The problem with semantics

There has been a lot of rhetoric used in the past few weeks. With said rhetoric a lot of messages have been sent and that means that those messages have to be interpreted. That’s where things get tricky. I think that there are some people who are more concerned with semantics than the actual messages being delivered.

I’ll start with the phrase that is now saturated in social media and the social consciousnesses of most of the country and that is “Black Lives Matter”. That phrase has transformed society into two camps. There are those who understand the underlying message for the need for equality and the systematic discrimination that needs to be eradicated. And then there are those people who seem to be so offended by the term “Black Lives Matter” because they probably believe that Blacks are being pushed for a position of superiority and not equality, that there is a movement made to solely emphasize the plight of people of color. Therefore, this camp has adopted the counter terminology “All Lives Matter”. The “All Lives Matter” term is problematic now because it has basically been equated to calling a person of color the “n” word because it is so dismissive of the other camp.

The origin of the Black Lives Matter movement started at the University of Missouri in the fall of 2015. It was part of the shockwave caused by the riots in Ferguson, MO in the summer of 2014 which were a result of the killing of Mike Brown and the subsequent lack of legal action taken against the officer who killed him. I bring this slight history lesson up because this hits home for me on two fronts. The first is that I am from the St. Louis metropolitan area, so the university and the city are very familiar to me. The second is that I spent quite a significant time in Ferguson for about 2 year while playing rugby in STL because of the practice field for my club being in the city limits. The Quick Trip that burned down was a frequent spot my teammates and I would go to after practice. To see it looted and burned was heartbreaking. And that is because it was personal.

When I first heard of the Black Lives Matter movement, I was confused by it. I was confused because I assumed that the movement was negating the rest of the world. I am a black man but I fully acknowledge and actually take comfort in the fact that the world is a multitude of ethnicities. I was part of the “All Lives Matter” camp. I knew there was racism. I’ve personally experienced racism. I just always thought that if “All Lives Matter” it would be a unifying call to arms. I was wrong, I was very wrong. And the person who showed me the error of my ways was not who I was expecting it would be, It wasn’t an academic. It was a comedian. Chris Rock eloquently put forth an analogy that just really resonated with me. He said “Just because someone says “Black Lives Matter” doesn’t mean that other lives don’t. Of course all lives matter. It’s just like people who say “Save the whales” doesn’t mean fuck other animals.”

I was ignorant of the fact that those students were trying to promote a wholesale end to the same institutions which have led to the deaths of countless people of color. I didn’t get the complete message, so I was ignorant. Ignorant is a term that people find to be offensive but it really isn’t. It is just a state of not knowing. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know. Whether it be automotive repair, sports, classical art, poetry, or the history of racial politics in this country. A person cannot fully articulate over 400 years of oppression and degradation in a simple hashtag. It’s far too complicated and unfortunately when a complex message is relayed more often than not, a part of that message is lost in translation. Once I realized that the students were trying to push for equality because for centuries people of color were not seen as equal but as subservient and bestial and therefore their murders were hardly ever seen as criminal actions the phrase became personal. Black lives do not matter to a lot of people unfortunately. And until they do, the murders of men and women like Ahmud Arbury, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and countless others will be a moot point.

There has been another term that has been saturated on social media lately and it is really upsetting to some people. That term is “White privilege”. Many people have tried to explain what it means and some people have started to acknowledge that it does exists and it is an issue. Again, there is another camp that is dismissive and offended by the terminology. White privilege is not a reference to socioeconomic status. There are plenty of Caucasian people who grow up in poverty. Those who have traveled outside of the United States and into Europe can attest to the fact that some of those individuals exist in war zones that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. What the term white privilege is trying to articulate is that social perception of Caucasians, by and large, affords certain social benefits that many African-Americans do not receive. The treatment by law enforcement is the most publicized use of privilege but it is even more apparent in other arenas such as job applications, bank loans, tax rates,  home ownership, and other financial arenas. Again, the term is being construed by some as implying a superiority. White privilege does not mean every single white person was born with a silver spoon in their mouth or that they will not endure hardships. Life has a way of testing us all. But certain people will have an inherent advantage in “the struggle” because of the overwhelming public perception of one group versus another group that has a different melanin level.

The last term I want to throw out is one that hasn’t become part of the standard jargon yet. But it is a term that I think carries probably the most weight going forward. That term is “casual racism”. What I mean by casual racism is a prejudice that is not so blunt as to be obvious but a prejudice which gives the public illusion of tolerance yet harbors similar resentment and tones of bigotry. When most people hear the term racist, they think of the individual who is a boisterous extremist. They will spew hate speech, dress in racist regalia, and make their viewpoints very visible. Surprisingly, these people never really bothered me because they were easy to avoid because they were honest. They never tried to be anything than their hateful selves, so they were easy to spot.

The casual racist is a much tougher case to crack. The casual racist doesn’t wear a hood and would never repeat the n word, well at least in public. They might even have……..a black friend, which of course subdues any thoughts of possible bigotry. But what a casual racist MAY do is still continue to stereotype the same individuals that claim to have the back of. A casual racist still would have a huge issue with their family member becoming involved in an interracial relationship despite the fact that they might find certain black/brown celebrities to be appealing. The biggest tell of a casual racist is the “and/but” argument. The casual racist will “and/but” often. Example: George Floyd didn’t deserve to get murdered BUT he wasn’t a good guy. Black people are getting murdered by police officers BUT what are they doing to be in question in the first place. I believe in the movement BUT it needs to happen in a way that I find to be socially acceptable, a la Dr. Martin Luther King Jr (who was assassinated for his beliefs by the way). The hot topic right now is social equality and I truly hope it continues and the fire doesn’t subside. To anyone who actually reads this, I implore you, if you have a question about race relations, please ask. I do not represent all black people. I can only represent myself, my frame of experience, and my own belief system but I am always more than willing to discuss. We are all ignorant at one time or another. That’s not an insult. It’s a fact. Progress can only be forged when we decide we don’t want to be ignorant and seek some answers to become knowledgeable.  

When movies eventually come back

              If there is a word that can best describe the “new normal” its crucial. Facets of life that were once considered crucial have now been discovered to be trivial. Anyone who has had even the most basic interactions with me is well aware that I am a movie aficionado. I love going to the movies. The factor that makes me slightly different from the casual movie goer is that I have always thought that the cinema is supposed to be an experience. I never thought that people just pay money to sit in a seat and eat some popcorn. It’s supposed to be an event. One where you go to be entertained, dress accordingly, and leave in such a way that you are emotionally affected.

               It has been almost three months since the last new release came from a major Hollywood studio. Since then, multiple movies have either been delayed or taken the risky gambit of being released to a digital streaming service. I have nothing against personal streaming services. I have a Netflix, Hulu, and an Amazon Prime account. But they all pale in comparison to the experience of going to the movies to see a new release on opening night. I have heard the arguments for streaming services. The most popular argument is that of convenience. While I do understand why some people would favor it, it just seems like a trade off that is not equal.

              Let’s Examine just some of the films that have been altered from the regular theatrical release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  A Quiet Place 2, Mulan, No Time to Die, Fast and Furious 9 (seriously), Black Widow, Wonder Woman:1984, Top Gun 2, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife are just a few of the movies that have been delayed. All of the previously mentioned movies were designed for the big screen and for a reason. The intimacy of an individual living room and watching a movie there is nice but it can never convey the sociological experience that comes when an audience of complete strangers with different backgrounds, experience the same movie and react to it. It’s a chemistry experiment which can either make or break the movie going experience.

             The summer movie schedule has always been something that I, and many movie lovers like myself, planned around. That is unfortunately not a likely possibility this year. The first new theatrical release that is supposed to happen this summer, Tenet, doesn’t even have a release date anymore. That points to the underlying belief that it would be delayed, which would in turn cause a chain reaction and further delay even more movies based on studio confidence. I cannot wait for movies to come back. But as much as I genuinely yearn to watch movies in the theater again, I am not prepared to potentially risk my health or the health of my wife and son just for entertainment value. Movies have the potential to capture the mind and spirit and leave a person in awe, joy, horror, laughter, or sadness. The great movies can elicit multiple emotions, and in a single scene at times. But the time just isn’t right yet.

           But one day the time will be right. In the meantime, the drive-in movie theater has experienced a renaissance and I think it is long overdue. The drive-in has always been the best option for families in my personal opinion , based on entertainment value/cost ratio. Unfortunately, the megaplexes have made drive-in movie theaters a relic from the past in many cases. Not that many even exist anymore. I was always spoiled because my hometown had the Skyview Drive-In and it always did well during the summer season. But not every drive-in is that fortunate. The reinvigorated drive-in’s are showing classic movies like Grease, E.T. and Jurassic Park. New releases aren’t possible and certain classic movies cannot be viewed due to licensing rights issues. But there is a desperation for human interaction and to get out of the house and do something. Ergo, even classics are becoming in vogue again because people want that movie theater experience and the drive-in offers a safe way to provide entertainment. Once again proving sometimes that the old ways are the best.

Love and Life in the time of COVID-19

           During this time of uncertainty and unparalleled division, I think it’s time to try to gain some perspective on the current state of the world. I haven’t done this in a while so I hope whoever takes the time to actually read this forgives my ramblings and lack of cohesion. I guess I have just felt compelled to reflect on the state of things as they exist currently.

As an almost 40-year-old man, I have seen many things occur during my lifetime: political shifts, ideological shifts, technological progress. But the past three months have been some of the most bizarre in my lifetime. March 13, 2020 was the last day I saw my students in a classroom. It was relevant because the boys basketball team was SUPPOSED to play in a sectional championship game. The NCAA basketball tournament was SUPPOSED to commence. Life, in all its splendor and sometimes triviality, was supposed to occur. But then it didn’t.

             By now, we know what happened. Priorities shifted. Schools transitioned to online learning, Sports stopped. Movies stopped. The world became at odds with an invisible virus. But I don’t think the virus is what the world, and particularly the United States, were upset with. I think that the issue was with empathy and entitlement. I say that because it has become decidedly obvious that there is a segment of society that was so enamored with their own way of life that they were willing to take up arms and protest in their various states. Some people never adhered to the advice of the CDC. Other people did.

                 I’m not trying to cast blame but ask questions. And TRY to get some answers. Why were some people so enraged by the stay at home order? I think that maybe it’s because for the sake of being comfortable. People hate being uncomfortable. People hate change. I think that is why the current state of racial strife is so high in this nation. Simple things like dinner/lunch routines, watching a game, going to a movie, getting a haircut are so interwoven into the DNA of Americana that some people believe that their identities are being fundamentally augmented.

The legitimacy of the virus has been at the forefront of the pandemic. Some people doubt that the pandemic is an actual pandemic at all. That the death rate isn’t really a problem. The numbers are skewed. Or that it is all a big government conspiracy to either discredit the president, cause a mass genocide of people of color, or purposely create a sense of fear for some other nefarious purpose. I can’t pretend to be a disease specialist. Or even understand the rationale of some of these people. But there have been over 100,000 deaths. That has happened. People are scared. And while my individual routine has been altered, I gladly pay that price to preserve my life and the lives of my family, friends, and neighbors.

               I’ll go back to the word “empathy” for a second because the lack of empathy is the real virus. Some people seem to have absolutely no regard for each other as sentient human beings. It transcends political preferences, socioeconomic status, ethnic background, and sexual orientation. Even though we, as a world, are more connected than ever before through various social media platforms, we are more disconnected and apathetic than ever before. Since everyone has a voice now that they cam share across multiple platforms, that creates egos that deal in absolutes. And that is very dangerous. There is no middle ground, No room for compromise or compassion. And as I have said this isn’t a one group is in the light and the other side are a pack of demidevils. There is a divide that exists currently and I feel a great swell of pity because it is going to require some difficult conversations to make it dissipate and I don’t know if we are mentally/emotionally prepared to do that.

           This pandemic has shown the best and worst of us. I have personally witnessed great acts of simple kindness: sending a birthday message at a distance, carrying food to those stranded, desperately trying to educate students despite a lack of resources, virtual church services, zoom meetings with old friends. But I have also seen race riots, marches on capital buildings, hate speech, indifference to hate speech, and attempting to create humor from hate speech.

           Where do we go from here? I think we have hit the proverbial “rock bottom”. When the nation is simultaneously getting sick and burning itself in the process, the only way to go is up. America is a great country. It is the land of opportunity. But it is also the land of racism, sexism, nepotism, and homophobia. Two things can be true. I think that unless people admit that America as a nation is fallible and there are underlying issues of inequity, entitlement, and indifference which are systemic than we will never reach our potential and that is truly unfortunate because wasted potential is one of the worst destinies for an individual or nation. The issue comes back to comfortability. It is going to require a series of very uncomfortable conversations to try to rebuild and reconstruct this nation. It’s time to become uncomfortable.