Stereotypes Limit Equality

In reply to the Counterpunch by Jimmie Walker (“Black Shows Should Have as Much Dramatic License as White Shows,” Oct. 26):

In his haste to excuse his own obnoxious character as J.J. on “Good Times,” Walker misses the point completely of the article by Greg Braxton (“Where More Isn’t Better,” Oct. 4). Unlike Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor, who are progressive comedians, Walker regressed to the days of Willie Best. He might have been liked and promoted by whites, but he is not respected in the black community. And the new crop of comedians on TV seems to be clones of Dy-No-Mite.

Walker is wrong to compare Martin Lawrence with Klinger of “MASH,” Tom Hanks or Milton Berle. These actors came off as poking fun at themselves, not maligning women.

Lawrence and his entire show are stereotyping black women. This is not funny but a continuation of the put-down of black women to show that they are undesirable. Lawrence does not counterbalance with real and positive images of black women; instead, he uses the lightest-color black women to co-star with him, and other black women are seen as hostile, strong-willed or failing in some way. To treat women his own color this way is an abomination before God.

Walker is also wrong in accepting the way black women are shown as sex objects in the media. He cannot compare them to Christie Brinkley or Cindy Crawford. It is a matter of how they are portrayed--tastefully or trashy.

Black actors who are not clownish comedians, such as Malcolm-Jamal Warner (“Here and Now”) and Morris Chestnut (“Out All Night”) are not given in-depth series that will show their excellent talents. This is the point that Greg Braxton and Don Jackson (“Blacks Making Inroads Outside of Networks,” Oct. 26) are attempting to make in their articles.

DOLORES WILLIAMS, President

Black Women’s Alliance Assn.

Beverly Hills