Letter to the Editor: Blackface

Recently, WDSU, Channel 6, in New Orleans, used valuable time of viewers, who own the airwaves, to stand-up and support Racism-white supremacy. The current President and General Manager, Joel Vilmenay, gave a heartfelt defense of why Racism-white supremacy should be allowed to continue in New Orleans. It is my understanding, that news organizations are supposed to be news reporters and not news makers. Additionally, I thought news outlets are to be balanced and objective. Mr. Vilmenay’s, commentary was anything but balanced or objective.

After one Hundred and Fifty-Four (154) years since slavery, Mr. Vilmenay has forgotten, he too is a descendant from slaves and choose to attack those Freedom Fighters who are focused on eliminating Racism white-supremacy. After the work of the countless Black Men and Black Women, Mr. Vilmenay, is a direct work product of Black People demanding rights and respect from the Racist white-supremacist class that lives in America as benefactors of the work and sacrifices Blacks have made all because whites were, let us say, negligent in their understanding of Human Rights for All.

When I heard the editorial by Mr. Vilmenay, while a brief glimpse of Mr. Vilmenay, riding in one of the past parades on a ZULU float in blackface, I realized Mr. Vilmenay, was using his position as President and General Manager, to further the Racist-white supremacist stands of degrading, through ignorance, the continued efforts to keep people uninformed. Just because Mr. Vilmenay, has been granted some levels of white privileges, does not open the door for other Blacks, who demand respect, objectivity and rights as Human Being. Just like any other ethnic group in America, Blacks have to see themselves as valuable as other racial groups. After all, was it not the Jewish community that forced Reverend Jessie Jackson, to apologize for his remarks about Hymie-Town? “As reported in the Los Angeles Times October 26, 1984; this time he (Jessie Jackson) had poked fun at Jews by calling them “Hymie” and New York City “Hymie-town.” What Reverend Jackson, said had been quoted and condemned in the Washington Post.

Now, as a legitimate news organization, how can WDSU Television side with Racist-white supremacist in promoting continued defamation of Black Peoples character. We, as a people, have a difficult time getting our children to take us seriously as protectors and defenders of their well-being if we allow this to continue. With police shooting Blacks down in the streets, for no apparent reason and the government forcing Black People to renew their right to vote every twenty years, blackface is just a reminder of the coon and jigaboo white people portrayed whenever they wear blackface. As a reminder, the definition, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, of a jigaboo is a Black Person.

No matter which way Mr. Vilmenay tries to slice it, blackface is derogatory, demeaning, and defaces the truth about a people who saved the white race from distinction. Now, if it is just all in fun, why not poke fun at the trials and tribulations the Jewish people suffered being banned from most countries in Europe. Or why not pick on the too light skinned white people who cannot take the Sun light. There are hundreds of white problems we can celebrate at Carnival Time. And maybe we need to pull out a few for the next Carnival. Spare me the semantics of paint verses make-up. Now you are playing with Black People’s intelligence.

– W.C. Johnson b.o.m.
Chairman
Community United for Change

This article originally published in the March 4, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.