For us Blacks enthralled with the entertainment industry it is nearly heart breaking but 100% (third) Eye opening when someone who looks like us, someone who represents us in the industry, says something ignorant pertaining to racism in America; especially as of late (#BlackLivesMatter). Recently rap superstar Kendrick Lamar was quoted in saying that Blacks need to respect ourselves before others can respect us. Which is problematic because a life is a life, and racism is racism. Today I bring you Mr. Anthony Mackie. Early this week Tupac from "Notorious" was interviewed by The Grio about this year's Oscar award noms and one of his upcoming roles.
You can watch the full interview HERE.
This fool basically hit us with the "you see US as Black people have to ...." translation: if we comply to the oppressor's standards, they won't kill us for being Black. He uses the example of his nephew wanting to loc his hair and him in response presenting his nephew with images of criminals who are men with their hair loc'd. I do not know how old Mackie's nephew is but I am assuming that he is impressionable. He basically told this young man that if he was to loc his hair he will be setting himself up for racial profiling as if his brown skin doesn't do that enough. Mackie sounds as if he is saying that men with loc's look like criminals and prepositioning to his nephew if he wants loc's that means he wants to looks like a criminal. As if haircuts like Mackie's own will end racism. When racism is the very force that has him speaking this way.
Personally I was not looking for any Messiah in Anthony Mackie, he is not my refuge or savior, or even my favorite actor. However, I am disappointed in, yet not surprised by, his ignorance.
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