Opinion: Is The Artist Yazmany Arboleda A Prophet Or A Racist?

Buy an ad on DigitalJournal.com

Racism is two beautiful girls, deeply loved and cherished by their father, burdened by what people think that means racially, and what it will make people think about them. Racism is a brilliant man who wrote a book about hope, burdened by what people think that means racially, and what it will make people think about his book. Racism is a man who is sensitive, committed, monogamous and in love with his wife, burdened by what people think that means racially, and how it will impact on their perceptions of his marriage . . .

Yazmany's exhibit, "The Assassination of Barack Obama," showed us what that looks like. Everything you are, like Barack's daughter's; everything you do, like Barack's book; everything you express, like the penises, are overwhelmed by racial ideas.

When I read "Artwork Calling Barack Obama's Children 'Nappy Headed Hos' is Offensive," I penned a lengthy comment - saying, what I was seeing. "This artist is using racist ideology to overwhelm a person's true image," I said. Many words later, I realized that I was looking at, what I was talking about. Could it be that the artist was trying to show what happens to a person's image when it is inundated by racist ideas?

Racializing *Diasporans is an outgrowth of the psychologically work Diasporans have performed, namely, ensuring that each and every person of European descent could feel superior. That required walking, talking and existing in a way that no person of European descent could possibly envy. And if individuals could not conceive of appropriate behavior to accomplish that, there were laws designed to assist them. "Black codes" included segregation, designated occupations, restrictions on accessing property and wealth, prohibitions against testifying and congregating and, in my opinion, the most definitive law instructed white people to appropriate property worn or displayed by Diasporans when the item is inconsistent with their status —

Some people have become dependent on the diminished status of Diasporans, since an aspect of their personal identity is the belief that they are better than everyone who is of African descent. Perhaps that's what Father Pfleger meant when he said, "Racism is still America's greatest addiction."


Maintaining an identity of superiority can become burdensome when the comparison is to people who are attractive, highly educated, prosperous, and intent on taking up residence in the White House. The stress of that contradiction can inspire a determined effort to counter it with images, language and events that reinforce stereotypical racial ideas.

Yazmany Arboleda pointed us to the media which, in the person of Don Imus, pronounced the Rutgers women's basketball team, nappy headed hos; and through CNN, displayed the image of Osama bin Laden when reporting on Barack Obama; and through FOX, displayed the caption "Obama baby mama" in a report on Michelle Obama; and through the Daily KOS, depicted Michelle Obama, rendered helpless and in fear, with a lot of flesh showing, highlighted by a bright red party dress, hands bound and hanging from a tree, complete with hooded men, poised to brand, and otherwise have their way with her —

Perhaps Yazmany Arboleda has a point.

*Diasporan: A descendant of a survivor of the African diaspora.