Friday, November 1, 2013

Abstract Liberalism affects those of minority races in the entertainment industry; Who will make a stand?


 
In chapters seven though ten in Racism without Racists by Eduardo Bonilla-Silva, an overview of color blindness/progressiveness of whites, the effects of color blindness on blacks, the racial struggles of Latin Americans within the US, the Shifting of a bi-racial to tri-racial system, and the Post Obama views on Race are examined. Bonilla-Silva brings to light issues that affect race like the abstract liberalism framework which has had a small effect on black’s perception of their status and how the situation from pre to post Obama has actually gotten worse for minorities within the United States. Examples from interviews like the one conducted with Nel (pg. 156) that state “I believe whites don’t want to live around blacks and some blacks don’t want to live around the whites” Clearly show abstract liberalism at work. Other examples from studies conducted for the State of The Dream 2009: The Silent Depression show that there has been a clear rise in the unemployment and poverty rates for minorities in the “post” Obama era. Bonilla-Silva points out how this rise in unemployment and poverty could be stemming from the discrimination of the white majority. These two examples can illustrate a huge underlying problem within the United States that needs to be addressed by those most influential, but who will do it when the elite minorities receive income from working with the whites?

In his article featured in the Huffington Post on the recent Jay Z dilemma, Vincent Intondi the Associate Professor of African American History at Montgomery College illustrates how what others described as the progressive cannibalism and Bonilla-Silva stated as the abstract liberalism framework has had an influence over the modern racial movements. He uses the examples of Jay Z and Bill Cosby to subtly indicate that the black entertainers most capable to help the racial movement are those that can also hinder it. Yet there is inter conflict between those within the entertainment industry similar to that of the abstract liberalism framework. It was highly publicized when Kanye West was quoted as saying “George Bush doesn’t care about black people”, He was clearly making a statement in support of racial change. Yet others like Bill Cosby have been featured in the news lately having blamed the poor blacks for their own spot in life. With this statement Cosby showed a form of abstract liberalism in that the world merit system will allow anyone to succeed; it’s someone’s own fault where they are in life. This completely discounts the fact that institutionalized racism and past discrimination have had an influence over current situations.

Others like Jay Z, a prominent music artist with numerous lines of goods like headphones, clothing, etc., have recently been initiating partnerships with companies like Barneys. These companies have been the perpetrator of racially profiling/ discrimination cases filed allegedly stating that they call the police when African Americans were shopping within the store. Police calls that have resulted in the arrest and detainment of individuals who bought a purse or a belt. Jay Z’s decision to become aligned with a company that is clearly having issues with being progressive could show the racial movement that his position on progressiveness is that the monetary gains come first. That he unlike Kanye West will not confront the racial discrimination within the institutions. This practice of pure obtainment of one’s goal has been quoted by others as being progressive cannibalism but has an overall effect on the status of minorities within this country. If the deal is struck to produce goods for a company that racially profiles customers, Jay Z would be subjecting members of his own race as well as other minority races to this profiling any time they wished to buy his goods. He would be making a deal with a white conglomerate in the hope of making money. This conglomerate in turn would not be altering their practice or making any real change. Its policies with color blind racism would actually subject minorities to more discrimination much like the post Obama era is experiencing. Me mentioning this is not to take any political stance or to say that Obama is responsible, rather that the white majority that use color blindness to justify the blatant discrimination of minorities have used the black president as a reaffirmation of this belief and been able to further the institutionalized racism experienced by minorities. When examining Barney’s, it is a high end store that sells men’s shirts in the hundreds of dollars. The money that Jay Z may receive from a product in Barneys is possibly in the millions, but at what cost is this justifiable. Is it ok to subject millions to the discrimination of an institution like Barneys were one may be arrested for just shopping?

CEO of Barneys Mark Lee says yes, it’s ok to continue to shop there although these events are taking place because it was not staff of Barneys that called the police. This seems rather suspicious since the NYPD claim different. The NYPD claim that 11 arrests have been made at this particular Barneys for credit card fraud over the last year including eight black men, two black women and one Asian woman. It appears as though credit card fraud is exclusively used by minorities in the eyes of Barneys New York. So with institutional discrimination looking to be apparent within this company it will be a huge issue for the racial movement as it progresses if Jay Z, one of the most powerful minorities in the country decides that money is more important than discrimination.


Works cited and Further Reading:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/barneys-offers-sympathy-racial-profiling-flap-denies-store-role-article-1.1500226

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vincent-intondi/jayz-and-barneys-the-role_b_4166976.html

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