We’ve heard from many of you about our cover text for the March issue, and if we had the chance to do it again, we’d go in a different direction. In retrospect, it was ill-chosen and we apologize to those who are offended by it, and to MyNameIsJohnMichael, the band that appeared on the cover and who we meant to honor, not demean. We didn’t realize the phrase “strange fruit” has the same power in 2010 that it did when lynching was a more contemporary threat. Still, we recognize that for many it’s not a distant memory, and as events in Jena, Louisiana in 2006 demonstrated, the noose remains a potent image.
We profoundly regret our thoughtlessness and insensitivity, but we believe our history of coverage demonstrates our concern for race-related issues and we are saddened by those who would extrapolate this to speak to our character. The context of the cover text next to an indie rock band suggests that we’re not using the phrase in a threatening way, and we believe our mission covering music borne out of slavery suggests that we don’t take the issues connected with it—including hate crimes—lightly. We believed that in 2010, the phrase “strange fruit” could be used without automatically evoking the Billie Holiday song and its subject matter. This was an error in judgment for which we apologize.
If you were intelligent, you would see that anyone who is not mega-rich, has but a vote in this country. United we stand, divided we fall. As long as you are easily riled to arms in defense of your group, the wall street white boys win. They saw the writing on the wall and held up the country for $1,500,000,000,000.00. They will use any means to divide the citizens of this country, including, class, race, religion, sex, preference, education, location, imprisonment, and pharmacology. By the way, institutionalized racism works both ways. We've watched as many recent “leaders”, used race to attain office and set up their own back alley deals to defraud the very people who elected them. Tell me how in a majority black city, black people are continuing to be oppressed? And for being “not very bright”, I sure get a lot of attention from you.
Nice read. I mostly agree with white/male privilege. Is true equality the answer? Can it be attained? Or would another “group” merely imitate such privilege were they to be in that position? Not to defend Ron, but New Orleans is a bit crazy. And when we get the murder/shooting/rape/mugging/car jacking/radio booming/wild driving/general lawlessness thing under control, I would love to explore (not dictate) what people of color find racist or offensive and work towards equality.
[...] an unfulfilled obligation toward their readers and I recognize this is a matter of opinion. I think the apology posted online and Jan Ramsey’s comments after the fact were pretty disrespectful to their readers. So, [...]
I can't wait for the newest edition of OffBeat, the cover picturing a local music hero posed seductively under the word “N****r”. No problemo, right?
When in doubt, do your research. And when you make a grievous error in judgment, apologize instead of making excuses.
I believe the editors were unfamiliar with the term “strange fruit” or Billie Holiday's song, but cannot admit it because they are a music magazine. Admitting ignorance would undermine their musical expertise.
Better to say you were ignorant than admit you knowingly use racist terms.
Even if everyone had a lobotomy to forget that strange fruit refers back to Billie Holiday's song which refers specifically and only to the pain of lynching and racism, then what is the play on words meant to reference? That the band members are strange in some way? How? They look fine and happy having fun hanging out or that they are hanging like fruit ready for harvest or that the low hanging fruit is ready for picking? That they are gay and strange and need to be lynched?
There are so many other clever plays on words to choose. Strange Fruit will never be appropriate for usage other than for reference to lynchings, that is the power of the song.
All said, I'm beginning to think this delirious debate– about the latent racism behind that cover, as well as the nature of racism in New Orleans 2010– is going to be a positive thing in terms of opening lively discussions about “race”. On a side note, I found it very interesting that this particular issue had a pretty compelling article about Bounce music, thus highlighting a positive element of “street” culture that is dying out as communities have been ravaged by Katrina & post Katrina gentrification. I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Yes, the cover was lame & insensitive & unprofessional & the magazine entirely unapologetic. And everyone, including all the musicians that have been getting free promotion from it are furious & embarrassed, as they certainly have the right to be. But personally, I have always thought of this magazine as something for tourists, or select local groups. The magazine & the venues make their money from tourists who come down from Ohio & like the “exotic” culture, and this is their guide. So before anyone wastes a whole lot of time on this I think we should take a little time also to reflect on some other media groups that are FAR more detrimental to racial equality in the long term by way of producing negative imagery and stereotypes (i.e. all the local news stations). If we're going to talk about racism & responsibility as a means for holding this magazine accountable, I think we should also should ask ourselves deeper questions about how we are taking personal responsibility for the solutions, like civic considerations that work to unite various communities deeply affected by racism. My point is, when does Frenchman St. intersect with the Cooper Housing Development? My answer is rare to never. Or when does a regional entertainment guide purportedly committed to reflecting the culture of our city learn that this issue is in your face so that you will listen & grow from it or move on? My final two cents worth: find a way to stop the evening news from depicting the majority of New Orleans people of Color as hopelessly ignorant savages , and in your spare time, deal with this kind of light weight. I have the feeling that if Billie were alive she would still be singing this damn song, but it might be about how people's lives and the communities they had are completely in limbo as they watch their city being developed out of their reach without a single consideration for what was their before.
[...] not, and more than that, many people wrote in to complain to the magazine. They’ve published an apology, stating: We regret treating such a history so casually, and we’ll make an effort to do [...]
What else could the phrase “strange fruit” possibly evoke? In what other context besides lynchings has that term ever been used…[besides a band hanging from monkey bars] ? I don't think people think you are racist as much as that you are a bunch of oblivious idiots. This has to be the lamest printed apology ever. It's not that people are still sensitive because of Jena, it's that you placed a picture of people hanging next to a word that means killing black people by hanging them.
I was happy to see a real apology in the April issue of Offbeat.