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There are many Ethnic groups historically that have been permanently injured;
I agreed with you post to an extent, but this is garbage. Permanently injured by butt. Even the worst fractures heal. What's killing AAs is white liberals coming in with the psychological hammer to the wound and reminding people they're victims who will never amount to anything. And what's absurd is rather than calling it racism (Which it is), it's called "Tolerance". Sad.
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.
While it is true that certain elements of AA culture can be traced ultimately to their general West African roots, it should be kept in mind that the blacks that made it here came from a myriad of African subcultures throughout the region. Indeed, there is no general "African mother culture" from which one can trace every aspect of contemporary AA culture.
AA culture as you see it today is a unique hybridization of some of the vestiges of those native elements that were carried over and the culture prevalent in the American South, but by and large developed independent of the African traditions.
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..
I dont think I can agree with this. Yes we're all american but because America is so diverse, you know, people decide to break it down. That being said you got irish-americans, mexican-amricans(chicano), Italian American, and You have African-Americans who are decendants of slaves brought to this country. Alot of people who arent black mix this up and they assume if you are black you're African American. Basically that would be true but technically no. You got Nigerian-Americans, Jamaican-Americans, Hatian-Americans, Ghanian-Americans. If some one was born in Nigeria and became a U.S. citizen he would be Nigerian-American and that's it. But if you got parent that were, lets say, born in kenya then you would be kenyan-American. Like Barack Obama would technically be half Kenyan-American.
In the End you are right we are all AMERICAN and personally I'm sick and tired of racist KKK's who sit around saying that they are the "REAL AMERICANS" but the truth they are no more american than the kid born to illegal immigrants in Texas.
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.
Thats sort of true but there are some things that came from Africa but someone already explained that. This might be a little off topic but I know African cultre is more prevalent in Latin America and the Carribean. You can even hear it in the music with all the drums and bongos and the call-response chants.
Thats sort of true but there are some things that came from Africa but someone already explained that. This might be a little off topic but I know African cultre is more prevalent in Latin America and the Carribean. You can even hear it in the music with all the drums and bongos and the call-response chants.
This is true , I think only 5% of all African slaves were brought to North America all of the rest went to South America
Location: Pittsburgh but I'm ready to relocate......
727 posts, read 1,890,966 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shizzles
I agreed with you post to an extent, but this is garbage. Permanently injured by butt. Even the worst fractures heal. What's killing AAs is white liberals coming in with the psychological hammer to the wound and reminding people they're victims who will never amount to anything. And what's absurd is rather than calling it racism (Which it is), it's called "Tolerance". Sad.
Being AA/Black I think most of us are misperceived as whining or playing the victim card and not only is this a total falsity but it makes us feel that we are still hated as a race. Just imagine having your whole culture and identity stolen from you...even your last name. That scar that our forefathers had, has trickled down to even now. The scar that we as AA's/blacks have doesnt go away!!!
Being AA/Black I think most of us are misperceived as whining or playing the victim card and not only is this a total falsity but it makes us feel that we are still hated as a race. Just imagine having your whole culture and identity stolen from you...even your last name. That scar that our forefathers had, has trickled down to even now. The scar that we as AA's/blacks have doesnt go away!!!
But there's nothing stopping you now from researching and reclaiming your cultural roots. As to what your African last name should be, pick one! When my exdad's family went through Ellis Island, his family name was multilated as the officials tried to Americanize it. And no one in his family is scarred from what happened. If they wanted to now, they could change their last name to what it should be, but no one cares. Many ethnicities had to made big changes and adjustments to their family traditions when they came to the US, but they dealt with it. I feel that the AA feel that they are the only ones that ever had to compromise or ever had a horrid welcome by the Americans that were there ahead of them. However this is not the case, and they have to get over it. A lot of non-white/non-black Americans feel this way about AA.
But there's nothing stopping you now from researching and reclaiming your cultural roots. As to what your African last name should be, pick one! When my exdad's family went through Ellis Island, his family name was multilated as the officials tried to Americanize it. And no one in his family is scarred from what happened. If they wanted to now, they could change their last name to what it should be, but no one cares. Many ethnicities had to made big changes and adjustments to their family traditions when they came to the US, but they dealt with it. I feel that the AA feel that they are the only ones that ever had to compromise or ever had a horrid welcome by the Americans that were there ahead of them. However this is not the case, and they have to get over it. A lot of non-white/non-black Americans feel this way about AA.
The ancestors of African-Americans were also brought here against their will. They wouldn't be here if they were kidnapped and forced into slavery for 258 years, longer than anyone else. They were also kept under the yoke of Jim Crow for 90 more years. The only reasons African-Americans(as well as other ethnic groups) have their civil rights now is because African-Americans were the ones who stood up and said "we aren't taking this anymore".
Location: Pittsburgh but I'm ready to relocate......
727 posts, read 1,890,966 times
Reputation: 403
Quote:
Originally Posted by miu
But there's nothing stopping you now from researching and reclaiming your cultural roots. As to what your African last name should be, pick one! When my exdad's family went through Ellis Island, his family name was multilated as the officials tried to Americanize it. And no one in his family is scarred from what happened. If they wanted to now, they could change their last name to what it should be, but no one cares. Many ethnicities had to made big changes and adjustments to their family traditions when they came to the US, but they dealt with it. I feel that the AA feel that they are the only ones that ever had to compromise or ever had a horrid welcome by the Americans that were there ahead of them. However this is not the case, and they have to get over it. A lot of non-white/non-black Americans feel this way about AA.
ROFL.......You really dont get it!! And I feel that your justifying the scars AA's/Blacks live with. You cant put a band aid on a lifetime scar...you just cant. Lord forbid it........but just imagine if someone in your family was kidnapped,raped and stripped of everything they believe in........You dont just "get over it". And whites and Non AA's have to realize that were not holding anything against the non-racist people. I know alot of great white people in my life....people who took me in as family and loved me unconditionally and NEVER tried to make me compromise who I am as a black man......or tell me to "get over it". The thing is some of you whites feel threatened when a black person voices there hurt,pain,knowledge,opinions etc. It all goes back to the ol "Massah" mentality that I keep mentioning. Some.....no I'll say a few white people in this world want us as black people to still forget our culture.......they want us to talk like them,walk like them and act like them........and I wont compromise myself or my culture!!
ROFL.......You really dont get it!! And I feel that your justifying the scars AA's/Blacks live with. You cant put a band aid on a lifetime scar...you just cant. Lord forbid it........but just imagine if someone in your family was kidnapped,raped and stripped of everything they believe in........You dont just "get over it". And whites and Non AA's have to realize that were not holding anything against the non-racist people. I know alot of great white people in my life....people who took me in as family and loved me unconditionally and NEVER tried to make me compromise who I am as a black man......or tell me to "get over it". The thing is some of you whites feel threatened when a black person voices there hurt,pain,knowledge,opinions etc. It all goes back to the ol "Massah" mentality that I keep mentioning. Some.....no I'll say a few white people in this world want us as black people to still forget our culture.......they want us to talk like them,walk like them and act like them........and I wont compromise myself or my culture!!
The Chinese got "shanghaied" and taken to America as cheap labour for the railroad construction projects. The early Chinese Americans were made fun of and looked down upon. Some of their women were forced to work for brothels.
And someone else posted that only about 5% of the blacks slaves ended up in North America, the rest went to South American countries. Are you just as upset at the South Americans? Or are you just ranting about the US because you've got some whites feeling guilty over the past?
And some point, you have to start looking to the future and to stop dwelling on the past. You are wasting your one life on earth complaining about the wrongs done to your ancestors. And most non-black people in the US don't consider themselves to have any direct ties to those slave owners. So we have nothing to give you in terms of apologies or monetary reparations. And if you want monetary reparations, get in line after the Native Americans. And with the US being trillions in debt, there is nothing to give you. How about you let your god sort this all out on your Judgment Day? And instead try to be a happy and productive person living in the present and for the future.
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