Two really great articles on CNN International that touch on race

[Number23]

'Django, in chains'
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/19/opinion/williams-django-still-chained

..."Django Unchained" is being projected on screens around the world, out of context: A slim percentage of consumers have any real understanding of what took place during slavery, one of history's most prolonged, barbaric and celebrated human rights violations. Sadly, for many Americans, this film is the beginning and the end of that history lesson.

...Hey, remember when Tarantino was selling those emaciated Jewish prisoner action figures with the concentration camp tattoos? So funny and ironic and harmless, right? No. That would have been cheap and disgusting.

Yet the filmmakers agreed to the release of action-figure slave and slaver dolls to help promote "Django." It was an especially offensive decision because selling slave figurines falls directly in line with the centuries-old American tradition of desensitizing us to the horrors of slavery with cute, palatable commodities. Tarantino didn't invent this tacky strategy; he just dug it back up."

The whole article is one hell of a read. And the fact that the brother that wrote it is that pretty little thing from Grey's Anatomy just makes me love him a bit more.

The other article was

'Model Cameron Russell: I get what I don't deserve'
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/17/opinion/russell-model-genetic-lottery/index.html?iid=article_sidebar

The real way that I became a model is that I won a genetic lottery, and I am the recipient of a legacy. What do I mean by legacy? Well, for the past few centuries we have defined beauty not just as health and youth and symmetry that we're biologically programmed to admire, but also as tall, slender figures, and femininity and white skin. And this is a legacy that was built for me, and it's a legacy that I've been cashing in on.

Some fashionistas may think, "Wait. Naomi. Tyra. Joan Smalls. Liu Wen." But the truth is that in 2007 when an inspired NYU Ph.D. student counted all the models on the runway, of the 677 models hired, only 27, or less than four percent, were non-white.

I applaud this woman for speaking up about this. Often, it is only black/Asian/Hispanic/Middle Eastern etc. women that make these types of comments. So glad to hear that she is smart and obviously honest enough to say out loud what everyone has already noticed.

And in light of the head-shaking stupidity of that Sports Illustrated photo shoot, I applaud her even more.

[kwassa]

1. Cameron Russell kicks ass.

The real way that I became a model is that I won a genetic lottery, and I am the recipient of a legacy. What do I mean by legacy? Well, for the past few centuries we have defined beauty not just as health and youth and symmetry that we're biologically programmed to admire, but also as tall, slender figures, and femininity and white skin. And this is a legacy that was built for me, and it's a legacy that I've been cashing in on.

................................

I am not a uniquely accomplished 25-year-old. I've modeled for 10 years and I took six years to finish my undergraduate degree part-time, graduating this past June with honors from Columbia University. If I ever had needed to put together a CV it would be quite short. Like many young people I'd highlight my desire to work hard.

But hard work is not why I have been successful as a model. I'm not saying I'm lazy. But the most important part of my job is to show up with a 23-inch waist, looking young, feminine and white. This shouldn't really shock anyone. Models are chosen solely based on looks. But what was shocking to me is that when I spoke, the way I look catapulted what I had to say on to the front page.

[Number23]

2. She does kick ass! She sounds about 100 times smarter and more honest than

alot of "learned" people on the subject. Angelina Jolie has also talked about how well she's paid for doing something so stupid and unimportant (acting) but that it allows her to have the platform to do the things she really wants to do (human rights).

But the difference is, Cameron is actually honest enough to mention the racial component to all of this. And I have to admit to being really pleasantly surprised that she's done so.