[78-L] Obama quotes Dorothy Fields (not OT, the song was on 78)

[Gregg Kimball]

I don't think everything yesterday was about "race race race."  But it would 
be pretty strange if at least some commentary didn't reflect on that issue, 
since it's been a dominant theme in our history for, oh, about 400 years. 
Seems to me this is a turning point in that narrative, which I agree is a 
good thing, but it doesn't erase our history.  I'm surprised, though, that 
no one commented on the parallel with Mr. Lowrey's prayer at the end with 
Broonzy's "Black, Brown, and White."

 Everything today sounded like it was about race race race - if
> we're so unconcerned about 'Color", why keep dwelling on it??  When it's 
> no
> big deal and not worth mentioning, THEN something will have been
> accomplished.

It's a little bit ironic that the rest of your post hinges on . . . race. 
You take pains to say that Jolson wasn't a racist, etc., which, I suppose, 
is meant to contrast his views with the tenor of the times--which was deeply 
racist.  I doubt that Barack Obama is very concerned about "The Jazz Singer" 
or being "PC," whatever that term actually means.  I do hope that he 
immeadiately repeals a bunch of Bush's executive orders, especially the one 
that keeps Americans from finding out what it's government is doing by 
circumventing the presidential records act.  As a historian and citizen, a 
care more about that than whether I can see the "Jazz Singer" on TBS.

On the poet--yes, it was not read to good effect, and unfortunately poets 
don't seem to do readings well anymore.  It's probably not a great venue for 
poets--Robert Frost had some issues at Kennedy's inauguration if I recall, 
although he did fine once he decided to just recite a poem from memory.

Gregg

>
> I am guessing that if Jolson has been known only as "a Jewish man who got
> rich by making fun of Blacks", which is the PC definition his career, that
> I'd expect him to be completely forbidden for at least the next 4 years. 
> I
> haven't seen a positive thing written about Jolson in the mainstream press
> for a while.  It'll be enlightening to see if Turner schedules any movies
> with blackface scenes, as they've bravely (or foolishly) done for the past
> few years.   >
>  Yes yes, we all know that Blackface is supposed to be 'bad' and
> 'disrespectful',  but if you pay attention to Jolson's performances, he 
> did
> not make fun at all - his most heart-rending (over the top, if you will)
> performances were about love for Mother, love for Home, love for a simple
> life.  Nothing negative, that I can recall. A little research will reveal
> that Al was well respected in the Black community of his time - he was no
> racist.
>