Charles Ramsey is a true American hero who happens to be a funny and engaging storyteller. He deserves national attention, but not in the form of being the next auto-tuned “star” on social media.
After breaking down the door of a neighbor to help a distressed woman he didn’t know, Ramsey ended up helping to facilitate the rescue of Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight who had been missing in Cleveland for a decade. Berry’s young daughter was also rescued. Ramsey has been hailed as a hero by almost everyone, but more often than not coverage of the story has focused on his appearance and/or manner of speaking instead of his heroic acts or the courage and strength of the women involved.
It’s easy to see why Ramsey’s initial interviews went viral. As we’ve seen with people like Antoine Dodson and Sweet Brown, social media and hence traditional national media outlets love low-income, black, non-camera-shy people with engaging storytelling styles serving punchy one-liners.
RELATED: McDonald’s to Ramsey — ‘We’ll be in touch’
Ramsey certainly provided that with quotes that included: “I knew something was wrong when a little pretty white girl ran into a black man’s arms. Something is wrong here. Dead giveaway!”
A “hilarious” hero?
Look in the comments section of any of the stories about Ramsey and you’re bound to see comments from black people who chastise the media for seeming to exploit Ramsey as the next “ghetto superstar” for page hits and giggles. There’s a reason behind that.
WATCH Rev. Al Sharpton defend Ramsey on Politics Nation
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For decades, way before the advent of social media, the running joke in the black community has been that news reporters always seem to seek out the one black person in a crowd who possesses the most negative stereotypes. If everyone on the street where there was a local fire is dressed for work and gives eloquent commentary, except that one neighbor with rollers in her hair and a penchant for yelling, guess who’s making the 5 o’clock news?
The anger that some black people feel when folks like Charles Ramsey are given space on the national stage is typically complex. Yes, there’s some finger-wagging at media outlets for the promotion of what they consider to be yet another hyperbolic representation of the “type” of African-American that seems to dominate TV. But, is there also some shame that black people such as Charles Ramsey even exist?
Or are we perhaps perturbed that someone from Charles Ramsey’s world of blacks — who are unfortunately looked down upon by others in our community — could have broken out of what might be called the “only black people know them” space?
Ramsey: Crossing and illuminating social boundaries
If you are an African-American in today’s world, regardless of your particular education level or socioeconomic status, you have a Charles Ramsey somewhere in your family. It might be your uncle, your dad or a third cousin you’ve met once, but he’s there. Charles Ramsey tells his story to reporters the same way you would imagine that relative would tell a story at a family barbecue. We often appreciate these relatives for being warm and full of life. He even called Anderson Cooper “bruh” several times during his interview with the reporter — and provided insight into his socioeconomic world.
Ramsey said prior to the rescue of the women, the only time he lost sleep at night was because of a lack of money. Between that comment and the “dead giveaway/running into the arms of a black man” quote, Ramsey is giving the world truth about the current state of race relations, class and social etiquette in urban America today. And doing it with aplomb.
Instead of calling him “hilarious,” as have some members of the mainstream, or being embarrassed by him as are many African-Americans — let’s listen to the man.
Ramsey is giving wisdom, if we are humble enough to hear him.
Ramsey is funny and deserves respect
Ramsey’s humorous (and he IS funny), animated, detail-rich style of storytelling is just as worthy of attention as a more traditional approach. If Charles Ramsey gives ten interviews a day, that is A-okay with me.
The problem lies more in how Ramsey has been treated in social media (by both blacks and the mainstream community). There are already memes that compare him to Sho-Nuff from the movie The Last Dragon and Eddie Murphy’s barber character in Coming to America. Of course the auto-tuned version of his initial interviews has already been released. (And seriously, why is that even a thing now for all lively black folks on the news?)
One good thing for Charles Ramsey that has come from social media is linked to his numerous references to McDonald’s. Ramsey has name-checked McDonald’s several times at this point, and clearly appreciates the brand. He was eating it when he heard Amanda Berry’s screams, and made sure to keep that detail in his accounts. McDonald’s took to its official Twitter account in response to acknowledge Ramsey as a hero and promised to get in touch with him for what will presumably be some form of reward.
At least that’s a substantial bit of positive attention for his salt-of-the earth personality. It’s a sad day when someone who saves a group of human beings is seen as fit to be a laughing stock, just because he can bring people glee.
As for the reward that was offered by the FBI, Ramsey told Anderson Cooper he’d rather see that money go to the women he helped rescue. Now, that’s a stand-up guy.
What’s Ramsey’s future?
Following on the heels of the Sweet Brown meme, we have become somewhat accustomed to this local-news-interviewee-turned-social-media-star thing. It will be interesting to see how Ramsey’s story plays out in the media, and if his heroism will outshine his unique form of delivery. Antoine Dodson is currently trying to re-set the timer on his 15 minutes of fame by sharing that he is no longer gay.
RELATED: Antoine Dodson says he’s no longer gay, claims homosexuality can be ‘lifted’
I think Ramsey will likely take a different route.
And buried underneath all of the attention paid to Ramsey’s looks and speech is the incredible story of these three women. Amanda Berry in particular is just as much of a hero as Charles Ramsey, if not more so. After a decade of being held against her will, she still had a enough fight in her to scream and ask for help. She’s amazing. And let’s not lose sight of what seems to be the horrible job the FBI and local Cleveland police did in this case. There are reports coming out now that there were numerous opportunities in the past ten years to have saved these women.
But that’s fodder for another story.
For now, I salute the American hero, Charles Ramsey. He is a savior that might not have come in the package that we are used to. But, this is an opportunity for Americans — of all races, including his own — to judge someone worthy of adulation by purely the content of his character.
Follow Demetria Irwin on Twitter at @Love_Is_Dope.