talmbout ”; “ hurricane ”; “ mississippi goddam ”; “ bella ciao W r i t i n g

reflection

Prompt

Look at (1) Hurt’s “argument”/assertions in the Fox News Sunday segment and (2) the possible “counter-argument”/counter-story presented in 2 of these assigned songs/videos: “Hell You Talmbout”; “Hurricane”; “Mississippi Goddam”; “Bella Ciao-Goodbye Beautiful”; “Whitey on the Moon”; and “No Knock.” What do you notice? What do you make of Hurt’s assertions/claims?Specifically, please take a stance on, or in relation to, Hurt’s contention that this country is not “a racist place” and his claim that the “real” problem is those who insist otherwise. In other words, what do you make of Hurt’s claims, especially in relation to the counter experiences and narratives presented in the assigned ‘protest’ texts/songs?

Dylan’s “Hurricane” (from 1975-76) and Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” (from 1963) could perhaps be considered in relation to the assertions/perspective contained in the 2017 Charlie Hurt video segment.

Or juxtaposing Monae’s 2014 “Hell You Talmbout” in relation to Hurt’s claims, one could perhaps be inclined to ask, “What the h are you talking about, Charlie Hurt?”

In other words, I am suggesting that the 6 songs could be looked at as a kind of rebuttal or opposing view to the position espoused by/articulated in the Fox News Sunday clip. What do you think? What is your perspective on these issues?

The 6 texts/songs present a different lens on *America* from the one presented by Hurt, and also from the one depicted in the three Schoolhouse Rock “America Rocks!” episodes (“The Great American Melting Pot,” “Elbow Room,” and “No More Kings”).

Some of Hurt’s (& Fox News’) stated and implied point of view

there are no racists in Virginia?

it was “outsiders” who participated (in the “Unite the Right” neo-Confederate tiki-torch march in Charlottesville, Virginia)

this country is not “a racist place”

America/the U.S. “is the freest, best country on earth with unlimited opportunities” (Hurt)

the real problem (according to Hurt and Fox News) is not racism but Democrats, described/defined by Hurt in this way: “an entire party that is built on the notion that America is a racist place”

The actual villain/problem, according to Hurt, appears to be this “party” and its “notion” and talking about or teaching about racism. According to Hurt, this is actually as bad as racism. This is what we reallyshould be upset about, his assertions insist. “It’s a very damaging thing to perpetuate,” he says. Hurt also insists that “to tell a kid anything other than that [this is the greatest country and so forth]…is about as bad as racism.” The ’that” here refers back to the hypothetical that Hurt brings up about a kid in Detroit. According to Hurt’s argument, to tell this kid anything other than that “this is the freest, best country on earth” and not at all “a racist place” is to do something as bad as racism. There is more to Hurt’s implied argument, of course, but I hope this partial explication is of some use.