Is BET racist?

[orange]

BET = Black Entertainment Television

Is it racist to specify that a station is for the entertainment of a certain race? Does it imply that all shows on that station are geared to a certain race? Does it mean that all members of that race like and enjoy the types of programs seen on that station?

You'd never get away with White Entertainment Television. Spare the "everything is white entertainment television" responses, please.

Discuss.

[Ecthy]

If it's funny, then the answer is no.

[Bosh]

Not at all Cali, you see...
wait...

[KrazyHorse]

No more so than my local public-access ethnic channel is.

In other words, everything is white entertainment television.

[orange]

what is "Black entertainment"?

[KrazyHorse]

Entertainment by, for and about the black community in the US.

[Asher]

"Is Black Entertainment Television Racist?"
Gee, I wonder!

[Apocalypse]

I don't like where these types of arguments go. Too many sterotypes. I don't mean only of minorities, but white people too.

[orange]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Entertainment by, for and about the black community in the US.

Can you then define "Black Community" and also tell what is 'for' and 'about' it?

I don't understand how one specific type of entertainment can fit a race. People have different tastes. Despite what some may think, not all black people live in ghettos and listen to hardcore rap music.

[Ecthy]

orange... all that TV stuff with many blacks running around in it and only a few whites, that is black entertainment. I hate when people demand exact definitions to just everything.

common sense!

[KrazyHorse]

And not all Lebanese people are fully immersed in Lebanese culture either. That doesn't make it racist to have a show (or channel) devoted to Lebanese culture.

Black history and culture in the US aren't completely separate from the white culture they're dissolved in, but they are a distinct entity. Blacks weren't even given the chance to integrate into the larger American culture until something like 35 or 40 years ago, and socioeconomics has kept a lot of them from doing so till this day...

[Ecthy]

Originally posted by orange
not all black people live in ghettos and listen to hardcore rap music.

but some do, and that can be real easy to make fun of at times

[KrazyHorse]

Orange, is it racist to have any show devoted to an ethnic subculture?

If they had (which they do here, by the way) shows about white subcultures ("Scots!", "Erin Weekly", etc.) then I would be giving you the same answer...

[Asher]

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
Orange, is it racist to have any show devoted to an ethnic subculture?

Yes, any time you differenciate between races it's racist.

But the bad connotations that are brought along with the term are not always true.

[KrazyHorse]

Asher, that usage of the terms "racism" is better headed under "racialism". "Racism" tends to denote a belief in the superiority of the one over the other, rather than a simple distinction based on race.