2006: Racism Will be Televised?

Good morning,

Have you heard about the plans for the latest Survivor Season? "Tribes" separated by ethnic race, so there will be a White Tribe, a Black Tribe, a Hispanic Tribe, and an Asian Tribe. How does that sound like something fun to watch each week? Division of the Races for fun and entertainment.

Does anyone else find it surprising that something like that can actually be considered for prime time family hour television in the year 2006? I'm disappointed to say we, as a country, on the topic of race, haven't made it as far as I had thought for my entire life. Truthfully, I write this with a sort of sad anger, because even though I know racism exists, I didn't think it could be so blantantly shoved into the faces of people.

Ok, ok, I know some who read this will say "it's only a reality tv game show, so what's the big deal?" Nothing really in the reality tv game show part of it, it's the desire of the show's production company to consider using race as a means by which to divide contestants into teams, and of CBS Television to allow it. Isn't there already enough of that sort of thing in the world?

The whole thing truly is disappointing.

Can you imagine the watercooler talk in some circles? "Wow, did ya see? The Whites really beat up on the Blacks this week!", "Yeah, but they really did a number of those Hispanics last week."

Now doesn't that sound like fun?

I don't think so.

My hope is that someone will call for a national boycott of the Survivor show, and a boycott of any companies who might choose to sponsor. For that matter, why not boycott CBS, and all sponsors of their programming? Afterall, it is CBS who is giving the approval for a race themed game show to air on their network.

There comes a time for people to draw the line and say, no racism, even if it's packaged nicely in the form of a game show competition. The idea of selling the idea to the American people in this day and age offends me, as it should so many others out there. It's the principle of the thing, it's a taking back of American culture to pre-Civil Rights Movement days. If we allow the door to blantant racism to be opened, will we actually like what's waiting for us inside? I'm referring to all of us, all colors, races, and creeds, we're better than that.

BTW, I'm not a victim of racism in my life, nor was I raised to give it, I'm of Italian-Spanish heritage, and the words I hear when it comes to race, came a long time ago from my father, when he said, "there's good and bad in all races, even within your own, it's the person that matters, not their race, remember that and you'll live a better life, ya got me? Your friends are buncha a**holes, don't be one, wisen up to the way things are, do the right thing." My dad was always straight and to the point when it came to our talks, that particular one came after he heard one of my friends from the block, yelling something racial at a new kid in the neighborhood. I've always remembered what my dad said, and have lived my life by what he said that day, his words were true. The kid who was being yelled at by my friends, we became good friends, and nobody messed with him after that. He's currently serving with the Marines in Iraq, we keep in touch, and my family will always be there for his family, his wife, and kids.

So, when it comes to the issue of race, remember the words of my father..

"to live a better life, just do the right thing."