#PopSnark is a weekly discussion on everything from the low brow to the high brow, as long as your eyebrows are on fleek. Brought to you by the #SmartBrownGirl shirts and my book #SendItOn, the perfect holiday gifts! Thanks for all your support!
I’m so happy to see all the #SmartBrownGirls and Dudes š who enjoy my weekly #PopSnark episode! Missed a week because I was in my feelings as someone (yes, a He) blindsided me with some news I still haven’t wrapped my head all the way around. Just…ugh…girl. I’m back though, as there was much to be discussed this week and it’s crazy to see the world we live in evolve, or really digress/devolve. So grab your favorite drank and sip along to episode six of #PopSnark.
It’s official that who ever said we were in the post-race era, was telling all the lies, tales and fallacies. I’ll be speaking on the utter disappointment of the #EricGarner case this coming week, but last week I was not shocked nor surprised when a St. Louis jury failed to indict Darren Wilson for the murder of Michael Brown. I’m so proud to see the diversity and youthfulness in those who are loudly and boldly taking a stand against these grave human rights injustices in what is suppose to be the land of the free. I do just want to be cautious that we all remember that there is room for difference in opinions on how to move forward and progress from this and that we are also careful not to push Black women out of this conversation.
To layer disheartening on to disappointment, Tamir Rice, a 12 year old boy in Cleveland, Ohio, was gunned down by a police officer after someone called the cops to report that there was a young boy in the park with a toy gun. And all the words I have for this are set right in this image.Ā 
The Rolling Stone piece about the rape problem and lack of action at the University of Virginia is a heart wrenching piece to read as a woman who has experienced rape but it’s a must read. This is not a singular problem only happening on the campus of UVA. This is a national problem as we constantly see victim shaming and blaming pointed at women who have been sexually assaulted and/or raped. Making it harder for women to come forth and demand the rights they deserveĀ over their own body. So while we fight for the rights of our brothers to live without having to constantly file in line behind a never ending list of respectability politics we should have the same consideration for women and our bodies.
Don Lemon can kick all the rocks. He needs to go and White folks can take him and give us Jon Stewart instead. Don Lemon, who has sat TV and noted his own dealings with sexual assault. A Black gay man who should just have a dash more empathy and understanding of standing up against conservative ideals and speaking out against crimes done against them. For Don Lemon to sit on TV and ask one of Bill Cosby’s alleged victims why she didn’t bite his penis when he forced her to give him oral sex, entirely eschewing the psychosis one goes through in violent sexual assaults is beyond incredulous. I and we should no longer have any time for Don Lemon’s buffoonery.
Willow and Jaden’s NYTimes interview left me dazed and confused with the ultimate screw face. I don’t take any issue with their interest in quantum physics…I mean I did enjoy and was able to follow most of the story in Interstellar. My issue with the Smith kids is their lack of awareness to the world around them and the very privileged bubble in which they exist. Jaden, especially, just talks as though he has all the answers above anyone else. My favorite line from the interview:
How does fashion relate to what you do?
JADEN: Willow just dropped a song (āCaresā), let me quote the lyrics: āI do not care what people say.ā We both donāt really care. I like to wear things that I make, but I throw it on as though I was throwing on anything. It looks cool, sometimes.
Because yes Jaden, no one has ever wrote such a profound lyric before.
Lastly, I don’t ever give too much credence to white folks who lose their jobs (or resign) after making racists remarks, because they always bounce back when we’re not looking. So I don’t feel an ounce of pity for Elizabeth Lauten, who I’m sure will be just fine after she resigned from her job at the Communications Director for Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.), after making insulting remarks about the Obama girl’s appearance at the silliest American political tradition ever, the pardoning of a turkey by the President on Thanksgiving. That turkey was fifty five ways to ugly and Sasha + Malia were as about as happy as you would expect any teenager to be while watching their father, who also thought the whole things was ridiculous, pantomimeĀ over a ritual that honors the white man coming to America (and killing all the Native Americans, then ya’ know slavery and ish…). Ā The Obama girls are some of my most favorite #SmartBrownGirls ever and also some of the best behaved without being beyond boring presidential children to grace the White House. All these white folks mad cause we finally have a Black man in the office can look for other ways to throw jabs at Obama, his children however are entirely off limits. Girl…bye.
