I posted this in a thread that got closed due to it being a repeated topic. This post was not in regards to whether Rock is the first African American Champion, but rather how the mainstream media, and WWE for that matter view, and present his heritage on television and in movies.
I wanted my viewpoint to be heard because to be honest, i've been thinking about this for quite some time and after seeing the trailer for Snitch, a movie the Rock stars in where his child is played by a white actor...it was just finally time to speak up. Below is my post from the other thread.
I have not seen a thread on this topic before (if there has been threads on it) so I'm glad to finally have a chance to speak my peace on it.
My question or concern isn't whether the Rock is the first African American champion or not. I know he is the first African American WWE champion.
My issue is how his ethnicity is handled in the WWE and all mainstream media for that matter.
I wanted to write a letter, note or tweet, or whatever to the Rock entitled,
"You're OUR champion, TOO!"
From the perspective of his African American fans, of which I am one.
I feel as if the WWE, and main stream movies and such don't see him as a black man, but as a Samoan. They make such a huge deal out of his Samoan roots, and his time in Hawaii, the Polynesian tattoos, (which i think ARE pretty cool) etc.etc... But they don't spend much time at all talking about Rocky Johnson's contribution to wrestling. Him being half of the first black Tag Team champions.
But then again, neither does the Rock. Does he mention him? Yes. Of course he does. But for the most part, at least in my opinion, the world and at times even the Rock, seems to favor his Samoan side.
Is the Samoan half of him more interesting to him? Is it cooler to be Samoan than it is to be African American in his eyes?
I've seen just about all of Rock's movies (with the exception of doom) and I have yet (and PLEASE correct me if i'm wrong) to see him in a love scene with an African American woman. I mean Rosalyn Sanchez is GORGEOUS but she's not an African American woman. The closest thing he had to an African American child was in the game plan and the mother was white....I mean, in the Grid Iron Gang and Walking Tall (which from what I understand where based off of true stories) he played the lead role, where the person in real life was white or at least NOT black.
I'm not the "militant-black-man" guy. I'm not racist by any stretch.
I love ALL people.
Especially, my people.
I'm not taking anything from him, Black White or otherwise, he would have become the champion because he is an amazing worker. But if he was as dark as R Truth or Mark Henry (both of whom have been WORLD champions) would he have gotten to the heights that he had BEFORE he left?
Would he have conquered hollywood the way he has?
Is he claiming more Samoan decent than he is African American decent to keep from being stereotyped and typecasted?
I don't know... I really don't know the answers to any of these questions...
All I DO know is that as a black man, I am proud of the fact that Dwayne Johnson has made such a HUGE name for himself in sports entertainment AND hollywood. Its inspiring to me.
I just wonder sometimes, with all due respect and no offense intended whatsoever, if its as important to him that he is the first African American WWF/E champion, and ICON in the business of professional wrestling, as it is to the African American wrestling fan community...?
Without question, i'm sure that he'd say it is.
It just doesn't feeeeel like it.
Just my opinion...
And now, your thoughts. And before you post, this is not a place for you to post racists rants or comments. I just want to discuss this with people who may or may not feel the same way.
I wanted my viewpoint to be heard because to be honest, i've been thinking about this for quite some time and after seeing the trailer for Snitch, a movie the Rock stars in where his child is played by a white actor...it was just finally time to speak up. Below is my post from the other thread.
I have not seen a thread on this topic before (if there has been threads on it) so I'm glad to finally have a chance to speak my peace on it.
My question or concern isn't whether the Rock is the first African American champion or not. I know he is the first African American WWE champion.
My issue is how his ethnicity is handled in the WWE and all mainstream media for that matter.
I wanted to write a letter, note or tweet, or whatever to the Rock entitled,
"You're OUR champion, TOO!"
From the perspective of his African American fans, of which I am one.
I feel as if the WWE, and main stream movies and such don't see him as a black man, but as a Samoan. They make such a huge deal out of his Samoan roots, and his time in Hawaii, the Polynesian tattoos, (which i think ARE pretty cool) etc.etc... But they don't spend much time at all talking about Rocky Johnson's contribution to wrestling. Him being half of the first black Tag Team champions.
But then again, neither does the Rock. Does he mention him? Yes. Of course he does. But for the most part, at least in my opinion, the world and at times even the Rock, seems to favor his Samoan side.
Is the Samoan half of him more interesting to him? Is it cooler to be Samoan than it is to be African American in his eyes?
I've seen just about all of Rock's movies (with the exception of doom) and I have yet (and PLEASE correct me if i'm wrong) to see him in a love scene with an African American woman. I mean Rosalyn Sanchez is GORGEOUS but she's not an African American woman. The closest thing he had to an African American child was in the game plan and the mother was white....I mean, in the Grid Iron Gang and Walking Tall (which from what I understand where based off of true stories) he played the lead role, where the person in real life was white or at least NOT black.
I'm not the "militant-black-man" guy. I'm not racist by any stretch.
I love ALL people.
Especially, my people.
I'm not taking anything from him, Black White or otherwise, he would have become the champion because he is an amazing worker. But if he was as dark as R Truth or Mark Henry (both of whom have been WORLD champions) would he have gotten to the heights that he had BEFORE he left?
Would he have conquered hollywood the way he has?
Is he claiming more Samoan decent than he is African American decent to keep from being stereotyped and typecasted?
I don't know... I really don't know the answers to any of these questions...
All I DO know is that as a black man, I am proud of the fact that Dwayne Johnson has made such a HUGE name for himself in sports entertainment AND hollywood. Its inspiring to me.
I just wonder sometimes, with all due respect and no offense intended whatsoever, if its as important to him that he is the first African American WWF/E champion, and ICON in the business of professional wrestling, as it is to the African American wrestling fan community...?
Without question, i'm sure that he'd say it is.
It just doesn't feeeeel like it.
Just my opinion...
And now, your thoughts. And before you post, this is not a place for you to post racists rants or comments. I just want to discuss this with people who may or may not feel the same way.