The Dope Times JUNE 1, 2012
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
What the What, America? By Marygrace Lovemore
Is this America?
I recently noticed the multiple lists of TV shows one has got to watch. The shows that are frequently featured in these lists were so highly regarded; I decided to watch them myself. Geeze, did I form some opinions. The Colbert Report is a very popular show proven by the people who are around me. Educated teenagers to men with white hair enjoy Stephen’s parody of politics. The real shame is, Stephen is not making fun of political leaders and your liberal friends, Stephen is making fun of you. The choices you make, whether it is who you voted for, the friends you have, and even your dietary habits are being made fun of. Remind me why America has chosen this former-improv troupe, as one of the most influential figures in the country? His “Colbert Nation” will do anything Stephen asks for, whether it is donating money or helping him run for President. His nation is so powerful; they were capable of getting Stephen Colbert as num-
ber sixty-nine on Maxim’s “Hot 100” List which is exclusively for women. Another top-rated show that gets under my skin is 30 Rock. I realize there are much worse people to emulate than a woman so wrapped up in her career advancement and is such a people-pleaser that she ignores her own emotional, thus spiritual, wellbeing and any successful interpersonal relationships. Liz Lemon is a lost cause, may Allah bless her soul. Tracy Jordan, the African American star of TGS, is without a doubt, the worst most embarrassing figure in the black man’s history. He consistently makes a fool out of himself, is not a productive member of society, and makes men of darker color look bad. It is enough that we are stereotyped, but why would such a show emphasize it to make it worse. Another disappointment on the show is Toofer, a Harvard education man whose actions fulfill a white man’s. Toofer should be his own man, and not what American “high” society expects of him. Mad Men is that stylish show on everyone’s lips. A period drama set in the 1960s; Mad Men is an example of man’s natural selfish nature. No doubt do the people, clothing, and issues of the time
In this issue make me reminisce of my time back in the day. I Top Songs of Yesteryear 2 give writers some credit for occasionally showing The Influence of Art 3 how ugly white people can be to non-whites considering that the show is not about Civil Rights and equality. What I cannot stand about the show is the reckless selfishness of Don Draper. He does not take consequences very seriously. His wife, exwife, children, and job are in the back of his mind when he wants to do something solely based on was he wants and not what is best. It is almost shameful. The worst part is that Don seems unphased by the consequences and in the end, .Don Draper, a man worth baffling about men want to be him and women still want to sleep with him. Don Draper is a dangerous presence in your living room. Based on my observations, America enjoys selfish characters with large egos, selfdepreciating ambition, and disregard to consequences. To analyze these characters in depth, I think we can all agree to watch out for what we Tracy Jordan, walking embarwatch. rassment
THE DOPE TIMES
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The Top Songs of Yesteryear by Nick Rush
Louis Armstrong, Jazz King
“A’int Misbehavin’ became a way of life for me as I
1920s – Louis Armstrong – West End Blues “I remember this song especially well when I was on my way to my father’s funeral. He had been assassinated and it was a dark rainy day when the funeral took place.” St. Louis Blues – Bessie Smith “ Not long after my father’s death, my beloved mother was placed in a mental institution which put me in foster care. I was listening to this song driving I the car after a final visit to my mother.” A’int Misbehavin’ – Louis Armstrong + Fatts Waller “One of my childhood favorites, A’int Misbehavin’ became a way of life for me as I entered into an oblivious and consequential lifestyle.”
entered into an oblivious and consequential lifestyle.”
Bessie Smith
1930s – Glen Miller – In the Mood “This was the song that was playing when I first moved in with my darling half-sister Ella, who graciously invited me to stay with her and explore the city of Boston.” Billie Holiday – Strange Fruit “Listening to this song takes me back to when I received my first “conk” or change in hair style in a barbershop down the road from the big ballroom.” Duke Ellington – Mood Indigo “Reginald my brother came to live with me when this song was released, at around the same time when conditions in the ghetto were taking a turn for the worse.” 1940s – Wynonie Harris – Good Rockin’ Tonight “ During this time I was involved in a series of criminal activities in which I would rob white peo-
ples’ houses and take their riches while they were sleeping.” John Lee Hooker – Boogie Chillun “ I will never forget this song, because it was playing when I got busted by the police for robbing people and dating Sophia.” Lucky Millinder – Who threw the whiskey in the well “ This was the only song I could think about when I was given a series of sentences for my wrong doings.”
the Nation of Islam because of the internal disputes and such. I regularly receive death threats because of my leaving, and hope to protect my family.” Otis Redding – These Arms of Mine “I was traveling in the car to a regular speech at a public hall, the whole day I felt insecure and was always paying attention to my surroundings. However this song seems to soothe me as I move forward into an uncertain future.”
1950s – Fats Domino – Goin’ Home “ I found this song to be really ironic because it truly felt like I was “Goin’ Home” to my religion of Islam. I was saved by Allah and he showed me the way to fulfillment.” Ray Charles – I got a Woman “This was a simple tune during my wedding ceremony in 1958, when I married Betty X.” Tutti-Frutti – Little Richard “After I became a full member of the Nation of Islam, I wanted to travel to Mecca to see the holy land, and be close to those who shared my beliefs.” 1960s – Ray Charles – Georgia on my Mind “At our first mass rally, with the honorable Elijah Muhammad, me and the rest of the members of the nation of Islam publically display our beliefs in hopes of achieving new members.” The Temptations – My Girl “I leave
Ray charles
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Page 3
The Influence of Art by Donte Vales Artwork has always been an influential factor in my life. The following is a list of my top 5 favorite artists, I have encountered throughout my life. I hope you find them as intriguing as I do. 5. Dali: Persistence of Memory (1931) The first time I laid my eyes upon this work of art I was under the influence of multiple reefers. I found this painting to be very informative and Salvador Dali's style was incredible in that state of mind. His bizarre images were surreal and really changed my perception of life. 4. Sadequain I have a lot of respect for Sadequain, he was a fellow Muslim, and fantastic artist. Sadequian believed in painting images of real life issues such as "a person who has gone hungry for hours and is struggling for survival" instead of just someone "posing on a backdrop." Sadequain has provided me with a sense of satisfaction, knowing I am not the only one that looks at real life problems. Everyone seems to be so naive to the fact that we are experiencing life changing situations daily. 3. Fritz Willis In my early adulthood, around the time I began dressing like the white man, with my tailored clothes and conk, I stumbled upon a foreign site one day. This
was long before the days of my Muslim preaching's and this art seems quite inappropriate, however looking back it definitely shaped who I am as a person today. Willis was an artist for a magazine called Esquire. Esquire is a men's magazine founded in 1932. The illustrations he displayed were called pin-ups. Slightly proactive paintings of white women in lingerie created to boost morale during wartime. Never black women, but that's okay; you know how I love white women. These images pushed the bar on censorship and now in my wise age, I resent what those men for creating such revealing entertainment.
1. Norman Rockwell
“...you know how
Rockwell was a great artist who was dramatically influenced by his close friends and loved ones to look at some of the problems that was afflicting American society; most noticeably the racial tensions at the time. Norman Rockwell advocates for exactly what I believe in and he has been a profound influence on me. Rockwell's art is not very intricate; however he conveys one simple message. Equality.
I love white women.”
Salvador Dali’s Persistence of
Memory
2. Jacob Lawrence- Bar and Grill Jacob Lawrence was a Northerner, and upon visiting New Orleans in 1941 he began to see the wrongfulness of segregation. Bar and Grill depicts the interior of a café that is divided by a floor-to-ceiling wall separating the whites, and the colored. The whites are being served beverages by the white bartender and even cooled off by a ceiling fan. The blacks on the other hand are being ignored and are given only 1/3 of the room. This painting helps bring awareness to the minority life of the early-mid 1900's.
Jacob Lawrence’s Bar and Grill