OK... I'm sure she was a little buzzed while pontificating... On the other hand... why ever would anyone even care what this chick has to say? Don't we all wish we could be just like her... and not have time?
I don't think the comment is racist at all. What she's observing is many people of black (African-American) have a higher value on relationships and time for interaction with emotions than people who are so bound up with "time pressure", which, in general (no...not in every single stinkin' case) does describe my kinda people. Badu is simply saying that many times people of color flow with life, not against it on the wings of a clock. And you know what? I bet the people like her enjoy life more. Good for her.
I suppose in her business being tardy is okay. I work in a low paying retail job. Customers are often lined up at the door when we arrive. If we were habitually late they would go to our competition.
In our business if you are late for an interview you automatically are rejected for a job. I recommend in this economy being tardy is not wise. It would be nice to live in a culture where time is not of great importance - and there are some countries where time is not a big deal (France is very white and they are one country that comes to mind).
Erykah, what a completely racist comment for such a multi-faceted, beautiful, and talented woman. However, kudos to you for being true to who you are with respect to maintaing your genuine and candid nature. Who knows, in all fairness, although an inflammatory remark that perpetuates negative stereotypes, this could have been taken out of context, as most quotes tend to be. Blessings.
There's much being debated about the term racist or racism based on the fact that this adjective/noun is almost always associated with a negative connotation. However, stating this is a racist comment is not necessarily positive or negative. In its essence this IS a racist comment because Erykah is associating race as the determinant for a specific charateristic (i.e. time/punctuality), insinuating white people place a premium on time, whereas she as an Afro-American woman does not. Peace.
If any other person of any other race would have made the comment "Time is for black people", this woman and Al Sharpton would have been all over it, and it would probably have made the nightly national news! What a stupid comment to make!
WHAT? THEY OUGHTA RUN HER SKINNY LITTLE BADONK RIGHT BACK TO WHEREVER IT CAME FROM...THEY DID IT TO IMUS, SO HE MUST HAVE PUT DOWN A "PERSON OF COLOR". AM I RIGHT? WHAT DOES SHE MEAN "TIME IS FOR WHITE PEOPLE" ? IF I SAID "CHICAGO IS FO BLACK PEOPLE" I'D BE DRAGGED THRU THE TENEMENTS....SHE SHOULD LIVE THE REST OF HER DAYS WITH SOMEONE FAIR-SKINNED, JUST TO SHOW HER HOW BAD WE'VE HAD IT, THRU THE GENERATIONS....
Interesting..."time is for white people." Now, imagine what would've happened if a non-black singer said "time is for black people." There would've been an outrage. I agree with Mark Elliot's remark, "How do black people expect for racisim to stop when they keep giving white people a reason to be? If you want respect girl friend, you better give some." Part of the reason the world is the way it is today is because people expect respect without giving any reason to respect them: they speak as if they have no education or regard for the way they present themselves, they act belligerent, and they come across as "in your face," making thoughtless comments that make them look arrogant and ugly. But don't "disrespect" them; we're supposed to make them our heroes. No wonder the kids of today (and some adults, too) seem to be on a fast train to nowhere but shiftless self-centeredness. My admiration for Badyu is over. She can rot with the rest of the "me-generation" folks she looks up to.
Audra said: "Well, speaking as someone of color who's always on time, it's about respect. Keeping people waiting just because you can, is just plain ol ignorant. People who do this appear to wallow in self importance." Amen! It's a shame when society worships people who are so self-centered and applauds their behavior by buying their records and continuing to inflate their opinion that the world would stop turning without them. Thanks for adding that comment, Audra. You're right on track.
Andr
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By: nbrickey@aol.com on 4/26/2008 7:54AM
she is a racest
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By: aeo on 4/26/2008 10:30PM
OK... I'm sure she was a little buzzed while pontificating... On the other hand... why ever would anyone even care what this chick has to say?
Don't we all wish we could be just like her... and not have time?
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By: Mike on 4/26/2008 8:04AM
I don't think the comment is racist at all. What she's observing is many people of black (African-American) have a higher value on relationships and time for interaction with emotions than people who are so bound up with "time pressure", which, in general (no...not in every single stinkin' case) does describe my kinda people. Badu is simply saying that many times people of color flow with life, not against it on the wings of a clock. And you know what? I bet the people like her enjoy life more. Good for her.
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By: Kim on 4/26/2008 8:29AM
I suppose in her business being tardy is okay. I work in a low paying retail job. Customers are often lined up at the door when we arrive. If we were habitually late they would go to our competition.
In our business if you are late for an interview you automatically are rejected for a job. I recommend in this economy being tardy is not wise. It would be nice to live in a culture where time is not of great importance - and there are some countries where time is not a big deal (France is very white and they are one country that comes to mind).
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By: Chris G. on 4/26/2008 1:13PM
Erykah, what a completely racist comment for such a multi-faceted, beautiful, and talented woman. However, kudos to you for being true to who you are with respect to maintaing your genuine and candid nature. Who knows, in all fairness, although an inflammatory remark that perpetuates negative stereotypes, this could have been taken out of context, as most quotes tend to be. Blessings.
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By: Chris G. on 4/26/2008 8:24AM
There's much being debated about the term racist or racism based on the fact that this adjective/noun is almost always associated with a negative connotation. However, stating this is a racist comment is not necessarily positive or negative. In its essence this IS a racist comment because Erykah is associating race as the determinant for a specific charateristic (i.e. time/punctuality), insinuating white people place a premium on time, whereas she as an Afro-American woman does not. Peace.
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By: Lori Owen on 4/26/2008 8:23AM
If any other person of any other race would have made the comment "Time is for black people", this woman and Al Sharpton would have been all over it, and it would probably have made the nightly national news! What a stupid comment to make!
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By: john (yes I'm white) on 4/26/2008 8:25AM
WHAT? THEY OUGHTA RUN HER SKINNY LITTLE BADONK RIGHT BACK TO WHEREVER IT CAME FROM...THEY DID IT TO IMUS, SO HE MUST HAVE PUT DOWN A "PERSON OF COLOR". AM I RIGHT? WHAT DOES SHE MEAN "TIME IS FOR WHITE PEOPLE" ? IF I SAID "CHICAGO IS FO BLACK PEOPLE" I'D BE DRAGGED THRU THE TENEMENTS....SHE SHOULD LIVE THE REST OF HER DAYS WITH SOMEONE FAIR-SKINNED, JUST TO SHOW HER HOW BAD WE'VE HAD IT, THRU THE GENERATIONS....
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By: C. on 4/26/2008 8:29AM
Interesting..."time is for white people." Now, imagine what would've happened if a non-black singer said "time is for black people." There would've been an outrage. I agree with Mark Elliot's remark, "How do black people expect for racisim to stop when they keep giving white people a reason to be? If you want respect girl friend, you better give some."
Part of the reason the world is the way it is today is because people expect respect without giving any reason to respect them: they speak as if they have no education or regard for the way they present themselves, they act belligerent, and they come across as "in your face," making thoughtless comments that make them look arrogant and ugly. But don't "disrespect" them; we're supposed to make them our heroes. No wonder the kids of today (and some adults, too) seem to be on a fast train to nowhere but shiftless self-centeredness. My admiration for Badyu is over. She can rot with the rest of the "me-generation" folks she looks up to.
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By: Marie on 4/26/2008 8:29AM
Audra said: "Well, speaking as someone of color who's always on time, it's about respect. Keeping people waiting just because you can, is just plain ol ignorant. People who do this appear to wallow in self importance." Amen! It's a shame when society worships people who are so self-centered and applauds their behavior by buying their records and continuing to inflate their opinion that the world would stop turning without them. Thanks for adding that comment, Audra. You're right on track.
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