Research and Exploration

a good place to start is this letterboxd post by my friend peter labuza, which talks about the use of digital photography in MAGIC MIKE XXL to “correct” the ingrained history of racist portrayals of black bodies in hollywood movies.

from there, follow the links. richard dyer’s WHITE is one of the most important critical texts for understanding the history of hollywood cinema as the construction of whiteness. 

this strain of film criticism builds off of the ‘whiteness studies’ initiated by social critics like w.e.b. dubois and james baldwin in the the early to mid 20th c.

most people tend to focus on the philosophical treatment of race in movies (i.e., through character), while ignoring the technologies that made that type of treatment not only normalized, but essential. basically because most people watching movies have no idea about the production details of lighting & cameras, and those who do don’t frequently analyze the connection between production and theory. 

As a nation, we fail to comprehend Black political strategy in much the same way we fail to recognize the value of Black life. We see ghettos and crime and absent parents where we should see communities actively struggling against mental health crises and premeditated economic exploitation. And when we see police cars being smashed and corporate property being destroyed, we should see reasonable responses to generations of extreme state violence, and logical decisions about what kind of actions yield the desired political results.

meanwhile in Baltimore. Don’t be alarmed, that corner building has always looked that way. But our streets are looking cleaner than they EVER have. I will never be embarrassed of my people. We are not “thugs”.

IMMIGRATION OFFICER FATALLY SHOOTS UNARMED 19 YR OLD BLACK MAN 10 TIMES DURING BALTIMORE RIOTS.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed 20-year-old Terrence Kellum, Monday afternoon on Detroit’s northwest side.

Police say the agent — part of a fugitive task force involving ICE and officers with the Detroit Police Department — was attempting to serve an armed robbery warrant at a home in the 9500 block of Evergreen near W. Chicago when the shooting occurred.

“I am told there was no forced entry into the residence, that they were allowed inside,” said Detroit Police Chief James Craig. “And I’m also told that the agent may have been faced with a threat, and it was at that point when he decided to use deadly force.” Craig would not talk more specifically about that alleged threat.

One of the eyewitnesses, a woman, shouted at the chief as she described what she claims happened. “It was 10 bullets…and did it take 10 bullets? When he came out, they didn’t have the handcuffs on him!” she said. “They shot him! He was not able to run to do nothin’. Y’all didn’t give him a chance!”

An Investigation has been promised but we all know how that goes….

Source / Source

Rioting matters because white people did it to found this country over taxation without representation and called it a revolution.

Rioting matters because white people have started wars over oil and spices but we can’t throw a brick in response to state-sponsored genocide.

Rioting matters because your friends list was not talking about Freddie Gray or Rekia Boyd or Walter Scott but immediately posted about windows broken out at CVS.

Rioting matters because you keep imploring us to behave like MLKJr but your grandaddy killed him anyway.

Rioting matters because there is no press about the tens of thousands of people who marched together for a peaceful demonstration, only the small groups causing property damage

Would you say that if it was your car/house on fire? Would you believe that if you were attacked on the street? Would you honestly think this is right if you weren’t sitting in the safety of your home, in front of your computer, miles and miles away from what’s happening?

Because the deceased’s family never wanted this. They wanted peaceful protests, not looting and attacking and arson. I don’t care what the damn reason is, beatings, arson, and thefts are terrible no matter who’s doing it. If you really think this is something you can fucking justify, especially since you’re nowhere near it, then I’m ashamed of you.

1 in 3 women will have an abortion — and these stickers are fighting the stigma 

Let’s talk about just how “unskilled” my minimum wage labor is.

Prickly Treat

Really nice recipes. Every hour.

How to Moonwalk.

Chameleons are challenging, yet fun and rewarding pets to own. They require proper food, housing, and lighting or they can have several health problems. Chameleons can suffer from dehydration, stress and mouth infections. Another common illness for chameleons is eye infections. You should know what an eye infection looks like for your chameleon, some things…

How To Be A Gentleman 10/12