African-American culture: Changes? (Palestinians, generation, legal, black president)

[Itz]

I don't believe in an "African-American" culture as i have seen very little of it..
African American to me - means you were born in Africa and became an American citizen.. otherwise you are an AMERICAN - with your heritage traditions and beliefs, etc..

[PhenomenalWoman]

Originally Posted by jlhct

Very true! - You see it all the time here on CD

You are sooo right about here on CD. If you call them on it though, they will say you are playing the race card.....anyone with eyes can see and read into it.

[MrSykes]

Originally Posted by Itz

I don't believe in an "African-American" culture as i have seen very little of it..
African American to me - means you were born in Africa and became an American citizen.. otherwise you are an AMERICAN - with your heritage traditions and beliefs, etc..

You have a point. What people normally consider "African-American" culture is actually more American than any other, as it was totally born and bred here in the USA. Blacks didn't exactly have the luxury to selectively retain certain elements of culture from the "old country" like other groups did. Everything started from scratch right here.

[thriftylefty]

Originally Posted by MrSykes

You have a point. What people normally consider "African-American" culture is actually more American than any other, as it was totally born and bred here in the USA. Blacks didn't exactly have the luxury to selectively retain certain elements of culture from the "old country" like other groups did. Everything started from scratch right here.

Not true. There are numerous aspects of African American culture that have been handed down for generations and can be traced to West Africa. Rap Music and Hip Hop for example is a direct decendent of the West African Praise song,"A vocal improvisational song created on the spot(Free Styling) The thematic material of the song is usually praising (or Bragging)Practised by Young men" I could write you a dessertation on this subject but there are far too many have been writen going back to the 1920's. African Americans lived in virtual isolation from 1619-1960, Much of their approach to Clothing, hairstyle, Language, Music, and art, have remained intact from West Africa. Soul food (Yamms) West African.Some Black Churches still sing in a vocal style traced back to Africa. That is what frustrates many white Americans they don't reconized or respect African Culture still practised by Blacks. It reminds me of when I was in Africa and saw young white boys taking pictures with the young attractive black Angolan women who traditionally go topless in Public. This angered many of the white women who live around them.

[Shizzles]

/\ Them white girls were just jealous.

Anyway, the fact of the matter is alot of the critism of AA culture is simply coded racism. Just look at the locations of some of the people posting, not palces with alot of urban AAs. They simply see what MTV broadcasts and go from there.

[MarqueseGilmore]

Originally Posted by Itz

I don't believe in an "African-American" culture as i have seen very little of it..
African American to me - means you were born in Africa and became an American citizen.. otherwise you are an AMERICAN - with your heritage traditions and beliefs, etc..

Again with the "Master" mentality!!! I'm not just American....I'm black and there IS a such thing as Black culture!!

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Classy Sis

I've been wondering this too...

And adding on to this, WHY are stats on black people so readily recycled?

And another thing, why is it when a black person succeeds, it's attributed to the individual, BUT when ONE black person fails, then the WHOLE race is held accountable?

In NO other race does this occur.

This is my own take on it. I do alot of reading in my spare time and I have come up with this: It is mainly the Black race, not the individual, that isn't liked very much in the USA. Individual Blacks are accepted, but Black people in general aren't always accepted. Many in the USA have been more willing to absorb immigrants into the American melting pot, but never blacks already living in America. This is because in a historic sense, Black is seen as unacceptable in American society as a whole. Why else would the one-drop rule be enacted? It was used to keep anyone who was black out of the mainstream society. Many in the USA have often preferred the Blacks stay at the margins of society. I read in a book that in the scheme of things, blacks were the ones to stir the melting pot, but could not be part of the melting pot because many in society felt that anyone with black skin was undesirable. Black people were here for one specific purpose: to be slaves and to build wealth for the USA without benefiting from those fruits of labor. When slavery was made illegal, many people viewed blacks as useless.

[Shizzles]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

This is my own take on it. I do alot of reading in my spare time and I have come up with this: It is mainly the Black race, not the individual, that isn't liked very much in the USA. Individual Blacks are accepted, but Black people in general aren't always accepted. Many in the USA have been more willing to absorb immigrants into the American melting pot, but never blacks already living in America. This is because in a historic sense, Black is seen as unacceptable in American society as a whole. Why else would the one-drop rule be enacted? It was used to keep anyone who was black out of the mainstream society. Many in the USA have often preferred the Blacks stay at the margins of society. I read in a book that in the scheme of things, blacks were the ones to stir the melting pot, but could not be part of the melting pot because many in society felt that anyone with black skin was undesirable. Black people were here for one specific purpose: to be slaves and to build wealth for the USA without benefiting from those fruits of labor. When slavery was made illegal, many people viewed blacks as useless.

I dunno if it's quite that slavery oriented. I think there is a different spin:


When europeans first went to Africa, they found all sorts of behaviors, customs, ways of life, and cultures they were completely foreign to and afriad of. Many 18 and 19th century charactures of African people's revolve around the wild sensationalism induldged in by early explorers regarding what they found. The fear and wonder of those early europeans became something ingraned in white american folklore, and to some extent continues to this day. Eric Holder (Obama's AG) was getting at this point with the "cowards" comment. If races in this country interacted more, then alot of ignorance would disappear.

However, while racism and America's past is inexcuseable, one does have to admit that there are some (not all) AAs that make it a point to keep themselves seperate and not embrace themselves as a piece of "America" at all. It's understandable to a point, since our treatment of Blacks up to the last 50 years has been horrendous. But at some point, genuine racial dialogue has to occur on both sides.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Shizzles

I dunno if it's quite that slavery oriented. I think there is a different spin:


When europeans first went to Africa, they found all sorts of behaviors, customs, ways of life, and cultures they were completely foreign to and afriad of. Many 18 and 19th century charactures of African people's revolve around the wild sensationalism induldged in by early explorers regarding what they found. The fear and wonder of those early europeans became something ingraned in white american folklore, and to some extent continues to this day. Eric Holder (Obama's AG) was getting at this point with the "cowards" comment. If races in this country interacted more, then alot of ignorance would disappear.

However, while racism and America's past is inexcuseable, one does have to admit that there are some (not all) AAs that make it a point to keep themselves seperate and not embrace themselves as a piece of "America" at all. It's understandable to a point, since our treatment of Blacks up to the last 50 years has been horrendous. But at some point, genuine racial dialogue has to occur on both sides.

That could be another spin. I was mainly speaking of the situation of African-Americans. Many people learned how to be afraid of anyone who was of African descent. It doesn't surprise me that many in the USA do not want to recognize the contributions African-Americans have made to this nation as a whole. To many, blacks are still seen as "not worthy enough" to be part of society. You did mention that when Europeans went to Africa, they found things that they considered strange and scary. That does play a part. The settlers to this nation brought their prejudice of persons of African descent with them. Black became seen as unacceptable. There are people who still consider black as unacceptable.

I think that genuine racial dialogue has to start with examining history. If people do not recognize history, how can they do something about the current situation?

The races of this nation do not interact as much as one would normally like people many people don't want to be around other races.

[Shizzles]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

That could be another spin. I was mainly speaking of the situation of African-Americans. Many people learned how to be afraid of anyone who was of African descent. It doesn't surprise me that many in the USA do not want to recognize the contributions African-Americans have made to this nation as a whole. To many, blacks are still seen as "not worthy enough" to be part of society. You did mention that when Europeans went to Africa, they found things that they considered strange and scary. That does play a part. The settlers to this nation brought their prejudice of persons of African descent with them. Black became seen as unacceptable. There are people who still consider black as unacceptable.

I think that genuine racial dialogue has to start with examining history. If people do not recognize history, how can they do something about the current situation?

I agree. However, It must be a two way street. Let's be honest, Africans were/are not innocent either in either the slave trade or public preception. Most whites (anyone for that matter) won't take being smeared with a broad brush for acts they themselves may not agree with. 44% of white americans voted for Obama. Don't forget that. There is a sense that many Blacks want to paint a picture of "Black people = Good White People = Bad", and that's garbage.

Second, I would also like some civil rights leaders to clairfy what exactly the end goal is. It's fustrating to see such a monumental achievement such as Obama and still have people bleeting how were still stuck in 1955 Alabama. There was a piece about the Black Panthers and the leader said "We could have 50 Obamas from here on out, America is always and will forever be racist". With a mentality like that, this nation will go nowhere.

The races of this nation do not interact as much as one would normally like people many people don't want to be around other races.

Let's be real now, a certain level of self-segregation is gonna occur. Many Inner city minorities are now bleeting about young whites in their hood. Turnabout is fair play, no?