more laughing at ignorance (I try to find the humor but that Gabby insensitivity was just too much in this day and age!)
I don’t know about in Brazil but we are blessed that our educational system is for everyone and there’s no reason why education can’t be the great equalizer since it’s about knowledge and if you have the skills to apply the knowledge. Blacks in this country who want to work can find employment. I think it’s harder for the uneducated Blacks because those menial jobs usually go to the undocumented. And the phrase ”they do the jobs Americans won’t” is BS since the unskilled and uneducated Blacks and whites did those jobs in the past. So now they are displaced and understandably angry and frustrated. In our current economy, the Romneys of the country save a lot of money by underpaying the undocumented workers. Oh, wait…Romney outsources!!!
I think the violence in our past and Blacks playing a major part in improving our lot in this country gives us the chutzpah to confront and look racism in the face and say, “Oh no you didn’t” or “Can you repeat that” while we videotape because believe it or not it is much easier to sue than to fight and the Black socioeconomic status in this country today is not the same as those of Blacks in developing countries and Brazil and much better than many of the non-blacks in this country which has always fostered jealousy, envy and HATE. Like finding nothing to criticize about Gabby Douglas’ perfection leading to the monkey BS which to me was saying “so what, this is what we think of you”. Those with self-esteem issues may be affected one way and others are like…yeah we know how you feel and we know why. I like being Black in this country because yes Blacks were once enslaved but look at us now…we have economic, financial and voting power and WHEN WE CHOOSE to flex or not flex a particular muscle… We got us a Black President!!! … It makes all the difference in our world.
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Sondis
@jorbia:
“Nowhere in Fiamma’s post, did she complain about whites, not excepting blacks. She simply was, reaffirming the effect, whites have had on black people as a race.”
– – –
Thank you for speaking up for me, Sondis.
There certainly was no begging for white acceptance in my comment.
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@Fiamma:
Your welcome, friend. ^_^
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Kelly, lots of great points….
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http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/12/us/new-york-shooting-duplicate-2/index.html
Ok,let’s see….
James Holmes was armed to the teeth with automatic fire arms,he killed 12 people and wounded 50 others and cops, subdued him without shooting him dead,James Holmes is white,typical outcome.
A black man with a “knife” is shot dead by not one but two cops,simply because he refused to put down a knife,darrius Kennedy is black,typical outcome.
I can’t wait for all the racist white people to come out the wood works and make,every excuse in the book,why the cops were justified in killing this man,”which was all too obvious,that he was not right in the head”.
What ever happened to pepper spray or tazers or just an old fashioned rush and take down? Every time a black man is the suspect,cops first option is to shoot to kill and not subdue and detain.
New York’s going to be under scrutiny,once again over killing and murdering black men.
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Hello people, i went to the super market, earlier today and decided to look for a box of Kellogg’s flaks, with Gabby Douglas on the front, to my surprise and dismay, i saw a box of kellogg’s flaks with jordyn weiber on the front of the box and another one with another white female,(not from the fab five )
I must be missing something, i thought they inked a deal with gabby Douglas, not jordyn weiber! Looks like the man, did it again!
I looked and saw no kelloggs flaks with Gabby Douglas, i walked out the super market, with no cereal!
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America, got to close that physical eye and look within at how it has internalized strong negative vibing of anything “Black”. Gabby is an African American who did not allow race to stop her from achieving her dreams, as many other Af. Am. before her. She is the ‘right now shining star’ for Blacks. Unfortunately, Blacks have always had to be ‘first’ only because of “Bob'” of this world(media that is worldwide). Blacks celebrate accomplishments in away that whites cannot define(but not for lack of trying). In media of Blacks, there are still alot of negativity(her hair?) in picking themselves apart. (White atheletes are never criticized for such silly things.)Now, her hair has been ‘staightened’ not braided or some other way reminding the world that she(not intentionally) has issues with her blackness. For me, she is a champion, beautiful from her talents and infectious smile and I am personally proud she is African American, representing BlackAmerica AND the United States of America! .
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Blacks don’t do themselves a service either. Black breaks their own people even more. Why is someone label as “acting White” if they are not doing something stereotypical? Why aren’t Blacks developing their own facilities and diverse talents etc…
This America this and that is nonsense, a lot of Blacks wouldn’t even be noticed if they weren’t in America. Get real..
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Anomymous, you are so sadly ignorant sweetheart that I am going to pray for an increase in wisdom for you as soon as I am done typing this message.
“Black don’t do themselves a service either. Blacks break their own people even more.”
I hope making that statement made you feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. It must be hard carrying all that white guilt; I can smell the stench of it through my computer screen. Blaming black people for the issues that racist whites, like yourself, created is a sure fire way to exercise your supremacist, white privilege muscle to the fullest extent. You say blacks break their own people, but hey, I can say white people break everybody (American natives, Africans in Africa, Blacks in America, Japanese in the 1940s, etc.) Hell, I can say you break your own too (Columbine, Salem Witch Trials, American Civil War, 80% of white pedophiles are white men, Bat Man Movie Shooting, Tim McVay, Domestic Terrorism, ect.) Any idiot know that every skin tone has its psychopaths, but only idiots like you connect it to skin color.
“Why is someone label as “acting White” if they are doing something stereotypical? Why aren’t Blacks developing their own facilities and diverse talents etc…”
First off, which 1990s gangster movie did you pick that line up? No one says that except people in movies and kids who are insecure about their own intelligence level and are victims of circumstance. They believe that lie that whites are somehow better than them because of how whites portray themselves in the media as perfect, smart, and well-behaved; while blacks are dumb, wild, and violent. Blacks have always had their own facilities and talents, but they are only revered when whites appropriate it. I know you don’t know what that means so you should definitely Google it.
That last statement was so ridiculous, I refuse to even dignify it.
Now why I came here:
I think the controversy surrounding Gabby’s hair was media created. Gabby’s hair wasn’t a trending topic until after the media dug up maybe 8 to 10 comments. They couldn’t resist trying to sabotage her victory even it was something as juvenile as comments about her hair. I know I am not the only one that noticed this. I’m on Twitter and I didn’t notice the comments until it was highlighted on Yahoo News.
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cleonette,
Beautifully said….Brovo! ^_^
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@ cleonette
Well said.
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Thanks Sondis and Abagond. Ignorance is the hardest war to fight….
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cleonette,
How would i go about, changing my avatar to a picture of myself, like you did on your avatar?
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Gravatar account
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Thanks Cleonette
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Thank you too, Cleonette…just used avatar for the 1st time 🙂
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where’s my picture?!?!?!?
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I downloaded my picture and it doesnt appear. How do I close this account, Cleonette?
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Congratulations to Gabby and her excellent performance at the Olympics.
These t.v people, who we should expect to be educated, need to let out their disdain for the achievement of Africans. Gabby took something they thought belonged to little white or Asian girl. It reminds me of these people’s silly reaction to The Hunger Games, a work of fiction. Another black little girl taking the role of a supposedly white little girl.
I can’t wait to see an all black team going for gold in the synchronized swimming.
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@Cleonette: I guess You told that jerk.
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http://www.change.org/petitions/essence-magazine-protect-gabby-douglass-s-image-from-sexual-exploitation?utm_campaign=action_box&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=share_petition
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I noticed something, I’m sure a lot of black people probably have, with the McKayla Maroney Face scowl debacle.
McKayla Maroney has been getting “positive” recognition as a result of a very negative and poor display of sportsmanship.
I know black people have thought it but may have not said it out loud but i can’t help but to think, if gabby Douglas did the face scowl, when she didn’t win in the last competition, how will she have been, received? Will she be getting positive recognition, like McKayla Maroney?
I say no, simply because in this country, when we as black people, do something negative or in poor taste, we get torn to shreds by the white media but when a white person does something negative, it seems the white media turns it into something positive.
I remember when the McKayla Maroney face scowl first hit and i was reading all kinds of comments on yahoo and she was under so much scrutiny and people were condemning her but now it seems as through it has changed and for the better, now her action was considered “funny” or “fun” and “cool” to do
The majority of white folks, looked the other way and just chalked it up as she’s just a 16 y/o girl and didn’t know better…yada yada ( like white people always do when someone white gets caught doing something bad ) but when that person is black or another person of color, they are more than reader to lay the smack down and tear up a whole race of people by the actions of one black person.
What kind of message is that to send to children? do something despicable in front of the whole world, get requests from the media to appear on talk shows and talk about her face scowl like its a good thing?
Not for nothing but McKayla Maroney’s Face scowl has lingered longer in the media and internet, than Gabby Douglas being the 1st African-American to win 2 gold medals in gymnastics, if that doesn’t make a statement about what I’m saying, then i don’t know what does.
Again, i know for a fact, that if gabby Douglas had done what McKayla Maroney did, things would have turned out very different and you wouldn’t see president Obama, taking a picture with gabby Douglas, doing the face scowl as it would look bad on Obama, being the white media would have talked negatively about gabby and she would have a stain on her image forever.
Not McKayla Maroney, she will be known for her “Face scowl” but not in the way it should be known, which is a very bad attitude and sportsmanship from a spoiled rotten 16 y/o white girl.
White people would have been quick to jump on Gabby Douglas, had she done anything close to what McKayla Maroney did and would have stereotyped her to the T, “you know those black people, you can take them out of the hood but not the hood out of them, she’s nothing more than a nappy headed, thug” white people would have said.
I just thought about this after i saw the viral pic of McKayla Maroney with president Obama doing the face scowl together and had a thought on how much of a double standard there is in this country when it comes to white people and black people in the media, when it comes to things that white people can get away with, where black people are not allowed to get away with on top of never being given the benefit of the doubt with everything we do.
Our image has to be squeaky clean at all times, if not we are judged very harshly by white people that are always looking to find something in us to point out, to verify their racist stereotypes.
I would like to get some feedback on my comment, wither you agree or disagree and why.
Sondis
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From laromana:
Sondis says,
Again, i know for a fact, that if gabby Douglas had done what McKayla Maroney did, things would have turned out very different and you wouldn’t see president Obama, taking a picture with gabby Douglas, doing the face scowl as it would look bad on Obama, being the white media would have talked negatively about gabby and she would have a stain on her image forever.
Not McKayla Maroney, she will be known for her “Face scowl” but not in the way it should be known, which is a very bad attitude and sportsmanship from a spoiled rotten 16 y/o white girl.
White people would have been quick to jump on Gabby Douglas, had she done anything close to what McKayla Maroney did and would have stereotyped her to the T, “you know those black people, you can take them out of the hood but not the hood out of them, she’s nothing more than a nappy headed, thug” white people would have said.
I just thought about this after i saw the viral pic of McKayla Maroney with president Obama doing the face scowl together and had a thought on how much of a double standard there is in this country when it comes to white people and black people in the media, when it comes to things that white people can get away with, where black people are not allowed to get away with on top of never being given the benefit of the doubt with everything we do.
Our image has to be squeaky clean at all times, if not we are judged very harshly by white people that are always looking to find something in us to point out, to verify their racist stereotypes.
I would like to get some feedback on my comment, wither you agree or disagree and why.
Sondis
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Oh YES!! There is a double standards. Look at all the spoiled white girls running down Hollywood with their escapades (i.e. Lindsay Lohan, Miley Cirus). If Raven Simone were to dare to be as crazy-the media would have a field day. I don’t think there will be any changing of this double standards, that’s why I’m teaching my kids early about this double standards regarding conduct in school and in life. My husband and I have to prepare them for this racist society that we live in!
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indeed life learner, get em while their young, before its too late!
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Gabby Douglas | Abagond
This tends to likely be really handy for many within your positions I want to will not only with my web site but
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Gabby Douglas is a dream come true to everyone including me…
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