the one about rihanna/the ny post

so, i thought i was done bitching for the night. but actually i'm not. i read far too many blogs and websites during the average day. what can i say, that's just what happens when you're unemployed. i've seen a lot of things lately calling for a boycott of the new york post due to that terrible cartoon that they published last week. people are really up in arms about it. 


but yet...

a young woman of color is brutally beaten by her superstar boyfriend and no one gives a shit. yes, i know - the case hasn't gone to court yet, etc etc. but let's be real. everyone knows he beat her ass just like everyone knows oj did it (yep, i said it. hate if you must). and no one seems to care. no one is calling for a boycott of chris brown and his music or his music label. no one seems concerned. 

but yet...

domestic violence disproportionally affects african-american women. the stats are a little fuzzy, but domestic violence is one of the leading causes of death for african-american women aged 18-45. this is a serious issue. and all anyone can say is (and i won't get into this more because i've already commented on this aspect of the situation ad nasuem) "what'd she do? what'd she do?"

but yet...

let it have been a white man who beat up a black women. or even worse, a white man beating up a black man (as we saw with rodney king, amadou diallo, sean bell, etc)...when that happens, we have press conferences, we have jesse jackson, we have nonstop news coverage. and i'm not saying we shouldn't. we should. we should be outraged when our young men are brutalized and our communities are shattered. 

but yet...

shouldn't we be just as enraged when our young women are brutalized? where's the outrage? where's jesse jackson? where's the nonstop news coverage?? 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

if they get back together, what should the black community say then?

Unknown said...

According to People they are back together again

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20262240,00.html

yuck : (

Courtney @ Eat Pray Run DC said...

whether they are together or not, that doesn't change what happened. so my answer to the first question is that it doens't matter if they get back together. if your mother or your sister was beat up by a man and then she took him back would you automatically just let it go and accept the man that hurt her? of course not. it makes no different.

i also think that relationships are tough. i don't think anyone should down rihanna for choosing to take him back, if she indeed has. everyone has their own limits. i wish her the best.

will i continue to be outraged by chris brown's behavior and the apparent lack of concern about it? yep.

Anonymous said...

I don't know that our community takes a strong enough stance against the overall abuse of Black women. I am not just talking about domestic violence but sexual exploitation and emotional abuse as well. From the time we are young girls we are drilled with the idea of good vs bad girl. The only difference between the two is that one "girl" has been sexually exploited by men while the other has to save 'it' for a man. On the flip side young boys are drilled with the idea that a "real man" uses as many girls as possible, brags about their "conquest" and when they get to a proper age find a "good girl" to marry (some still keep the "bad girl" on the side.) CRAZY FOOLISHNESS! Wait I think I am a bit off topic...but you get the point? RIGHT?! The overall issue of abuse/ misuse of women should be the issue not just 'ooo, Rihanna got a busted lip'. If you are looking for Jesse Jackson to speak about the misuse of Black women do not hold your breath. This man was married forever and recently had a child out of wedlock with a chic half his age. He ain't gonna get on CNN anytime soon and speak out cause he is just as guilty of "misuse" of women. I am a VERY traditional young lady and so I take serious issue with men wanting the mantle of leadership (the Bible says woman submit) who choose to abuse the power given with that leadership by misusing women.
I hope I am not coming across as a man hater. I love men and Black men especially. I know enough quality Brothers that I won't allow myself to become bitter.I just long for more...Is that ridiculous?
-MJ

Courtney @ Eat Pray Run DC said...

preach girl! MJ, you hit the nail on the head. and nope, it ain't ridiculous.