A (second) letter from Martin Perna (Antibalas/TVOTR)

What a crybaby.

Would it have been racist if he won?

I'm Jewish and my band didn't win shit this year. Therefore, I deduce that there is a conspiracy within the entertainment industry to keep my people out.

Lets set up a booth and sell some records...is this what its come down to...Fake press creating controversy, because radio doesn't play records and MTV doesn't play video.

It's all press driven now.

Sad.

Thank you M. Perna for that very insightful defense of your opinion. But I don't think it was necessary. Your original letter was pretty straightfoward and made its point well. There was no need to produce a second letter, however, you actually managed to outdo yourself and present your point with very little room for counter-argument.

Cheers

You still haven't said why you think the Voice cover is racist.

Instead, you went completely off topic and made a few racist, ridiculous statements yourself.

Your letter has justified any latent racism I might have. So thanks for that-- I no longer feel guilty.

New Antibalas album next month! Any publicity is good publicity! What a shill.

"The question should not be why do I see this cover as racist, but why most of you do not."

Sorry, but that is the question. There is racism in almost anything IF you look for it. Mr. Perna is being a racist troublemaker.

"Also note that in the full text of my letter, I noted that Dylan was also portrayed in a nasty way"

This point I agree on (although it is ageist, not racist). They were not even subtle.

you tell 'em martin! i make-a you a humungous pizza pie with da meatballz in gratitude!

Shut the Fuck up you hippie cockbag!

Black people are sure glad Martin Perna is around. Otherwise they would have to figure out on their own what racism is.

There are intellectual and well thought arguments to make that the cover is racist. I happen to strongly disagree, and there are intellectual and well though out arguments to make that the cover is not racist. It is unfair of you to say that I am racist, and brandish that word about with great carelessness, simply because I do not share your sensitivity on this particular topic and do not see the cover as a racial document.
Furthermore, your most recent letter's claim of "ethnic points" is frankly absorb and in bad taste (in my humble opinion, worse taste than the harmless and even equality encouraging Voice cover). You are proud of your ethnic heritage. Great, I'm happy for you. Sincerely. But that doesn't make your opinions any more valid than any other thoughtful human being. I'm half black. I don't think the cover is racist. That doesn't mean I'm right.

Speaking of ageism, anyone else notice the banner ads about health care reform put on MySpace by AARP? What is up with that?

Before that one guy asks: "Arctic monkeys" is the English translation of a derogatory term in Sweden for people of color who live in one of the Scandinavian countries.

Wow. "This is racist because I'm right and you're wrong" isn't a really convincing argument. I agreed with some of Mr. Perna's original points. Unfortunately, this follow up letter almost makes me regret that.

"Racism is about power, visible and invisible."

True.

"Therefore, people of color can be prejudiced, but not racist, because there are not systems of power (banks, police, governments, media) at their disposal to give real world power to these prejudices."

Ummm....no. While racism is about power, that's not what it is.

And how can Mr. Perna ask for "justice" and a society where people of different backgrounds can't depict each other negatively in the same letter? A just system is one where everyone is treated equally. That means accepting the benefits, like money and political power, with the disadvantages, like parody.

Dear Martin---

We have reviewed your application and attached documents and--- while you seem to be kind, well-spoken, and good-intentioned---we won't be needing your help.....with anything.

Thanks so much for your interest.

All The Best,

All The Black People of The World

"A just system is one where everyone is treated equally. That means accepting the benefits, like money and political power, with the disadvantages, like parody."

I don't think it could be said any better. Beware of people who espouse equality but look to silence the opinions/expression of others.

Does anyone else find it a bit odd that he divided Italians and Sicilians instead of just saying Italians. I am Italian and alot of nothern Italians (not including me) don't like Sicilians. Is someone against Sicilians, Martin? I guess your not Sicilian are you?

i think the new arcade fire album goes against christ. blasphemy!

Oh Jesus Christ. I am sick to death of this argument that black people cannot be racist because "there are not systems of power (banks, police, governments, media) at their disposal to give real world power to these prejudices." Oh, shit, I had no idea that I had the banks, police and media at my control! And here I was working a fucking job and wasting my youth.

I would say the real problem in this century (welcome to it, Mr. Perna!) is rich people trying to stay that way and simultaneously to keep everyone else down. Getting hung up on the fact that the rich people in control happen to be white is. . . well. . . racist.

congrats on the most cretinous comments thread in BV history.

congrats on dragging Crete and their people into this, you fucking racist

Who's got white guilt?
We've got white guilt!

do you ride the subway?
lots of those doctor Z ads are pretty racist
can we start talking about that?

DOWN WITH HOMO-SAPIENS!!!

wow.
'my people'...lets whack in a race devide while we can shall we? I hate the assumption you are making (tacitly) that everyone who is posting here is white-you are the only person who's 'people' have been opressed. I have gypsy blood, grew up in kuwait and then lived and worked in Ghana and Benin for 2 years. My family have - been killed in the spanish civil war, died in coal mines, fled from countries under attack, and consistently struggled for justice and equality of race,sex and religion. Oh and of course the treatment of romany gypsies over the years hasnt been exactly second to none either.

I am interested to hear what Kyp has to say on the matter...so far all i can see is one over enraged person.

Being 'colour blind' does not mean we look at everyone as the same, ignoring their culture, or differences. It means we judge people on who they are-talented/not talented/ articulate/ inarticulate whatever. We embrace the diversity of all kinds of culture. It's interesting. Its what makes the world worth living in. It's what makes me want to leave the UK and live in new york.

PPS....Whats with all this PSing...is it as if...i say this PLUS...i've played TOTALLY LOADS OF SHOWS in massive venues all around the world. Oh I've played the Holywood bowl..., why no mention of small gigs in Boston, or wherever.....CHEAP and SHOT....if you are discusing race why does that matter.

BV, in this post you neglected to write Mr. Perna's first name with an acute accent over the 'i'. You must be a gringo who discriminates against Latinos.

helter skelter is here on the brooklyn vegan message boards...good job everyone.

For those of you who are making this out to be some kind of joke; well, at least make it a GOOD joke...many of you are coming off sounding like, well, assholes.

Next, to ignore the racist implications of the picture is a little naive. Again, Perna pointed out, we aren't removed in history from some violent racial incidents this picture invokes (remember 1998 and 2000, we aren't talking about the 50s and 60s). Further, as BV pointed out in the original post, Dylan's portrayal is also disturbing.

Perna points out what the Village Voice should have self-examined. We might disagree with some of his finer points, but there is a larger issue here. There are two possibilities: One, VV has it's collective head up it's collective ass and didn't realize there could be anything problematic with this picture; in which case, yeah, it's GOOD someone pointed it out. The other is they knew it and ignored it; in which case, it's GOOD someone pointed out they were being assholes.

Man, I remember the first time a member of the 100 Black Men said to me "I can't be a racist. Because racism is about power." What a fuckin mind warp that is. The implications are pretty heavy, basically that there is a race war, and that the ones who are the currently winning are the Racists. I wonder, then, as an apparent white man but of ambiguous descent, is there anything I can do to NOT be a Racist?

Jeezuz.

Martin please stop. You guys are at the pinnacle of the American afrobeat movement and you are really tarnishing the band with this nonsense.

Way too self absorbed.

I hope the other members rebel against your know-it-all attitude and boot your ass from the band.

in assuming everyone who argues w/ him sees it a certain way, isn't he making stereotypes and judgments himself?

and that hole keeps getting bigger and bigger...

the whole argument reminds me of something a "new college aged activist" would make. sigh.

MINORITY REPORT:
Making bad jokes in poor taste and going on the defensive, offended somehow by someone else being offended on the basis of race, is not a good look. Many people agree with him, minority and not, shouldn't that be enough to convince you that PERHAPS the VV cover was in poor taste? I mean, the cover was at least a little fucking Ridiculous. No?

I'm offended much much much more by everyone's reaction than the cover itself.
White guilt alert.

"Oh Jesus Christ. I am sick to death of this argument that black people cannot be racist because "there are not systems of power (banks, police, governments, media) at their disposal to give real world power to these prejudices." Oh, shit, I had no idea that I had the banks, police and media at my control!"

Should have removed your head from the center of your ass, then.

If you, as a middle-class college-educated indie rock-blog-commenting white person can't even see how enfranchised you are in 21st Century America, then you might not just be a blind racist....you may be a fucking retard.

i dont even think dude is "over enraged". i don't see him calling for a VV boycott. but dude is offended, does he not have that right? you're gonna take that right away from him?

and whoever thinks this is for publicity got some real issues.

"If you, as a middle-class college-educated indie rock-blog-commenting white person can't even see how enfranchised you are in 21st Century America, then you might not just be a blind racist....you may be a fucking retard."

so saying that it doesn't seem like I have the world at my control just because I'm white makes me racist, but when the african-american kids in my neighborhood throw rocks and eggs at me because I'm white, they're not being racist (because they do not have these advantages and therefore cannot be racist, right?)? Basically, when I'm judged and attacked on the basis of my race that's NOT racist, but when I just exist, that IS racist? That really doesn't make sense to me.

"My peoples (Italians/Mexicans/Sicilians/Irish)...."

You're white!

"Your letter has justified any latent racism I might have. So thanks for that-- I no longer feel guilty."

You never did...because you're white!

"Mr. Perna is being a racist troublemaker."

You're really white!

"I'm half black. I don't think the cover is racist. "
That's cause.....you're (half) white!

"Is someone against Sicilians, Martin? I guess your not Sicilian are you?"

No...he's white! White!

"I have gypsy blood..... My family have - been killed in the spanish civil war..."
Three guesses what you are!

"I can't be a racist. Because racism is about power." What a fuckin mind warp that is. The implications are pretty heavy, basically that there is a race war, and that the ones who are the currently winning are the Racists.

Holy shit are you perceptive!Go, white man go!

"I hope the other members rebel against your know-it-all attitude and boot your ass from the band."
Stop white-on-white violence!

"so saying that it doesn't seem like I have the world at my control just because I'm white makes me racist, "

Hey pal! I have great news for you! I know your school system didn't teach you shit, but you *DO* have the entire world under your pink thumb!
Oh happy day!

One definition of white supremacy is this:there's nothing that any non-white person on the entire planet earth can say or do that some white person, somewhere, cannot deny or put an end to. Legally.

"but when the african-american kids in my neighborhood throw rocks and eggs at me because I'm white, they're not being racist "

Hmm...let's see.
1.America's segregated.

2. Black neighborhoods lack many, many of the amenities that white neighborhoods do.

They're "black neighborhoods" in part because banks (which you have at your disposal, by the way!) won't give them mortgages in white ones. (Google this :redlining)

3. Young white people move in to black neighborhoods and quickly accelerate displacement.

4. Young black people get mad at yet another egregious display of official racism and throw rocks + eggs!

"(because they do not have these advantages and therefore cannot be racist, right?)"
Please point out three each of the following in your neighborhood:
1.Black owned bank.
2.Black owned army, navy, air force or Marine Corps.
3.Black police chief.
4. Black cable network, magazine, and internet service provider.

"That really doesn't make sense to me."
Denial is a river that runs through you!

WORD IS BOND KID

"2.Black owned army, navy, air force or Marine Corps."

um, what?

"One definition of white supremacy is this:there's nothing that any non-white person on the entire planet earth can say or do that some white person, somewhere, cannot deny or put an end to. Legally."

Here's one example to disprove that: Kim Jong Il, the head honcho of the DPRK.

"Here's one example to disprove that: Kim Jong Il, the head honcho of the DPRK."

"SEOUL, South Korea -
North Korea's No. 2 leader pledged his country's commitment Thursday to giving up its nuclear program amid intensifying diplomacy aimed at implementing Pyongyang's pledge to disarm."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070301/ap_on_re_as/koreas_talks;_ylt=Aps48M3MBMj.XCR0cqj0gDSs0NUE

I am white and I make $10 an hour. I have no power over anyone...

Is he really attempting to separate himself from being white by saying that he's Italian? Is he trying to say there aren't any racist Italians in NYC?

and I am sick and tired of it being considered a joke whenever I try to dance.

Just because he found something to be offensive isn't really a case for everyone reading this to say that he's:

A) a bad person
B) guilty of anything
C) needs to be estranged from the band
D) stupid

Voicing his opinion is exactly what used to make that magazine great. It was the voice of a community who were interested in examining the opinions of lots of different people who lived in the worlds most famous art district. It is irrelevant if I agree or disagree with his statements in part or in full. What makes what he said important is that he felt like sharing an opinion and opening a topic that really ought to be discussed more often.

And even though there are 150 people on this comment board who may say some very nasty things about him, there maybe 150 more who haven't commented who are silently saying to their computer monitors "gosh you know maybe the races of the two people on the cover of the Village Voice weren't the most important things in that issue, and to point out that small detail instead of the fact that so many people made such great music this year is a little excessive" makes what he said powerful.

Brad