Some Of My Best Songs Are About Racial Harmony

I think it was 1980's WWF superstar "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan who once said, "It is always with the best intentions that the worst work is done."

Actually, come to think of it, that was probably Oscar Wilde. Regardless of who said it, that bit of knowledge rang true this week when I ran into not one, but two(!) songs that reflect this sentiment unconditionally.

First, it's country music artist Corey Smith's song "I Love Black People". While this is meant to be a song about acceptance and racial harmony, something about it just rubs me the wrong way—as if he was forced to record it not because of his own conviction, but as part of a plea bargain with the state prosecutor. This fan-made video complete with literal lyric interpretation probably doesn't help:



Second, comes Atlanta's own Duece Poppi with his ode to diversity, "My White Friends." He manages to promote cultural assimilation while concurrently reinforcing hackneyed stereotypes. That takes some talent (or complete ironic disregard):



I guess I'll take this as progress, considering we've come a long way from shit like this.

Then again, have we?