¡°I actually want them to perform,¡± a fellow writer told me, referring to the blackface minstrel show starring doo-wop group Rats & Star and idol group Momoiro Clover Z that was scheduled to be broadcast nationally on March 7. ¡°I want them to explain the meaning behind the face paint.¡±
Among black folk, opinions on this issue were mixed, and there¡¯s nothing astounding about that: Every black person knows that the belief that blacks are monolithic is a misconception. When it comes to any issue, whether it be the shooting of unarmed black men or whether Barack Obama is a good president, opinions vary wildly. So, I knew the modern-day use of blackface for entertainment purposes would garner a variety of perspectives, even from people of color.
¡°I¡¯m sick and tired of the knee-jerk response to everything that happens on this side of the planet when it comes to our own perceived notions of race,¡± the writer added, ¡°especially in a homogenous society that doesn¡¯t have a real feel for it.¡±
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