why r oprah & tyler perry biggin up this film- precious

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mutty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I saw the movie and interestingly enough, I saw it right here in Harlem where the movie was set. When I walked out of the movie, none of what Jah_Yout, Dahjah or Green Giant said crossed my mind at NO time. It NEVER crossed my mind what &quot;white&quot; America would think. All I thought about is how sad it was to KNOW that the nonsense that went on with this girl in the movie, goes on DAILY for SOME black, white, Arab, European, South American, Caribbean, Canadian, Indian, African girls and THAT is what made me sick to my stomach as a father of 3 girls myself and the brother of one sister who I love with my life.

It is not surprising to me that this kind of movie will &quot;touch&quot; women more. In fact, it would be classified as &quot;chick flick;&quot; Oprah material that men should shun. No, the storyline is NOT pretty and the movie is not about painting black folks in a &quot;good&quot; light when this is REALITY for many, like it or not.

I could give a flying fart what &quot;white America&quot; thinks because when white America sees me, they don't see someone looking thugged out to feel threatened by. They don't HEAR me talking the thug talk and they don't see me acting like ghetto trash, perpetuating [some of] their images of us as black people. They hear CONFIDENT intelligence and see respect for me and mine toward my mother, my woman and my children which extends to ALL people regardless their race or creed. So no, I did not walk out of the movie thinking about what THEY want to think or believe, nor did I walk out wanting to be like the characters I saw in the movie. I walked out feeling privileged that what I saw was/is not MY reality, but being made painfully aware that next door, up the street, in the next town, upstairs, some girl, some boy suffer evils like this, at the hands of those set to care and secure them. Shoving it under a rug in the name of &quot;Oh....don't show that,&quot; is ridiculous!

Please, tell me. How ELSE do you present a movie like this? How do you tip toe around it to get the message out without making us uncomfortable. How do you make this into a &quot;feel good&quot; movie? Tell me! </div></div>


Lawd have mercy I think I just fell in love with you a little reading that

[Peasie]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Gwey Shebada
Mutty future baby fahdah

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Posted by unregistered user at 11/23/09 12:32 p.m.

I' am a 17 year old. And I loved the movie &quot;Precious&quot;. It moved me. It really helped me see things in a brighter light. I was like wow, and I thought i had it bad.. But there are people out there who have it worse. I went to the movie theatre with my cousin &amp; I felt bad because my cousin went thru something like that VERY similar and it kinda made me squirm in my chair. I had to look down at some parts. I couldnt even look at my cousin, but i could hear her cryinq. I loved the movie &quot;Precious&quot; BUT it was a ONE TIME sort of thing. I couldnt watch it again.

-quayla.
<object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5506X9tVwH4"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5506X9tVwH4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> </embed></object>


Sapphire's 'Push' for the Art of Writing
by Emily Byers-Ferrian
The vocab won’t stump you. There aren’t many mystifying metaphors to unpack. But Push by Sapphire is a tough read. What makes the book at times hard to digest is that it’s the life story of Precious Jones, a sexually abused 16-year-old girl with two children.

That being said, the novel and the reader experience do not end in Precious’ reality of abuse. The focus of Push is on the success story of this young girl finally learning to write. As a result of her pregnancies, Precious has been slipping behind in school for years. It isn’t until she meets a new teacher at a new alternative school, Each One Teach One, that she finally starts to read and write. Precious keeps a dialogue journal in which she writes to her teacher “Miz” Rain. At first her words are barely recognizable, but by the end of the novel, Precious is writing poetry. With this new tool of expression, Precious learns to claim her voice, her experience, her worth.

The novel is narrated by Precious, who is disturbingly, but also endearingly, frank and forthcoming. Sapphire does an incredible job of creating the actual voice of Precious even before Precious herself has learned to own it. From the very first page, and from the very first line, “I was left back when I was 12 because I had a baby for my fahver,” you can hear Precious’ distinct speech. At times, the novel becomes a bit cumbersome to read because Precious’ words are written as she pronounces them. Both the beauty and the challenge of this book is that as a reader, you are forced to slow down, sound out and really hear the main character’s words as she produces them. While this does take a bit more effort on the part of the reader, Precious is a character whose voice is very real as a result.

At Alive, we believe in the power of sharing stories and the importance of each young woman’s voice. The argument of Push resonates especially with this appreciation for exploration and discovery through the art of writing. For this reason, I would recommend this novel to Alive readers and writers. However, the novel deals with some very hard issues relating to sexual abuse. Precious’ story is inspiring, but it is also heartbreaking. Keep in mind that this is not a lighthearted, lazy Sunday afternoon read.

Push, by Sapphire, is published by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc.


Like I've said if the cast were all light skinned or all dark skinned you would be pouting about that. We all come in different shades and hues so what? Your agenda in this topic doesn't have legs to stand on.

[Mutty]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Yes, it is kind of interesting that the issue with the movie is not about the crimes against our children by their own parents/guardians, but about HOW it is presented.

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mutty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I saw the movie and interestingly enough, I saw it right here in Harlem where the movie was set. When I walked out of the movie, none of what Jah_Yout, Dahjah or Green Giant said crossed my mind at NO time. It NEVER crossed my mind what &quot;white&quot; America would think. All I thought about is how sad it was to KNOW that the nonsense that went on with this girl in the movie, goes on DAILY for SOME black, white, Arab, European, South American, Caribbean, Canadian, Indian, African girls and THAT is what made me sick to my stomach. As a father of 3 girls myself and the brother of one sister who I love with my life.

It is not surprising to me that this kind of movie will &quot;touch&quot; women more. In fact, it would be classified as a &quot;chick flick;&quot; Oprah material that men should shun. No, the storyline is NOT pretty and the movie is not about painting black folks in a &quot;good&quot; light when this is REALITY for many, like it or not.

I could give a flying fart what &quot;white America&quot; thinks because when white America sees me, they don't see someone looking thugged out to feel threatened by. They don't HEAR me talking the thug talk and they don't see me acting like ghetto trash, perpetuating [some of] their images of us as black people. They hear CONFIDENT intelligence and see respect for me and mine toward my mother, my woman and my children which extends to ALL people regardless their race or creed. So no, I did not walk out of the movie thinking about what THEY want to think or believe, nor did I walk out wanting to be like the characters I saw in the movie. I walked out feeling privileged that what I saw was/is not MY reality, but being made painfully aware that next door, up the street, in the next town, upstairs, some girl, some boy suffer evils like this, at the hands of those set to care and secure them. Shoving it under a rug in the name of &quot;Oh....don't show that,&quot; is ridiculous!

Please, tell me. How ELSE do you present a movie like this? How do you tip toe around it to get the message out without making us uncomfortable. How do you make this into a &quot;feel good&quot; movie? Tell me! </div></div>

I just realized that the book comes in audio form. I'm going to get it for my husband.

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Tyler Perry Opens Up About Childhood Abuse

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --
Tyler Perry is one of the big names behind the new film about abuse and incest, “Precious,” and in a blog on his personal Web page, the “Madea” star revealed there are some very personal reasons he got behind the film.

Perry, who wrote the blog post less than a month after his 40th birthday, which occurred on Sept. 13, said watching the film brought back not only memories of pain, but also a deep appreciation for having survived an abusive childhood.

“I watched [Precious’] mother be unusually cruel to her and I realized at that moment that a large part of my childhood had just played out before my eyes,” Perry wrote of the film he signed on to Executive Produce with Oprah Winfrey, the proceeds of which are going to various charities. “It hit me so hard, I sat there in tears realizing that somehow, by the grace of God, I made it through. My tears were tears of joy, being thankful that I made it.”

In his open and extremely revealing letter, Perry recounted details of his alleged abuse at the hands of his father, his paternal grandmother and alleged sexual abuse at the hands of neighbors. And he also explained how he was able to survive.

“I was asked recently how I made it through all of this… and my answer to that is…I know for a fact that there is a GOD,” he wrote. “When my father would say or do those things to me, I would hear this voice inside of me say, ‘That’s not true’ or, ‘Don’t believe that.’”

Perry explained he came out on the other side of abuse by learning how to forgive.

“To know that the little boy that I was went through all that — he went through and made it. Then me, as a man…I have to take on the responsibility of forgiving all of those people. I owe it to that little boy that I was and, more than that, I owe it to the man that I am,” he wrote.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mutty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes, it is kind of interesting that the issue with the movie is not about the crimes against our children by their own parents/guardians, but about HOW it is presented. </div></div>yes blame whitey and hollywood an Oprah for the fact that fathers rape their daughters

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Please, tell me. How ELSE do you present a movie like this? How do you tip toe around it to get the message out without making us uncomfortable. How do you make this into a &quot;feel good&quot; movie? Tell me!

To add to your questions I would love to know what Jamaican movies that don't cast different skin tones of actors and actresses?

[sagal]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mutty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes, it is kind of interesting that the issue with the movie is not about the crimes against our children by their own parents/guardians, but about HOW it is presented. </div></div>

I was just coming to say that!!! I would like to know how many have read the book. I read the book a couple of years ago for a literary club that I belonged too.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

Because of Boopie ( and the fact that it noh look like di movie showing up here anytime soon ) I went and bought the book yesterday

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shebada</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Because of Boopie ( and the fact that it noh look like di movie showing up here anytime soon ) I went and bought the book yesterday </div></div>

Good, I always enjoy a good book rather than the movie. In the book you get to know more about her friends and their lives as well. I'll keep my mouth shut and won't spoil other comparisons. It read the whole thing the moment I bought it.

[Boopie2]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sagal</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mutty</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes, it is kind of interesting that the issue with the movie is not about the crimes against our children by their own parents/guardians, but about HOW it is presented. </div></div>

I was just coming to say that!!! I would like to know how many have read the book. I read the book a couple of years ago for a literary club that I belonged too. </div></div>

Of course I've read it, that's why I keep repeating &quot;READ THE BOOK&quot;

[jah_yout]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Boopie2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Like I've said if the cast were all light skinned or all dark skinned you would be pouting about that. We all come in different shades and hues so what? Your agenda in this topic doesn't have legs to stand on.



</div></div>

yes you keep repeating that, but you are not making any sense-- since i pointed out that i have an issue with the way the movie uses skin-shade associations...
the light-skinned/bi-racial angelic characters save the degraded dark-skinned ones...who by the way, the main character aspires to be light-skinned &amp; have a light-skinned boyfriend...never in the movie do they ever hint that precious overcame this self-hate symptom...&amp; how would she if all the people who helped her were light-skinned &amp; all the horrible people who hurt her were dark-skinned?...what kind of message is that sending?
why only our worst stories &amp; images suitable for accolades &amp; mega-push by hollywood?... are you willing to ask yourself uncomfortable questions?....
why don't you deal with that reality instead of asking me about hypothetical ones? well, they are not all shades- in THIS movie it just so happens dark skin is the color of degradation &amp; light skin the color of hope &amp; rescue...
this skin-tone imagery is the reality of 'precious'...
if you wish to discuss another movie we can do that;

any in mind?

[blugiant]

Re: why r oprah &amp; tyler perry biggin up this film- precious

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Boopie2</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: blakkgiant</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Curmudgeon_Milo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I haven't seen the film but I am hearing that it is suppose to be Oscar worthy. </div></div>

wat a ting

wan movie bout wan dark skin blakk man widd aids wey rape ann infect imm own dark skin blakk obese mammy lookinn dawtah is oscar material. mii tink itt wass de blakk ooman mammy fram gone widd da win wan da furst oscar by blakk </div></div>

Sit down Blu, you're always spouting something about racism. To me if you see Precious as portraying a mammy then you are the racist one. I can put money on it that you never read the book or attended the movie.

</div></div>

y wood mii attend dat movie ar read da book. itt like seyinn yu shood trii crack beefour yu bunn fiyah pon itt. tell didd precious gitt wan good jab att de end?

[Mutty]

Re: Is 'Precious' racist?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jah_yout</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

yes you keep repeating that, but you are not making any sense-- since i pointed out that i have an issue with the way the movie uses skin-shade associations...
the light-skinned/bi-racial angelic characters save the degraded dark-skinned ones...who by the way, the main character aspires to be light-skinned &amp; have a light-skinned boyfriend...never in the movie do they ever hint that precious overcame this self-hate symptom...&amp; how would she if all the people who helped her were light-skinned &amp; all the horrible people who hurt her were dark-skinned?...what kind of message is that sending?
why only our worst stories &amp; images suitable for accolades &amp; mega-push by hollywood?... are you willing to ask yourself uncomfortable questions?....
why don't you deal with that reality instead of asking me about hypothetical ones? well, they are not all shades- in THIS movie it just so happens dark skin is the color of degradation &amp; light skin the color of hope &amp; rescue...
this skin-tone imagery is the reality of 'precious'...
if you wish to discuss another movie we can do that;

any in mind?
</div></div>

You know, I really did not pay attention to this, but you make a good observation here. What you might want to also mention, however, is that two of these 'light skinned saviors' were homosexual lovers in the movie which, in some corners of the black community, is just a step above being an atheist.

Your observation is duly noted, however.