Playing “racially insensitive” songs for young children

[orpington]

Okay, at what age should someone first be exposed to this sort of stuff?

I am rethinking this topic, what I wrote about being naïve and such, and maybe 6 or 8 years old is still a bit young, but by 12 or 13 it should be okay, I should think. It is around that age that Huckleberry Finn is read in school (at least when I was that age it was), and one is exposed to the n word. I have no idea how this is addressed when there are black children in the classroom, as my classroom was homogenous when it came to race (all white).

THEN AGAIN, is a cylinder that uses the word coon worse than the rubbish that is on the radio today? I mean, what might children find on the radio themselves, songs with lyrics that use the n word, the f bomb, etc. My wife had a free trial of Sirius radio for awhile, and you would be astounded at some of the rubbish out there. Now there are some folks with children in their car who might bound down the road listening to this stuff and think nothing of it.

[Chuck]

All of what you say is true Orpington.

I will add that what was heard on satellite radio
was just more of the double standard I have mentioned
several times before.

Think about it: It's considered perfectly acceptable
for any so-called "rapper" to drop the "F" bomb, and
make liberal use of the "N" word. That is ok.

But then it is not OK for these supposedly sensitive
young innocent ears to hear some 100+ year old
Coon cylinders.

These young, sensitive, perfectly innocent little ones
will be instantly corrupted by hearing the old Coon
songs. We must shut the Coon songs away and make
sure no young ears hear them. But meanwhile, much
worse stuff is contained within the modern "rap" garbage, which is routinely blasted out all over
many kinds of media for all to hear.

Over and over again, the double standard manifests
itself.

It's perfectly ok for one race to use the "N" word,
and at the same time, when certain other races use it,
it's made into a big deal.

Honestly, in my humble opinion, not much has actually
changed in that regard during the past 120 years or so.

Same usual suspects doing the same kinds of hi-jinks.

Chuck

[Phonofreak]

I have no problem playing racially charged records for children. I explain before the recording what it is, and the times it represented. It is part of history, and you can't erase or white wash it, because it offends someone. If they don't want to hear the recording, and are offended by it, oh well, they can leave. I have played these records at retirement homes and the residents understand. When my son was small and still living at home, I would play these for him and his friends. They knew it was history. I would never play these at a public school. Public schools are so PC, and the watering down of learning, I will never support them. I don't want to go off in a tangent, but the school systems are inferior as to when I went to school. At one time, American education was No.1 in the world. I have no idea what American schools rank nowadays. Probably pretty low.
Harvey Kravitz

[Lucius1958]

And seriously - if a Black friend came to your home, would you pick out even the most 'innocent' mention of anything which would offend him? I would be horrified!

In fact, one of my most mortifying moments was during my school days, when a black classmate was visiting my dorm room, and I picked out a record to play...

Unfortunately, I had thoughtlessly chosen a copy of Collins & Harlan singing "Bake Dat Chicken Pie".

I regretted it immediately, and it still makes me cringe over 40 years later...

Bill

[edisonplayer]

True,if I had a friend over who happened to be black and I wanted to demonstrate one of my phonographs I would be VERY careful what I'd play for him or her!edisonplayer

[ambrola]

After I retired some of my guys would stop by and visit. A couple of them were black guys whom I had known for 20 years. One day one of them came over and we were talking about old times as he walked around looking at my phonographs. He looked at my XX-VII and got real quite. He then left without hardly saying good bye. I then looked at the 17 and sure enough [n****r] loves his possum was on it. I guess it hurt his feelings?

[Couch Potato]

Yes, don't think youngsters should listen to such music until they are old enough to understand it in context. But I am even more offended by much modern music such as rap and I don't let my kids listen to it (and thankfully they find it yucky anyway) as I honestly find it even more offensive to my sensibilities.

[Uncle Vanya]

I never cease to be astounded by the number of folks who confuse "consideration" with "political correctness".

I was always taught that a gentleman is never unintentionally offensive, and seldom intentionally so. If that is "politically correct, then so be it.

[fran604g]

I never cease to be astounded by the number of folks who confuse "consideration" with "political correctness".

I was always taught that a gentleman is never unintentionally offensive, and seldom intentionally so. If that is "politically correct, then so be it.

A good distinction, and I completely agree. Consideration equals respect, and nowadays (or perhaps "all-a-days") we need more of this.

Fran

[Phono48]

Just out of interest, I have a recording of Paul Robeson singing "My curly headed baby". One of the lines is "Your Daddy's in the cotton field, a'working for the coon". Does this indicate that this term was once applied to the (presumably) white plantation owner?