Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Serena Williams. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
Serena's Outburst
Serena Williams was ridiculed and chastised for her behavior towards the line judge at the 2009 US Open. It was the type of behavior that when taken out of context is completely unacceptable. Any player making the remarks, "I'm going to shove this [expletive] ball down your [expletive] throat", towards an official of any kind seems ridiculous and excessive. However, when you put it in the proper context of what she had to do to get to that platform and be on that stage, it becomes understandable. In a sport that since its beginning has been dominated by white people, Serena Williams found herself at the apex of the sport despite her skin color and background. And as she's minutes away from being rewarded for the years of hard work invested, she's suddenly playing 1 on 2. She no longer has to beat out the person across from her, but the person on the sideline as well. It's unfair, and when you put it in this context I think it's completely understandable why she reacted the way she did.
Monday, December 4, 2017
Anger
"Black anger" is not taken seriously whether it is seen as insane, or a way for people to be artistic. Throughout the Section I, the speaker is experiencing situations that most likely cause frustration, sadness, anger, and embarrassment. However, the speaker never gets the chance to act on those feelings. The reader can feel the heavy weight of seemingly small encounters, and feel them building on each other. There are passages where the reader can feel the weight of these "headache-producing"(10) moments. Yet, the people who the are producing the headaches are never told how wrong they are.
Serena Williams' anger was completely justified, and in no way was it insane. Although I cannot truly imagine what Serena must have been feeling and thinking during those tennis matches, I know it must have been incredibly difficult for her to let somebody keep doing something so wrong, while also trying to keep her emotions hidden.
Once Serena let her emotions out, and responded to her mistreatment, she was labeled as insane, unprofessional, and vulgar. While no white, male tennis commentator has any clue as to what Serena was going through or feeling, he believed that the racism that targeted Serena should be overlooked. Instead of trying to understand Serena's response and anger, people looked for a reason to once again target her and make her look bad.
Serena Williams' anger was completely justified, and in no way was it insane. Although I cannot truly imagine what Serena must have been feeling and thinking during those tennis matches, I know it must have been incredibly difficult for her to let somebody keep doing something so wrong, while also trying to keep her emotions hidden.
Once Serena let her emotions out, and responded to her mistreatment, she was labeled as insane, unprofessional, and vulgar. While no white, male tennis commentator has any clue as to what Serena was going through or feeling, he believed that the racism that targeted Serena should be overlooked. Instead of trying to understand Serena's response and anger, people looked for a reason to once again target her and make her look bad.
Sunday, December 3, 2017
Citizen in sports
I don't really like poetry at all actually. So, I was a little worried about Citizen even though it can sometimes not be displayed as poetry. However, after I read the first section of this book I was thrilled. I really enjoy reading this because its so unique and it expresses so much information in a different way than most books do. Yes, it is a short book with not a lot of words per page but if you actually look its enough words to tell the story that it wants to tell and the pictures help a lot to. I like every section in this book but my favorite section would be the second section about Serena Williams and all of the things that she went through. Zora Neale Hurston once said, "I feel most colored when I am thrown against a sharp white background"; the narrator uses this statement to frame the situation of Serena being a black player in an overwhelmingly white sport. The most oppositional force in Serena Williams career has been the umpire Mariana Alves, who made five bad calls against Serena in one match back in 2004. The narrator suggests that it must have been Serena's black body that was "getting in the way of Alves's sight line" (29). The next year, the tournaments would install line-calling technology to challenge umpire callings via replay. When Serena is back on the court, she will be watched by a line judge who calls her out for stepping on the line during any serve. The announcers denounce the call, and numerous replays cannot indicate the moment of foul. Serena explodes at the line judge, having been thrown against a sharp white background. When Serena won at the 2012 Olympics, announcers said that she was "Crip-Walking all over the most lily-white place in the world... akin to cracking a tasteless, X-rated joke inside a church" (33). When told that the dance she had performed was called a Crip Walk, Serena asked if she looked like a gangster. The comment is taken and received lightly. She went on to win every match in 2012, and commentators would "remark on her ability to hold it together" despite questionable calls as usual (34). The section ends with Serena's tennis opponent, playfully embodying Serena’s physical attributes by stuffing cloth in her shirt and shorts on the court. The literal and metaphorical tennis match held throughout the book gives us a glimpse into the life of Serena Williams as well as the life of black Americans.
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Embedded Racism
Claudia Rankine's eye-opening novel Citizen continues to keep me engaged. Rankine's writing is inspiring. Each tiny passage that she has on each page gives you a different example of what black people in our country have to go through every day. Specifically through the turmoil that has taken place in Serena Williams tennis career, it makes one ponder whether racism will ever truly go away.
I have always been a huge tennis fan. My dad and I follow the tennis world together and it is a sport we have grown to love. When we watch Serena Williams play she seems to be an unstoppable force. An unstoppable force until somebody else attempts to stop her. Mariana Alves was excused from officiating any more matches on the final day of the US Open when she made five awful calls against Serena Williams. The serves and returns were "...landing, stunningly unreturned by Capriati, inside the lines, no discerning eyesight needed,"(26). It is pretty clear that Alves had something out for Serena. Officiating umpires are very good at there job and may only make one or two slight accidental errors in one match. Five errors is inexcusable. Alves and Serena never had a history before this match of disliking each other. So what made Alves make those awful calls against Serena? The only thing that it seems to come down to is the color of her skin. A few years later in the semifinals of the 2009 US Open, a line judge called a foot fault on Serena in a critical point of the match. Serena yelled at the judge,"I swear to God I'm f-ing going to take this f-ing ball and shove it down your f-ing throat, you hear that?"(29). Evidently Williams had the right to be mad in this situation. During critical points, the umpires and line judges are supposed to be more lenient and let the players play it out. On replay, it was clear that she was not even close to foot faulting but the call was unchangeable. The line judge who made the call proceeded to tell the line judge that Williams threatened to "kill her". Undoubtedly, it seems that the line judge may have emphasized William's anger because she was a threat due to her skin color.
How do we rid of this underlying racism? Serena Williams is just one black athlete that has faced issues such as this. It happens in every sport and lots of the instances go unnoticed. What actions can we take to prevent this?
I have always been a huge tennis fan. My dad and I follow the tennis world together and it is a sport we have grown to love. When we watch Serena Williams play she seems to be an unstoppable force. An unstoppable force until somebody else attempts to stop her. Mariana Alves was excused from officiating any more matches on the final day of the US Open when she made five awful calls against Serena Williams. The serves and returns were "...landing, stunningly unreturned by Capriati, inside the lines, no discerning eyesight needed,"(26). It is pretty clear that Alves had something out for Serena. Officiating umpires are very good at there job and may only make one or two slight accidental errors in one match. Five errors is inexcusable. Alves and Serena never had a history before this match of disliking each other. So what made Alves make those awful calls against Serena? The only thing that it seems to come down to is the color of her skin. A few years later in the semifinals of the 2009 US Open, a line judge called a foot fault on Serena in a critical point of the match. Serena yelled at the judge,"I swear to God I'm f-ing going to take this f-ing ball and shove it down your f-ing throat, you hear that?"(29). Evidently Williams had the right to be mad in this situation. During critical points, the umpires and line judges are supposed to be more lenient and let the players play it out. On replay, it was clear that she was not even close to foot faulting but the call was unchangeable. The line judge who made the call proceeded to tell the line judge that Williams threatened to "kill her". Undoubtedly, it seems that the line judge may have emphasized William's anger because she was a threat due to her skin color.
How do we rid of this underlying racism? Serena Williams is just one black athlete that has faced issues such as this. It happens in every sport and lots of the instances go unnoticed. What actions can we take to prevent this?
Losing Your Shit
Everyone loses their shit. No human is perfect, everyone experiences a variety of emotions in reaction to events.
At the 2009 Women's US Open semifinal, Serena Williams had "lost her shit". Claudia Rankine's Citizen explains, "Serena's behavior, on this particular Sunday afternoon, suggests that all the injustice she has played through all the years of her illustrious career flashes before her and she decides finally to respond to all of it with a string of invectives" (25).
Williams losing her shit was portrayed negatively through the media and received by her white background on the court, as a detrimental outburst that was violent and unnecessary. They jumped to judge her and make a skeptical of her words, instead of thinking about the important what and why had caused her ice burg of anger to tip.
I youtubed, "2009 Women's US Open semifinal Serena Williams" and the first video to pop up was entitled, "Serena Williams goes crazy vs. Kim Clijisters". The media took advantage of Williams' race, their audience, and the fact there would be a significant profit off an embellished story. Flamboyant media is misleading and spreads dramatized news that then spreads a false knowledge on a subject. It is frustrating seeing articles and video titles like Williams', because everyone loses their shit! The media is making it seem like Williams is the sole person who has ever lost her shit before, and therefore is "crazy" and "extremely violent".
It is unfortunate the majority of our world feeds off gossip. This is something I feel has only grown with time, and all I can hope is that there is a downfall somewhere in the near future for the stability of our civilization.
At the 2009 Women's US Open semifinal, Serena Williams had "lost her shit". Claudia Rankine's Citizen explains, "Serena's behavior, on this particular Sunday afternoon, suggests that all the injustice she has played through all the years of her illustrious career flashes before her and she decides finally to respond to all of it with a string of invectives" (25).
Williams losing her shit was portrayed negatively through the media and received by her white background on the court, as a detrimental outburst that was violent and unnecessary. They jumped to judge her and make a skeptical of her words, instead of thinking about the important what and why had caused her ice burg of anger to tip.
I youtubed, "2009 Women's US Open semifinal Serena Williams" and the first video to pop up was entitled, "Serena Williams goes crazy vs. Kim Clijisters". The media took advantage of Williams' race, their audience, and the fact there would be a significant profit off an embellished story. Flamboyant media is misleading and spreads dramatized news that then spreads a false knowledge on a subject. It is frustrating seeing articles and video titles like Williams', because everyone loses their shit! The media is making it seem like Williams is the sole person who has ever lost her shit before, and therefore is "crazy" and "extremely violent".
It is unfortunate the majority of our world feeds off gossip. This is something I feel has only grown with time, and all I can hope is that there is a downfall somewhere in the near future for the stability of our civilization.
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Going against the Current
In Claudia Rankine's, Citizen, the passage about Serena Williams and her incident during the U.S. Open really struck me. She starts off by saying that Serena showed "explosive behavior" that she had been "taught to hold at a distance for your own good"(25). This resonated with me because it really show the binary and double standard that African Americans are held too. Yes, Serena Williams did decide to participate in a sport that was predominantly played by whites, but that doesn't mean that she should be held to a different standard than everyone else because of her skin color. Yet, she is.
In our society, African Americans have to act a certain way and be a certain person to be accepted in our society. The anger shown by Serena Williams was out of pure frustration and the rest of American perceived it as "black anger". America thinks that anger shown by African Americans is different than the anger whites show and that their anger is something more. Rankine frequently talks about African Americans as "animals". Because of the anger shown by African Americans and the standard that they are held to, people in our society perceive as something less than human. This view of African Americans as lower than animals has been going on throughout history and continues to happen today.
Later on Rankine says that, "code for being black in America is being governed not by the tennis match she is participating in but by a collapsed relationship that promised to play by the rules"(30). This relationship that Rankine is talking about is the relationship between whites and blacks in our society. The code for being black in our society is being governed by whites. They are the ones who determine the rules and hold African Americans to a higher standard. Later on she talks about how, "she finally felt American' and that she had been "waiting her whole life for a moment and here it is"(31". This line in particular really resonated with me because sometimes African Americans sometimes do not feel as if they are being accepted by America. America is supposed to be this great country with equal opportunities yet racism and discrimination have taken over the country.
In our society, African Americans have to act a certain way and be a certain person to be accepted in our society. The anger shown by Serena Williams was out of pure frustration and the rest of American perceived it as "black anger". America thinks that anger shown by African Americans is different than the anger whites show and that their anger is something more. Rankine frequently talks about African Americans as "animals". Because of the anger shown by African Americans and the standard that they are held to, people in our society perceive as something less than human. This view of African Americans as lower than animals has been going on throughout history and continues to happen today.
Later on Rankine says that, "code for being black in America is being governed not by the tennis match she is participating in but by a collapsed relationship that promised to play by the rules"(30). This relationship that Rankine is talking about is the relationship between whites and blacks in our society. The code for being black in our society is being governed by whites. They are the ones who determine the rules and hold African Americans to a higher standard. Later on she talks about how, "she finally felt American' and that she had been "waiting her whole life for a moment and here it is"(31". This line in particular really resonated with me because sometimes African Americans sometimes do not feel as if they are being accepted by America. America is supposed to be this great country with equal opportunities yet racism and discrimination have taken over the country.
Monday, November 27, 2017
What the Hell
Okay, I'm just mad. It's not even Claudia Rankine writing in a particularly convincing, argumentative, or emotional way- she just listed the facts. The section about Serena Williams makes its audience feel Serena's anguish and anger because we as both empathetic and (hopefully) just humans cannot help it.
The chronological order of the barrage of false calls and discrimination against Serena builds up a fire in readers' guts akin to that of Serena's and this is just a few pages, not a lifetime.
I mean, we all know that Billie Jean King faced struggles as a female tennis player, but even so, even with her sexist opposition, when she won that legendary match she won. She was not called on a foot fault or some other trivial rule.
The fact that Rankine writes, "It is believed by winning [Serena] will prove her red-blooded American patriotism and will once and for all become beloved by the tennis world..." (31), proves that white people continue to think that America is white. Obviously that is not true because America was never white, because the Native Americans were here first, and slavery brought black Africans here shortly after. Anyway, the fact that Serena had to prove her Americanness by winning, even though she was already one of the most successful American tennis players, already put her at a disadvantage. It is not a secret that you perform better, work better, when you are supported. Not only was she not being supported by her own country (and would not be even after her successes, as is clear from the commentator's announcements after the 2012 Olympics), but it was like she was on trial. So much pressure is put on black people to succeed because they have to get past the barrier of judgment and discrimination from being black.
It's ridiculous that after she won two of the three American gold medals, she was ridiculed, continuously insulted on live TV in front of the whole country for doing a happy dance. She was hated on for being proud of herself. No, not for being proud of herself- for being proud of herself and being black. White people just can't get the idea out of their heads that being black does not allow you to be anything good. Like the little girl in the first story, who thought that because the little black girl smelled good, she was automatically less black. Serena couldn't be black and be good at tennis.
I'm just pissed. Reading what Serena said to the line umpire that called her foot fault made me so proud, so proud to know that a strong black woman was out there defending herself, because God knows women, particularly black women or black people in general, are not allowed to defend themselves. And then it said she lost the game, had to pay a huge fine, and was suspended for two whole years.
It pisses. Me. Off. It's like every step forward we take, they push us back two more.
The chronological order of the barrage of false calls and discrimination against Serena builds up a fire in readers' guts akin to that of Serena's and this is just a few pages, not a lifetime.
I mean, we all know that Billie Jean King faced struggles as a female tennis player, but even so, even with her sexist opposition, when she won that legendary match she won. She was not called on a foot fault or some other trivial rule.
The fact that Rankine writes, "It is believed by winning [Serena] will prove her red-blooded American patriotism and will once and for all become beloved by the tennis world..." (31), proves that white people continue to think that America is white. Obviously that is not true because America was never white, because the Native Americans were here first, and slavery brought black Africans here shortly after. Anyway, the fact that Serena had to prove her Americanness by winning, even though she was already one of the most successful American tennis players, already put her at a disadvantage. It is not a secret that you perform better, work better, when you are supported. Not only was she not being supported by her own country (and would not be even after her successes, as is clear from the commentator's announcements after the 2012 Olympics), but it was like she was on trial. So much pressure is put on black people to succeed because they have to get past the barrier of judgment and discrimination from being black.
It's ridiculous that after she won two of the three American gold medals, she was ridiculed, continuously insulted on live TV in front of the whole country for doing a happy dance. She was hated on for being proud of herself. No, not for being proud of herself- for being proud of herself and being black. White people just can't get the idea out of their heads that being black does not allow you to be anything good. Like the little girl in the first story, who thought that because the little black girl smelled good, she was automatically less black. Serena couldn't be black and be good at tennis.
I'm just pissed. Reading what Serena said to the line umpire that called her foot fault made me so proud, so proud to know that a strong black woman was out there defending herself, because God knows women, particularly black women or black people in general, are not allowed to defend themselves. And then it said she lost the game, had to pay a huge fine, and was suspended for two whole years.
It pisses. Me. Off. It's like every step forward we take, they push us back two more.
Monday, November 21, 2016
The Plight of Motherhood
I have no idea what it is like to love something with every fiber of your being. To exist in a cognitive state that tells your brain there is truly nothing you would not do for this other human. I cannot imagine the anguish that accompanies such profound desire to protect something so entirely and yet being able to control a fraction of what you feel you need to. On the other side, I also have not yet experienced the pure elation that comes from witnessing the child you gave birth to enjoying and growing in the world around them. I cannot envision the pride one must feel while watching what they cherish most in the world achieve his or her dreams and turn around to face you and thank you for making it all possible. I cannot imagine what it is like to hold your newborn baby to your breast for the very first time and by looking into their eyes instantly discover that you are holding the star that keeps your heart beating.
The expression of motherhood within Beloved is one of profound sacrifice and longing. Mothers deprived access to their children; mothers pushed to the point of murdering her babies - seeing it as the only way to truly save them. This is not the relationship that any young girl envisions for herself as she grows into a woman, and yet it was the fate of millions of women in our country and it happened on the very soil from which our lives flourish. We must face this fact. My heart bursts with sadness and anger but only in the forms of empathy. I sit from my detached, privileged throne and simply learn about racism rather than having to experience it every single day. Though - because I am fortunate - this is not my own battle, I have made the decision to lean into this new understanding of the struggle of black women and already I am touched to my core. Thank God for leaders like Beyonce and Serena Williams who pave the trail for the uncovering of all the hurt and pain and yearning with no response that has become the mantra of black women in the U.S. and all around the world. It is now our job to continue their work until every single young black girl feels validate and significant. We must ensure the chance for black girls to become the mothers they desire and deserve to be.
We must listen to the cries of women that roll throughout every goddamn purple mountain majesty and linger above every fruited plain.
The expression of motherhood within Beloved is one of profound sacrifice and longing. Mothers deprived access to their children; mothers pushed to the point of murdering her babies - seeing it as the only way to truly save them. This is not the relationship that any young girl envisions for herself as she grows into a woman, and yet it was the fate of millions of women in our country and it happened on the very soil from which our lives flourish. We must face this fact. My heart bursts with sadness and anger but only in the forms of empathy. I sit from my detached, privileged throne and simply learn about racism rather than having to experience it every single day. Though - because I am fortunate - this is not my own battle, I have made the decision to lean into this new understanding of the struggle of black women and already I am touched to my core. Thank God for leaders like Beyonce and Serena Williams who pave the trail for the uncovering of all the hurt and pain and yearning with no response that has become the mantra of black women in the U.S. and all around the world. It is now our job to continue their work until every single young black girl feels validate and significant. We must ensure the chance for black girls to become the mothers they desire and deserve to be.
We must listen to the cries of women that roll throughout every goddamn purple mountain majesty and linger above every fruited plain.
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
A Nation Divided
"...this is the first time I've ever played here that the crowd has been behind me like that. Today I felt American, you know, for the first time at the US Open" (31.)
Rankine sites this Serena Williams quote from 2011, five years later and I think its relevance has never been stronger. Tonight, our country has chosen a path of racism, bigotry and hatred for the next four years. I think that the emotion felt by Williams in this quote is quintessential to both the way racial division is rampant in our country and the way Americans can and do overcome this division.
It would be simple to take the negative route with this blog post and see the fury of Rankine because Serena was not supported by her country until this point. But in the wake of these election results being in favor of Mr. Trump, I think a different, more positive perspective is necessary.
It is true that Serena should have been supported all along by America because of her nearly heroic abilities as an athlete. However, the fact that she felt this glowing emotion of patriotism, with herself at the forefront, is powerful in itself. As she fought hard for the victory on the court, she felt her country backing her up, regardless of differences they may have held. I think this form of unity is what our country is in desperate need of, because in the end, love does trump hate.
Rankine sites this Serena Williams quote from 2011, five years later and I think its relevance has never been stronger. Tonight, our country has chosen a path of racism, bigotry and hatred for the next four years. I think that the emotion felt by Williams in this quote is quintessential to both the way racial division is rampant in our country and the way Americans can and do overcome this division.
It would be simple to take the negative route with this blog post and see the fury of Rankine because Serena was not supported by her country until this point. But in the wake of these election results being in favor of Mr. Trump, I think a different, more positive perspective is necessary.
It is true that Serena should have been supported all along by America because of her nearly heroic abilities as an athlete. However, the fact that she felt this glowing emotion of patriotism, with herself at the forefront, is powerful in itself. As she fought hard for the victory on the court, she felt her country backing her up, regardless of differences they may have held. I think this form of unity is what our country is in desperate need of, because in the end, love does trump hate.
Serena Williams in a Crowd of White
'"I swear to God I'm fucking going to take this fucking ball and shove it down your fucking throat, you hear that? I swear to God!' As offensive as her outburst is, it is difficult not to applaud her for reacting immediately to being thrown against a sharp white background" (Rankine 29). Citizen addresses how black people are always compared to white people in their actions and attire. This is formally seen when Serena Williams, a famous black tennis player, forgoes the normal reaction to stifle her anger because of how it is interpreted by white people.
This moment in the Citizen, where Serena Williams stands up for herself in spite of being seen as just any other black person causing mischief and lashing out, caused me to think of how we as society compare white people (who are thought to be more intellectual, appropriate, and proper) to black people (who are seen as criminals) and how our conclusion always comes to the same: the black person is crazy or a troublemaker. Society doesn't allow for black people to let go of the restrictions that make them more acceptable. Serena's true reaction occurring at an important time in her career shows how much tennis meant to her because she let go of what others would think and risked being herself.
This moment in the Citizen, where Serena Williams stands up for herself in spite of being seen as just any other black person causing mischief and lashing out, caused me to think of how we as society compare white people (who are thought to be more intellectual, appropriate, and proper) to black people (who are seen as criminals) and how our conclusion always comes to the same: the black person is crazy or a troublemaker. Society doesn't allow for black people to let go of the restrictions that make them more acceptable. Serena's true reaction occurring at an important time in her career shows how much tennis meant to her because she let go of what others would think and risked being herself.
Imitation
When I first saw the picture of Caroline Wozniacki imitating Serena William, I was rather disgusted. At first I didn't know why. Maybe it was because it seemed like a comment on the bodies of black women or maybe because it seemed like body shaming. I wasn't sure how to process something that seemed so negative; yet when I found the video of the imitation on YouTube, the video was titled "FUNNY Caroline Wozniacki pretending to be Serena Williams." The book itself recognized the ambiguity of the action. "The Dane Caroline Wozniacki, a former number-one player, imitates Serena by stuffing towels in her top and shorts, all in good fun, at an exhibition match. Racist? CNN wants to know if outrage is the proper response" (36). Later Rankine writes that "there are a number of ways to interpret her actions - playful mocking of a peer, imitation of the mimicking antics of the tennis player known as the joker, Novak Djokovic" (36).
Serena herself, in an email to USA Today, responded to racist accusations against Wozniacki by dismissing them, saying that she considered Wozniacki a friend. She says that other tennis players, like Djokovic, have imitated her before and questions why it is racist for Wozniacki to do it. But she does add some ambiguity by saying, "I must add, if people feel this way, she should take reason and do something different next time." Her nonchalance points to the conclusion that maybe people are too sensitive about a simple jest about a friend.
But why do people find it funny? Do they see it the same way as Serena with her nonchalance? Or are they laughing at it for the stereotype that it also may embody? Obviously the joke is about Serena so no one can tell her she is wrong to feel that way, but the same reason she finds it acceptable may not be the same reason that the crowd finds it funny. It does give the people what they want, and is that a good thing to want? No, if you were asking my opinion.
Violent or Oppressed?
One of the many successes of Claudia Rankine’s Citizen is the call to empathy directed toward the white reader. Although this is a general result of the whole book, it is most obvious in her passage about Serena Williams.
Rankine describes Williams’ reaction to a bad call that cost her a tennis match in the 2009 Women’s US Open semifinal vaguely. She alludes to “a string of invectives” and “explosive behavior” (25). She does not, however, simply illustrate Williams as the stereotypical Angry Black Female that the media treats her like. She concedes that her own reaction was one of concern for Williams’ sanity, but also claims that her behavior “suggests that all the injustice she has played through all the years of her illustrious career flashes before her and she decides finally to respond to all of it” (25).
Just like all of the other experiences that Rankine describes, she does not sugarcoat Serena Williams’ outburst. She concedes that it was something of a breakdown, but in a way that calls the white reader to withhold judgement. Yes, this was an angry woman who happens to be Black. Perhaps her behavior could be considered an overreaction if analyzed out of context. But the context of Williams’ life is crucial to understanding her reaction. This was not an isolated event in which a slighted athlete violently threatened the ref, but the climax after a rising action full of bad calls based on prejudice.
Rankine does not directly argue that Williams’ actions were excusable, but does ask that readers be empathetic with her anger. As a result, it is impossible to judge the outburst as vicious and unwarranted. Williams is not mean or violent, but a woman who has been forced into composure for too long. In comparison to the injustice she has faced, Williams’ words were harmless.
Saturday, November 5, 2016
Tense Mess
I thought that the short story in the Citizen by Claudia Rankine about Serena Williams was a story to discuss with a whole classroom, and we did. There was little to it then but as we look back on it now there is so much to reflect off of it. It was good to talk about that story in class and for homework because different opinions about a topic like this are important to hear especially for a high school senior. I wanted to blog about this story because it really implies the unnecessary and harsh profile that society puts on African Americans and how the media and others have forced people to think negatively about their race. I also wanted to talk about the anger and aggressiveness Serena used towards the lines woman and whether not it was necessary for her to react towards her that way. I could understand why Serena was upset about her decision because it was during a worldwide tournament and it was important to her but I do believe that she could have taken it a bit easy.
The reaction of the lines woman represents the tension between society (her) and African Americans (Serena). Because of past experiences society are afraid to interact with African Americans in tense situations like what happened during the tournament. Others bring themselves to a decision that is unthoughtful and pushes their profile further and further back into the books. This relates with the problem that happened little under ten years ago because when she was yelled at by Serena she told the officials that what she said was a lot worst than what had actually happened. The main point is to not be scared and accept people for their race. Do not believe what the media tells you and embrace your own opinion. Yet if it was up to me I still find it ridiculous that we have had problems like this before and said we´ve learned from them but haven´t actually acted on them. If we have acted on them then we wouldn't have the same problems today.
The reaction of the lines woman represents the tension between society (her) and African Americans (Serena). Because of past experiences society are afraid to interact with African Americans in tense situations like what happened during the tournament. Others bring themselves to a decision that is unthoughtful and pushes their profile further and further back into the books. This relates with the problem that happened little under ten years ago because when she was yelled at by Serena she told the officials that what she said was a lot worst than what had actually happened. The main point is to not be scared and accept people for their race. Do not believe what the media tells you and embrace your own opinion. Yet if it was up to me I still find it ridiculous that we have had problems like this before and said we´ve learned from them but haven´t actually acted on them. If we have acted on them then we wouldn't have the same problems today.
Monday, December 7, 2015
Her Body
Claudia Rankine displays a powerful and relevant work of artistic literature in her American lyric, Citizen. She illustrates not only the history of race in America, but how it's presence affects people in modern society as well. She did not write it to try and change people's mind or voice her own opinion, but to give a diverse view to the different roles racism continues play. One part of her story that had really stuck out to me was her take on Serena Williams in the professional tennis world. The line that I think summarizes everything Rankine was trying to articulate was, "...her body, trapped in a racial imaginary, trapped in disbelief-code for being black in America..." This is very prominent because it shows how because Williams looks different than the accepted ideal of what a tennis player should look be, she is belittled and cheated by her peers and superiors. Even though her skill level matches and even beats most of her opponents, the "lily white" tennis world rejects the darker pigment of her skin. I believe most of the aversion stems from history and people's reluctance to change something they believe has been working, But when it comes to racism, change must be made in order to reach equality.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Poetry is Not a Game
Claudia Rankine's Citizen is a unique and dynamic piece of poetry. I really enjoy reading Citizen because not only are there pictures (that are more meaningful that one may think), but also the stories she tells are actually interesting. I think that since this book relates to a current issue, people, including myself, take their time reading and trying to actually understand the viewpoint instead of trying to understand the plot. Citizen also does not really have a plot line. It an array of various stories that all relate to the same topic. Race.
I think the most interesting stories I have read is the Serena Williams section. I like to watch tennis and I follow Serena Williams. However, I was unaware of the hardships she encountered. I never really thought that race would affect the game in 2004 or 2009. I think one of the most captivating quotations from that story is about the physical memory of that incident.
"Yes, and the body has memory. The physical carriage hauls more than its weight. The body is the threshold across which each objectionable call passes into consciousness-- all the unintimidated, unblinking, and unflappable resilience does not erase the moment lived through, even as we are eternally stupid or everlastingly optimistic, so ready to be inside, among, a part of the games" (28).
Serena will remember the moments when she was discriminated because those things can not be forgotten. For every bad call that was made, it added onto the carriage (Serena's body). Her outbursts are every time the carriage is too heavy. I think this line proves that Citizen is poetry. According to Perrine, it does convey an experience. Rankine's uses Serena's story to help the reader understand the importance of an experience.
I think the most interesting stories I have read is the Serena Williams section. I like to watch tennis and I follow Serena Williams. However, I was unaware of the hardships she encountered. I never really thought that race would affect the game in 2004 or 2009. I think one of the most captivating quotations from that story is about the physical memory of that incident.
"Yes, and the body has memory. The physical carriage hauls more than its weight. The body is the threshold across which each objectionable call passes into consciousness-- all the unintimidated, unblinking, and unflappable resilience does not erase the moment lived through, even as we are eternally stupid or everlastingly optimistic, so ready to be inside, among, a part of the games" (28).
Serena will remember the moments when she was discriminated because those things can not be forgotten. For every bad call that was made, it added onto the carriage (Serena's body). Her outbursts are every time the carriage is too heavy. I think this line proves that Citizen is poetry. According to Perrine, it does convey an experience. Rankine's uses Serena's story to help the reader understand the importance of an experience.
And Yes, The Body Has Memory
"Yes, and the body has memory. The physical carriage hauls more than its weight. The body is the threshold across which each objectionable call passes into consciousness-all the unintimidated, unblinking, and unflappable resilience does not erase the moments lived through, even as we are eternally stupid or everlastingly optimistic, so ready to be inside, among, a part of the games" (28).
This paragraph of Claudia Rankine's section on Serena Williams stood out to me because I felt like it was a brief transition into the more subjective and personal side of the issue being described. Now, each of the bad calls become a weight added to the carriage that is Serena's body, and the reader is taken inside her head to see how those calls pile up inside. When the reader understands that all the bad calls are internalized with "unflappable resilience," it becomes amazing that Serena does not yell at every questionable call.
I think this explanation added a real weight to the bad calls, and demonstrated how they play into a larger issue. By making it evident that Serena must bottle up the moments that she was not judged fairly if she ever wants to be "inside" the games (as in the white games), we are able to see how twisted it is that the refs have the ability to essentially keep the playing field unequal forever.
When Rankine said that "we are eternally stupid or everlastingly optimistic" I could feel the desire and anger at the absurdity of it all in her words. The desire to be on a level playing field. And it made me angry that, in order to do so, Serena has to keep pushing down all the bad calls and snide comments made about her just so she can keep playing tennis in a world that seems to have two different rule books.
This paragraph of Claudia Rankine's section on Serena Williams stood out to me because I felt like it was a brief transition into the more subjective and personal side of the issue being described. Now, each of the bad calls become a weight added to the carriage that is Serena's body, and the reader is taken inside her head to see how those calls pile up inside. When the reader understands that all the bad calls are internalized with "unflappable resilience," it becomes amazing that Serena does not yell at every questionable call.
I think this explanation added a real weight to the bad calls, and demonstrated how they play into a larger issue. By making it evident that Serena must bottle up the moments that she was not judged fairly if she ever wants to be "inside" the games (as in the white games), we are able to see how twisted it is that the refs have the ability to essentially keep the playing field unequal forever.
When Rankine said that "we are eternally stupid or everlastingly optimistic" I could feel the desire and anger at the absurdity of it all in her words. The desire to be on a level playing field. And it made me angry that, in order to do so, Serena has to keep pushing down all the bad calls and snide comments made about her just so she can keep playing tennis in a world that seems to have two different rule books.
Is the World Truly Worst?
So far, I'm really enjoying Citizen. Maybe it's because Claudia Rankine doesn't write like Shakespeare, or the fact that it isn't your typical poetry novel. One line that really struck me was:
"From the start many made it clear Serena would have done better struggling to survive in the two-dimensional of a Millet painting, rather than on their tennis court-better to put all that strength to work in their fantasy of her working the land, rather than be caught up in the turbulence of our ancient dramas, like a ship fighting a storm in a Turner seascape." - Claudia Rankine, p.26
To me, the quote means that Serena would be better "working the land" as a slave than be playing on the tennis court. The line caught my attention because it almost sounds like Rankine is saying that nothing has really changed since slavery. And the references to art are also really powerful. When Rankine references "a Millet painting," she is referring to painter Jean-Francois Millet, an artist known for his paintings of French peasants working the field. As for the "Turner seascape," Rankine refers to another painter by the name of J.M.W Turner. In his work, Turner painted a lot of seascapes, some focusing on storm-caught ships.
I think Rankine's insight over Serena's tennis experience is very provocative. There is still this double standard for African Americans in this country, but her position that Serena would be better off working the fields, I don't really agree with. But I also may be bias because I am an Asian American woman.
"From the start many made it clear Serena would have done better struggling to survive in the two-dimensional of a Millet painting, rather than on their tennis court-better to put all that strength to work in their fantasy of her working the land, rather than be caught up in the turbulence of our ancient dramas, like a ship fighting a storm in a Turner seascape." - Claudia Rankine, p.26
To me, the quote means that Serena would be better "working the land" as a slave than be playing on the tennis court. The line caught my attention because it almost sounds like Rankine is saying that nothing has really changed since slavery. And the references to art are also really powerful. When Rankine references "a Millet painting," she is referring to painter Jean-Francois Millet, an artist known for his paintings of French peasants working the field. As for the "Turner seascape," Rankine refers to another painter by the name of J.M.W Turner. In his work, Turner painted a lot of seascapes, some focusing on storm-caught ships.
I think Rankine's insight over Serena's tennis experience is very provocative. There is still this double standard for African Americans in this country, but her position that Serena would be better off working the fields, I don't really agree with. But I also may be bias because I am an Asian American woman.
Jean-Francois Millet, The Gleaners, 1857
J.M.W Turner, The Wreck of a Transport Ship, 1810
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