Tell It to Oprah

Poor New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. If only he was black, he wouldn't have to resort to identifying himself as a statesmanlike-sounding "gay American."

If only he was black, he could just say he's living on the down low and be done with it.

Posted by Katy on 08/17/04 at 08:38 AM

Fallible Comments...

Though I enjoy reading your writing, today's comment is truly fallible. As a black woman (the word they were using when I was growing up) I find your generalizations offensive, but as a Christian woman, I find them disheartening and painful. To think that the entire black community considers the "down low" as something acceptable or even real is going too far. In any community, racial, religious or political, there will always be those
who exploit that community for their own gain. I hope that you will not join that group. The tone of some of your comments lately make me wonder. :)

Many blessings to you and yours,
Mary Griffith
-----
Posted by Mary Griffith on 08/29/04 at 11:00 PM
I agree with you, Mary. This one was bitter.
Posted by Drina on 08/30/04 at 05:50 AM
Mary and Drina,
From what I know of the down low, I completely realize that this is not a widely accepted practice--or even necessarily a phenomenon accepted as "real"-- in the black community. As I watched the Oprah show on the subject, the cameras frequently panned the audience, and came to rest on many stunned faces. Some ladies in the audience seemed to have never heard of this lifestyle, and shook their heads in disbelief and sadness over the terrible statistics about disease and family devastation occurring among them.

I thought back to this show as I watched Gov. McGreevey stand holding hands with his wife, announcing to the world that he is a "gay American." It seemed to me (especially after reading that he had asked gay activists to help him craft his statement--though who knows how true that is) that McGreevey was shaping his comments in terms that he felt would be most palatable to the public, and would perhaps paint him in a more acceptable light as he faced the charges he knew were coming. He played the trump card, the words "gay American," which felt much more disengenuous to me than the guy on Oprah who claimed that he wasn't gay, but lived on the down low, because he "liked it."

Meanwhile, McGreevey's wife wore the same stunned expression of the women in Oprah's audience. When I wrote this post, I couldn't help comparing her lot with that of the disturbed women on Oprah--and how it seemed like none of them knew quite what to believe about their men's claims.

I'm sorry I offended you. I really appreciate you weighing in with your take on my post. I only meant to compare the "excuses" used by the man on Oprah and Gov. McGreevey. "I like it" seems more honest to me than "I am a gay American," which smacks of the overly-politicized.
Posted by Katy on 08/30/04 at 03:20 PM
The story I liked. There are many situations that can happen in life. And always a mystery that will make a hero. Such passions, simple class. Read.
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Posted by dress on 09/09/10 at 08:21 PM
its one thing to be stereotyped but its worse trying to be a stereotype
Posted by roddy on 11/29/10 at 04:08 AM
Very great idea. This is a very important issue. This applies to our rights, to competently and appropriately refers to people <a href="http://www.spywarepedia.org">best spyware program</a> of all nationalities and walks of life. The more we think about other issues more human we become.
Posted by Sussi on 07/12/11 at 01:03 PM

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Personal blog of christian writer & fallible mom Katy McKenna Raymond in Kansas City, Missouri Katy is represented by Greg Johnson at WordServe Literary Read more Katy at LateBoomer.net Follow Katy on Twitter Follow Katy on Facebook 123 Recent Posts Try Becoming Brenda Starr Off Beat Scattered That’s It So I’ve Finally Signed With An Agent. Now What? The Spoon Sciatica Sweetheart A Woman’s Train of Thought Has No Caboose However much we own, we are all still living on borrowed time After all, when restaurants shrink portions, they don’t shrink prices. As with everything in life, balance is key. Slow down, you move too fast… Yeah, I know. I have issues. Search Advanced Search Syndicate Login E me at katy @ ngenius.com	Tell It to Oprah Poor New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. If only he was black, he wouldn't have to resort to identifying himself as a statesmanlike-sounding "gay American." If only he was black, he could just say he's living on the down low and be done with it. Posted by Katy on 08/17/04 at 08:38 AM Fallible Comments... Though I enjoy reading your writing, today's comment is truly fallible. As a black woman (the word they were using when I was growing up) I find your generalizations offensive, but as a Christian woman, I find them disheartening and painful. To think that the entire black community considers the "down low" as something acceptable or even real is going too far. In any community, racial, religious or political, there will always be those who exploit that community for their own gain. I hope that you will not join that group. The tone of some of your comments lately make me wonder. :) Many blessings to you and yours, Mary Griffith ----- Posted by Mary Griffith on 08/29/04 at 11:00 PM I agree with you, Mary. This one was bitter. Posted by Drina on 08/30/04 at 05:50 AM Mary and Drina, From what I know of the down low, I completely realize that this is not a widely accepted practice--or even necessarily a phenomenon accepted as "real"-- in the black community. As I watched the Oprah show on the subject, the cameras frequently panned the audience, and came to rest on many stunned faces. Some ladies in the audience seemed to have never heard of this lifestyle, and shook their heads in disbelief and sadness over the terrible statistics about disease and family devastation occurring among them. I thought back to this show as I watched Gov. McGreevey stand holding hands with his wife, announcing to the world that he is a "gay American." It seemed to me (especially after reading that he had asked gay activists to help him craft his statement--though who knows how true that is) that McGreevey was shaping his comments in terms that he felt would be most palatable to the public, and would perhaps paint him in a more acceptable light as he faced the charges he knew were coming. He played the trump card, the words "gay American," which felt much more disengenuous to me than the guy on Oprah who claimed that he wasn't gay, but lived on the down low, because he "liked it." Meanwhile, McGreevey's wife wore the same stunned expression of the women in Oprah's audience. When I wrote this post, I couldn't help comparing her lot with that of the disturbed women on Oprah--and how it seemed like none of them knew quite what to believe about their men's claims. I'm sorry I offended you. I really appreciate you weighing in with your take on my post. I only meant to compare the "excuses" used by the man on Oprah and Gov. McGreevey. "I like it" seems more honest to me than "I am a gay American," which smacks of the overly-politicized. Posted by Katy on 08/30/04 at 03:20 PM The story I liked. There are many situations that can happen in life. And always a mystery that will make a hero. Such passions, simple class. Read. Posted by luxury b&b on 08/05/10 at 01:56 PM <a href="http://www.onedresses.com">Cheap Prom Dresses</a> <a href="http://www.onedresses.com">Homecoming Dresses</a> on best wedding dresses for 2009 and 2010. You can find latest collection of woman's dresses and casual dresses on this site <a href="http://www.onedresses.com">Quinceanera Dresses</a> Best canon Coffee Mugs! Funny, Cute, & Humorous Unique designs. Also find Travel Mugs, Coffee Cups also, or Create Photo Personalized Mugs & Drinkwaresss Posted by dress on 09/09/10 at 08:21 PM its one thing to be stereotyped but its worse trying to be a stereotype Posted by roddy on 11/29/10 at 04:08 AM Very great idea. This is a very important issue. This applies to our rights, to competently and appropriately refers to people <a href="http://www.spywarepedia.org">best spyware program</a> of all nationalities and walks of life. The more we think about other issues more human we become. Posted by Sussi on 07/12/11 at 01:03 PM Page 1 of 1 pages Commenting is not available in this weblog entry. Next entry: Every Season Under Heaven Previous entry: Life Line << Back to main


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Tell It to Oprah

Personal blog of christian
writer & fallible mom
Katy McKenna Raymond
in Kansas City, Missouri