Tuesday, August 30, 2011
In Chapter's Defense
When I first saw this video I was shocked and appalled because as a recipient of food stamps I felt she was telling the world that people who are on government assistance do so to take advantage of these programs. The premise of this song is about how women purposely get pregnant in order to receive government assitance such as food stamps, GR/GA (general relief/general assistance), free daycare, free dental, free medical even free housing. sed ebt (food stamps), because my mother really didn't have money to buy food and pay for rent and utilities. I didn't resort to getting knocked up so that nine months later I could get benefits that range according to Chapter free daycare, free food stamps, GR (general relief).
I decided to learn more about Chapter before I totally wrote her off as an ignorant woman who didn't care about how she portrays recipients of government assistance. On her youtube Chapter Artist Discussions she discusses the inspiration to her songs including ebt. She states that she knows people who are able to pocket daycare money from the government assistance programs by having a friend babysit. That way when the friend gets paid, they split the earnings in half amongst themselves. She explains that in California, the electronic benefits are superb. She notes that if you are being given $179 in food stamps, $221 GR per child/individual and daycare money per child why would you want to work.
If one goes to her youtube page you will see that she is purposely using satire to depict welfare queens. Furthermore, if one watches her other video, you will learn that homegirl went to college, so yes haters she is educated. She writes poems and produces her songs that are meant to speak the truth.
Although I hope there are only a small percentage of 45.7 million who receive SNAP (a form of EBT) who are actually milking the government by popping out more babies it unfortunately does occur. So what is the message that Chapter is conveying through her video?
She says she is out there to empower men and woman, but in opinion she also is empowering children.
She is criticizing the welfare mothers because they are having children to get $$$ but the children are being raised improperly. Her lyric: why am i hungry if we get free food attests to the welfare mothers not taking care of them. In her youtube description her video: .the kids can even get to eat from time to time further demonstrates that she is exposing the negligence and abuse of these welfare babie$.
Her video maybe shocking at first, but don't watch if it is embedded on a hater's site. You will miss out on the fact that a)she is purposely implementing satire to expose abuse b) her chapter discussions video.
Despite that it may bother and appall many, her video is speaking her truth. I don't think her video is about all recipients of EBT. This song is solely about people who use children as their atm so that they can live a certain lifestyle and not work. This song is exposing that these welfare babie$ are neglected and unloved.
Thank you Chapter for K.I.R.
Does it Matter?
Being Peruvian, with un negro papa and blanca mom I am more than aware of being "other" (not white). I could tell tales of being discriminated, feeling odd, out of place, or different because people felt the need to point out I wasn't your typical American. However, as I grew up I stopped feeling out of place. People still asked, "What are you?" "Is that your mom?" etc, I just didn't care.
The whole race/ethnicity/cultural was brought to my attention when I entered College, and while I would call people out on making ignorant comments I focused my attentions on school and other activities. Now that I am in the real world, it has been brought back to my attention.
When I watch a show, I will quickly recognize that the characters are all white, and the show is more geared to a typical American (one who is white, and middle class).
Case in point:
Usually if there is a portrayal of a colored person, they are token, or their character development is poorly developed and much is left to be desired. In Friends with Benefits (tv series), Julian 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, the only black man in the crew has zero romantic in comparison to his friends and less screen time. It might just be because his character is poorly developed, and may not be connected to the fact that he is played by a black actor.
In Fringe, which is one of my favorite shows, Jasika Nicoles's character Astrid, is an FBI agent, Linguistics Major & Computer Science Minor, and speaks 5 languages is Walter's personal assistant and gofer yet she has the lest amount of screen. Further, Walter can never remember her yet he can remember Olivia's, I know they have history but Astrid is with him most the the time. Is it to farfetched for him to have remembered her name? Again, I don't think it is solely because the writers do have a role as well as the director/producers. However, I just don't think any FBI agent who has as many skills as Astrid, would be working as a gofer.
You might be asking "So what. Does it really matter?"
Yes it does. 1 in 6 Americans identify as Hispanic/Latino, and according data from the 2010 Census analyzed by USA Today almost 50% of newborn babies in 2010 were minorities. Furthermore, minorities are becoming the majority. Maybe 30 or 40 years ago, one could say we can't have minority, or ethnic actors portray characters on the small screen or big screen because they won't sell tickets may have been true.
But it isn't now. I want shows that are not geared to the default viewer, that of a white male middle class. I want to see variety, without the token feel. I want to see an Asian male who isn't portrayed as asexual, and only in a supporting role. Asian males can be strong, and muscular as any American portrayal of men in the media. I want to see a Latina who isn't just a maid, or best friend, or an undocumented lady scared of la migra. She can be head cheerleader, or studious A student. I want to see a male Black man, who isn't just the jock who is all brawn but brainless. He can be the science nerd. I want to see a Latino who isn't just a cholo, or in a gang. He can play the best friend, the all star football player, and yes even a good boyfriend. I want to see a Asian woman who isn't portrayed as being meek, yet secretly knows a martial art. She can also be the leading lady. I want to see the portrayal of Native Americans.
Okay, you get it. I want the media to break away from the stereotypical portrayal of all my sisters and brothers who are minorities. Because believe, people will not solely watch a show because it has white actors. But I know I will watching a show the portrayals of people whom look me are one dimensional, or not even be cast at all.
The whole race/ethnicity/cultural was brought to my attention when I entered College, and while I would call people out on making ignorant comments I focused my attentions on school and other activities. Now that I am in the real world, it has been brought back to my attention.
When I watch a show, I will quickly recognize that the characters are all white, and the show is more geared to a typical American (one who is white, and middle class).
Case in point:
Usually if there is a portrayal of a colored person, they are token, or their character development is poorly developed and much is left to be desired. In Friends with Benefits (tv series), Julian 'Fitz' Fitzgerald, the only black man in the crew has zero romantic in comparison to his friends and less screen time. It might just be because his character is poorly developed, and may not be connected to the fact that he is played by a black actor.
In Fringe, which is one of my favorite shows, Jasika Nicoles's character Astrid, is an FBI agent, Linguistics Major & Computer Science Minor, and speaks 5 languages is Walter's personal assistant and gofer yet she has the lest amount of screen. Further, Walter can never remember her yet he can remember Olivia's, I know they have history but Astrid is with him most the the time. Is it to farfetched for him to have remembered her name? Again, I don't think it is solely because the writers do have a role as well as the director/producers. However, I just don't think any FBI agent who has as many skills as Astrid, would be working as a gofer.
You might be asking "So what. Does it really matter?"
Yes it does. 1 in 6 Americans identify as Hispanic/Latino, and according data from the 2010 Census analyzed by USA Today almost 50% of newborn babies in 2010 were minorities. Furthermore, minorities are becoming the majority. Maybe 30 or 40 years ago, one could say we can't have minority, or ethnic actors portray characters on the small screen or big screen because they won't sell tickets may have been true.
But it isn't now. I want shows that are not geared to the default viewer, that of a white male middle class. I want to see variety, without the token feel. I want to see an Asian male who isn't portrayed as asexual, and only in a supporting role. Asian males can be strong, and muscular as any American portrayal of men in the media. I want to see a Latina who isn't just a maid, or best friend, or an undocumented lady scared of la migra. She can be head cheerleader, or studious A student. I want to see a male Black man, who isn't just the jock who is all brawn but brainless. He can be the science nerd. I want to see a Latino who isn't just a cholo, or in a gang. He can play the best friend, the all star football player, and yes even a good boyfriend. I want to see a Asian woman who isn't portrayed as being meek, yet secretly knows a martial art. She can also be the leading lady. I want to see the portrayal of Native Americans.
Okay, you get it. I want the media to break away from the stereotypical portrayal of all my sisters and brothers who are minorities. Because believe, people will not solely watch a show because it has white actors. But I know I will watching a show the portrayals of people whom look me are one dimensional, or not even be cast at all.
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