In addition to writing literary fiction and poetry, I am a spoken word artist. At Sunset House in Seattle last winter, I performed a spoken word piece criticizing America’s news coverage and treatment of Haitians after the last major earthquake there. The spoken word piece/poem also criticized France’s oppressive history and present with Haiti. I drew connections between America’s treatment of the Black communities of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, slavery/Jim Crow, and Haiti.
A white woman approached me during the intermission after I performed. She was at least two feet taller than me and she identified herself as a French native, saying she had been living in the U.S. for a few years.
“I am from France. The country that colonized Haiti,” she said proudly, tossing her head. Her accent was very distinct. I had no reason to believe she was lying about being French, although she could have been pretending. The French woman continued, “And I have a problem with what you performed in there.”
I politely tried to address her concerns, not really giving two shits if she had issues with what I read because that didn’t make it any less true in my book.
She said, “Poetry is supposed to be pleasant. Its supposed to make you feel good. Your poem didn’t make me feel good.” She continued, “You are probably no different than the white kid coming out of the Starbucks here”. Then proceeded to light a cigarette and smoke it down into my face. “You mixed too many things together that you cannot compare.” So I can’t lay out the similarities between Haiti and New Orleans, both which have suffered two terrible major disasters, both of which have been failed and oppressed by France and the United States? Why? Because it offends her white European sensibilities to racism?
At most, seven of my friends and guests were with me. I wanted to look PC and polite. One Latino/Chican@. All the rest were white. I wanted to cuss this woman out for sounding so arrogant about the actions of her country. I also wanted to make a good impression on my guests since we were all in a social justice organization together. In short, I didn’t want to look like a rude, profanity-slinging, ghetto Black woman.
Later, I found out from them that they totally expected me to verbally rip that woman’s head off for everything she said to me. A missed opportunity.
I pretty much suggested that she school herself on Black history. Though I said it much more politely.
Maybe I will record this piece and post the audio if I get the time…..
–Ms. Queenly
Also Read:
Le Cliche au France (This is not the piece I read at the open mike but it is related)
Herneith
You should have torn her a second a$$hole, LOL! She already has you stereotyped in some shape or fashion anyway. Let it rip!
Ms. Queenly
LOL!
Looking back I know I should have down exactly that. I regret it so terribly
sam
I got news for you, Ms Queenly: the french still think they defeated the germans in WW1 AND WW2. They are little bit arrogant at times
.
Seriously, just because they had their revolution way back, they think they were the liberators of the world. They really do sometimes. But they are also genuinely astonished when somebody does not want to learn to speak french, be french or agree with the french. I guess it is typical for old imperium, remanants of that way of thinkin. I’ve met same kind of arrogance in some britts, russian and, yes, some americans (the most recent imperium we’ve had on this planet). But the french do it very certain way that makes one see red in flat second. You can always tell the others to take a hike, but french want to argue, debate and win that debate.
My sister lived in Paris for some time, speaks fluent french and has hilarious stories of that culture and those people. Funniest thing about the french: despite their overt arrogance, seemingly fluent cultural chauvinism, they are huge fans of everything american!
This is true.
They may be critical towards american imperialism but Mickey Mouse and others are taken seriously! They are studied. Analysed. For real!
Not that I don’t like France, Paris partiuculary. It is a city where one just feels well, at least I did. The food, the mileu. I recommend a visit. Not in a cheesy “City of Love” sense but as one place to check out. I liked it. Even the french seemed to get along with me during my stay in there. French have a saying: Paris would be the perfect city if there were no french.
Ms. Queenly
Paris might be a lovely place to go. Its certainly portrayed that way. But in my heart of hearts I know that the French still see me as many of their ancestors did–an uncivilized exotic negro (and from America too). Thats a hard history for them to kill and I’m not sure they think its an issue. France has its foothold in the world. I think they are too comfortable to concerned with their racism.
Though the best thing they every did was croissants
lol
Mmmm croissants…..
sam
Okay, croissants are damn good, but freshly backed baquettes are not bad either. And just between us, fresh french fries are not that bad either. Sorry, was it freedom fries now a days?
Seriously, the food is one reason to visit Paris.
Ms. Queenly
lol, If nothing else, the food is indeed a reason!
Herneith
Those French people are some of the most racist assholes going. In Quebec this is especially so. As for Haiti, the French fail to mention the fact that they were receiving ‘reparations’ since losing their colony in the early 1800′s until 1947. The French boycotted and made damn sure that Haiti stayed in their dire straits ever since losing this highly lucrative colony. Don’t even start with that Belgium asshole King Leopold II, who caused millions to die in the what was, until fairly recently known as the ‘Belgium Congo’, the ramifications of which are being felt today. Yes, you should have torn this fuckin French heifer a second one!
Ms. Queenly
In the world of Hypocritical Countries France is probably the biggest Hypocrite there is next to America.
How do you colonize and enslave a Black nation and then–when they demand their freedom and independence–tell them that they owe you reparations for what they stole in the first! Its so infuriating.
The United States sided with France and the World Bank on this and continues to support the oppression of Haiti.
The Congo–don’t even get me started!!
Its not that I’m Haitian or that I’m African (in the strictest sense) but its so typical that the people who get this from France are the ones look the most like my brother and my sister and my friends and those in my community. In the early news coverage of the earthquake there was all this footage of piles of dead Black bodies in the ruined streets and people trying to get help or wondering around. But except for the military there was no footage of aid relief workers at all! They were trying to contain the Haitian peoples with military force rather than help them. They did however provide plenty of aid to the rich racially mixed upperclass I heard. I was so disgusted and enraged. If this was Los Angelos California and it was some ritzy upclass WHITE neighborhood the footage would’ve been completely different!
Herneith
What do you call the French salute? Both hand in the air! As for the smallest book of war heroes, it’s a toss up between the French and Italians. All joking aside, xenophobia is growing rapidly in Europe, spear-headed by the French who just forcibly deported hundreds of Roma(gypsies). In Sweden they just elected a new government which has twenty seats for a so-called far-right party, whose major platform is anti-immigration. Apparently, although not the majority, they have enough seats to act as a catalyst in important votes. In Denmark, they already have a right-wing government. There appears to be a domino effect in place in Europe, what with all those ‘coloureds’ moving there. I think there is a saturation point of acceptability when it comes to racialized immigration there, as it is in North America. If boat loads or train loads of whites tried to move there, they probably wouldn’t
have as much of a problem as they would eventually ‘blend’ in a couple of generations. They had, literally, a boatload of Sri Lankans sail up onto the shores of British Columbia. Boy did they shit hit the fan. One clown even suggested that letting in too many racialized people from ‘strange’ countries, would destroy or upset the social fabric of the country. He had a protest in Ottawa where an astounding number of six people showed up! Things ain’t that bad yet in the true north! The French think their shit don’t stink but wait till you smell their farts! In closing; How do you clear a room of Frenchmen? Throw a bar of soap into the room, LOL. Sorry, I cannot resist taking a swipe at those arrogant, xenophobic assholes! They are even worse in Quebec!
Ms. Queenly
You’re absolutely right–if it was a boat full of blendable whites they wouldn’t care. When it comes to ideas about revolution and freedom France thinks they smell like roses and wine. I’m happy we’ve dispelled that myth.
Xenophobia truly is a serious problem. People don’t even give guilty excuses for it. American history is so contradictory that I don’t think the country can claim a unified xenophobic history (that’s why there’s such a big deal about immigration and getting rid of “ethnic studies” like in the state of Arizona (HB 2281 passed by Governor Jan Brewer prohibits the teaching of subjects such as Black and Chican@ history/literature specifically)).
Herneith
I am a multi-generational black Canadian and I too sympathized greatly with them. They are from the African diaspora. As for coverage on television, well it wasn’t entertaining enough and based on the hurricane Katrina fiasco, the ‘coloureds’ were probably not appreciative enough, at least that is the impression I got from the American coverage. The black people looted and the whites ‘borrowed’ things in order to survive. The stereotypes abounded!
Ms. Queenly
And then George W. Bush swooped down in Air Force One and….didn’t do shit! *rolls eyes*
On a serious note I have no doubt that there were “colored people” out there looting and such but that in no way excuses the lack of aid and cruelty that the people of New Orleans faced from their own government.
Herneith
There were whites doing the same thing, looting. However, according to the media, they were doing this to survive. Black folks were, again according to the media, were taking advantage of it. The mainstream American media is full of it!! That’s why I look for alternative news coverage when I can.
Ms. Queenly
After a while you just get used to the way the American news portrays things. You either believe it or become smart enough to read through it. Alternative news coverage is definitely the best way to go even for people who can do this.