because I don't have time to respond to the rest of what you said...though believe me I can...
>So should we ingratiate the honor,
>strength and pride that is
>also the colloquial context of
>dark skinned people or destroy
>the idea that claims that
>light skinned people are prettier?

Neither. We should acknowledge that there is beauty in all hues. Otherwise we'd just be making up yet another beauty hierarchy.

>Do we tell people to
>stop thinking this way or
>do we tell people that
>they'll have to deal with
>it because people will think
>this way regardless?

We try to get people to stop thinking inside the box. We can't make anyone do anything.

>Im not pretty- and i dont
>want to be pretty- certainly
>not by those standards; so
>should I insist that we
>change the standards?

That's a very self centered view. Just because it won't directly affect you doesn't mean you shouldn't advocate it.

>>You're going a bit too far
>>there. I'm saying, the institution
>>of beauty should be eliminated
>>because it is not very
>>inclusive.
>
>I dont think its fair to
>insist that all things be
>inclusive- its certainly not the
>natural order of things. How
>do you suggest that someone
>eliminate something that is very
>profitable for them on the
>grounds that its not so
>fair to you or in
>this case hardly involves you.

That's why racism and sexism still exist in a BIG way. Because they benefit somebody...a lot of somebodies.

>It seems to me youd
>be better off telling the
>people not to be involved
>with the institution rather than
>trying to bring the insitution
>down.

??? If people weren't involved with the institution, there wouldnt be one.

>>The elimination of it
>>wouldn't solve insecurity, however, it
>>would be a weight off
>>of those people who are
>>hindered by society's ideals of
>>what's beautiful and what ain't.
>
>If those are society's ideals then
>the institution is perfectly reasonable
>in pandering to it. Should
>the Hip Hop industry cater
>to a more multicultural audience-
>it would certainly be a
>weight of all those "white"
>people who are trying to
>fit in.

Actually, society's ideals are generally reflections of the most powerful people in society. They have the resources to coerce people into believing what they think is the truth. Hip hop obviously is working fine with a multicultural audience...without a large amount of white people BUYING hiphop, many of our favorite and least favorite artists would need to get a PAYING job.

"You might as well pay attention/ you can't afford free speech" -George Clinton

http://www.funkknots.com look at the wonderful art! No it ain't mine! Just go there!Support your fellow player, ffunkknots

"Let them have their toy, we've got books."
Bill Cosby's response to Tavis Smiley of "BET Tonight "regarding the lack of minorities on television."

"Multiculturalism is a white people joke. Black people have always been here as different. People need to stop saying that there is one way to be--and then the issue will disappear." Ntozake Shange-interview in _Mother_ _Jones_