| re: Drinks with two Great Comet cast members | |
| Posted by: Singapore/Fling 12:08 am EDT 08/07/17 | |
| In reply to: re: Drinks with two Great Comet cast members - Chazwaza 07:21 pm EDT 08/06/17 | |
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| "ANYWAY my point is that you do not have to say "they were racist" when the way you tell it or state the situation you're objecting to is "black man fired so white man could be hired"... the racism is VERY clearly implied already." I see that, and I understand why people are getting upset, even as that upset limits growth and change. I personally don't think that Oak's firing was racially motivated (though race plays a role). I also don't think that the Kagans are particularly or uniquely racist; in point of fact, they've done better than most at being allies. I think our society is racist, and I think the sooner we simply admit that, the sooner we can fix it. One thing that I get from all of these conversations is that there are some people who are horrified by the mere suggestion that race plays a part in our daily lives and decision making, versus those who are aware that racism is an ever-present fact of life. So what you and others want to label an accusation of "racism" (and I understand the reflex), is what I and others might term a reality of the way that racial hierarchies function in our society. "People weren't outraged because "famous theater legend takes over for unknown actor in lead role"." Right. They were outraged because "famous theater legend asks for lead role, is given it despite pre-existing agreement, unknown actor out of job". And yes, the famous theater legend is white, and the unknown actor is black. I know that you and others want to ignore that fact, but it's actually important that we don't ignore it. White people can't ignore non-whiteness, because people of color can't ignore their own non-whiteness. Our society reminds them of it on a regular basis. I understand that you may feel that we are bringing race into this, but we would remind you that race is already there. In this case, based on the story presented, it looked as if an unknown black actor who had made it to a leading role on Broadway was being asked to give up the part because a white theater legend wanted it. There is a long history in this country of black men and women being asked to give up things because white people wanted them, and this looked like one more example of that. That isn't actually what happened, but that was how it looked to many people, based on the story they were told. Most people don't read the weekly box office. They don't know that Comet is making less money without Groban, and they certainly don't know that the box office plummets without some name in the show. We might know that on this board, but most people don't, and you can't ask them to be aware of that. The narrative put out by the Kagans played into the worst expectations that many people of color have of white people, based on how white people have treated them. That isn't fair to the Kagans or to Mandy, but then nothing about the way race functions in our society is fair. Personally, I didn't understand a lot about how race works in society until I married a person of color, and then my eyes were opened through watching his experiences. The more that I speak honestly with people of color, the more that I have been able to see racism around me and within me. As the song goes, everyone's a little bit racist. The real goal is to stop being afraid of our racism, so that we can better address it and change our society as a result. |
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| Previous: | re: Drinks with two Great Comet cast members - Chazwaza 07:21 pm EDT 08/06/17 |
| Next: | re: Drinks with two Great Comet cast members - ryhog 04:43 pm EDT 08/06/17 |
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