Just when you thought that becoming the first African-American First Lady would have been enough:
This is the kind of self-destructive stuff that we Black folks engage in way too often. What makes it even sadder is that Ms. Eele thinks she's helping. By speaking out on behalf of the designers - which the Black Artists Association doesn't even represent formally - she really seemed to believe that this rather sarcastic protest would actually reflect well on her and the people she name-dropped.
One of them didn't seem to appreciate it:
It's obvious that Michelle Obama can wear whatever she pleases and should be able to do so without having it inferred by people like Ms. Eele that she's somehow not down with the cause.
That said, she doesn't deserve this:
Everybody chill. It's a dress.
...the Black Artists Association is taking her to task for not wearing anything by an African American designer. Cofounder Amnau Eele said Wednesday she will make a formal appeal to the First Lady’s office on behalf of the BAA. “It’s fine and good if you want to be all ‘Kumbaya’ and ‘We Are the World’ by representing all different countries. But if you are going to have Isabel Toledo do the inauguration dress, and Jason Wu do the evening gown, why not have Kevan Hall, B Michael, Stephen Burrows or any of the other black designers do something too?” Eele said.
This is the kind of self-destructive stuff that we Black folks engage in way too often. What makes it even sadder is that Ms. Eele thinks she's helping. By speaking out on behalf of the designers - which the Black Artists Association doesn't even represent formally - she really seemed to believe that this rather sarcastic protest would actually reflect well on her and the people she name-dropped.
One of them didn't seem to appreciate it:
B. Michael said the statement made on behalf of the Black Artists Association (and first published in WWD Jan. 22) does not represent his point of view. “I understand their sensitivity and respect their right to express it,” he said. “I personally believe it is an unfair expectation to place on the First Lady. Fashion is subjective and a matter of personal choice.
It's obvious that Michelle Obama can wear whatever she pleases and should be able to do so without having it inferred by people like Ms. Eele that she's somehow not down with the cause.
That said, she doesn't deserve this:
According to WWD, Black Artists Association co-founder Amnau Eele has received death threats in response to her public criticism of Michelle Obama for not wearing an African-American designer to the inauguration.
Everybody chill. It's a dress.
11 Comments:
How sad that you would post a story about Amnau Eele and BAA without fact checking this WWD story?
If you had like tomorrow's post newspaper you would know Amnau Eele didn't make any of those quotes. Not one.
The WWD writer did.
and the e-mail interviews between the WWD writer and Ms. Eele will prove this,
By posting this false information, you're no different from the racists that lynched black men in the 50's because a white woman said the black man spoke to her.
This time in 2009, a white female WWD writer said a black woman named Amnau Eele said something and your blog helped to media lynch Amnau Eele with no proof.
This is all really sick and you have no way to heal the damaged you've done to this poor woman's spirit.
You're wrong and Karma is real.
OK, a few things.
First, if you have proof that Ms. Eele did not say those quotes, please post a link. It's been two days since I wrote this post and I have seen absolutely nothing online that backs up your assertions. If you have the link to the e-mail interviews, please provide it. I would be happy to post an apology and complete retraction if proven wrong. Your yelling these assertions at me does not prove anything.
If Ms. Eele has been so unfairly quoted, why has she not given another interview to a national prublication or television program to correct the record? The burden, fairly or unfairly, is on her to make sure her true intentions are known. Her silence on the matter speaks volumes.
Secondly, you're accusing the WWD writer of completely fabricating the quote - something that I find extremely unlikely. And all I did was cite the source - if you have a problem, take it up with WWD.
Thirdly, what has happened to Ms. Eele is nothing like "lynching". Not even close. I'd advise you to, even in anger, be conscious of the words you choose. Unless you didn't finish my post, I decried the death threats she's been receiving. No one deserves that. So, your assertion that I'm no better than the "racists who lynched Black men in the 50s" is infuriating. Me writing a post telling Ms. Eele to chill is like stringing and killing a (fellow) Black man? Were you actually serious when you posted that?
You obviously don't have a damned clue of which your speaking, and you're blowing this way out of proportion. You say I'm sick? I'm not the one comparing a blog post to torture and murder. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT LYNCHING IS.
Lastly, it must be easy to call me out from the safety of your anonymity. Instead of putting karma curses on me and grossly exaggerating what has happened to this woman, perhaps you might want to a) back up your assertions with proof and b) advise your friend to take control of her own narrative and nip this crap in the bud by either apologizing, confirming her statement and standing behind it or proving that the WWD writer made it up. Might be a better use of your time.
I found the real story of what happened to Amnau Eele at WWD.
After reading the story by Washington Post writer and Huffington Post contributor Joyce Moore,
I am left wondering if Ms.Eele is sitting at the table ready to prove with her e-mail interviews that she never made those statements, then why is WWD not willing to come to that table and prove she made those comments?
I called WWD and they said no comments.
Wolfe Blitzer is asking the same question on CNN, during the "Situation Room's"
" Black Designers Are Upset With First Lady Michelle Obama" segement.
What's really tragic about all of this, is that a black woman that simply asked where are the black designers in the first lady's closet at the White house?
and how do we encourage young black children too aspire to design, if there are no black designers as role models?
Got lynched by the media and bloggers all over the world, based on a story that was not fact checked in the Bernard Madoff era.
Did any one of you think maybe WWD saw a way to sell their paper in bad financial times?
The WWD writer is now famous and WWD sold out both days that Ms. Eele's story ran.
I called WWD to buy extra copies and I was told they were sold out on both issues of the paper.
Support of black designers and black design students will provide jobs for people of all colors and maybe the black youth and many black males will be able to get jobs in design and retail, instead of selling drugs or going to jail as an option.
President Obama's half brother was arrested for selling drugs as a poor black man in a poor African country, support of black designers and all designers in the retail industry can provide jobs for poor people like Mr. Obama all over the world , no matter their skin color.
Instead of selling drugs , I'd rather see Mr. Obama work for a black designer or consider design as a career instead of drug dealing.
I am white and I work for a black designer of jewelry, and without his designs , i would have no job and I couldn't pay my rent.
J, Crew, Tracy Feith and Jason Wu are swimming in orders and cash from the first lady's support, but not black designers..
No, ms. Eele was right!! Change came on Jan 20, 2009, but not for black designers.
here's the interviews that i found on the internet:
http://jemiltd.bravejournal.com
http://affilliate.kickapps.com/service/display/kickplace.kickaction?u=2373825&as=16936
http://www.oprah.com/community/blogs/jemiltd/2009/01/30/amnau-eele-the-real-story
http://www.huffingtonpost.com
http://www.youtube.com/jemiltd
I think "The Media Lynching" of Amnau Eele is going to be a large, but very sad story.
I've learned a lot from this poor woman's sad story.
why should amnau eele apologize to anyone?
You've lost your mind.
you should apologize to a woman that you didn't know that you wrote hateful things about.
you were part of the media lynching of this woman and your hateful rants put a innocent black woman's life in danger on the streets of nyc about some damn clothes, while those white and non-black designers danced all the way to the bank.
you are sick, and you're going to pay for lying on that woman in that way.
you're ignorant.
invisible? you should go away.
you're hateful and shameful.
and until you do right by that poor woman , nothing but trouble will come to your life.
you can rant all you want, what you did was evil and you wouldn't have wanted anyone to treat you or your mama the way that you've treated Amnau Eele.
Amnau 's story is now on Oprah and let's see if you'll bring your wretched ass from behind that computer and tell your lies on camera, fool.
to read Amnau Eele's true story:
http://www.oprah.com/community/blogs/jemiltd/2009/01/30/amnau-eele-interview-the-real-story
and what's a better use of your time?
posting negative comments about people you don't know?
I don't know that lady, but at least I took the time out to investigate her story before I started posting.
as soon as my girlfriend called me with this crap, i knew something was wrong with this story.
it didn't make sense, because it didn't sound like quotes made by a real person.
how do you bring a healing to that lady's life, after you've trashed her in such a way?
It's really deep that you could do another human being in this way.
your actions remind me of the soldiers that took those poor refugees into the middle of the ocean in Thailand and left them there with no food or water to die.
all perished in the ocean.
your hatred for that lady, Ms. Eele was very deep and very real.
I've learned a lot from you and I will never forget the lesson in hate.
It's obvious that you have some deep-seated psychological problems, sir. I made a mild criticism of Ms. Eele's actions. I did not call her any names or make any threats, unlike you have done to me. (In fact, I clearly denounced the threats being sent her way. In the post. Which you clearly didn't read carefully or intelligently.)
Comparing me to lynchers, murderers and those that abandon Thai refugees with no food or water...do you have any perspective on the real world? Do you understand that you're equating a blog post to murdering people? Seriously. Take a second and really think that through.
I do not hate her, as should have already been clear. I merely disagreed with what she said, and made my opinions known. If you don't like them, then you're certainly free to disagree. But if you're not going to do so like an adult, then I have to ask you to refrain from commenting here in the future (especially since you're not courageous enough to post with a real alias instead of "Anonymous).
Also, the four posts in a row in the middle of the night display some real unchecked anger, none of which is commensurate with the supposed cause (my post). You need some serious help.
Oh, and I checked every one of the links that you sent me that supposedly verify your position that she didn't say these things and that the WWD writer made it all up. First of all, one is a link to the main Huffington Post website. Which is ridiculous - but I indulged you and searched for a story disproving the Huffington Post link I'd already included in the blog post. All I found was this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/26/black-artists-association_n_160880.html?show_comment_id=20309100
Hardly disproves anything.
Secondly, three of the five links (one of which is simply a link to a YouTube channel that contained exactly zero videos on this topic) all originate from a blogger aliased as "jemiltd". So you're asking me to take jemiltd's word over a journalist at Women's Wear Daily. Hardly convincing.
Especially when jemiltd (in the only link that actually worked - your second and third links were busts, including the Oprah one) has this quote from an interview he or she supposedly conducted with Ms. Eele about this topic:
""I have been accosted on the street as a result of the article, which I hadn't even read," said Amnau. "People just assumed that I was disrespecting First Lady Obama and that cannot be further from the truth." "I have the utmost respect for the First Lady and all that she has accomplished. I just have the point of view that, for the young ones who are struggling to find their way, they needed to see her in support of the African American designers. They are not on the runways during fashion week. Now we deal with the young every day. I just wanted to get some attention given to the African American designers by First Lady Obama, since she is the ultimate role model right now. I don't give phone interviews, yours is one of the very few, because I would rather e-mail answers to questions and not have my words changed.' Eele continues, "It's more important to us that the truth is written and spoken."
Indeed it is. You lead me to posts that supposedly prove it the quotes to be false, and within the only one that works you have Eele ADMITTING THAT SHE SAID THEM.
I'm done here. This has been a tremendous waste of my time. Ms. Eele deserves better fans than you. Again, seek help.
You're stupid. and you should stay invisible.
It was a waste of your time when you made comments without fact checking a story fool.
What's really interesting is your lack of concern for young black design students and struggling black designers idiot.
I'm white and I care about this issue more than you do.
who cares what you think or believe, do you even count?
I am a fan of Ms. Eele and I will remain a fan, because she speaks the truth and helps those with no voice.
michelle obama is on the cover of vogue magazine in a dress by a designer from a country that view all blacks as monkeys and primitive.
go to www.arisemagazine.net and read the full story about today's chinese hatred of blacks in china. the article is on pages 75-79.
the NY Post newspaper last week ran a cartoon of obama as a dead monkey.
the ny post is owned by a white man and an asian woman named rupert and wendy deng murdock.
so why is a black first lady supporting a designer from a country that think all black people are monkeys?
and if you can't understand the math on that question, then you're retarded.
without Ms. Eele what would you have to write about on this lame ass blog that no one seems to read.
where is everybody on this blog?
your comments are the only ones on this blog.
you should move on, because you have zero intellect.
jemiltd@aol.com is lot more powerful and well known writer than you are. why you don't you e-mail Ms. joyce Moore and get the facts, moron.
If you were so intent upon "moving on", as you say, then why do you keep coming to my site?
Like I said, I'm done.
Keeping coming to your site?
This is the first time I've come to your site.
There are over 50 people in this fashion office that use this computer, fool.
we log on worldwide for a lady that we don't even know.
But what we do know about this lady Ms. Eele , is that she's a lot smarter and braver than your whiny ass.
your comments are weak and you have zero intellect.
We post here not for you, but for the few people that may luck up on this DEAD blog.
Here's a letter we found on the net from this lady's organization:
It's really tragic and sad that America's first black first lady would choose to wear and continue to support a designer from a country (China), that thinks all black people are "black Devils",
many Chinese also avoid sitting next to black people on city buses, many Africans suffer the indignity of being quizzed by Chinese that believe that Africa is a primitive place that lacks modern cities and transport,there is also official Chinese police harassment where Africans are evicted from living in rental apartments after Chinese residents complain to the police of "the black devils making too much noise", Taxi cabs will not stop to pick up Africans claiming that they might be cheated and signs on public buildings where Africans live in China read "you have entered an area that is under 24 hour security surveillance".
All of this horrific information about chinese-black relationships can be found in an African magazine that was passed out during fashion week in NYC at www.arisemagazine.net search "The Eastern Promise" pages 75-79.
Last week the NY post newspaper owned by Rupert Murdock and his Chinese wife Wendy Deng ran a cartoon of President Obama as a monkey killed by the NYC police department.
Question:
Why would a black woman, America's first black first lady continue to support a designer from a country that think black people, African people are primitive and monkeys?
Question:
Why would an Ivy league educated black woman choose to educate her black daughters about J.Crew, before she educates them about legendary black designers like Mr. Arthur McGee and Mr. Scott Barrie?
Black Artists Association NYC first presented these questions to the fashion media and we were mis-quoted in a WWD newspaper article written by Rosemary Feitelberg with quotes of "we are the world", "Kumbaya" and "It's our time",
and threaten with DEATH and attacked on the streets of NYC for asking "why America's first black first lady is not wearing or supporting black designers?"
After 232 all white American presidents, 232 all white American first ladies and the 232 all white designers that dressed those 232 all white American first ladies,
"CHANGE" came for everyone on JAN 20, 2009 in America, except the American black designer.
Black Artists Association look forward to presenting these questions and the sad stories of the ignorant hatred on black blogs that was directed BAA's way to the White House and the people of D.C. at our first " Washington, D.C. Fashion forum" in April 2009.
At this forum , BAA will announce the winning black designer or black design student that will have a chance to dress one of BAA's artists that is up for an Emmy nomination this year in L.A. CA.
At Black Artists Association we hope to demonstrate the TRUE definition of "CHANGE".
Thank You,
Black Artists Association
Now... does this sounds like that lady is concerned with or thinking about your silly ass?
If you don't like us posting on your site, then ban us.
It's your blog and your right.
we don't need to post here, the net is filled with lame ass black blogs that no one reads.
Ms. Eele is a pioneer and your opinions of her don't matter.
That lady was on the runways of Paris for YSL and in vogue magazine in the 70's.
now... who are you?
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home