You are the Makers of History!
  • Home
  • More Historic Pictures!
  • Books
  • Hit Us Up
  • Blog
  • Coming Events
  • Videos
  • Donations

The Huge Difference Between the NFL and Netflix Boycotts

1/22/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
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.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Author

    I don't see disagreement as a negative because I understand that Frederick Douglass was correct when he said "there is no progress without struggle."  Our brains are muscles.  Just like any other muscle in our body if we don't stress it and push it, the brain will not improve.  Or, as a bumper sticker I saw once put it, "If you can't change your mind, how do you know it's there?"

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    June 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.