Opinions of Thursday, 3 September 2015

Columnist: Lungu, Prof.

If America was racist, why do black actors flourish?

Phillip Kobina Baidoo On Slavery and Racism in America!

"...10. Intellectualization: As a defensive tool, a white person might bring up societal exceptions, and success stories to negate the experience of someone who challenges their racial biases...'But we have a black president'!...These examples are held up as reasons why we (Whites) can dismiss the experience of the person of color..because logically the person of color should not be having the experience they are having...," (George Sachs, "10 Ways White Liberals Perpetuate Racism", 2015).

ITEM: So, from above, we now know that the implicitly-racist White American may have an excuse for being racist, "Intellectualization", according to Sachs. Therefore, what excuse does Phillip Kobina Baidoo who lives in the UK, a Ghanaian national of African descent, have when he bombasts....


READ PHILLIP KOBINA BAIDOO:

"....Currently, there is no single soul in any Western society that will tell you that slavery is good.../

/...If American society is still racist does it make sense when the same racist America allows characters like Michael Jordon, Magic Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods and many more to flourish? ... Oprah was discovered as a news caster...Let’s assume at the time she had her breakthrough America was still racist...In that case is it not reasonable to argue that her employers employed her, because they realised she could draw more television audience, which could earn them more profit...The NBA that is dominated by blacks was not achieved through affirmative action. It is because when the first black player broke the barrier it would have been suicidal for any would be capitalist team owner to ignore the incredible talent of the black players...Currently, at least, there are five fortune five hundred companies headed by black people, which is not that much. The question is how did they get there if America is still racist?...At a point in time Hollywood was accused of racism, because it was not offering black artist leading roles. Of course, Hollywood businessmen are capitalist they cater to their clients – the film consumers...when Eddie Murphy, Denzel Washington et al became blockbuster actors they were offered some of the best script, and became part of the highest Hollywood earners....If Hollywood which used to be very exclusive could open its doors to Samuel L Jackson, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy etc. then everything is possible..../

/...Currently, there is no single soul in any Western society that will tell you that slavery is good. .." (Philip Kobina Baidoo).

SOURCE:

1. Phillip Kobina Baidoo, 22 August, 2015, (www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/ Nkrumahism-The-Can-Of-Worms-I-Opened-Slavery-and-Racism-3-376941).

2. George Sachs. 10 Ways White Liberals Perpetuate Racism, 1 Sep 2015, (www.huffingtonpost.com/george-sachs-psyd/10-ways-white-liberals-pe_b_8068136.html).

©Prof Lungu is Ghana-centered/Ghana-Proud.
Prof Lungu is based in Washington DC, USA.