|
Media Representations |
||||
|
Melissa's Personal Observations
|
One aspect that came up again and again in our interviews was the manner in which minorities were represented in the media. Watching the television in Paris one thing was very notable … the lack of faces of color on the screen. This was not simply a matter of only one or two shows that were minority based or having just a token person here or there, but for the first few weeks that we watched prime time television, we saw no faces of color. Not in the commercials, nor the many talk shows, not on the news or even in the background as extras. The first faces of color we did say, perhaps not surprisingly, were American faces on American shows. During the interviews, this occurrence was alluded to time and time again. Many respondents also mentioned that on rare occasions when blacks and Arabs in particular, did appear, it was mostly in reference to them being a problem – illegal immigrants, thieves, violent youth, etc. Yet, when positive events occurred, there was little to no mention of them. In response to a questions about whether or not there were Blacks on television, the responses all had a similar slant. In this instance we've decide to let their words speak for themselves "For the most part we're missing. And when you do see is it's something negative ... Most of the time when I watch TV [about Blacks], it's missing culture , or arts. " Another one breaks in about sports and music starts, but Steven continues, "But I'm talking about French people, not when you see Americans. Strictly France. When you see someone ... an Arab or someone living in the banlieues ... It's always like a caricature of a thief." - Steven, 15 "On television, all the Black people are like musicians. They sing or they rap or they're acting a fool or they're a thief. Never anything intelligent, Blacks on TV are always made to look stupid. And if there is anything good, it's on at like 2AM. Plus the ones on TV are always really light-skinned anyway." - Joésie, 17
- Joanna et Joésie "Most of the time, people of color are characterized as foreigners. And they make it seem like the stuff happening to us isn't important anyway. Like you always see stuff about what happened to the Jews during World War II. And what happened was horrible, really sad. But you will never see anything talking about how slavery was wrong." - Steven, 17
|
"Well if it's a black guy - they can't pick anything else, so they pick a black guy. But for the Role of an Arab ... In the role of Said -Jean-Francois Dupree! They won't even put us in the is the ads for the very products we consume. Diapers , laundry detergent ... soap ... who use that the most? Blacks and Arabs? Who has seven, eight and nine kids at home. Even for the things we consume more than other people, they still don't show us " - Mohammed, Counselor
- Counselors at the Cultural Center at Louis Aragon The overabundant lack of Blacks, as well as other people of color, in the media has not left the youth of the banlieues completely without means of animated expression. Just as is the case with many youth here, the hip-hop movement has often been there way to paint themselves into a worlds that they feel fails to acknowledge their existence. Often their expression comes out through works of graffiti as well as in the lyrics of their songs. In their lyrics especially they express their dissatisfaction with both their life situations and also with current politics as they currently stand, especially in regards to France and its policies of immigration.
|
||
