Topic: Hashtag

A PBS "Say It Loud" segment traces the origins of Black Twitter to 2009, highlighting the community's innovative use of hashtags for storytelling and social impact. The hosts discuss how Black America has historically used self-invented means of communication, from cassette tapes to radio shout-outs, due to underrepresentation in mainstream media. They also address the concept of "cultural vulturing" where corporate entities monetize Black inventions like the turntable or specific TikTok dances.

April Reign, a member of the "She Will Rise" collective, is identified as the creator of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag in 2015. This movement led to significant changes in the Academy's diversity requirements but also created a rift with Chris Rock, who hosted the Oscars during the 2016 boycott. Mo links this historical tension to the recent Will Smith slap, suggesting the conflict between the Smiths and Rock has roots in this diversity advocacy.

Jemele Hill sparked a "Blame Black Men" hashtag on Twitter after tweeting that many Black men simply want better access to patriarchy rather than its dismantling. The hosts discuss the "purging" of opinions that followed and Hill's history of controversial takes regarding Black men.

The episode concludes with a "mind-blowing" theory connecting the BLM acronym to "Balaam" through chaos magic practices that involve removing vowels from words. The hosts discuss "spiritual warfare" and the psychological impact of hashtags and memes. They encourage listeners to "plead the blood of Jesus" against perceived spiritual manipulation and look forward to episode 50.

The hosts explain the two rules of fish schooling: stay close but not too close, and keep swimming. They translate this to social movements as staying connected enough to coordinate but distant enough to avoid the "infiltration" that destroyed previous movements. They express joy that this self-organizing "groundswell" is already happening independently of the established media and political hijackers.

The timing of the New York Times article coincided with Deval Patrick announcing his 2020 presidential run and Barack Obama making comments about "woke" culture and hashtag activism. These events are interpreted as a coordinated effort to manage black political energy leading into the election cycle. The Harriet Tubman film is further criticized as "trauma-based entertainment" designed to influence specific demographics.