OK, I'll say it... we are too sensitive

[JaxDad]

Right, but these songs are irrelevant to her rendition of the National Anthem. By this logic, we should reconsider having people like Christina Aguilera sing the National Anthem because she sings songs about sex and tempting men in this "Me Too" era. Where should the line be drawn? In this case in the OP, I'm finding it to be a stretch.

I think we should ban all Disney movies since they made Song of the South.

 

[BadPinkTink]

many people here over the age of 60 use the word coloured when referring to black people. Is that racist in 2019, yes BUT many of the people who use that word in 2019 grew up in a world where that was the society norm. That word to THEM is the correct and proper term, its part of their vocabulary, just the same as the words blue, green tea, coffee. They would mostly live in a white society and would not interact with black people, except seeing them on TV or in films, or Obama. They dont understand that the world has moved on and that word is now considered racist. They get confused when you say it to them, as the saying the words black person to them is wrong, as THAT was considered racist when they were growing up!

 

[DeniseJH]

They weren't playing "When Darkies Were Born" at Flyers games...they were playing God Bless America.

No of course not, but should we be shining a light on someone who sang verse such as: "Someone had to pick the cotton - Someone had to pick the corn - Someone had to slave and be able to sing - That's why darkies were born.

Personally, I don't think highly of someone who would sing such a song and I certainly wouldn't want to hear them sing anything else if this is the kind of person that they were. You can certainly listen to her music if you'd like.

 

[Allison]

People are extremely sensitive these days.

 

[DeniseJH]

and this is exactly what I mean. You are judging the song titles from the 1930's which use terminology from that era against todays standards of terminology.

Just because a word in 2019 is deemed racist, does not mean that same term in 1930's was considered racist.

Language is fluid, words and meanings change with the generations.

Look how much the world has changed in the last 25 years, with the digital age.

It's not about "a word" it's about the overall meaning.

 

[dadtoagirl03]

We are not to sensitive. A small group who look for any and all opportunities to be "offended" are to sensitive.

 

[mjkacmom]

The thing is that they WERE shocking to many. Not everyone back then was racist, many knew better, which is all the more reason that it is a part of history that does not need to be accepted or approved of.

And have you time traveled back to the 1930’s? Do you also want to ban To Kill a Mockingbird due to language used? I remember when Alain’s were call Oriental (had to school my own mother on that one). Words that were commonly used make us cringe today.

 

[BadPinkTink]

It's not about "a word" it's about the overall meaning.

yes but you dont seem to grasp is that you are judging things by 2019 standards, and not understanding that the world and termonolgy was very different in the 1930's

 

[DeniseJH]

But I'm still not sure we should take away something this particular woman did many years later because of what she did before she knew better. It's highly likely that by the time she sang for the Flyers, she was appalled at her earlier playlists as well.

In fairness we don't know that either she didn't know better when recording the songs, or that she ever came to the conclusion that she was wrong.

 

[sam_gordon]

No of course not, but should we be shining a light on someone who sang verse such as: "Someone had to pick the cotton - Someone had to pick the corn - Someone had to slave and be able to sing - That's why darkies were born.

If they sang such a song this year, last year, 10 years ago, heck, even 40 years ago, yes, go ahead and shine a light on them. But 80 years? No. You do understand her beliefs probably changed in the last eight decades, right?

Personally, I don't think highly of someone who would sing such a song and I certainly wouldn't want to hear them sing anything else if this is the kind of person that they were. You can certainly listen to her music if you'd like.

So you don't feel people can ever change their beliefs? Once you believe one thing, that's it? You believe it for life?

 

[DeniseJH]

And have you time traveled back to the 1930’s? Do you also want to ban To Kill a Mockingbird due to language used? I remember when Alain’s were call Oriental (had to school my own mother on that one). Words that were commonly used make us cringe today.

Again, it's not about the individual words being used. "To Kill A Mockingbird" was teaching the WRONGness of slavery.

 

[DeniseJH]

If they sang such a song this year, last year, 10 years ago, heck, even 40 years ago, yes, go ahead and shine a light on them. But 80 years? No. You do understand her beliefs probably changed in the last eight decades, right?

So you don't feel people can ever change their beliefs? Once you believe one thing, that's it? You believe it for life?

"Probably"? I don't know that they did.

And of course I believe people can change. Did she ever express remorse for these songs?

 

[BadPinkTink]

It's not about "a word" it's about the overall meaning.

ok, let me give you another example. In the 1930's the words Irish Mick was considered racist towards Irish immigrants in England. My grandfathers brother named Michael, left Ireland in the 1930's and immigrated to England. He changed his name to Brian, so that he would be able to find work and not be prejudiced just because he was Irish. He was so afraid of his personal safety that he changed his name and the way he spoke.

In 2019, Mick is a very common name and the racist meaning has disappeared.

 

[sam_gordon]

"Probably"? I don't know that they did.

And of course I believe people can change. Did she ever express remorse for these songs?

Was she ever asked? Why would you not give someone the benefit of the doubt? I don't know how many songs she recorded, but it wouldn't surprise me if she forgot about these.

ETA: She died in '86.

 

[Party.Of.4-NY>>>FL]

The irony here is not lost on me.

The word “Yankee”, when spoken both today as well as centuries ago, very often is meant as a derogatory word.

 

[PollyannaMom]

In fairness we don't know that either she didn't know better when recording the songs, or that she ever came to the conclusion that she was wrong.

No, we don't know - which is why I think the reaction was too quick. (I did only say "I'm still not sure...") But people today want instant results, and that often means knee-jerk reactions instead of research. I'd like to see some interviews with people who actually knew her or something.

 

[luvsJack]

Does The Civil War ring a bell? I think the racists were outnumbered even that far back.

If you are even remotely hinting that all of one side of that war was racist and all of the other was not, you are as wrong as one can possibly be.

 

[DeniseJH]

yes but you dont seem to grasp is that you are judging things by 2019 standards, and not understanding that the world and termonolgy was very different in the 1930's

You don't get it. The words, in the big sense, are about slavery, and slavery was wrong - even in the 1930's. Perhaps the "N" word was more acceptable then. The problem isn't the use of the "N" word in the songs, or books. It is in accepting the racism that those words represent.

 

[DeniseJH]

If you are even remotely hinting that all of one side of that war was racist and all of the other was not, you are as wrong as one can possibly be.

I don't believe I said that. Did I?

 

[Hikergirl]

Paul Robeson also recorded that song.