Read a Book...

So the official spokespeople of Black men, women, and children in the great U. S. of A. have spoken:

Read a book,
Read a book,
Read a muthafuckin book.

Thank you, BET--otherwise known as Becoming Embecils TV.

This afternoon, as I was teaching, several of my students came in the room, heads bopping to some imaginary beat in their minds, and seemingly unconsciously murmuring a little ditty. The words are as follows:

Read a book, read a book, read a mummapfffting book. Yeah. Read a book, read a book, read a mummapfffting book.

In an attempt to conceal the obvious curse words, my kids replaced the key words with "mummapffting."

I looked up and asked one of my kids what in the world they were talking about.

"You know Ms. Daughtery, you like to read. The Read-A-Book song on BET."

I replied that I did not watch BET.

One of my kids told me that I wasn't Black. Another said I was a shame to the Black race.

All because I don't watch BET. (Keep in mind, these strong sentiments were expressed my people not old enough to legally vote, drink, procreate, marry or watch rated R movies-yet they all knew the words to BET's newest degredatation: Read a Book.

Just when we thought BET could sink no lower--the BET awards where rappers throw chairs and threaten to beat each other up; the constant barrage of booty-shakin', ass-and-titty little ditties; the nonstop videos that do not subconsciously influence people; the Sharpton press-and-curl hour--it manages to suck the last shred of dignity from cable TV with Read A Book--a song that encourages (?) reading. It gives the viewer great advice: read a book, read a magazine, read the sports page, just read a MFing book.

Now, the reading teacher in me, I suppose, should be happy that BET is encouraging their core demographic (ages 18-39) to read. But come on. The Read-A-Book song is accompanied with a cartoon video, complete with a stripper with the word "Book" spread across her buttocks as she bounces up and down.

Have we really sunk this low? In BET's quest to "keep it real" they somehow forgot to keep it right. A good friend of mine swears that every time we watch BET, we actually lose brain cells, thus becomming progressively stupider. I think I may agree.

Guess I'm off to read my MFing book...

*M*