Recently, stand up comedienne/actress Mo'Nique called for a boycott against Netflix. Her call is based on a charge of inequiy in pay in what she was offered to do a special compared to what Dave Chapelle, Amy Shumer, and others were offered for their specials. Mo'Nique is couching her call under the platform of gender and racial equity pay.
Now, from my perspective the National Football League (NFL), Netflix, and every other major corporation operating through the capitalist system are not my friends. While we organize against this system, we do our best to navigate the thin balance between our principles and the oppressive methodology from which these corporations operate. Our point of view on this question is based on the calls in each case for the African masses and all peace and justice loving people to boycott these industries based on injustices these industries are perpetuating against our people. Its in this spirit that we evaluate these calls. The NFL boycott call emerged as a result of the racist manner in which the NFL, other corporations, and the political leaders of the capitalist U.S. empire, responded to the legitimate protests by NFL players (started by Colin Kaepernick) against police terrorism. Many people, including myself, refused to watch a single NFL game this season to demonstrate our support for the NFL players like Kaepernick who bravely protested against state sanctioned police terror against our people.
The significant difference between the NFL and Netflix calls is Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Michael Bennett, and the other NFL player/protesters, took initiative to use their visibility as professional athletes to bring awareness to the problem of police terrorism. These athletes understood, as Colin Kaepernick's absurd unemployment has confirmed, that they would pay a personal price for taking the stand they took. And, not only has Kaepernick been extorted out of the NFL, but he has responded to that by supporting genuine social justice issues, financially, from all spheres from the Black Lives Matter movement to Somali refugees to the American Indian struggle. As a result, the people who chose to boycott NFL games are doing so for a very good reason. We should continue talking about why we permit a scumbag like Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to denigrate Kaepernick and others in public while intimidating his players from joining the protests, while he raises up his players like Greg Ward and Ezekiel Elliot who are alleged sexual predators. We should do whatever we can to hurt that scumbag, and all the other's like him, in the only way they understand. In their pocketbook.
For productive reasons, I'm all for a boycott against any capitalist corporation, but by comparison, the Netflix boycott called for by Mo'Nique has none of the principled characteristics that define the NFL boycott. Someone would need to point out to me what actions Mo'Nique has engaged in to support our people's glorious struggle for liberation? What sacrifices has she made in this regard? From all appearances, she has been silent on all of our issues of oppression. And, now she wants to couch this issue as one of discrimination? The reality is gender/racial inequality in pay, and everywhere else, has been the norm in this country since it was stolen from the Indigenous people 500+ years ago. Mo'Nique has had plenty of time to speak out against this injustice, but we only hear from her now when she's shortchanged? In other words, had she been offered a better contract from Netflix, she would not be making this call. She would not be representing this issue of pay inequity. Based on her history, no one can deny that. This reality undermines her call and limits the probability of this boycott gaining traction. What I'm saying is when we decide to get together and confront racist actions by Netflix and anyone else, and our efforts are based in the legitimate cry for justice from the masses of our people, I'll be on board.
The most disgraceful element of Mo'Nique's self serving pimping of our suffering isn't even her lack of morality around the issue. I've stated numerous times that culture is the method in which a people create their legacy. As Sekou Ture states "culture is the sum total of all the people's experiences." And, it is that experience that creates that legacy. That defines a people for future generations. It is this process that creates and maintains a people's identity and dignity. Nothing about Mo'Nique's work is really doing anything like that and she cannot carry that blame alone. Most of our entertainers are only concerned about personal financial gain. They use our culture, even including poking fun at our suffering, to make money. They joke about sexual assault, slavery, and police terrorism, but truthfully, what else can be expected of them? Our people are dis-organized so we have absolutely no mechanism to hold these entertainers accountable to upholding our dignity. So, most of them, including Mo'Nique, mostly spew out garbage. Still, the bigger problem is really us. Partly, because of our unwillingness to get better organized and for our lack of integrity in how we function as a people.
To be clear, I think Mo'Nique, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and all of them are outstandingly talented entertainers, but I wouldn't pay five cents to see any of them. The n word every five seconds and jokes about our suffering just aren't funny to me - sorry. I require a bit more creativity that I know each of them have, but why should they work harder when we the people don't demand more? I'll support any boycott and any direct action that's designed to bring awareness to the suffering from the masses of our people, but sorry Mo'Nique, supporting your call just so you can get paid when there's absolutely no reason to believe you are going to support our movements for justice just doesn't do it for me. Its this type selfishness that has chipped away at the integrity of our struggle. Its time to uphold our standard.
Now, from my perspective the National Football League (NFL), Netflix, and every other major corporation operating through the capitalist system are not my friends. While we organize against this system, we do our best to navigate the thin balance between our principles and the oppressive methodology from which these corporations operate. Our point of view on this question is based on the calls in each case for the African masses and all peace and justice loving people to boycott these industries based on injustices these industries are perpetuating against our people. Its in this spirit that we evaluate these calls. The NFL boycott call emerged as a result of the racist manner in which the NFL, other corporations, and the political leaders of the capitalist U.S. empire, responded to the legitimate protests by NFL players (started by Colin Kaepernick) against police terrorism. Many people, including myself, refused to watch a single NFL game this season to demonstrate our support for the NFL players like Kaepernick who bravely protested against state sanctioned police terror against our people.
The significant difference between the NFL and Netflix calls is Kaepernick, Eric Reid, Michael Bennett, and the other NFL player/protesters, took initiative to use their visibility as professional athletes to bring awareness to the problem of police terrorism. These athletes understood, as Colin Kaepernick's absurd unemployment has confirmed, that they would pay a personal price for taking the stand they took. And, not only has Kaepernick been extorted out of the NFL, but he has responded to that by supporting genuine social justice issues, financially, from all spheres from the Black Lives Matter movement to Somali refugees to the American Indian struggle. As a result, the people who chose to boycott NFL games are doing so for a very good reason. We should continue talking about why we permit a scumbag like Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to denigrate Kaepernick and others in public while intimidating his players from joining the protests, while he raises up his players like Greg Ward and Ezekiel Elliot who are alleged sexual predators. We should do whatever we can to hurt that scumbag, and all the other's like him, in the only way they understand. In their pocketbook.
For productive reasons, I'm all for a boycott against any capitalist corporation, but by comparison, the Netflix boycott called for by Mo'Nique has none of the principled characteristics that define the NFL boycott. Someone would need to point out to me what actions Mo'Nique has engaged in to support our people's glorious struggle for liberation? What sacrifices has she made in this regard? From all appearances, she has been silent on all of our issues of oppression. And, now she wants to couch this issue as one of discrimination? The reality is gender/racial inequality in pay, and everywhere else, has been the norm in this country since it was stolen from the Indigenous people 500+ years ago. Mo'Nique has had plenty of time to speak out against this injustice, but we only hear from her now when she's shortchanged? In other words, had she been offered a better contract from Netflix, she would not be making this call. She would not be representing this issue of pay inequity. Based on her history, no one can deny that. This reality undermines her call and limits the probability of this boycott gaining traction. What I'm saying is when we decide to get together and confront racist actions by Netflix and anyone else, and our efforts are based in the legitimate cry for justice from the masses of our people, I'll be on board.
The most disgraceful element of Mo'Nique's self serving pimping of our suffering isn't even her lack of morality around the issue. I've stated numerous times that culture is the method in which a people create their legacy. As Sekou Ture states "culture is the sum total of all the people's experiences." And, it is that experience that creates that legacy. That defines a people for future generations. It is this process that creates and maintains a people's identity and dignity. Nothing about Mo'Nique's work is really doing anything like that and she cannot carry that blame alone. Most of our entertainers are only concerned about personal financial gain. They use our culture, even including poking fun at our suffering, to make money. They joke about sexual assault, slavery, and police terrorism, but truthfully, what else can be expected of them? Our people are dis-organized so we have absolutely no mechanism to hold these entertainers accountable to upholding our dignity. So, most of them, including Mo'Nique, mostly spew out garbage. Still, the bigger problem is really us. Partly, because of our unwillingness to get better organized and for our lack of integrity in how we function as a people.
To be clear, I think Mo'Nique, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart, and all of them are outstandingly talented entertainers, but I wouldn't pay five cents to see any of them. The n word every five seconds and jokes about our suffering just aren't funny to me - sorry. I require a bit more creativity that I know each of them have, but why should they work harder when we the people don't demand more? I'll support any boycott and any direct action that's designed to bring awareness to the suffering from the masses of our people, but sorry Mo'Nique, supporting your call just so you can get paid when there's absolutely no reason to believe you are going to support our movements for justice just doesn't do it for me. Its this type selfishness that has chipped away at the integrity of our struggle. Its time to uphold our standard.
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