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Rosa Parks and 'Barbershop'
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By Mike Cuenca | March 18, 2003
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I don't think it's fair to judge Rosa Parks' reaction to the jokes made
about her in "Barbershop". Regardless of whether or not the jokes were
inappropriate, how many of us could handle having such jokes made about
us to a nationwide/worldwide audience? Sure, she's a larger-than-life
figure whose past actions led her to be elevated to a
cultural/historical icon. But that doesn't strip her of the right to
her own feelings. If she decides that those jokes hurt her feelings,
who are we to say otherwise? How many of us can judge the situation
from a valid perspective? How many of us have risked our lives and
well-being to make a public statement supporting any social movement?
Who died and made her responsible for single-handedly training a new
generation to know what's right and wrong in society?
I think the most disappointing issue of the debate about the movie
"Barbershop" is that the debate has revolved around the jokes about
Parks, Rev. Jackson, and Dr. King. By diverting attention to those
jokes, mainstream society has been able to once again say "look, 'those
people' don't even respect each other."
By far, the most offensive part of the movie is the negative
stereotypes depicted in the violent, criminal behavior that was once
again made into a joke, as if that behavior is acceptable as long as
it's comical. The "black godfather" character and the bumbling thieves
around which the entire plot resolves are what's really offensive about
the movie because they perpetuate the negative stereotypes that are so
damaging to an entire class of people.
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