NUBIAN KNIGHTS NETWORK: Constructing My Own Black "Blueprint" (Part II)

QUOTATIONS OF "BLACK"

"Whenever I use BLACK it relates to some history of Africans in that particular place. It’s the idea of the color BLACK as a metaphor, or as a representation of African-Americans. It’s the notion of BLACK- BLACKNESS - and all its other meanings in relation to the history of race..."

- Fred Wilson

"Most of my fortitude to continue doing the work comes from the moral outrage I feel about the injustices that Black people endure disproportionately daily."

- N. Abdul-Wakil

"In the end, what matters is not skin shade but pan-African consciousness. Loving your complexion, your nose, lips, hair length and texture, no matter what the politics or trends decide, and simply be. That's the problem with us (African folks). We're still learning how to love ourselves. So used to glorifying others and putting others first..."

- Dredlocks Tree

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Constructing My Own Black "Blueprint" (Part II)

You said: "...the main reason you think highly of this film is because it's a black film."
Well... yes and no. I don't blindly support something because it is purely Black. And some people in certain circles have that assumption about me especially when it comes to films. I am discriminating and definitely do not support a film or anything else simply on the merits of it being Black and/or homosexual. Blueprint happened to have a nice mesh of story, being Black and homosexual and worked FOR ME in that context. I've been having more and more conversations with friends about my not supporting Black romantic comedy films with the heterosexist/romantic slant; movies like: The Wood, Brown Sugar, Tyler Perry's recent Why Did I Get Married?, A Thin Line Because Love and Hate and the list goes on and on and on. I have reached a point in my life (after my self-acceptance of my homosexuality 10 1/2 years ago) that I am so fucking tired of heterosexism up in my face every single day from tv ads, to billboards on the streets & highways via car, to couples kissing on the buses and trains of NYC, to music videos, to seeing it depicted in films. So, those are movies I don't support even though they may have a good story and are Black. And a lot of those types of Black romantic comedies are "popcorn" (aka shallow) films anyhow. I always prefer a good Black drama but those are far and few between. Another subject for another day.

Conversely, I think I'm probably looked at a little differently among friends because I CHAMPION Black SGL films so (aggressively) much and ALWAYS looking for the next Black SGL film experience or slice of life, and franky I just really have no interest in the white gay films. I hear some of them are good (even from you), and I have no doubt that some of the white gay themed films are good, but I am so tired of heterosxism and white folks as well up in my face all the time that I am bitter and tired of it. Anyway... enough ranting. Had to get it out.

Lastly, I would never "hate" on you for "saying/thinking" anything. If you have a "feeling" that Blueprint might not do it for you, then by all means don't go out of your way to spend the $10 or $11 bucks on it. I just LOVE the film "for me" and enjoy promoting it with passion. I really can't say if Blueprint will be a "worthwhile cultural experience" for you. I might say that about the African SGL film DAKAN (Destiny), however, it's story mirrors the plight of SGL bruthaz here in the States.