African Americans under the Lenses of Racist Ideology In the history of humanity, African Americans have always been under the pressure and oppression of the common ideology that crates racism towards Africans Americans. For many years, many African American have been violently beaten, raped and tortured with no one to question or suppress these violent actions taken against Africans Americans whether in reality or in the entertainment industry. Louis Althusser is a French- Algerian Marxist and philosopher who have a huge impact and is considered as "one of most influential Marxist philosophers in the twentieth century" (Lewis). Althusser discusses the power of ideology, and how it can make an effect through two methods which he calls the
…show more content…
Once she made it out from prison her son Jamal asks her what is planning to do and she replay" I'm here to get what is mine"("Pilot" 14:01 ). Immediately Cookie is represented to the audience as a vindictive ex wife who only cares about revenge. Furthermore, While Lucious the ex husband is in a company meeting, Cookie enters the meeting with no respect or politeness regarding the meeting telling the guard who tries to stop her to "kiss my black ass" ("Pilot" 28:16). In the show, not only does it create the stereotypical image of a mad black woman but also, it portray the African American family in general as a family that only care about money ,do not have any respect towards their mother and the fear and loath of homosexuality. When Hakeem Lyon, the younger son sees his mother Cookie for the first time in 17 years he tells his father that she is "a psychopathic animal"("Pilot"19:17). Moreover, when Jamal who is a gay man talks to his father about his boyfriend, Lucious ignores him and change the subject to work. Jamal tells his father that "it's always about money with you" ("Pilot" 23:09). It is fair to say that the show embodies the ideology which showcase that African Americans are the bad apple in the American community whose only care and interests is making money, disrespecting of their family members and fear of …show more content…
Henson, the actress who plays Cookie in Empire has won a Golden Globe award as the best actress in a drama series in 2016. What is interesting about her Golden Globe win is when she is asked to give an acceptance speech she sheds light on the very important issue that this papers argues. Despite the fact that Taraji P. Henson has been an actress for many years she is now being acknowledged because of her role in Empire in particular. She says "Hollywood Foreign Press, thank you. I mean, who knew that playing an ex-convict would take me all around the globe? … I waited 20 years for this so you are going to wait"
Once she made it out from prison her son Jamal asks her what is planning to do and she replay" I'm here to get what is mine"("Pilot" 14:01 ). Immediately Cookie is represented to the audience as a vindictive ex wife who only cares about revenge. Furthermore, While Lucious the ex husband is in a company meeting, Cookie enters the meeting with no respect or politeness regarding the meeting telling the guard who tries to stop her to "kiss my black ass" ("Pilot" 28:16). In the show, not only does it create the stereotypical image of a mad black woman but also, it portray the African American family in general as a family that only care about money ,do not have any respect towards their mother and the fear and loath of homosexuality. When Hakeem Lyon, the younger son sees his mother Cookie for the first time in 17 years he tells his father that she is "a psychopathic animal"("Pilot"19:17). Moreover, when Jamal who is a gay man talks to his father about his boyfriend, Lucious ignores him and change the subject to work. Jamal tells his father that "it's always about money with you" ("Pilot" 23:09). It is fair to say that the show embodies the ideology which showcase that African Americans are the bad apple in the American community whose only care and interests is making money, disrespecting of their family members and fear of …show more content…
Henson, the actress who plays Cookie in Empire has won a Golden Globe award as the best actress in a drama series in 2016. What is interesting about her Golden Globe win is when she is asked to give an acceptance speech she sheds light on the very important issue that this papers argues. Despite the fact that Taraji P. Henson has been an actress for many years she is now being acknowledged because of her role in Empire in particular. She says "Hollywood Foreign Press, thank you. I mean, who knew that playing an ex-convict would take me all around the globe? … I waited 20 years for this so you are going to wait"