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As more and more Black people get it together; it will help the others and help weaken racist attitudes of white people as a group towards Blacks. Success feeds on success.
This is true. I point a big bright light on us black males believe me. But at the same time the ones of us that do the right thing and put in work are often treated differently than inferior white counter parts. No doubt about it.
Personally, I don't feel like black people have to change who they are just to pander to folks with ignorant mindsets.
For some people, nothing black people do will be right. Obama has risen to the highest level achievable in the US and even he is questioned about something as ridiculous as his college grades.
I have no problem with "urban wear" as long as it's not in a professional setting. Contrary to what many people want to believe, you shouldn't have to erase your identity to be accepted.
See the thing is that draws hanging out is not our identity. It came from prisons. Gansta rap glamorized and the violent attack dog life style that came with it. Thats another thread but just saying.
Wanted to note that I live in a higher crime black neighborhood, one that was even featured on our local news and fear mongered to death by the local media who went on and on (it was a 3 part series) about how you would be killed to come in our neighborhood, info shown to the public with the backdrop of a hard, hip hop beat.
White people come over here and they do not get killed in the least. I will say from my experience being black in America, and especially where I live now in Atlanta, that black people on a whole, meaning the majority of the people I know, will go out of their way to be friendly to a white person. They are similar to another poster who said they were white who mentioned in a recent thread, that they were "extra nice" to black people so blacks wouldn't think they were racist. Black people do this as well, but they do it to prove to white people that they aren't like "those other blacks" and to prove that not all black people are horrible people. I have gotten into heated discussions about this in college (I went to an HBCU so everyone who argued against me and it was practically the whole class except 3 other people out of 40 were black). A lot of black people have the need to try to look good in front of whites and most of them will go out of their way - speak better (not in what I call a "black accent") be more attentive, more kind, etc. They are much nicer to white people than black people.
An an example of this is a grocery store that is not far from my neighborhood. It is in a gentrifying area but it is still majority black and the people who frequent this store are ghetto IMO so I call it the ghetto grocery store (please note that the same store has another location about 3 miles west and that neighborhood is majority black, over 95% and that neighborhood is not ghetto in the least and I love to shop there). While in the ghetto store a white family came in - mom, grandma, and a daughter. The ghetto store ALWAYS has long lines, only 2 cashiers even though they have about 20 lanes in the store. I am waiting in one of the long lines and the white family comes up. They only have 3 bottles of 20ounce sodas and a black employee comes up to them and asks them how they are doing and they respond "fine" and the black lady is speaking to them really sweetly and asking them if they are visiting or new to the neighborhood, they were going to a sporting event (I live near the GA Dome in Atlanta) and the black lady goes to another lane, uses her key, opens the cashier drawer and processes this white family through even though there are literally 20 black families waiting in line in the 2 lines that are open. I immediately go over to the line so I can check out as well when she opens and she tells me that she is closed after she checks out the white family and she gets all huffy with me and attitudnal. This sort of scene happens often in black neighborhoods, even rough neighborhoods like mine. A white lady broke down on my street once and the crack heads (I know they are crack heads and some are on heroine as we talk and I know about them as I like to know who is around me and what to expect) helped her change her tire and checked her fluids and were extra nice to her. These are people who live in abandoned houses, who most prejudicial and stereotyping white people would think would kill them in my neighborhood, which is not a pretty area by any means. The lady herself looked worried and I even asked her if she needed to use AAA to get a tow and I had them tow her car to a shop. She was very thankful. I would have helped any person black or white, but the point is that the majority of white people who go into black neighborhoods, even rough black neighborhoods are not accosted and if anything they will be treated well because they are white. Sane black people know that if you do something to a white person that you will more than likely be jailed forever even relatives of mine who are crazy criminals would not beat up a white person because they would more than likely get more time than for beating up a black person. Those of you who think otherwise are living in la-la land.
Everything in your last paragraph are already things that are going on. It amazes me the "advice" black people get like we aren't already doing these things.
This is actually an issue I have with both conservative and liberals (since this is POC) that come in my neighborhood and try to educate us about what we should be doing. If they want to help they should come to us and ask what are we doing and what can they do to help. All of this is going on already and the years and years on increase in education and decrease in crime and increase of black wealth in this country is evidence of what we are doing in this area.
This is due, like another poster mentioned, to the fact that black people are locked up for crimes that white people are not locked up for. Many people will not call the police on white criminals, as is evidenced in the OP video. They WILL call on a black youth, even black people will call on a black individual versus a white person because a white person will get the benefit of the doubt that they are not a criminal versus that of a black person. Also you fail to mention that violent crimes by black people are statistically more likely to be committed upon other black people themselves. That should lead white people to assume that they are not unsafe around blacks. Blacks kill each other and rob each other way more than they will kill or rob you due to what I mentioned above that I have heard from my relatives who were former criminals.
ITA with you on the bolded area. As a black person myself, I do not expect white people to fix their racist ways or to even change their prejudicial or stereotypical views. Want to note I don't expect if for racist black people either, or racist Latinos, or Asians or anyone. If I get into a debate with them I will not get angry but I will give them the facts and if they continue to have their stereotypical views, I don't care. There are more important things to work on. I encourage other black people to adopt the same attitude. Attitudes can be powerful and I feel that once black people let go of this trying to impress or gain favor of whites then things will only get better and better for us as a demographic in the country.
Very interesting perspective and I agree with much. The bolded text in the quote is what I want to address. I am not sure that we go out of our way to treat them so nice or if its that we have evolved to treat each other so badly. I mean....its like **** fighting or dog fighting. We were segregated into pits and forced to take our frustrations out on each other....as opposed to the "system" of YT supremacy. The only enemy we could see from these pits (chicago South side, Detroit, etc) was each other, and not the conspiracy of like minds, from outside the pit, that manifest control like it always has. Hence, we are treating white folks better as the corollary of treating and seeing each other worse. We have lost the respect we used to have for each other from living in "the pit". We have become the biggest enemy THAT WE CAN SEE.....as we are being manipulated and controled FROM AFAR.....hence....misplaced aggression.....which is by design to help preserve the system of supremacy.
We cannot see the forest for the trees.....which is us. The forest is the problem but all we see are the trees around us, so we see ourselves as the problem.
There are many successful black people in the business world. I personally know 3 men who are over the top intelligent. Harvard and Yale grads. I don't know if they were able to get their place in university through affirmative action, but they were deserving of it. On the other hand, I worked for a bi-racial lawyer who came from a very comfortable family who went through law school on affirmative action. She was totally incompetent and all I could think was that she took the place of someone who was more deserving. She confused the heck out of me - she was black when it was convenient, bi-racial when it was convenient - and Jewish when it was convenient. And the one thing I heard repeatedly from her was that the firm could not fire her because she was "black". Well, she found out differently.
The 3 men I speak of gave the business world 3 great minds. And in spite of their brillance they still felt the racism. As a result they relocated to where I am because there is a tremendous respect for their abilities.
I believe that black men and women who have succeeded should give back to their community/race. The history of black people who succeeded should not be the role models of todays youth, but let their role models be those who have succeeded today. Rather than black children being told what they can't do by whites and blacks alike, successful black people in the corporate world, as well as, local communities, doctors from local hospitals, local politicians, local business owners, should organize and take the show on the road and send the message to black children what they can do and to know that there will be struggles along the way, but to overcome those stuggles. Lead the youth by example. Teach them that changes have to be made from within themself, even if that means conforming to what is deemed as acceptable social behavior and dress. Make the children aware of what is available to them and use it. Black children but need to understand that there are role models within their own community who aren't famous, but succeeded. Success isn't measured in fame - being a rapper, a singer, an actor. The only cost to those who bring positive awareness to children is time.
I hope for your son that it is a better world when his time comes.
*****
To the person who repped me with a comment: You are exactly what is wrong with the world today. Don't hide behind a message no one can see, be big enough of a person and put it out there for all to see.
OK lot of truth to this. I will add that black men need only take one step in one generation and it will improve everything. Father children with a woman you truly love and be with them everyday possible.8 times out of 10 these boys and girls grow up to be good citizens
"According to numerous sources African Americans are approximately six times more likely to spend time in prison or jail, and eight times more likely to commit violent crimes than whites (based on both arrest and conviction statistics and victim crime reports" Wikipedia
Well, come on over my way and I'll take you to one of the local black watering holes. Most have been closed down under nuisance law, mostly shootings, fights etc. Because you are white, you will be accused of being a narc or some kind of snitch. Don't take me wrong, most who go there are ghetto underclass blacks. A whole different class of people, which I steer clear of.
If I go into a white biker bar what are my chances?
"According to numerous sources African Americans are approximately six times more likely to spend time in prison or jail, and eight times more likely to commit violent crimes than whites (based on both arrest and conviction statistics and victim crime reports" Wikipedia
Why shouldn't we profile them?
MLK would be disgusted, in my opinion.
Bill Cosby nailed it, and the black community hates him for it.
If I go into a white biker bar what are my chances?
Of what, getting a job? You stereotype bikers, and that's ok, right? Whatever, blacks just want to complain, in my opinion. I sure don't see any of them in my town attempting to improve their lives. And nobody here has posted anything to convince me otherwise.
Bill Cosby had good advice for blacks and they tried to run him off.
I'm white, and I used to DJ in a predominantly black night club in NE Ohio. Sure there were issues, but that's what happens when alcohol is involved. I never feared for my life, and never needed someone to help me pack my s*** and put it in the car at the end of the night. I also used to DJ in a college bar, where the crowd was primarily white, and guess what? Tons of drama! And a lot of these kids were rich kids. They'd freakin' trash the place! Always knocking the towel dispensers off of the bathroom walls. Or, purposely trying to flood the toilets. Then of course the fights! I also worked in a bar, in a not so good part of Cleveland, which was also primarily white, and guess what? A friend of mine who would tag along ended up getting stabbed by a WHITE DUDE trying to break up a fight! Of course he still beat the s*** out of the dude and thank goodness it was only an exacto knife. But still! To be honest, that was the worst place I ever worked as a DJ as far as when s*** went down! These idiots would fight in the street at the end of the night in the middle of traffic.
You hear that......thats the sound of to many to name heads going pop
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And the one thing I heard repeatedly from her was that the firm could not fire her because she was "black". Well, she found out differently.
I never feared for my life, and never needed someone to help me pack my s*** and put it in the car at the end of the night. I also used to DJ in a college bar, where the crowd was primarily white, and guess what? Tons of drama! And a lot of these kids were rich kids. They'd freakin' trash the place! Always knocking the towel dispensers off of the bathroom walls. Or, purposely trying to flood the toilets. Then of course the fights! I also worked in a bar, in a not so good part of Cleveland, which was also primarily white, and guess what? A friend of mine who would tag along ended up getting stabbed by a WHITE DUDE trying to break up a fight! Of course he still beat the s*** out of the dude and thank goodness it was only an exacto knife. But still! To be honest, that was the worst place I ever worked as a DJ as far as when s*** went down! These idiots would fight in the street at the end of the night in the middle of traffic.
