From the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
What a shitstorm I’ve stirred up with my post on the racist Carnaval costumes.
The thing is, I kind of expected it. I know white people hate being called on their racism… or their denial of it.
The reactions, ranging from defensiveness to anger, awaken a sense of deja-vu in me. You see, in my years of existence in America as a white U.S. citizen, I’ve heard all these arguments before: from white friends, friends-of-friends, neighbors, coworkers, family… Many, many times. I’ll boil them down into their basic essence:
Ignorance is bliss. Don’t lecture us. Don’t rain on our parade.
Look, folks: I’m an entertainer. I’m not an academic or a politician or a preacher, and I hate to be the pesada. But when a post stirs up such a virulent response, I feel the need to explain my opinions.
Just to reiterate: this blog is about MY experience living in a different culture. Of course I will see things differently than people living here. And because I have opinions that I’m not afraid to share, there will be disagreements and sometimes offense will be taken.
As you can see from the title, I’m not from Spain, or Catalonia. I’m an immigrant from the U.S.A. I will inevitably see things from my perspective, coming from where I do. There will be cultural clashes sometimes.
Just as I am ignorant of certain aspects of this culture, so are people here ignorant of aspects of American culture. The lack of awareness of the racism in Jim Crow images is one such blind spot, as evidenced by the ubiquitous “mammy” costume at Carnival.
Of course the white people wearing this costume have no idea that it’s a vile racist stereotype that reflects centuries of brutal oppression of blacks in America. Or course they don’t hate black people. How could they? Most of them don’t even know any black people.
Does that mean people who wear these costumes are bad people? Of course not. Does their ignorance make it right? Fuck no.
Does the fact that most people in this country don’t know a rat’s ass about U.S. history and its legacy of racism mean that I don’t have the right to criticize such a costume? That seems to be the main argument of the comments defending the mammy costume. Sorry, but I continue to disagree. Just because you’re ignorant doesn’t mean I have to swallow it with a smile.
Racist U.S. postcard from 1909
Any U.S. citizen, black or white, has the legacy of racism burned into their consciousness. Not surprisingly, many white Americans are far less conscious of the repercussions than blacks would like them to be… which explains the existence of people like Ted Nugent.
Some of the comments accuse me of policing people, trying to impose political correctness on the happy-go-lucky culture here, and trying to censor people’s expression. If you read my original post, I did nothing of the sort. I simply voiced my opinion on the matter — with humor and irreverence, as is my style.
If some people think I’m looking down on them because I call attention to this kind of thing: I’m sorry, but I can’t help them with that. They should read more self-help books or see a psychiatrist. Living in this country, I get corrected all the time. I’m used to making mistakes and having to pay for them. I know I’m far from perfect.
But I stand by my initial reaction. It’s impossible for me to stand by and say nothing when I witness a disgusting racist importation from my own country, dammit. It makes me feel ashamed to be an American. As they say so eloquently in Spanish: It touches my balls.
From the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia
I have exercised my choice to offer my opinion on the subject. The choice I don’t have, however, is to wipe the knowledge of Jim Crow, Mammies, and the cruel, horrific racist history of my country from my consciousness. That terrible knowledge is part of my identity.
Please check out the site of the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia in Michigan to better understand the subject… or at least why I react the way I do. As always, you will decide for yourself. The gallery on mammies is especially informative in regards to this controversy.
Oh, and the next time you visit the U.S… a bit of friendly advice: don’t wear one of those costumes, if you want to make it out of there alive and in one piece. The argument of “It’s carnival, it’s just innocent fun,” won’t buy you much sympathy.
For the Spanish rockers out there: don’t even get me started on the Confederate flag. If you feel the need to defend that, go jerk off to Ted Nugent.
Finally, enjoy the clip from one of my favorite comics, someone I had the chance to meet and even share a gig with back in the day: Dave Chappelle.
Thanks Rachel at your attempt to clarify why this would be wrong to us Americans especially a person of color such as myself!!
Well done, Rachel. Some people here in Spain think they’re so liberal and lefty and all, but they go all “don’t rain on my parade” when someone proves them wrong. But don’t think it’s a mammy thing alone: next Carnival you could see those people dressed up as gypsies, making all those supposedly funny jokes and voices. And don’t even try to say anything against it, they’ll tell you to shut up because you’re a stranger and you don’t know shit about our, erm, “gypsy issues”. They’re not being racist, they’re just having fun. But they don’t like it at all when some uninformed American or whatever says that everyone in Spain are bullfighters.
Or they could dress up as battered women and make jokes about it. Hey, why not? Do you find it a little bit over the top? It was only ten years ago that Martes y Trece were doing jokes about it on TV, and we all laughed out loud, didn’t we? Thank God we are able to learn a bit as years pass. But if you feel the need to dress up as a battered woman, hey, freedom above all. And then get upset if someone says that you must have your sensibilities somewhere up your ass.
People, don’t get so uptight. Relax, it’s Carnival, isn’t it? If you have the right to dress up as a mammy and yell “Señorita Eh-carlaaaata” with that dumb faux-Cuban tone, then Rachel or anyone has their own right to shit on your fucking skull. Or is it that you can’t cope with a minimum bit of criticism? Jesus, you look like a bunch of beatas.
Hmmm… I feel a little guilty. I wrote the initial comment that flamed the blog so I would like to clarify that I defended solely the right to dress up as a zulu in Carnival (I still think I made a good point). I didnt say anything about the Mammy dresses, because that is indeed a symbol of oppression.
I should have started my post by criticising the mammy dresses, and from there make my point. So I apologyze for that.
Thank you, point taken. But, my friend, how can you still defend the pseudo-”Zulu” costumes? You really don’t see them as oppressive/insulting?
The way I see it, is that Big part of the problem is the obsession of the American (WASP) or Anglo-Saxon Culture in general to pigeonhole everybody that aren’t them. Afro-American, Asian-American, Hispanic (WTF is that?!!!) all in very broad unreal categories that prolongue the prejudices and ignorance in the American society. Not all Africans come from the Zulu Nation, not all Africans are even Black. Hey in Spain at least we came up with the PC term “Subsaharian” that is much more precise. Anyway why would one black person from Nigeria should be offended by the STUPID cartoon Zulu Costume? Why would a Spaniard feel offended because someone is dressing in Barcelona with a Huge Stupid Cartoon Hat (We’re all HISPANIC, All the SAME, yeah right…). And same thing if they are from the Zulu nation and Mexicans. Mexicans weren’t slaved by the US, but they have been certainly abused by the US. My point is they’re either equally “ignorant-offensive” or they equally “ignorant-but who cares, look at the idiot making of fool himself”. You must admit that.
Ever heard the phrase “spear-chucker”? Google it.
‘Nuff said.
Hey, your blog is always interesting. And, personaly, I learned checking out on the links.
You as a guiri
are like the litle child from de tale: the king is naked!! the king is naked!!
And yes, you´re right: the king is naked!!!
I’m glad you were able to check out the links and get something out of it.
I really hate to be in the position of “dar lecciones”, but sometimes I feel it’s necessary.
Thanks for your comment and for reading my blog.
Is there a better double ticket than Rachel Arieff and Dave Chapelle? I don’t think so.
Hey… Once more… I wish I knew as much of your culture as you do know this one you’re a part of now. Your point of view when you get serious is as interesting as when you’re the goddess on stage.