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Speiman Spotlight
PREROGATIVE
Too Close For Comfort
By Elisa Smith
Editor-in-Chief
When I first set out to write this
editorial, I didn’t expect that great of a
challenge.
Rich6, the associate editor, and I
had decided that - since so many
students had submitted similar editorials
- we would focus our editorials on two
movies: Spike Lee’s "Jungle Fever" and
John Singleton’s "Boyz N the Hood."
I thought that was a good idea
since I had seen both movies and, as a
result, had begun to analyze my
thoughts about interracial relationships,
the effects of drugs on Black families
and the effects of drugs on the
relationships among Black people.
Among other things, both movies
posed questions for me that dealt with
the perpetuation of such self
degradation.
Richd’s preference was the topic of
interracial relationships and mine dealt
with violence and drug abuse in the
Black community.
As I pondered different areas of
emphasis, I decided that I was most
frightened by the almost non-existent
value of life as portrayed in Singleton’s
By Riche Richardson
Associate Editor
Interracial relationships is a topic
that generally inspires controversy
among blacks and whites alike.
Naturally, "Jungle Fever," the director
Spike Lee’s summer movie about
interracial relationships, inspired much
discussion.
Fortunately, someone who
understands the truths that are often,
typical of interracial relationships has
candidly addressed the issue.
Spike Lee’s primary objective was
not to primarily depict "interracial
love."
His objective was to illustrate the
sexual mythology that often (perhaps
more often than not in a society like
this) characterizes interracial
relationships. However, Lee also
acknowledges that interracial
relationships can be based on genuine
feelings.
Too often, individuals who don’t
understand the dynamics of sexual
mythology in Western society view
interracial relationships with blind
optimism.
In short, they view all interracial
relationships as progressive ties.
It follows that to utter and not
qualify statements such as "love knows
no color" (variation: what is the color
of love?), "a heart only knows another
heart," and "there is only one race, the
human race" is to illustrate naivetd
about the socialization of individuals
who have been tainted by the West.
As a result of historical institutional
racism, the typical cultural messages
about whites have been exceedingly
positive. Therefore, the prevailing
image of society’s white women
"Boyz N the Hood."
As I thought of ways to illustrate
that belief, I became even more afraid
because my examples were not from
the movie at all.
Instead, I thought about the various
violent incidents that have occurred in
the Atlanta University Center and the
West End Community since I entered
Speiman in August 1989.
I thought about the many members
of my high school graduating class
who were killed "senselessly."
I thought about the gun shots that
I used to hear so frequently when I
lived in Abby Residence Hall. I
thought about where those bullets
landed and the mothers, fathers and
families of the victims.
I especially remembered viewing
the suicide of a public official on video
tape during a journalism class. The
topic of discussion was ethics;
however, my topic of thought was
values (or lack thereof).
In the past, when I watched such
movies as "Boyz N the Hood," I would
subconsciously distance myself from
suggests that they are the most
"beautiful women on the face of the
earth.
Similarly, power and success are
suggested to be epitomized in white
men.
On the other hand, negative cultural
messages about blacks have been
disseminated historically.
Undoubtedly, black womanhood has
been profoundly negated in the West.
In essence, black women are generally
thought to be sexually promiscuous.
Likewise, black men are deemed
rapists who have relentless "endurance."
In the words of Spike Lee, black
men are seen as seen as "sexual
supermen."
It follows that some black men do
undoubtedly establish ties with white
females because the males have
accepted European beauty standards
and feel that white females (and other
non-Negroid females) are more
beautiful and desirable than the black
women who are rejected.
Some black females do establish
relationships with white males because
the women correlate power and success
with white men exclusively.
However, the mythology goes both
ways.
Too often, an accusatory finger is
pointed at black men and women who
pursue interracial relationships based on
superficiality without acknowledging
that white men and women have
internalized sexual myths as well.
In other words, many white females
who proclaim to be "in love" with
black men are simply looking Tor-sex
with men who are said to possess the
the violence, from the drug abuse, from
- in essence - the reality of it all.
However, now I watch such
productions with a rage of discomfort,
for the reality of such portrayals is too
close for comfort.
I don’t have to go very far to
witness the sale of drugs or the use of
drugs.
I don’t have to go very far to
Witness the implications of drug abuse
(i.e. prostitution, theft, etc.).
In this same respect, I don’t have
to go very far to show a young person
that he or she is loved.
I don’t have to go very far to share
my experiences with a younger person,
exemplifying how valuable life is.
I don’t have to go very far to give
a youngster encouragement.
I don’t have to go very far to
share my basic knowledge of
mathematics, English, Spanish or
science with someone who may need
assistance.
I don’t have to go very far to offer
my help.
And neither do you.
ultimate sexual endurance in society.
Similarly, many white males who
establish ties with black women have
internalized the societal message that
black females are sexually insatiable
women who wear red and swing from
chandeliers.
Also, some whites simply see black
people as art.
Spike Lee should be applauded for
putting sexual mythology on the screen.
My only criticism, however, is that
he failed to illustrate the ideology in its
entirety.
Flipper, the black man with "the
fever," does a fairly good job of
illustrating his internalization of sexual
mythology.
However, Angie, the white woman
with whom he commits adultery, does
not completely come across as a white
woman who seeks a "sexual
superman." I’ve even heard many
people say that Angie ultimately loves
Flipper in "Jungle Fever."
Considering that she quickly tries to
reunite with Paulie (her white ex-
boyfriend) when her future with Flipper
begins looking grim, I don’t know how
that interpretation of her feelings could
logically be reached.
Annabella Sciorra, the actress who
played the character Angie, even stated
that her character did not unite with
Flipper because he was a black man.
Obviously, she did not understand
the theme of sexual mythology in
"Jungle Fever."
It follows that Lee should have
made Angie’s sexual stereotyping of
Flipper more blatant
'Some individuals may nave been
rather offended by Lee’s concentration
"Jungle Fever":
When "Love" Isn f t Love
SPELMAN SPOTLIGHT
Editor-in-Chief Elisa Smith
Associate Editor Richd Richardson
Staff Advisor Leisha Stewart
The Speiman Spotlight welcomes
letters to the editor, artwork and
submissions to Expressions. Editorial
opinions expressed on these pages
do not necessarily represent the
editorial position of the Spotlight.
All submissions will be considered
for publication as space permits.
Submissions should be sent through
Campus Mail via P.O. Box 1234.'
The Spotlight staff meets
on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.
Next issue: October 30
Deadline: October 23
on sexual mythology in "Jungle Fever"
instead of "interracial love."
People, more often than not, get
defensive when they have to face a
reality that they’d rather ignore.
To harbor sexual mythology is to
have shackles on the mind.
One of the many tragedies of living
in Western society is that blacks are
bombarded with images that ultimately
effect self-hatred.
Sexual mythology, whether blindly
optimistic, uninformed white liberals
and assimilationist blacks want to admit
it or not, is a reality in some interracial
relationships.
If most blacks can’t even completely
accept themselves on an aesthetic level
because of social conditioning, I
wonder how any informed person could
deny that social conditioning must
make many blacks internalize sexual
mythology, too.
Therefore, blacks must be
particularly careful about everything
that they think, feel, say, and ao.
I know that I’ll always love and
prefer to see black men and black
women walldng together.
However, I do believe that love
can be genuine in the hearts of people
who have somehow managed to
transcend the sexual mythology that
socialization and institutional racism
can plant in the mind.
I simply wonder how interracial
relationships based on genuine feelings
could outnumber the ones based on
sexual mythology in a society like this.
In my eyes, an interracial
relationship based on sexual mythology
is now and always will be one in
which "love" isn’t love.