Over on Lynn Scanlon's blog, there is a firestorm of controversy going on. Seriously, I have never, ever read 52 posts on anyone's blog. I read these.
I live in the Deep South. We have whites and blacks living next door to each other. We get along. Race is only an issue in political arguments and in other places. Here we get along and when we make friends, we forget what color we are because we are friends.
I do not see the reasoning behind a black author getting upset because she is asked, "Are you black?" There was to be a book signing in a bookstore in Florida. Someone emailed her and asked her that question and she hit the ceiling. There is more to the story (links are all on Lynn's blog so I won't relink here.) It seems that the bookstore is an African American bookstore. Why didn't this author share that bit of information in her rants?
The question is "Why?" Why get so upset if someone asks what color you are? If they read your book and couldn't tell, bully for you. If they are a black book store, then why in the world would you get upset if they asked what color you are and on top of that, why assume when you answered "yes" to that question that the answer would be wrong????
I just don't get it.
The claim is made that black authors are niched and boxed in to a place in the bookstore, you know, that corner where you find all the black authors. So?
I have found Colin Powell's book in the political section and ran across it in the biographies and again somewhere else to the point I was wondering if there were any other books in the store.
In my estimation, the focus is too close and narrow on this discussion. And it seems that no one is listening to anyone. I have read so many books in all my years that I can generally tell where an author is from just from reading the book. As I said on Lynn's blog. Background bleeds through into the prose. That's something that is great not bad. The truly sad thing these days is that fewer and fewer Americans are reading books. They tend to get their entertainment from TV and from xbox. I pray that books never go out of style, no matter what color the author.
The focus is too close because every author should be looking for the perfect hook to sell their books and should capitalize on their background, not decry it or cover it up.
I have many black friends and I adore them. We get caught up in the friendship and we forget there is a difference in our skin color. Is that a crime? Maybe I should keep reminding myself... no... I like it better this way.
6 comments:
I browsed in from the article you wrote on BNN and I'm really confused. On one hand you seem to be a very accepting/good-neighbour Christian. You feel sad because Christians are portrayed as bleeding hearts with the wrong kinds of causes on TV.
Somehow though, you think it's bull that homosexuals are airing their dirty laundry when they just want equal rights. So what if they're a minority? There are races/colours in the USA that are minorities and I don't see you waving off equal rights from them. As for the argument that it's "not normal," well - women voting wasn't normal either until relatively recently.
WWJD applies to the GLBT minority too.
Hi Gina, thanks for linking to my posting. It's been a strange couple of days. One friend joked that I might get shot in a drive-by shooting!
One blogger lifted my photo (without permission from the photographer, I might add) and put it on his/her blog with the caption: "This is the face of racism."
I really appreciate it when you drop by my blog and leave such wise comments.
Lynne AKA The Wicked Witch of Publishing
PS I just put up a new post on a far less incendiary topic!
David P, the equal rights for homosexuals means redefining marriage. I do not think that man has the authority to do that.
Lynn, I really like your posts. They are so informative and thought provoking!
I don't think people should get so bent out of shape because people ask them what color they are...but...at the same time, as someone who is mixed, being asked what I am ALL OF THE TIME starts getting on my nerves.
Also, I don't know this author's backgroud (I want to read the article, but I won't since the word that I hate is in the headline) but anyway, I wonder what her background is? Did she grow up during segregation? Did her parents? My dad did. He is very sensitive on that subject...and can you blame him when he grew up having people hate him for his skin color?
Still, this author's protesting and rant is inappropriate. It's too bad we can't learn how to control our tongues.
Hi Gina,
I'm here for the controversy, lol.
Nothing I like better then sticking my foot in my mouth (Not true), but I do have to side with you on this one. Growing up in CA I really wasn't exposed to the kind of prejedice that people talk about. I am 62 and even back then my school was fully integrated and so where the neighborhoods in most places.
I've never judged anyone on their race of religion, but rather looked at the individual. So if you're good, you're good and if you're bad, you're bad. It's that simple for me.
Now for another subject and I hope that it doesn't offend anyone here.
I saw a comment above by a David P., I agree that gays should have their rights too. I know several gay people both women and men. One of my best friends is a gay man. Maybe I wouldn't feel this way if I had never met him but I did. I have known him since he was a young kid. I silently watched him growing struggling with his Identity and I must tell you it was heart breaking.
There are perverts in this world and there are gay people but that doesn't mean that because a person is gay that they belong to the group of perverts and that is what most people seem to think.
However I do not think that we should introduce books in the school to young children on gay familys as some people have suggested in the past.
But the gay people that I have come accross in my life have been good, honest and kind people and they do not make public specticals of theirselves.
So I guess I feel this way because of my own personal experiences and because most of all I don't think I have the right to judge, I leave that only to God.
I love you Gina, I hope you don't mind me airing my views.
I love you, Exseno!
I am not at all offended because everyone has a right to their opinions. The problems come when someone tries to force their opinions on the world. I agree that there are some wonderful people out there who happen to be homosexual. I believe, truly believe, that it is a choice not a gene. But, I'm entitled to my opinions, too.
I deeply regret the way some self-claimed Christians treat homosexuals. It is wrong to hate people. It is right, however, to hate the sin for that is what will keep people from knowing Jesus intimately and that is what will keep someone from heaven.
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