Wednesday night’s edition of Blackish, titled ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Black Man,’ sought to solidify an image in the mind of the viewers. Specifically, an image of the black man as the scariest creature of them all:
Dre: You know what truly makes America great? Community. Americans understand that it takes teamwork to make the dream work. This country is a giant melting pot of people who are committed to building a better life for everyone. And even though we may have different mind-sets, we all agree that if our community survives, this country survives, only if everyone does their part. And that's what truly makes America great.
[ Elevator bell Dings ]
Stevens: MM, MM, MM. The horror. The horror. MM.
Josh: I can't believe you abandoned a 3-year-old.
Dre: I think she was 4.
Josh: You monster.
Stevens: If you watch closely, you can actually see her tiny spirit being crushed. Faith in humanity. No faith in humanity. Faith in humanity. No faith in humanity. That is how serial killers are born.
Dre: Okay, look, I know it looks bad, but that is a little white girl. And as a black man –
Josh: No! No. You do not get to play the race card today. Not with that.
Charlie: Sorry I'm late. There was a little snowflake on the elevator, so I had to take the stairs.
Dre: Me too.
Charlie: Careful, Dre. Someone's out there setting traps.
Stevens: I don't understand. Why are you two so afraid of a baby?
Dre: We don't have the luxury of being helpful because we're instantly seen as threats.
Stevens: Well, that's just common sense.
Josh: I see any adult male as a threat.
Dre: The point is, we can't get away with half the stuff that you guys do. [ As Ralph Kramden ] One of these days, Alice, pow! Right in the kisser. How is it all right for Ralph Kramden to say that? Pow! Right in the kisser?
Josh: It's so fun.
Dre: America's favorite TV character's catchphrase is to punch his wife in the mouth if she says another word.
Stevens: Yeah, but he was a lovable Teddy bear.
Charlie: What? If I was a TV character, my catchphrase would be, "Oowee." In the show, my wife name would be Wee. And every week, she'll go one step too far, and I'll punch her in the mouth.
Dre: Ch-ch-charlie.
Charlie: Relax. It'd be a cable show.
Curtis: Look, I'm sorry I'm late, boss.
Dre: Mm-hmm.
Curtis: There's a little white girl in the elevator. Almost had me. I saw my freedom flash right before my eyes.
While mildly funny, it’s impossible not to note that this same, “I’m not going to do what I know I should do in this situation because I’m too fearful of getting accused of something” mindset that Dre (Anthony Anderson) displays here is precisely the kind of warped PC nonsense that led to the neighbor of the San Bernardino terrorists to not report the extremely suspicious activity he saw at their house, for fear of being called a racist. With, obviously, deadly consequences to innocent people.
Which is what political correctness does. It robs the normally-sane of all ability to let good instincts and common sense overrule their fear of public scorn and ostracism. Thus providing the perfect environment for evil and tragedy to reign.
What’s much more than mildly funny about the stereotype of black men as scary is that, unlike the image that rabidly-liberal shows like Blackish try to project, the stereotype is held by liberals as well.
After all, it was Hillary Clinton who said that many “well meaning” whites feared the mere sight of black men in “hoodies.” But of course, those comments don’t get a lot of run in the media unless they’re said by Republicans.
