Black In America - A CNN speacial (Atlanta, Edison: environment, credit)

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Some more info.:Blacks are key to world progress, historian asserts

The Black Commentator - The Myths of Bill Cosby - Issue 100

<i>Black Directions</i>

Yeah as Jesse said on Fox News, the first two articles "....talk down to N*****, I want to cut his Nuts off"

The third article is interesting. 'White Rap Fans hurt or help Blacks"...I'll hold off my comments on this one.

[Edison Winter]

Originally Posted by anadyr21

I disagree. Rap and hip hop have been completely vilified and used as a scapegoat for many people who are unwilling to really discuss just where it all went to hell. There are still artists (and yes, some of them are artists and poets) who rap about social ills and actually refrain from cursing. The problem is you'll never hear them on the radio. Mainstream hip hop like 50 Cent and Lil Wayne (and trust me, Lolipop is one of the more tame Lil Wayne songs) is all anyone hears and so the good rappers get grouped in with the crap. Remember, when rap began in the late 70s early 80s, it was about describing the plight of the ghetto. But which came first, the rappers who glorified this type of life or the masses who continue to request it?

This sadly is true. And honestly, the best drug hustlers turned rappers are the richest. See 50 Cent and Jay Z. Still, listen to Common, Talib Kweli, and Chamillionaire, and yes, even Tupac had some thought provoking words.

Now, more important than the lyrics, I think we could argue what videos have done. I think that's done much more damage.

I have nothing against black folks in or any race in general. I just really despise the hip hop people. Doesnt matter if your white, black , latin , asian, anything. I just think the hip hop community promotes a sleazy disgusting way of living and it certainly without a doubt has influenced a good amount of the youth over the past decade or so. You wouldnt believe how some people act and present themselves while imitating what they see from rappers and rap music.

Its sad very very sad. Its like they have no individualism. They all look the same. That drugged out, mad at the world gangster look.

As far as CNNs "Black in America" I just think if they are gonan have a show like this then there needs to be one for other majority races in America. "White in America" "Latin in America" "Asian in America"

Why not?

Hell I want to see White History Month. Even Latin History Month. As a White person am I supposed to believe that every white person knows the history of our race and that there is no need to celebrate the inventions and creations and contributions from the White Man? Same can be said for Latin folks and Asians.

Were all living in America all of our races should get proper credit.

[john__c]

Originally Posted by WorldChamp

2.) A frind of mine is a professor at UGA who teaches African American Studies. He has a really interesting theory, and he calls it the assimilation theory. He said things like BET, the word "African American", the NAACP, even HBCU's, should all be done away with, because they further seperate us from mainstream America, into "Black America". We are all Americans. We shouldnt be another entity simply because we have dark skin. We are black Americans. Thats all. We shouldnt have our own culture, our own channels, or own music. our culture, channels, and music should be the same as mainstream americas. Afterall, we were born here too. I just see it as another form of self-segregation, and professor says that within 2 more generations, people are going to call for an end to these things.

I think this comes closest to hitting the mark. This nation was built and came together via the concept of a melting pot. Race isn't the only thing that can divide people. When whites arrived, they came from different nations with different customs and languages. Rather than perpetuate those differences, they merged and formed a single culture. The former Yugoslavia (or to a lesser degree, French versus English Canadians) demonstrate the divisiveness and strife that come from not building a common culture even within a common race. People must come together and learn to see the commonalities between themselves instead of the differences and the items you refer to are examples of things that perpetuate viewing the world through a racial lens.

As for the rap music discussion, I am sure there were just as many white parents of the 60's and 70's who derided rock music as the end of their culture. But music was never the real problem - it is simply an outlet for the rebelliousness of youth. It really gets back to the absence of strong discipline and values, to which out of wedlock birth is a contributor. The reason rock music didn't ruin society is because the kids were just going through a phase but they had solid parenting and a constant barrage of guidance from those who cared about them. Today there are too many children growing up without hope and without role models who can instill values and discipline. Without those core values, no amount of social spending or affirmative action or job programs can be successful. Those types of programs do provide some lift to those in the middle, but they completely miss those at the bottom of the ladder and that is where the most serious problems are in my opinion.

[peacelover100]

Education - key to growth, higher income, change in thought process.

Programs for minorities dont help as much as providing skills to get a better job, better pay, better life.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by peacelover100

Education - key to growth, higher income, change in thought process.

Programs for minorities dont help as much as providing skills to get a better job, better pay, better life.

Was reading an article about how journalism minorities are hurting b/c of the economy.

You mean we don't need these?

"Media diversity during the economic slowdown has been the most widely discussed topic at Unity, a professional alliance of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA)."

[waccamatt]

In my opinion, the only sure-fire way to change things is through economics. The way to change things economically is to become more educated than the next person. While sports is a ticket out for a tiny percentage of people, the real way to change things is to stress education. I am hopeful that when Barack Obama gets elected President that a rapid change will occur where more young African-Americans strive to be President than strive to be a sports star.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by waccamatt

I am hopeful that when Barack Obama gets elected President that a rapid change will occur where more young African-Americans strive to be President than strive to be a sports star.

So it has to be a president? It can't be a Colin Powell, a Condi Rice, a Shirley Franklin and the other Mayors across the country, a Bill Cosby, Robert Johnson (BET founder) etc. Hell, HOR, Senate i.e. Cynthia McKinney (LOL).

Wishful thinking if you think a 'president' is going to change things. Most people don't strive to be president. Who would want to be? I'd rather strive to be a Gates, Buffet, Johnson, etc.

There's already plenty of role models, doctors, lawyers (Johnny Cochran), businessmen/women, etc. And they all make more money than the president and not affiliated with sports.

The successful women on the CNN show didn't need a 'president' to strive for success and self reliance.

[kayrob]

The first thing that has to happen is that ignorance has to stop being celebrated and education reviled. I've benn riding Marta a lot lately and I can say that in Atlanta it's a mess. Between the whole pant-sagging Black male genre that is out there now and the downright dumb and foolish way of talking through the gold teeth. And not to even get started on the ghetto personafying, young, Black females with their lack of class. Cursing up a storm and playing their music all loud on the trains and what not. It's just terrible and I can only hope it improves before my 2 year old son face peer-pressure from these sorts. And just think these are the sorts who are bringing a lot of kids into the world. What can they possibly teach them?

Not to single Atlanta out because I know that a lot of the same issues are in place in New Jersey where I'm from but it seems very pronounced here. Perhaps because of the large Black population. It seems that besides having an upper, middle and lower classes Atlanta also has a 4th. That being no class.

One more thing. When they were talking about the health disparities in the Black community on the 1st night of the special how come no one dared to mention the obesity rates and the lack of attention to weight control and pride in personal appearance that also plague our community. I bet if they had Dr Ian Smith on the show he would have mentioned it. What about health maintenance and prevention? I mean come on some of these even young kids are way beyond. You think it might be because Momma is just feeding them McDonald's and Burger King 3-4 nights a week because she ain't gonna cook.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by gt6974a

So it has to be a president? It can't be a Colin Powell, a Condi Rice, a Shirley Franklin and the other Mayors across the country, a Bill Cosby, Robert Johnson (BET founder) etc. Hell, HOR, Senate i.e. Cynthia McKinney (LOL).

Wishful thinking if you think a 'president' is going to change things. Most people don't strive to be president. Who would want to be? I'd rather strive to be a Gates, Buffet, Johnson, etc.

There's already plenty of role models, doctors, lawyers (Johnny Cochran), businessmen/women, etc. And they all make more money than the president and not affiliated with sports.

The successful women on the CNN show didn't need a 'president' to strive for success and self reliance.

Very good point, gt...I totally agree. If Barack Obama gets elected president, it's not going to change a d@mn thing. People need to realize this.

[Merin]

For those of you saying you don't like hip hop or the hip hop culture, you must not know much about it. There are many positive rappers out there but many don't get the air play. So if you are disgusted with hip hop take that up with the record labels. Many of the 90's rappers were just speaking about growing up in the projects. Since living in a violent drug infested environment isn't pleasant, there is no way their rap lyrics are not going to be pleasant. If we are talking about the rap videos, they are disgusting, but again sleazy things sell, take that up with the record companies.
Don't get me wrong, we in the black community have a long way to go, but the issue is way more complicated then the music some choose to listen to.