I was going to try not to be quiet about this, but I couldn't help it. This video angers me to no end. This man is blatantly disrespecting this women and no one is coming to her aid. One man steps in to tell her not to disrespect "his family" while the guy with the camera is asking her such questions as "do you want to suck my dick?" and "you going to pop a tittie out?" I think what is even more astonishing is that it is obvious something is wrong with her, but he is trying to exploit her without a care in the world.
I find it also strange that people are laughing at her misfortune, using it to make fun of her and be downright cruel. Is mental illness funny?
I have talked about the perceptions of mental illness in the black community before. I get frustrated, but then I am part of the problem. I know I have my weird notion about seeing a psychiatrist myself, and I really should be open to the idea. Especially for someone like this woman.
If you guys don't know who this woman is, it is Maia Campbell. She is an actress best known for her role on the sitcom "In The House" with LL Cool J. She is also the daughter of BeBe Moore Campbell. Apparently since her mother passed away a few years back, she has had some issues. I am not clear on her mental condition,but apparently she is either bipolar, schizophrenic, or both and refuses to take her medication. She is also rumored to be using drugs, in particular meth.A few years back, there were some nude pics and videos of her on the internet, and she looked like she wasn't fully aware of what was going on in those. I'm not quite sure where her father or the rest of her family is, or if they are even able to do anything, but I find it strange that these last few years she has been mixed up with people who do nothing but essentially pimp her out, and no one appears to be trying to help her.
How do we stop this stigma?Is she another case of the black community not protecting it's black women?
::UPDATE::
The "pimp" accused of hitting her speaks. I can't understand a damn word he is saying, but from what I can make out. He claims he isn't a pimp, but rather a "hustla", he doesn't beat her, she's on crack, and she is shooting a music video for him. If she is on crack, why would you want a crackhead in your music video? I also want to know if you were on a video shoot, where in the hell were you shooting the video? It looked like somebody's cousin's house. I love how he wanted her in the video, but he can't be bothered to know her name. I love how he is also concerned about his family being disrespected, but not about her.
11 comments:
Siditty I believe this is the first time I have made a comment on your blog. It hurts my heart too see this young lady going through this...It's painful for me to watch...your blog is the first one that I've read that's not talking ugly about her...How can people be so mean?...
Siditty,
I wanted to write about this but my frustration got the best of me. I decided to let you and WAOD and Faith at Acts Of Faith write about it. Y'all say it much better than I ever could.
I do want point out, however, that this stigma on black women regarding seeking help for mental illness needs to stop. We have been burdened with this "duty" to be strong and unbreakable, but at the precise moment that we begin to waver we seem to be fodder for the damaged people within our own community. Mental illness is never a laughing matter and the DESTROYED men who recorded this and who are abusing her need some form of help too.
That said, was it really necessary to put the video here? I am not being snarky, but I just think that stopping this abuse of Maia Campbell should start somewhere, right? I think that we can discuss her without adding to the turmoil that she is already going through.
Keep writing!,
-Aina
Siditty,
I find this video saddening. We presently have conservatives in all-out assault on the President and then we have Black men making videos of a Black woman in which she's asked, "suck my dick".
It's just sad and so wrong (on so many levels).
U
Siditty,
If you want to get a better insight into Maia's illness read her mom's book '72 Hour Hold'. It's about Maia's mental illness and her mom's struggle to deal with it. Warning though, it's a heartbreaking book.
I'm not a sociologist but I think that some of African American's discomfort with mental illness may have to do with the portrayal of African Americans as 'crazed' by the majority community since the time of slavery. That might explain a lot of the comments around the internet about Maia.
That however is not to excuse the behavior of the men in this video. I think their problem is they come from a culture of misogyny. It wouldn't matter to them what Maia was dealing with as long as they could exploit her.
Who are these dudes in this vid?? Wow I hope she doesn't have anything else messing with all these low lifes!
http://www.skinnydipp.com/?p=231
I encounter these types of women all the time since I don't drive. The BW is truly on her own. Those that can't handle the challenge fall on the way side. Its pretty sad.
Offtopic;
I find this Van Jones saga quite interesting.
The story goes he was first a civil rights activist then became an environmental activist. How does one switch from one to the other? Did he see Civil rights as accomplished to pursue environmentalism or does his change have to do with marrying a White woman and there fore taking a safer role in activism?
I find it interesting. Or to be even more crass, did marrying a White woman signify to him the end of the Civil Rights struggle?
Off Topic. This is good.
Finally some light can be thrown on crimes aganst BW/WM couples. Its about time. This is no doubt a hate crime. BW wake up this is your cause.
Man beaten for dating BW
I'm glad you are posting on this topic. I have a relative with mental illness (many of the same issues as Ms. Campbell), and the stigmatization of taking medication or getting professional help can have severe consequences for both the person and his/her family.
I wonder if the other actors from "In the House" couldn't reach out to Maia. Debbie Allen or LL Cool J certainly could try to help her (I don't know if they've tried already, but were unsuccessful).
Just seems that there isn't much we can do to get her some help. Sad situation, but unfortunately, her story may not end well.
I'll only say this. The dude that filmed the first video is an ASS.
@ Grata:
What?! Van Jones is married to a white woman? I can see Michael Steel or Harold Ford Jr. but Van Jones? Nothing wrong with it in and of itself but it screams hypocrit. Da white man is ebil but I luv da white wimmin.
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