I have a love-hate relationship with current events. On the one hand, when something hits the news, it’s an opening to discuss in depth socio-political matters that may not have gotten the attention they needed previously. People’s minds are receptive in ways they may not have been before being struck by the glittering headlines.
On the other hand, I loathe the shallow discourse that typically surrounds these events, and I additionally feel contempt toward the social tendency to ignore or avoid the root cause of various issues and the complex, interwoven threads of sub-issues surrounding.
I also hate the off-centerdness that comes with riding the wave of public interest. I prefer to think about things deeply and earnestly, over time, talking about them because they need to be talked about, not because ABCNBCCBSCNNFox say it’s time to do so.
And with that preamble, here is a pre-song that I wrote on Feb 1, when all the hoopla was surrounding Whoopi Goldberg’s statement – which I think should have been handled with grace and compassion, as a learning opportunity, instead of with shaming and condemnation – which only serves to shut down people, dialogue, and opportunity.
You publicly shame Whoopi
When you should take accountability
For creating the image of Whiteness
That you’re now busy protesting
You represent Jewish heritage and history
As if we all come from Poland and Germany
Forget Iran Ethiopia and Turkey
China India Brazil always missing
You point a finger
Three point back at you
You’re the one who said
This is a Jew
Eurocentrism always coming through
In your classes prayers funding choices too
When you fail to show
The dark Jewish face
Of course they’ll think
We’re part of the White race
So maybe Whoopi
Needs to put you in your place
Because you’re the one
Who created this disgrace
All the Jewish holidays
We celebrate
Are from Asia and Africa
Where Jews predate
Any presence
In a European state
But that’s a fact
You constantly negate
We’ve got 3500 years on you
But you’ve got the nerve
To say we’re not real Jews
As you get a nose job
To hide your Semitic roots
So you go on
And point a finger at Whoopi
But I see your hypocrisy
©2022 by Loolwa Khazzoom. All rights reserved. No portion of this article may be copied without author’s permission.