BLM is discussed on the latest episode of “The Real World Homecoming.”
David Edwards and Tami Roman had to address their controversial moment from 1993 on “The Real World Homecoming: Los Angeles.” Years ago, David thought he was playfully trying to pull off a blanket as Tami lay in bed. But things turned very serious. Tami said she felt violated. David should have stopped when she told him to. But David said he thought everything was fine because they were all laughing, including Tami.
Tami would later reveal she has been dealing with body dysmorphic disorder. So when the situation happened back in 1993, she was very insecure about her body. So she was horrified of anyone seeing her in her underwear.
Irene Berrera-Kearns threatened to call the police and tell them that a rape occurred in the house. And Beth Stolarczyk told David that he behaved like a r*pist in that moment. Both women apologized to David for their past comments as they filmed the reunion episodes.
On her YouTube channel, Tami would later say she now feels she should have spoken up for David back in 1993 when the r*pe talk started.
Interestingly enough, Tami and David had very different perspectives about race on the recent episode of “The Real World Homecoming.”
It all started after the cast decided to play the fishbowl game and answer the prewritten questions. Jon Brennan picked up a question that had been addressed to Irene. It read, “Irene, being a retired police officer, what are your views with the current controversies of the law enforcement, i.e. George Floyd?”
Tami Roman confronted Irene Berrera-Kearns.
In response to the question, Irene said, “I saw things as a law enforcement officer that I’m not proud of, okay? I lived through Rodney King and then now through George Floyd. I marched with my son in my local city for the BLM. But do I support my brothers and sisters in law enforcement? Absolutely, yes. Because none of you have ever walked in my shoes…to have someone spit in my face because of what I do.”
She added, “The people that I worked with were good people. They did the right thing. But there was a small percentage that I saw that did not.”
In a green screen interview, Irene said more. “As a woman in law enforcement, back then, you just don’t speak up. Men were afraid to speak up. You know, I had a family to take care of. I had financial obligations. I’ve seen what happens to whistleblowers, and it’s not pretty.”
Irene went on to tell the cast that she was wrong. “I should have spoke up, and I didn’t. Shame on me.”
Tami then spoke her mind. “Right is right and wrong is wrong. You know what I mean? So, when you saw the other people that were, cause you specifically said BLM, so that implies to me that it was Black people that were being mistreated…”
Irene interjected, “Well, it was just people being mistreated.”
Tami didn’t back down. “Okay, so that’s another conversation because I’m talking specifically about Black people being abused and mistreated in this country. So if you see a race, a demographic, a culture being disrespected and belittled, that’s wrong. And you’ve got to stand up for right, no matter what. That’s just on period.”
David Edwards thinks the goal of those in power is to keep everyone divided.
Irene agreed. Tami showed some appreciation. “So I appreciate that you’re acknowledging that…that you’re saying….when you go back and tell your kids the story of your journey, add that piece. ‘Mommy didn’t stand up for people that should have, that needed someone to stand up for them and fight for them, and they were abused, and I should have.'”
And Irene said she stressed this to her children. “Oh, yeah, no, no. They know that. My kids know that.”
Tami then asked the rest of the group how they feel about the Black Lives Matter Movement.
Beth Anthony answered, “If we’re gonna go there, I am adamant that it has to change. The sh*t is real.”
After Tami notices David laughing, she asks him what he’s laughing about. He answered, “You know, this is what the political system wants. They want division so they can divide and conquer…” Tami stressed that she wasn’t dividing anyone. “Nobody is dividing. It was already divided before this started.”
David continued, “With all this LGBTQ, Blue Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter…meanwhile, the corporations are having a f*cking field day while we’re sitting up here being sliced up as pies. And we’re not moving as one political voice of the American people.”
In a green screen interview, David said more, “You can’t paint the whole world with a broad brush. To me, the world is more than just black and white. Yes, I f*cking get it. But everybody’s not the boogeyman.”
Seeing color isn’t wrong.
Tami then asked Jon what his thoughts are since he’s a conservative. And he said, “Well, I think that every white person living in the last 10 years in this country, if they don’t say that there are white people that are racist, they’re living under a rock, okay?”
He added, “I live in the South, y’all. I live in Alabama. Do you know who’s in my house right now? Young, Black, colored people that I minister to and I’m a father figure to.” Tami responded with, “Well, please don’t ever call them Black-colored people.” Jon continued his point, “Well, they don’t mind. They call themselves words that I don’t repeat. It comes down to the value of life. And regardless of skin color, if you don’t respect the fact that every single human life is precious and important, then we’re screwed. That’s what has built hatefulness.”
It goes left from this point. Glen Naessens asked, “Is there something wrong with not seeing color?” Jon then said, “There is.”
Glen continued to explain his position, “I don’t treat people by their color. I’ve been raised being exposed, and having friendships, and being allowed to have friendships with everybody.” Tami addressed Glen. “When you say that, you minimize my struggle.” She added, “You need to see some f*cking color so you can understand what I’m going through in America.”
Beth A. agreed with Tami. “If I don’t recognize that Tami is a Black woman, if I’m colorblind, then I negate her entire history. We cannot afford to be colorblind, period.”
The N-word is said.
Glen brought up the moment he witnessed racism. “The first time that I really felt what you’re passionate about was when I was with my friend John, and I went to a pizza place, right? And they called him a n*gger.” Tami told Glen to not say the N-word. “You don’t say it though.” But Glen didn’t understand. “That’s what he was called.”
Glen continued to struggle to understand that Tami doesn’t want him to say the N-word. “You don’t understand friendship?” She had enough at this point, “You don’t understand what I’m saying to you that the word n*gger should not come out your white a*s mouth?”
Irene tried to check Glen and it got even worse. “You have no idea what it is like to be a n*gger, okay?” She added, “Do not ever say that.” Tami then checked Irene. “You don’t say it either cause you Latina.” Tami elaborated, “With my Latina brothers and sisters, it’s certain slang and sh*t that people say that I would never say about y’all. And I feel I should be afforded the same courtesy. So you can tell your story, all I’m saying is you don’t need to use the world to tell it.”
David Edwards and Tami Roman have different perspectives.
Glen began to understand the points being made. And Tami had more to say to the whole group. “White people have oppressed a lot of races and cultures in this country. Every other race in this country is starting from the bottom. And particularly, Black people in America.” She continued, “Part of it is speaking your mind so when you catch somebody that’s acting f*cked up, you need to have a conversation with them.”
Jon agreed with Tami, “Let me say it, we hear you and you’re right. Cause I don’t think that’s been said enough.”
In a green screen interview, Tami vented about being frustrated that David didn’t speak up. “But I also feel like I am trying to state my case alone. And I didn’t know why that was happening because there was a Black man in the room. I was bothered that he didn’t take the opportunity to speak to really what’s happening.”
As for David, he said Tami went too far in his green screen interview. “These two people, come on now. It’s not like Irene’s a racist. I didn’t take offense. I didn’t even take offense when Glen said it, and I thought it was unfair what Tami did to them. It was, it was – it was f*cking toxic.”
By the end of the episode, it’s clear that this conversation is what leads to David and Tami falling out, again. And Tami later tells her husband Reggie Youngblood to come to the house and check David.
