e-Claire

A Week Has Passed . . .

The Wonkette has a good fisking of Peggy Noonan's [who?] column about Western Civilization falling along with Miss Nasty's bodice top. Why is it, again, that that makes us responsible for the Dhimmi's attacks?!? I must be dense. Dense or not, I am still amused at the primary focus being on Missy J's nastiness and not Mr Grabber's violence. Is the assumption that she is the adult in the room and therefore more responsible? Or is it something else . . . And I am very surprised that I have heard not one whisper of "racism" in any of the hand-wringing. If the racial identities of the participants were reversed, with a black man ripping a white woman's bodice onstage, I think there would be a mention. Yet in this instance, nothing. Theories? . UPDATE: found via Xrlq [ThanQ! sir] is the blog of Hugo Schwyzer, gender studies teacher and Xlrq described "anti-abortion, pacifist, anti-death penalty socialist who manages to be polite to just about everybody, " This is the long way 'round to saying that I've discovered that the racism angle did not go unobserved: In his perfectly titled post Tempest in a C cup Schwyzer quotes Joan Brumberg, author of The Body Project

... this was not just any breast. This was a single breast that symbolizes a cross-fire of issues that touch the lives of a huge swath of Americans. Janet Jackson is a black woman. Justin Timberlake, a white male. The fact that both thought it was acceptable to have him rip off Jackson's clothing suggests that both desperately need a short course in U.S. history. A million rapes of black women by white owners flashed before the eyes of Americans who understand the brutal sexuality associated with slavery.

Schwyzer's own words:

Hey, MTV: Simulated sexual assault is not funny. It isn't sexy. And when a white man does it to a black woman, it adds a whole other layer of historical and cultural ugliness.

1. I just thought it was very interesting that the Grammy’s managed to get Janet off the show, but Justin remained.  I know they had their excuses, but I say - either keep both or throw them both out. (not that it matters to me, I never watch)

   This way it looks like Janet is being shunned for being the “bad girl” and Justin is getting a pass for “doing what guys do”. 

   Now if I wanted to be REALLY snarky, I could say - the Hollywood elite haven’t advanced into the 21st Century.  They are still treating men and women like - Men and girls.  I find it hilarious that they have taken on the appearance of being more old fashioned than the mainstream of the country. *G*

   Posted by Teresa  on  02/09/04  at  02:14 PM

2. ...Men and girls

   Bingo!  Look at their ...er, preference for child-woman actresses.  30 is considered “old.” All that vocal “liberal” protestation sure distracts from the obvious prejudices, eh?

   Posted by Claire  on  02/10/04  at  03:53 AM

3. To be perfectly fair, Claire, the “Tempest in a C Cup” title was the original title of the Times piece, not mine… thanks for the linkage!

   Posted by Hugo  on  02/10/04  at  05:44 AM

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