It takes a nation of millions to hold US back

This weekend cable proved to me a point I have long held secret, the media is out to get us!!! I know it sounds a bit paranoid, but Sunday VH-1 dedicated a whole day to "Reality" Shows, many of which featured African-Americans. BET has the top rated reality shows in Tiny&Toya, and lest I forget "Basketball Wives" [none of whom are married] and "The Real McCoy" featuring Lisa Raye.

I remember the time when there was little to NO representation of African Americans on Network TV. Folk were up in arms and threatening to boycott the networks and the sponsors, then came along WB. We were elated to have shows 4 US by US. Girlfriends, Half-n-Half, Sister 2 Sister. Of course I can't forget the trailblazers like Moesha, One on One and Living Single.

Then along came the Reality Show..Initially it was the Angry Black Female on every show. We were angry in response. Now there are strippers fighting for FLAVA FLAVE and the Love of RayJ. There is the Bad Girls, Charm School and a myriad of other shows highlighting girls who behave badly.

Of course I have a theory about all this. I think it's the "Michelle Effect." The presence of a powerful sista in the White House [with two adorable daughters] has forced the pendulum to swing in the opposite direction. When there were no powerful sistas of note [no disrespect to Oprah, Condoleeza, Dr. Dororthy Height, Maxine Waters and the like], we had CLAIRE HUXTABLE whom many doubted really existed in real life. Now there are no Claire's on TV because we have a REAL LIFE CLAIRE and the unbeweaveable black barbies have appeared.

Quite naturally we should never look to TV to define us, raise our children or represent us; however in todays' media frenzied society, I can't help but notice the time and attention this new wave of "REALITY" has lulled us into a dream world circa BLUEST EYE, only this time the EYE is brown and there are millions which begs the PublicEnemy Quote: A FACT IS A FACT, IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK.