In last week’s podcast, I talked a little about the “Blogging While Black Revisited” panel, and I received one of the following comments:

Is it just me that finds the session title “Blogging While Black” a trifle odd? It makes it sound like being black is a temporary state; a condition, almost like pregnancy!

Surely a more appropriate phrasing would be Being a Black Blogger, Black and Blogging or somesuch… [link]

Hmm…I had to marinate on that one for a while. The title does remind me of the driving while black racial profiling issue which surfaced in most mainstream media outlets in the mid-90’s. And sure, while it’s “just a name”…does it speak to the greater implied perception of blogging as a “whites only” game? A quick glance at the “Blogging While Black Revisited” panel description doesn’t help:

A renewed assessment of identity bloggers’ reaction to, response from and engagement with the blogosphere. [link]

Oooook…so what was last year’s assessment?

Although there are literally hundreds of black blogs today that were once bound together by color and attitude, their communities have diversified to encompass other social networks within the larger weblog world. Panelists will address blogging while black and discuss why the active community of black bloggers get very little recognition outside of their own social network. [link]

I think I like that a little…no, a LOT better. Check out badgerbag’s transcript of the panel for more info. Some of it I agree with and some of it…eh, not so much.

And with that…my questions.

• Is “identity” the new Black?
• To a degree, aren’t ALL bloggers identity bloggers?
• Are non-Black folks blogging from a different mental place?

Identity politics, as I’ve discovered, tend to focus on group identity. Imagine if every time I was to write something I had to deconstruct what it meant to be Black. Then what it meant to be Black and gay. And then to be Black and gay and then a blogger? Or from a young person’s perspective? From a smart guy’s perspective? Hell, even from a rural upbringing? Hog gravy and chitlins, I’d be all fuckin’ day trying to post. Either that or I’d hammer out something, press “Post & Publish”, then cover my eyes with my hands waiting for backlash. Puh-leeze.

The tone of the Internet is changing. To quote Rod, it’s all very meta. I mean, this time last year, you didn’t have this strange amalgamation of television and the Internet, celebrities and regular Joes or even video and cell phones. Old dogs have to learn new tricks. Maybe it is necessary to lay it down like the “angry black man” or “angry black woman”. Maybe it’s time to throw the “nagic negro” t-shirt away.

I say “F-U” to an FAQ! And personally, I know I couldn’t sit on that panel, because my smart-talkin’ razor-tongued ass would have verbally eviscerated some poor white person in the crowd.

On purpose.

While Black.

But hey, at least the Black Weblog Awards were mentioned at SXSW. Go free publicity!