The e-mail and Weblog buzz are conflicted. The subject is race, so people are torn. They forward the link, to rent-a-negro.com, without quite knowing what they think of the site. Is it a joke? Why is this funny?

"I don't know if it's genius or heinous," says Vincent Thomas, 24, a project coordinator for American Forest and Paper Association here.

The site offers "the chance to promote your connection with a creative, articulate, friendly, attractive and pleasing African American person," available, for rent, to add flavor to your function.

"Where do you find the people to diversify your life?" the site asks. "What if you don't know any black people? You want to appear up-to-date, but just don't have the human resources."

Thomas thought it was a joke, "but I kept on going through the site and saw it was a real live thing. Even right now I'm still trying to gather my thoughts and come forth with an official stance." Because he has been in those situations, he says. He's been at functions with folks who look to him "for comic relief or to add some type of personality." And maybe black folks should stop giving it away for free.

When a reporter finally tells him the Web site is a satirical piece of performance art by damali ayo, 31, a Portland, Ore.-based artist and personal growth consultant, he is relieved -- but, of course, still conflicted.

Ayo says she got the idea for the piece after years of being in all-white settings, fielding questions from people wanting to touch her hair, and playing the role of cultural ambassador.

"I feel like people are saying, 'You need to serve my ignorance by teaching me,' " she explained in a telephone interview. "I've said to certain people, 'I don't feel like talking about that now,' but there is really an urgency and an insistence. It's an urgency and an insistence with which we speak to servants or people who are working for us."

She adds: "I understand the white environment because I was forced to learn it. White people are not forced in any capacity to learn about other cultures. I'm not mad about it, but I would like more equity."

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So she's mad that people want to learn about her culture? She thinks that she should be paid for such a service? So it's come to this. People complain about others wanting to learn and share their culture. Pathetic. (Just my opinion, and, oh yeah, IBTL! [bounce])

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Dare I say "Group Buy"? [:D]

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Dare I say "Group Buy"? [:D]

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I can rent one for a lot less than $200 an hour.

Ripoff

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lol, I think it's funny.


Anyone see the ned "Rainbow band-aid" commecial that is done by that black commedian? I laughed my ass off at that, lol!

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You were thinking, perhaps, of something like this?

Originally Posted By [red]racebaiter:[/red]
i am appalled.