|
|
Post by Mr. Daniel on Apr 29, 2013 9:13:13 GMT -5
Brad Paisley and LL Cool J recently released a song called "The Accidental Racist". Some have applauded the song while others have criticized it as just racist. What do you think? |
|
|
|
Post by boweng on Apr 29, 2013 11:41:42 GMT -5
"I'm proud of where I'm from but not everything we've done" this is just one part of the song that stood out to me. I think that the creation of this musical piece should be applauded. Brad Paisley is directly pointing out the issue that is still a very controversial but he is being honest by letting his listeners know that he doesn't choose to be racist. He also sings that he will never be able to understand what it's like to be in the position of those experiencing racism and he can't go back in time to change history. He was raised in the south and he is white, they are clearly brought up with some racist mindsets but that wasnt his choice. The honesty behind this piece should be recognized.
|
|
|
|
Post by shawnlapiana on Apr 29, 2013 14:39:40 GMT -5
I agree with boweng that the song should be applauded. This song is honest an that's something that is hard to come by. We are always asked how to fix this problem and ignoring it and trying to not hurt anyone's feelings doesn't help. "I guess we’re both guilty of judgin’ the cover not the book." This is a quote that I think is also interesting because it shows that both sides are at fault. We often put all of the blame on one side when it is really both. This song was truthful that white people do feel bad about the past, but there is nothing that we can do to change what happened. We need to work on changing what we can, and this song is a step in the right direction.
|
|
|
|
Post by elizabethk on Apr 30, 2013 9:04:34 GMT -5
Personally, I agree with the responses above and how this song should be applauded because it gives two different perspectives of the two parties that are involved. There is a quote in the song that stood out to me, which was one of LL Cool J's lines: "Just because my pants are saggin' doesn't mean I'm up to no good" which represents how people judge one another based on stereotypes and don't really get to know the person. I don't think this song is racist, I think it is just being honest about how racism and stereotyping of certain races is still relevant today.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nick Dowdle on May 1, 2013 20:57:31 GMT -5
The meaning of this song should be applauded, however not the musical aspect, the vocals do not work together (just saying).
"I'm proud where I'm From but not everything we've done". everyone has a line from this song they remember and this is the one for me. This song does not necessarily appear racist however it seems to hint that everything is the whiteman's fault, regardless to say whites have oppressed blacks since the beginning of the United States. Now the video we watched with all of the men sitting in the room and discussing racial issues appears to have one part which can be alluded very nicely to this song. The part where the Man who Owns a Vineyard discussed with the Asian man how people perceive the MWOTV, and that he is wealthy, all controlling and on the outside does not appear to care for the welfare of his worker (however he stated that he did). This ties into the song because much of the song does with perceptions like the quote boweng used. This song appears to be unintentionally racist by blaming many of the problems on whites. The song all makes many great refrences to perceptions, which seem to diminish the racist feel to the song and give it a "We Are the World" by Michael Jackson feeling.
|
|
|
|
Post by aniathomas on May 1, 2013 22:39:21 GMT -5
I disagree with Nick Dowdle, and how he claims that the song is racist. Like with all the people that agree that this song isn't that's the side which i agree with the most. The most recognized quotes from this song like "I'm proud of where I'm from but not everything we've done" shows both how even though he was raised in the racist south, he doesn't agree with racism and how the minorities wore treated like African Americans. I agree with Boweg, on how this song should be most likely appladed for, but also i want to add that with this quote he wants to say that everyone makes mistakes, and since it was in the past like Shawn had mentioned it was done, all in our power now is to move on and to improve the situation and try to eliminate racism. Especially, the unfair housing and the fact that White people have more economic wealth than African Americans and minorities. I believe that the fact that Whites always have a privilege over minorities, is wrong and like in the video now, this difference is still seen.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr. Daniel on May 2, 2013 12:40:03 GMT -5
The song includes the lyrics, "if you don't judge my do-rag, I won't judge your red flag" and "if you don't judge my gold chains, I'll forget the iron chains." Is the song saying that the fashion choices of black men are on the same level as the "iron chains" on the slaves under the "red flag" of the Confederacy?
|
|
|
|
Post by Nick Dowdle on May 5, 2013 17:38:09 GMT -5
I don't believe so @mr.Daniel. It doesn't appear that is what they are trying to get at. However it originally appeared strange to me that the artists would compare say something as extreme as slavery to something that appears less extreme like clothing. But after thinking about it for awhile the comparison seems very appropriate. In both cases people are bring oppressed and unfairly treated. I think a good question to ask is weather or not the song is trying to have people pretend the past didn't happen and restart with new values which will lead to everyone being treated equally?
|
|
|
|
Post by drewcerney on May 5, 2013 22:36:48 GMT -5
This is my favorite song out right now. Ive been a Brad Paisley fan since i was 11 and seen him in concert 6 times and i know for a fact he is not racist. there are some country singers that are slightly racist and he isnt. For example, twice ive seen him Darius Rucker opened for him and hes black. This song is about black and white people mending the trouble between them. A guy walks into a store with a skynyrd shirt on with a rebel flag on it and it comes off as a racist when he just likes lynyrd skynyrd and black people take it as racist. its not racist. the song is trying to form grey from black and white
|
|
|
|
Post by drewcerney on May 5, 2013 22:39:32 GMT -5
I like your comment Nick that everyone has a line they remember... Mine is when LL cool J says at the end "RIP Robert E. Lee but i gotta thank Abraham Lincoln for freein me" This sticks out because he is forgiving the racists and thanking the white people who helped black people. So LL cool J is thanking and forgiving white people in this song and white people (Brad Paisley) is saying sorry
|
|
|
|
Post by aniathomas on May 6, 2013 18:33:21 GMT -5
To answear mr daniles question, now thinking about the song by the artist, it seems to me that it has some racism behind it, but the singer is mentioning it as the history of how it used to be back in the ages, and even though the racism occurred before it is not there anymore, its slowly changing, he mentions that song lyric of how people used to judge eachother, but another little rasist part of the song is when he says "So when I see that white cowboy hat, I'm thinkin' it's not all good" but these racist parts of the song, are used to describe the history and what has happened before a long time ago among people, the lyrics are used as facts and used to prove the points of how racism shouldnt occur anymore and should stop. With this song, these lyrics are used to support anti-racism, Also Like drew said, when he preforms with other colored people that is an example of how he is not rasist, also to what nick said, i think slavery and clothing represents judgement, that the only reason we judge for example black people to be bad is because of their skin color, and that is how racism occurs, and its very irrational, because judging does not indicate what and how people are, judging someone by their clothes, or skin will not give us who they really are until we meet them, and when we do the black/minorities might seem to be innosent, generous people.
|
|
|
|
Post by karinad on May 6, 2013 22:18:26 GMT -5
Definitely trying to start a much-needed conversation, one about race, but poorly done. The whole "don't judge me and I'll forgive history" theme is a bit too simplistic. And the confederate flag is essentially a symbol of wanting to secede from the union in order to keep black people as slaves, so that's a bit sketchy. Overall, no racist intentions, but came across the wrong way.
|
|
katep
New Member
Posts: 41
|
Post by katep on May 12, 2013 10:59:52 GMT -5
I agree with karina. I feel like the song was trying to show that even though people arent as racist as before (well some still are but for the most part the population as a whole isnt as racist) people just assume things about the other. Like LL Cool J was saying how he sees a white cowboy hat and doesnt think anything good of it because he assumes that the white man wont like him. These assumptions come from our nations history and even though we have come a lot further since slavery, everyone still has racist tendencies. So I dont think that Brad Pailsey meant for the song to be racist but more as an honest represenation of how he feels racism can occur today.
|
|
|
|
Post by shawnlapiana on May 23, 2013 18:20:40 GMT -5
I agree with the people above about mr Daniel's question. The people are making historical comments and making a connection to typical stereo types today. I think it is good because they both say that they were not the ones withy he red flag or the chains and they can get past it.
|
|
