Comments on: Jesse Jackson Really Needs to Read a Book… explaining what satire is

By: ron

ron — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 21:37:00 +0000

Well, when book sales begin to cut into CD sales; when libraries get more traffic than the mall, perhaps there will have been a message delivered.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:58:00 +0000

I laughed when I saw the thing, but I knew that it had been calculated to be deliberately offensive and provocative to some older (and some younger) folks. Sort of like some of Dave Chapelle — funny as hell, but if there’s a white person watching it with you who’s laughing, you gotta suppress a strong desire to stab them. So I liked it. And then again I didn’t.

Art is like that. It operates on multiple levels. Jesse is no dummy and should know that.

If the country Preacher, as he usta call hisself, didn’t like it he shoulda kept his mouf shut. Bet his denunciation was good for 100,000 more hits, and most of them not even black people.

By: Symphony

Symphony — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:54:00 +0000

Anon, yes music and laughter has been used, thats not the issue or even the debate. It seems these days its used as the first option rather than as a supplemental.

I don’t joke with my son about why he needs to take school seriously. But maybe thats because I didn’t wait until he was 16 to make him aware of the importance of education.

By: AAPP

AAPP — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 05:28:00 +0000

I have a 18 Year old daughter who watched the video and says it’s the hottest video with her college friends. The video has reached young people at a grassroots level. Jesse Sr. is disconnected. He is a elder opinion maker and young urban youth may not be really listening to his opinions anymore.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 21:26:00 +0000

When hasn’t music and laughter been used to promote things to young people?

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:14:00 +0000

I didn't quite know what to think when a white kid from work gave me the link and started laughing his ass off, singing along. He knew it was a joke, or was it?

He laughed and said, "I can see it now, a high school assembly where they pass around the 'Reading is FUNdamental' book markers to the white kids, and then say 'and now we have a special presentation for our African-Americans classmates, please watch the screen ... <'read a book, read a book, read a m'f'ing book, nigga'>'."

I think he got the message - that there are special ways you have to communicate to get the attention of black youth -- but I can't say I was very comfortable.

I had the same feeling that I did when that Ali G Jewish comedian got white folks to say stupid things. Yep, it was "satire", but what was he satirizing? His stupid character? How stupid white folks are? Or how all white folks are anti-semites? Or all three?

By: Symphony

Symphony — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 01:50:00 +0000

Everything needs music and a joke these days to get across the seriousness of what is happening to black people.

Its sad really.

By: Luscious Librarian

Luscious Librarian — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 01:26:00 +0000

Dunbar Village would require a little more than a tired statement cut down to a cute soundbite. It’s an issue that reaches so deep into our community’s self-inflicted trials and tribulations that no one wants to touch it.

By: g-e-m2001

g-e-m2001 — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 22:18:00 +0000

I wish Jesse Jackson would comment on the Dunbar Village gang rape. I guess he is busy with Read a Book.