Jezebel 
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New York, 9:15 PM
Sun Dec 6
20 posts in the last 24 hours
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11/24/09
Are we really still in
this much denial, as a country?
Still?
11/24/09
IOW: Without accounting for the accuracy of their picks, it was surmised that Obama supporters saw him more light-skinned than those who opposed him.
I guess this might be as accurate or perhaps a little more than the Harvard Implicit Test, but without reading the entire survey, I'm still left with a few questions.
11/24/09
On the Essence cover with Michelle, Malia and Sasha his skin was definitely darkened. But it's a black magazine so that would probably be the reason why.
11/24/09
11/24/09
Also, kids who play in the sun get darker. I could pop outside for an hour when I was little and come back in a shade or two darker. I seriously doubt that essence darkened skin tones.
11/24/09
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11/24/09
I came across this finding on Wiki and downloaded the original article "The Skin Color Paradox and the American Racial Order": " In criminal sentencing, medium to dark-skinned African Americans are likely to receive sentences 2.6 longer than those of whites or light-skinned African Americans, and when a white victim is involved, those with more "black" features are likely to receive a much more severe punishment, reinforcing the idea that those of lighter complexion are of more "value." "
Disgusting.
11/24/09
11/24/09
11/24/09
11/24/09
But I don't think it would change the outcome. I just prefer reducing variables as much as possible, especially with something subjective like "most representative."
11/24/09
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11/24/09
I don't know if I speak for other African Americans, but I'm feeling over-exposed since Obama became president and I don't like it.
I have suffered through a national debate on why my haur is so nappy, I have suffered through a national debate on why black women are least likely to get married and why black women are the least desirable people in the world of online dating (on NPR with the summation being: it's physical, other men are just not as attracted to black women), I am now asked to suffer through yet another debate on why my lighter skin may give me an advantage over my fellow African Americans cause someone determined that dark = bad, lighter = good.
I just don't see how all of this is going to change the dynamics of the situation on the ground. Black unemployment is currently at 35 % and my black president is telling me that a rising tide will lift all boats. Really, bruh? Cause it looks like a lot of black folks boats have holes in them.
So, excuse me if I'm not too worried about what it means if you show my photo to some white folks and they like me slightly moreso than a dark skin African American. I'm not worried about all that, what I want to know is can we get some jobs?
11/24/09
11/24/09
HONESTLY. And please, don't get me started on Chris Rock's mess of a 'documentary' (more like a mockumentary).
I'm totally like, what do these 'academics' want black women to do? Are they trying to talk me onto the ledge?
This post should be about the Washington Post article today that examined the 35% unemployment in the black community and how young black men are back living with their mothers, taking government offered programs to teach them a trade, unable to find jobs even after training and are seriously considering going back into the drug game because they can't afford to feed their daughters (why do these men always have daughters? I don't know).
It seems as though Obama's presidency has made it an acceptable field day for white folks to just come all out in the open with their thinly veiled racism under the guise of academic studies.
Really? What is constructive about pointing out that 51% of black women have never been married? that we are the least desirable, least searched for people in the world of online dating? How are these studies useful? It's as if they're saying, yeah, Michelle is the First Lady, but don't get it twisted, you're still at the bottom of every imaginable totem pole.
I like Latoya's posts, in general, but I honestly don't know why she would devote time and effort to analyzing this foolishness. This is subliminal psychological racism. Nothing more.
11/24/09
11/24/09
But then, I'm color blind. I don't see race. People tell me I'm white and I believe them because I own a lot of Jimmy Buffett albums.
11/24/09
@rodmanstreet:
11/24/09
Like that the media are assholes? Nope.
But, OJ is an asshole too.
Latoya, it's interesting that you bring up the sinister interpretation from a cloaked or shadowed figure. I would have never picked up on this simply because it is, as you said, too entangled in race.
11/24/09
11/24/09
09/05/09