The Study of Racialism

Whatareyou? · New User Joined: 03 Sep 2007 {Posts: 47 }

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/METRO/710120405

DETROIT -- A local DJ and party promoter retreated Thursday from a plan to sponsor a bash that would let "light-skinned" black women into a downtown club for free.

But the "Light Skin Libra Birthday Bash" at Club APT on Woodward Avenue turned out to be a bashing -- of promoter Ulysses "DJ Lish" Barnes after word of the unusual party spread on the Internet.

"I made a mistake," Barnes said. "I didn't think there would be a backlash."

Barnes, who said he's been a party promoter for six years, canceled the event.

He said he has gotten angry calls and e-mails from around the country about the party.

"I didn't mean to offend anyone," he said. "I had planned a party for other shades (of black women). We were going to take a shade of color each week. Next week was going to be a party for 'Sexy Chocolate' and the week after that 'Sexy Caramel.' "

Barnes is African-American and describes himself as "dark skinned." The issue of skin color is an often painful and emotional among African-Americans. The history of slavery and the resulting legacy of intra-racial segregation have sometimes pitted darker-skinned and lighter-skinned blacks against one another.

A noted Los Angeles-based activist who goes by the name of Pearl Jr. was among the chorus of voices complaining about the party.

"I had a good conversion with him and he understood," said Pearl Jr., founder of the Black Women's Movement in Los Angeles and the author of the book "Black Women Need Love, Too."

"Ignorance can't always be an excuse," she said. "Colorism is real in the black community. It's especially very degrading to dark-skinned black women."

The party's discriminating tone harkens to the day of the "brown paper bag test," which compared the complexions of blacks to a brown grocery bag before they could be admitted to social clubs and affairs, said Pearl Jr.

The activist said she had a heart-to-heart talk with Barnes and he immediately told her he would cancel the party.

"He was basically falling in line with what we have been taught (by society) that the less African-looking you are the better you are," said Pearl Jr. "Basing whether someone is admitted on their skin color is discriminatory, which is really against the law."

Comments on Web sites and blogs about the party included urging a boycott of the party and filing a lawsuit against the party's promoter.

"The way this should be handled is that our light-skinned sisters should refuse to go unless the darker-skinned sisters received the same treatment," wrote one blogger. "We must stand together and not allow ANYONE, especially, a club to divide us."

Barnes said he is hoping to host an event to raise money for a charity to make up for whatever problems or pain he caused over the party flier.

mixedmom · Moderator Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 789 }

I'm not suprised that the party was canceled. I'm surprised that it was ever planned in the first place. I'd have been even more suprised it anyone had the nerve to show up.

MP mulattoprince · Wizard Joined: 10 Apr 2007 {Posts: 464 }

Barnes is darkskin no wonder he wanted light skin women to show up. I to mixed mom would have been suprised if it was allowed to go on and many light skin ladies showed up.

jagirl32 · Experienced User Joined: 17 Jul 2007 {Posts: 125 }

He said he was going to have a party for darker skinned women the following week why the hell are people getting so upset?

Powell · Guru Joined: 27 Nov 2004 {Posts: 2361 }

Monica · Mentor Joined: 02 Oct 2007 {Posts: 345 }

....Powell perhaps the blacks you are related to or associate with have told you that this is their agenda...I consider myself 100% black in both race and culture...I was raised by Black people, am related to blacks, live in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood but grew up in a nice mddle class neighborhood of mostly black people and raised 3 black adults and two back teen...went to a mostly black elementary school, middle shool and high school....

and I have never felt nor heard that someone else Black considered themselves the master of another Black...I can't in 43 year recall having heard a Black person talk about being any other human's master not even in a sexual context (wow that was a funny thought but true).

I live in a hispanic neighborhood and trust me their is alot of social interaction between blacks and hispanics, so in essence I'd say we "bother" each other.

Powell says...1) Don't mention your non-black (especially white) ancestry.
I say...most people are more wrapped up in their own lives then really care about yours, so unless you've got something really interesting or informative to say about your ancestry...keep it to your self, you can probably add alot of catogories to "things people don't really care to hear about"
Powell says...2) Don't take pride in any non-black ancestry
I say...I'm dying to see a contingency of Blacks with irish or italian ancestry in the St. Patty's day parade or the columbus day parade. Both are televised in Philly so it'd be nice if some mulattos would organize some young mullatos participation. I would go just to cheer them on!

Powell says...3) You are morally obligated to marry only blacks (in order to spread the white blood around, bind you to a "black" identity, and provide racial trophy wives for upwardly mobile black males who want the jobs of miscegenation while condemning it officially).

I say...Most people are primarily concerned with who they will marry, not who anyone else will marry....I would also surmise that most men of any race who are ambitious want a "smart" wife and not necessarily a "pretty" wife...all though I'm sure lots of "pretty"women THINK all men want them...maybe thats why so many end up as strippers and hookers Laughing

The other two issues I won't address cause once a person grows up, the priority of worrying thoughts look like this (1) bills (2) job or career (3)families (25) what will the girls on America's Next Top Model Look like (37) what light-skinned people are doing...

Monica · Mentor Joined: 02 Oct 2007 {Posts: 345 }

I thought that if I raised a man, that I'd have a pretty good handle on his taste in women. First off, the most shocking thing a mother/woman needs to accept is that a man will have sex with just about anyone, LOL.

Powell, you seem to assume that certain women...either, pretty, light-skinned or white or what ever have some better chance of being "wanted" by a man...I say it's a subject that even if it were studied would not yeild true results.

I have so far raised three men...in the same household...one son had sex with my neighbor, a female with 5 children, who was the same age as me AND she had missing teeth (uggghhh!!!!) one son who had a strickingly beautiful girlfr since high school, I love this gir, cocoa brown, almond eyes, can do a split, built like a dancer...I dreamed of my grandchild a subltle mixture of my square head bucktooth son and this girl...ohhh no, he's decided she's not smart enuf and as he is about to graduate college, his new side kick...I'll call "Kelly Flanders" after the Simpson's neighbors...a too short, plain brown girl who is deeply religious...

one son who has dated asians, iranians, guyanians...one son who EVERY girl he likes (which I heard from his brothers can pretty much be anyone who self identifies as a female)...every girl he brings home looks like a hood-rat/crack head/transvestite

If your theory were correct...all light skinned girls would be married and the majority of the hookers and strippers would be dark skinned black women

anonymouse · Wizard Joined: 09 Oct 2007 {Posts: 652 }

perhaps this was just a marketing ploy that went bad. I agree it was in poor taste but I the only colour the promoter (or any club/party promoter) is interested is green

Famu · Mentor Joined: 27 Sep 2007 {Posts: 282 }

MrSolo · Posted: Mon 05 Nov 2007 01:03 Post subject:

Powell --

"Many American blacks seem to think..."

You're perspective is on target.