I know this is not about autism per se. This is why this post is under my one and half cents. If we however think about the bigger issue here of are all White liberals welcoming, move us forward, progressive and inclusive then why are most districts, states, cities and counties they control from South Mpls to South Chicago to South Central LA suffering with health disparity, education gap, wealth gap and employment gap including very liberal Hollywood.
Last year when Liberals controlled all Minnesota government chambers during the final conference committee in particular the huge finance bill HF3172 – if you can believe it, I was the only Black person in this committee. And, they (not all of them) hated my guts and did not want me there. Keep in mind, I was only following autism bills, but I remember looking at the Senate Finance chair Sen Cohen and Ways and Means chair Sen Carlson looking at me like a cockroach. Don’t worry – their looks only energize me. But you would think Cohen who is a board member at Confederation Somali Community of Minnesota would at least welcome me and our autism issues. Yet, he did not and kept yelling at me in hallways complaining about my blog posts and emails to the committee members.
I also find it interesting in a comical way, how when I complained, blogged or sent emails to elected officials in Minnesota – that was somehow seen as rude and not nice. Yet, when Caucasian autism parents did the same-thing – they were simply advocating for their children. Uhhnn – I call that double standard and oh please if I piss off some arrogant Elected official then I have done my job in advocating to change the bias systems and policies they have written or pushed.
In other words, Amy Pascal and Scott Rudin making racist jokes about the leader of the free world and the president of the United States with a Harvard Degree is no different when White liberal politicians like Sen Cohen or Rep Carlson write and enhance bias and unequal autism policies. By the way, disparity comes from racism and racism comes from power plus prejudice. It is also no different when Sen Franken from SNL has no Black policy person in his office. You see the problem is not them, it is us. We need to learn how to vote differently and how to negotiate with our voting block power.
Now, Hollywood does not need Black votes, but they need to be BFF with the Black community and this is when minority actors, directors and producers form a coalition that has lobbyists that fight better roles and jobs for them. If not, they take it to TMZ or other media outlets. I think Chris Rock recently said that Hollywood was a white town and that should not be a surprise, but it can become a energy source for change.
Many moons ago before autism invaded my life, I wanted to be a Hollywood journalist and publicist that solely supported minorities in the industry. (oh please – don’t let the hijab fool you, Muslim women dream too). We are all products of our environment and as a young person growing up in Boston especially in the era of Willie Bennett – I know how powerful the media is in shaping people’s minds which then shapes not just Hollywood, but all kinds of policies. My advice to Black Hollywood is you need a Black and Brown Amy Pascal and Scott Rudin. Don’t settle for anymore slave or maid roles, demand better and except nothing less. Become directors and creators of your own shows and films like Tyler Perry and Spike Lee have done.
Finally, I think Malcolm X said it best when he described decades ago America’s white liberals and white conservatives. They say in Somalia a loud hyena is better than a quiet hyena. At least, you can run or defend yourself with the loud one. How do you fight quiet injustice rolled up with a hint of sugar that becomes salt in our communities. Malcolm X Said (white conservatives are not friends to black people but at least don’t try to hide it. Malcolm X had even harsher words for white liberals. He judged them to be “more hypocritical than the conservative.” He accused white liberals of “perfecting the art of posing as the Negro’s friend and benefactor” while using black people as a “pawn or tool” in their political fight with white conservatives. By the way, this is exactly what Sen Landrieu of LA did by pretending to be with Blacks when talking to them and against them when talking to Whites. I am glad she lost.
Above words do not reflect any agency, committee or candidate.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate