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Post by chonies on Feb 8, 2016 11:45:51 GMT -4
And adding on, almost none of the recently emancipated folks had any resources to leave...One of the most poignant scenes in Octavia Butler's Kindred was when Dana thought about escaping, but had no idea where to go or how to get there. Argh. I don't know where I'm going with this, but there's something really uncomfy about parallel sectors of the evangelical crowd who are okay with a romanticized view of slavery (and history generally, when it served their swirl of Christian fundie-dom), and the very closely related crowd who are adopting black children from Africa, the Caribbean and the US as part of a ministry. I can't find a concise way to say it, but it's kind of awful, and it scares me.
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Post by Neurochick on Feb 8, 2016 13:38:09 GMT -4
I was in Virginia in 1994, went to a bookstore and in the history section, where it would normally say "Civil War History" it said, "War for Southern Independence." So, there it is.
Some Evangelicals have this bizarre attitude that we black people can't take care of ourselves, that we need white people to take care of us. I think THAT'S the reason so many adopt children from places in Africa and the Caribbean. Now, some of them are doing it because they truly feel it is God's work, but others are just fucked up. Like the ones who adopt abused children (no matter the race) and don't believe in getting therapy for them.
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Post by discoprincess on Feb 8, 2016 13:47:36 GMT -4
Unfortunately, go to the South and many of these views are not unheard of. Chelsea Handler is not usually my cup of tea, but I watched the episode of her Netflix series on racism, and she talked to some folks in a small town in either Mississippi or Alabama (can't remember which) who basically said the exact same things - most slave owners were good and the abusive ones were the exception not the rule ("why would you treat something you paid $600 for so badly?" reasoned one guy) ...including having your way with your female slave? Never mind whether or not she gave permission; it wouldn't matter anyway, right? The one good thing I used to be able to say about Kirkles is that he adopted four kids and I believe at least one of them is black, so I didn't think I'd have to add "racist" to the list... People on another message board were already questioning Kirkles' motivations for the adoptions of those children of color (like they side-eyed Madonna's adoption of David Banda and Mercy). It'd be great if Kirk were to prove that suspicion wrong.
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Post by Ninja Bunny on Feb 8, 2016 20:02:17 GMT -4
Kirk is pretty repulsive so I'm not the least bit surprised. As for the non-white adopted kid(s), I'm going to assume he adopted it/them to use as free child labor until proven otherwise.
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Post by cubanitafresca on Feb 8, 2016 22:33:00 GMT -4
Do people dislike him? If his rep is that he's an opportunist, then for all anyone knows, he may have declared himself a Christian in order to get more acting roles. But he sounded pretty reasonable and lukewarm on the topic of Christianity in this interview. His views at that time would not be Kirk Cameron approved. Maybe he's become more indoctrinated over time, or maybe he's stringing Kirk and his posse along to get more jobs out of them. I never thought I'd be curious about the hidden thoughts and motives of Sean Astin. Thanks internet. To me he came across as someone deeply spiritual - but definitely not evangelical. I always have a soft spot for the guy - his childhood seems like it was so disfunctional I can't help but feel bad for him.
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Post by Neurochick on Feb 8, 2016 22:33:21 GMT -4
Here's how I feel about Kirk. To me, he'd nothing but a snake oil salesman.
Years ago I heard bell hooks talking about some celebrity, she said something like, "she discovered that the right pays better than the left."
I think that's where Kirk is coming from. Look, Kirk was a teen idol who never transitioned to adult superstar. So what can he do? "I know, I'm Christian, right? I'll just pander to those folks and they'll eat it up."
It's really not that hard to figure out, Tyler Perry did. There are a lot of staunch Fundamentalist Christians who have the money to go to the movies but don't feel any movie out here is for them. All you have to do is appeal to their world views and BAM, instant success.
And that's what I think of Kirk.
Perhaps I'm too cynical but to me, every time some celebrity begins to slide, they seem to suddenly find God and "renounce" their former life. Geraldo Rivera is on Fox now; he's suddenly conservative. I guess he forgot that he was the lawyer for the Young Lords street gang. Stacey Dash keeps saying stupid shit to get on Fox News; Dash had one successful movie, Clueless, then she was on Single Ladies, and got fired by Lisa Raye. All Stacey Dash is really known for is looking good for her age.
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Post by Kaleidoscope Eyes on Feb 8, 2016 23:29:06 GMT -4
Do people dislike him? If his rep is that he's an opportunist, then for all anyone knows, he may have declared himself a Christian in order to get more acting roles. But he sounded pretty reasonable and lukewarm on the topic of Christianity in this interview. His views at that time would not be Kirk Cameron approved. Maybe he's become more indoctrinated over time, or maybe he's stringing Kirk and his posse along to get more jobs out of them. I never thought I'd be curious about the hidden thoughts and motives of Sean Astin. Thanks internet. To me he came across as someone deeply spiritual - but definitely not evangelical. I always have a soft spot for the guy - his childhood seems like it was so disfunctional I can't help but feel bad for him. I'm in the same boat. When I see him, I always wonder what his childhood was like with Patty Duke having mental health issues. I didn't even know he was into the Christian thing and if he's gone to the extreme fundie end, I'll be so disappointed. Gonna be keeping an eye on him, because his background has always piqued my curiosity. I feel a certain kinship with him because my mom had her issues too (loving for sure, but issues, yeah) and Patty Duke struck me the same way. A loving mom with mental health issues and just trying to do her best to navigate herself and her family through the morass of issues and daily life. I've always been interested in watching how he navigated adulthood, middle age, etc., knowing some of his backstory. Really hope he's not a fundie, but if he's in a Kirk movie...I side eye that hard. Will def be keeping up with him from here on.
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Post by OnyxRose on Feb 9, 2016 0:16:53 GMT -4
Giraldo and Stacy Dash are definitely trying to get that conservative money but honestly, Kirkles is just plain crazy. He was the lead in a hit tv show when he turned this way (albeit, the ratings slid when he imposed his beliefs on the writing); at the time he could have parlayed that into a good career. He did more harm to his career by turning to Evangelicalism. Nope, he hitched a ride on the good ol' crazy train and has never looked back.
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Post by Martini Girl on Feb 9, 2016 0:31:52 GMT -4
I remember when Return of the King won the SAG award and Sean spoke on behalf of the cast. He came across to me as a right-winger (and pro Iraq war). Ever since then, I've just given him the side-eye. #sorrynotsorry. (And I don't remember it being a speech for SAG President, but maybe it was. All I know is he was dead to me after that).
I have no sympathy for folks who try to profit on a romanticized version of our racist history.
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Post by discoprincess on Feb 9, 2016 0:48:16 GMT -4
As for the non-white adopted kid(s), I'm going to assume he adopted it/them to use as free child labor until proven otherwise. Are they going to be drafted into putting together a birthday party that's better than the saddest one ever?
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