More thoughts on Black. White.

I have been paying close attention to Black. White. as many of you all know and it becomes more disappointing and banal as each episode progresses. It is disappointing because it's supposition is that the races exist in a vacuum. Last week's show (episode #3) has the white female, Carmen (now "Black") making friends with a sister that is a curator of sorts of a African-American cultural museum. Eventually Carmen reveals her Whiteness to her newfound friend and then that selfsame friend is put in the position of being what I call the "safari guide." The safari guide syndrome is the position that some unenlightened White folk may ascribe to a person of color when they need to understand what "the Black people" are doing. Try reading some books or better yet have an open mind....try not to believe what you see on television. Heck it's not just the White family that needs to learn this but also the Black family who throughout the show refer to Blacks in a one dimensional tone. "Black people do this...Black folk do that"....NOOOO..not ALL Black folk do anything....it goes to show you that the Black people on this show need to be taught that the African-American community is diverse. Carmen muses that she would like one Black friend to act as a tether to the Black community. What is wrong with that statement? Everything! There are many Black communities of different social, political and economic strata...one friend is insulting and insufficient. And the world, if not the US is not wholly working on a Black/White dynamic. America in the new millennium is now Brown. White. Or Perhaps Yellow. White. Black. I will keep you all abreast of any new developments but I'm sure that Black. White. will continue to reach new lows.