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    barebranchGabrielle Bluestone
    4/23/15 7:18am

    everyone is giving Affleck shit for being embarrassed/ashamed and asking that the slave-owning piece be cut, but the real dipshit here is Gates. He knew full well and openly acknowledged that acceding to such a demand would be a violation of editorial standards and it now appears that he has not been entirely truthful about the process. Perhaps Affleck was being overly sensitive about his family's past but Gates straight up knew better. I now think worse of Gates than I do Affleck.

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      Myrna Minkoffbarebranch
      4/23/15 7:41am

      Same. Anyone would feel some twinge of embarrassment to learn they had something like this in their family tree. That’s just human nature. Gates’ actions are bewildering to me. Esp. because how much did he have to lose if he did piss off Affleck? It’s not like he was going to be cast in the next Batman and needed Affleck on board.

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      Nefertittiesbarebranch
      4/23/15 7:53am

      I do also think less of Gates for this, considering that I never even knew his name until that whole false arrest thing a few years ago. As you’ll recall, he was trying to get into his Cambridge MA home and was suspected of robbing the place because it’s a predominately white neighborhood. Resolved over beer on the White House lawn with Obama and the arresting white officer. All very ironic in light of this revelation. HOWEVER, this is Affleck’s stew. And it’s also Gates’s problem. And it’s PBS’s issue. A tri-colored equilateral of compelling angles.

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    Kenny and the LlamasGabrielle Bluestone
    4/23/15 12:11am

    The metaphor here just beats you in the face. Wealthy, privileged Ben Affleck finds that some of that privilege and wealth descends from slavery. Instead of acknowledging it he tries to bury it, pretend it never happened, simply out of his own guilt and embarrassment. No consciousness of the fact that in trying to protect his family’s name, he’s denying the importance of the people his family exploited.

    And there’s another metaphor to draw, from the Afflecks to northern and western elite denial of responsibility for or even involvement in slavery.

    You’re truly America, Ben. Grab a flag and sing the anthem.

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      GruffyKenny and the Llamas
      4/23/15 4:14am

      I don’t know if he grew up wealthy. But he is a hard worker in Hollywood. Since the writers strike in 2008 studios have cut back on movies a lot. That’s why every movie these days is a remake, a sequel, a franchise or a cartoon. To get a studio to trust you enough to make a movie like none of those is a big deal, and it’s not easy.

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      lalaburnsKenny and the Llamas
      4/23/15 5:56am

      My fear is that this public shaming will lead Ben to script a movie about it. And then star in it.

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    Bwleon7Gabrielle Bluestone
    4/22/15 11:57pm

    So not only did he try to cover up the slave owner ancestor unnecessarily but he also by default covered up the fact that his mom (much closer relation) did lots of good things for Black people. I am having a really hard time understanding why Ben turned a PR gold mine into a PR shit factory.

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      exileonmystreetBwleon7
      4/23/15 12:02am

      No, the mom bit was covered on the show.

      Why did he choose to run away from the family’s redepemtion arc -from slave owners to Freedom Riders? How does a big-time Hollywood director and writer not recognize that as a pretty golden storyline?

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      Brad ConnersBwleon7
      4/23/15 12:06am

      Because Ben is (apparently) stupid, or defensive. That’s the only logical explanation I can muster.

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    TravelgrrlGabrielle Bluestone
    4/23/15 12:06am

    I’m more troubled by Affleck’s using his power to undermine PBS’s editorial standards (and them agreeing to it) then I am that his ancestor owned slaves.

    The first one is his direct fault.

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      BlergGabrielle Bluestone
      4/23/15 12:07am

      Having now read this the decision to cut out the slave stuff is downright inexplicable. It’s a great redemption story across the generations. Really, really, really dumb

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        Abijean Malory Kane-ArcherGabrielle Bluestone
        4/23/15 12:01am

        Shame on them all, in different measures for different reasons. Instead of presenting the truth in a way that was honest and comprehensive (as was outlined in the original script, as far as we can tell) they chose to try to manipulate the truth cause Ben Affleck was butthurt over some inconsequential shit he didn’t do. Nothing was fucked up about the facts, but everything in how they handled it was pathetic. #dobetter

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          shadowmattAbijean Malory Kane-Archer
          4/23/15 7:33am

          I suppose he didn’t want a lot of media attention, which is kinda what happened.

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          FartJarAbijean Malory Kane-Archer
          4/23/15 8:51am

          Look how the world reacted to Affleck being chosen as the next Batman. They went ragey, apeshit over it. All the horrible shit said about him, memes, etc just because he had the audacity to want to play a fictional character in a fucking movie.

          Not that he was cast as Malcolm X, or Ghandi, or Mother Theresa, it was fucking Batman. I call bullshit on anyone who says that they wouldn't jump at the chance for a fat paycheck, and to get to play Batman in a major motion picture.

          Now remove "fictional comic book guy" and insert "slave owning ancestors" He was probably thinking "if they did all that over Batman, wait til they get a load of this"

          I don't agree with him trying to suppress it, but I do get what he might have been thinking.

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        revarthurbellingGabrielle Bluestone
        4/22/15 11:49pm

        So, the point?

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          Promisedland5900revarthurbelling
          4/22/15 11:56pm

          Gawker: “Must make something out of nothing. Internet must be outraged about something today!”

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          mozhatesmerevarthurbelling
          4/22/15 11:59pm

          Obviously none much like your comment.

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        jasoneliasGabrielle Bluestone
        4/23/15 12:10am

        AFFLECK: I have a house in Savannah

        GATES: Do you own slaves there like your good for nothing ancestor?

        AFFLECK: Yes, I have thousands of slaves

        GATES: Don’t get fresh with me, I’ll drop you like a sack of potatoes—-

        AFFLECK: Go for it old man!

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          99Telep☺dpr☹blemsjasonelias
          4/23/15 1:34am

          AFFLECK: So tell me, Henry...do you bleed?

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          Myrna Minkoffjasonelias
          4/23/15 7:42am

          SNL spec script for next week — send it now.

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        Denzel WashyourtongueGabrielle Bluestone
        4/23/15 12:00am

        Ok Ben. As a longstanding member of blackdom. If you solve this puzzle you will be absolved of all ignorance in this matter, deal?

        People who annoy you:

        N _ G G E R S

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          VwolfGabrielle Bluestone
          4/23/15 12:16am

          He didn’t look bad in the script but he looks bad now. Even what he said in the script is the truth, he had the right sentiment there and he said all the right things. I don’t know if he thought people would be like OMG HE HAD SLAVE OWNER ANCESTOR. Who cares? Benedict Cumberbatch is pretty open about his ancestors being slave owners.

          I think it’s actually pretty cool that he felt a strong connection to Savannah too. Strong enough to buy a home there. Maybe there is something that attracts us all to a place.

          It’s also very interesting that he had such a wealthy and successful ancestor, and now he’s pretty wealthy and successful himself.

          I don’t see why he was so nervous about this. Anderson Cooper discovered the same thing.

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