MovieChat Forums > Empire (2015) Discussion > Gutsy storyline they should do: Big Mama...

Gutsy storyline they should do: Big Mama's abuse turns boys violent

posted 8 years ago by PrometheusTree64
10 replies | jump to latest

EMPIRE really needs to do a provocative storyline that addresses physical and verbal abuse directed at boys by their mothers -- especially in the black community where fathers tend to be nowhere around while Big Mama is seen as sacrosanct and above reproach.

I'm not referring to Cookie (she was, after all, in prison for 17 years) but Lucius' mother.

A lot has been said about crime amongst young black males, but that's usually attributed to poverty and the lack of fathers in the home. But there's a growing theory that young male violence is also exacerbated by being raised in households where the mother is often histrionic and violent routinely, the young boys third class citizens in the home and mistreated all day long -- young black girls don't have it easy either, but they know that the status of "Mama" isn't too far around the corner for them.

But this plotline or analysis would raise some hackles, because we're never supposed to blame Mama for nothin'. Only men. Ever.

Of course, LBJ's Great Society pushed men out of the household in the '60s in order that the family could qualify for public assistance (which was desperately needed at the time) further undermining the black family just as the civil rights movement was getting some traction (Kennedy knew welfare needed to be structured to avoid men being pushed out of the home and addressed this concern publicly, but one he was dead, LBJ seemed to care little about that issue other than to take credit for the program).

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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA

[–] nchi9 8 years ago

EMPIRE really needs to do a provocative storyline that addresses physical and verbal abuse directed at boys by their mothers -- especially in the black community where fathers tend to be nowhere around while Big Mama is seen as sacrosanct and above reproach.

Personally, I think that would be a very unpopular approach for a whole lot of reasons.
You are right that Big Mama is seen as sacrosanct and above reproach which I think should be true because if you talk to a lot of successful black people, they have credited their moms for all the support they got. Secondly, with a lot of the men gone, the women were left to take care of the family and it has not been easy.

I think it would be a BIG MISTAKE to do the storyline you suggest. I think we already have enough negative stereotypes about black people and black men in general. We don't need anymore about black mothers. Enough is enough.

Cookie spent 17 years in jail as a sacrifice to her family's well-being. I think that says it all as far as characterizing black women on this show is concerned.

JMHO

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

Personally, I think that would be a very unpopular approach for a whole lot of reasons.

You are right that Big Mama is seen as sacrosanct and above reproach which I think should be true because if you talk to a lot of successful black people, they have credited their moms for all the support they got. Secondly, with a lot of the men gone, the women were left to take care of the family and it has not been easy.

I think it would be a BIG MISTAKE to do the storyline you suggest. I think we already have enough negative stereotypes about black people and black men in general. We don't need anymore about black mothers. Enough is enough.

Cookie spent 17 years in jail as a sacrifice to her family's well-being. I think that says it all as far as characterizing black women on this show is concerned.

So you're saying I'm right: no one should ever criticize black mothers ever. Even if their mistreatment of young boys helps contribute to youth violence.

Thanks for proving my point about the attitude: this truth must never be spoken.

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[–] puredieselbc 8 years ago

But aren't they already doing that story line with Lucious, sorry Dwight, and his wacko momma?

Happiness must be earned.

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

But aren't they already doing that story line with Lucious, sorry Dwight, and his wacko momma?

We're not sure. Probably not. So far, Lucious' mama seems merely wacko, but we don't know much else.

Anyway, strong mamas who've actually helped their children isn't the problem. The problem is a sea of abusive black mothers who abuse their sons with total cultural impunity. Some in the black community (the brave ones) assert that abusive mamas are the strongest weapon in the arsenal of the white power structure to keep black men down because abusive mothers do more damage to black males earlier and more profoundly than anything the white power structure could dole out.

Food for thought. And something EMPIRE could address to great controversial effect. It could even cause Cookie to think twice the next time she tries to hit her sons (even though she didn't abuse them as children because she was in prison).

And the fact the topic is uncomfortable (and might even be seen as blasphemous within the black community, just as the second poster on this thread asserted black mothers "should be" sacrosanct) makes it a ripe topic for the picking.

Has anyone even dared to do it?

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[–] nchi9 8 years ago

And the fact the topic is uncomfortable (and might even be seen as blasphemous within the black community, just as the second poster on this thread asserted black mothers "should be" sacrosanct) makes it a ripe topic for the picking.

The topic is not uncomfortable. It is just pointless. What you are asserting happens in other races too and rampant as well. The fact remains that black mothers have been trying to raise their sons alone while others have not had to put up with a similar situation. It is not easy raising children alone especially when the odds are against you. The black mother is doing the best she can under the circumstances and a lot of boys have benefited from that and are very, very appreciative of their mothers.

There are millions of other topics the writers can explore rather than denigrating black mothers for trying their best. It is unwise and will be unpopular to do so.

Find another topic that doesn't have to do with further negatively stereotyping black people.

JMHO

[–] lavenderspirit2005 8 years ago

There are millions of other topics the writers can explore rather than denigrating black mothers for trying their best. It is unwise and will be unpopular to do so.

Thank you, perfectly said!

It's also important to get out positive representations of Black women on TV because there's been such a lack of it historically.

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http://divasdamselsandsmudgedmascara.tumblr.com/

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

You ladies are proving exactly why the storyline needs to be done.

There are millions of other topics the writers can explore rather than denigrating black mothers for trying their best.

How about the ones who are violent and abusive to their boys?
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[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

But we're not talking about "denigrating black mothers for trying their best" and who "benefited" their boys. Those are good mothers.

We're talking about black mothers who shame, scream at, insult, hit and castrate their boys every day of their lives, and fill those boys with anger and self-hatred.

Or can a women, a black woman, a black mother, never be called out on her behavior?

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[–] briteslope 8 years ago

young black girls don't have it easy either, but they know that the status of "Mama" isn't too far around the corner for them.

This would somehow make their troubles okay?

You ARE right that it's a topic needing more exposure, but then so is maternal abuse among all races.

[–] PrometheusTree64 8 years ago

This would somehow make their troubles okay?

Never said that.

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