Getting white to the point.

Via Counting Cats, Morgan Freeman on racism and Black History Month.



I'm not usually a fan of actors and other slebs pontificating but you just can't argue with this. More to the point, white people are so hung up on racism and so terrified that they might say something that might even be thought of as racist, even if it's by another white person - actually, especially if it's by another white person - that we need to hear this stuff from a black guy.

Stop talking about it.

Indeed. Racism will be around as long as people make an issue of their race, and if you think about it we wouldn't expect to read something like "black actor Morgan Freeman..." would we? It'd be "actor Morgan Freeman", or maybe "Oscar winning actor Morgan Freeman..." or even just "Morgan Freeman". We don't define the guy by the colour of his skin, we define him by his ability in his profession.

So it's a bit sad that skin colour still results in controversy when it comes to certain jobs.

AN Australian woman has made American magazine history - and sparked a storm of protest - by becoming the first white fashion director of iconic black lifestyle publication Essence.

The hiring of Elliana Placas in the role - after a 40-year history of having an African American as fashion director - has been met with a vicious reaction from both readers and industry identities.

Essence, dubbed the ultimate fashion and lifestyle magazine for black women, has been slammed for the decision, with the magazine's former fashion editor, Michaela Angela Davis, launching an attack against Ms Placas' hiring.

I'm not going to go "Aha, black people can be racist too" (it should be patently obvious that absolutely anyone can be a racist) but look, if she can do the job why should anyone give the faintest shit that she's white? Presumably someone at Essence noticed her skin colour when she was interviewed and decided that it didn't matter, and to me that sounds like A Good Thing.

Stop talking about it.

Or, if you prefer:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

...

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.