The hot topic for the past few days has been the Harriet Tubman Sex Tape that is a alleged comedy for the public. Although we know that white slave owners had intercourse with their Black slave females, majority of it was rape. Therefore many Black leaders, activists and others are highly offended by the idea that a slave woman would seduce a slave owner in hopes of getting revenge.
USA Today released a statement from entrepreneur Russell Simmons apologizing for the sex tape that was released on his All Def You tube channel. In the video one of the actors mentions that it is 162 years later and there is still injustice. Personally I believe there are many other drastic tactics that could have been taken to get injustice out other than that.
The video was downright offensive to any Black or white person watching. At times we don’t want to be reminded of our horrid past of slavery but if we are, then in should be accurate. There are so many children and adults who believe whatever is told to them, and to have a false portrayal of something so close to the Black race be altered only shows more ignorance on Russell Simmons and everyone evolved part.
We as African-Americans have not come too far from slavery, seeing that slavery still exists and we are still victims of it through media, history, economics, and poverty. Clearly Harriet Tubman got her revenge from her white “Massa” by helping free more than 300 slaves through the Underground Railroad, being a humanitarian and spy for the union during the Civil War. She was so much more than a woman who may have been occasionally raped by her slave owner.
To discredit a woman we call “Moses” as basic and typical Jezebel type figure is a disgrace to not just African-Americans but Black women. We are losing are Queens to so much sex selling in strip clubs, street corners, and college dorm rooms that we forget about the great things Black women have achieved. Fredrick Douglass praised Tubman for all she did as they both struggled and we today should do the same.
Consequently, this video only puts us down more. It only shows that we ourselves lack the knowledge and integrity to pay respectful homage to someone who only wanted to see us free. Yet, we are still in bondages because of actions like that. How far have we come? How much more do we have to go? It will take more than 30 years to reeducate an entire race of people so that they can wake up from being brainwashed all their lives. We get a “wake up” call with the Trayvon Martin case and two weeks later Catfish and Love & Hip-Hop is just as controversial as a not-guilty verdict. Please!
The video has so many underlying meanings that just slaps the entire Black race in the face. Thank you Russell Simmons for solidifying racism for a few youtube views.
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