Tonight marks the one week anniversary of my latest obsession: The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.  The VMAs have really brought up a lot for me from thoughts about how technology has changed the way that we experience media to celebration and love for some of the most amazing pop performers to sadness and distrust in the racism that saturates our alleged post-racial society.  What follows are some disclaimers about my personal opinions and biases, some descriptions of how the VMAs have shaped my life in the last week, and a little analysis.

As many of us already know, Taylor Swift won Best Female Video of the year at the 2009 MTV VMAs, and while she was on stage giving her thanks, Kanye West jumped up, took the mic and said, "Taylor - I'm really happy for you.  I'm going to let you finish but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.  One of the best videos of all time."  He handed the mic back to her and left the stage.  She stood there. 

I think Beyonce's "Single Ladies" is an amazing song and the video inspires awe and admiration in my heart.  (And while I love Sasha Fierce, I don't really get the robo-glove thing.)  I caught Beyonce's VMA performance live on a television and have since watched it multiple times (with multiple different people) on the internet. 



I always sing along to Taylor Swift's "You belong with me" when it comes on the radio.  I also think the video is so cliche that it's painfully boring.

When Taylor Swift won the Best Female Video of the year and Kanye West jumped on stage - I wasn't watching the VMAs but was almost immediately alerted to the incident via a text message that a friend of mine received.  And have since (of course) watched the moment replay on the internet.

I have to say, I agree with Kanye.  I was thrilled and felt totally in agreement when Beyonce won Best Video of the Year.  And then, instead of taking her moment, she recalled how her first VMA was such a special experience and handed the mic to Taylor so that she could have that experience.

Needless to say, a lot went down that night and even more since then.  Here's what I think:

1. I think it's important to note that Beyonce was the only woman of color nominated for Best Female Video of the Year.

2. Sure Kanye's outburst was a little ridiculous, but at that same time he wasn't crass and he didn't say anything disrespectful directly to Taylor.  Mostly, I see his statements as disruptive, polite and true.

3. The responses that have appeared on the internet (in news commentary, on facebook, twitter, etc.) are terrifying.  The individual racism that people are comfortable displaying in public space is terrifying. 

One of the things that is missing from the public discussion of the VMAs is any sort of justice analysis of the event.  While I agree that when Beyonce conceded her time on the VMA stage to Taylor Swift, she showed herself to be gracious and classy, I also agree with what some fierce friends of mine have pointed out.  It's the same story of a distressed, helpless white woman being saved/nurtured by a woman of color.  And! Taylor didn't even give any thanks to Beyonce on the stage.  Where is the public outcry about that?

Tons of comments, tweets, and facebook posts have called Kanye West every sort of racist slur imaginable.  They have said that this 20 second moment at the VMAs has made all black men look bad.  "Rapper" has been turned into "rapist" because Kanye jumped on an MTV stage that a white woman was standing on.  I think there is plenty that could be said about misogynist lyrics by Kanye West.  But that is not - in any way the same - as the hate speech that has sprung up.  It is pure hate and racism that allows people to talk about lynching in the present tense (as has been called for by some in regards to Kanye West).  It is terrifying.  Where is the public outcry about that?

I have had numerous conversations with people about the VMAs.  (In fact, it's pretty much all I've been interested in talking about the last week.)  But I think it's so important that we pay attention to what's going on, celebrate talent and not forget to question it.  We shouldn't be afraid to love and honor the performances that move us, or inspire us, or even entertain us.  And we shouldn't be afraid to question it actively by having these conversations and not being complacent in the way that celebrities (and an entire race of people) are criminalized, villianized, and traumatized by people who think racism is a joke.