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Dude, seriously, if something doesn't work out in a STEM field, or even if it does, you should look into politics. Have you ever read about Tim Scott, Senator from SC? You sound very similar to him.
But seriously man, good job on staying the course and keeping focused on the end prize.
I'm older than you, so I can say things like 'Good job young man' and not mean it to be patronizing.
Thank you! I am very interested in politics. I'm a Republican, but a centrist more than anything; I'm not hardcore to the right. I actually agree with the Dems on some items (like more infrastructure spending). I do know about Senator Tim Scott. I think that he is an excellent, inspirational man.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
The bold made me chucke!
You are 20. You're not very old or mature and honestly, I can tell from your comments that you are very young.
And sorry to say, that it seems you are associating "goodness" with white people. I was never accused of "acting white" by anyone other than a white teacher who said I "talked white." I told her that was not possible since I am black. White does not equal good or successful and acknowledging that the system of white supremacy does exist and is at play in our society doesn't mean that you limit your options as a black person. Since you are young, I'll recommend some books for you by black authors:
Don't Believe the Hype - Farai Chedeya
The Philadelphia Negro (since you are from Philadelphia and this was the first study done on urban black Americans) - WEB DuBois The Miseducation of the Negro - Carter G Woodson (if you don't read any of them, please read this one, it is still relevant for black people today and is something I personally feel all black persons aged 18-25 should read as they start out their lives you can get in for $.99 on kindle or nook).
The New Jim Crow - Michele Alexander
Up From Slavery - Booker T. Washington
The Warmth of Other Suns - Isabel Wilkerson
Race Matters - Cornel West
Acting White: The Ironic Legacy of De-Segregation - Stuart Buck (great read, mentions how the teasing about "acting white" is more prominent in racially integrated schools versus predominantly black)
Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black People in America from Civil War to WWII - Douglas A. Blackmon (this is also a documentary)
ETA: Want to clarify as well in regards to me stating that it seems you associate goodness with white, in that you mention all those things as if that makes you drastically different from other black people. I went to an HBCU and was a top student as well, no one ever mentioned that I "acted white" or said I was white because there are all sorts of black people and we all like a varying amount of entertainment and books (as you can tell from above, I am an avid reader and a book worm and have been since I was 3 years old). I knew people in college who were into all sorts of music, being black doesn't mean you have to like a specific amount of music. One of my good friends in college is now into K-Pop (Japanese pop music). I like country music and jazz and old school rock, the blues (I play 5 instruments), old school hip hop, contemporary, classical, and traditional gospel/negro spiritual music.
I am only saying this to let you know that on the black thing you are not all the unique amongst us. Most of us are smart and get educated and live our daily lives. Be aware of people who try to tell you what it means to be black. Being black is being yourself if you are a black American, nothing more, nothing less. I have been accused of being a "black Republican" lol, but I am an independent and do not ascribe to the beliefs of any political party. I think for myself and vote on issues and I also know that racial discrimination did exist and still does. I have experienced much less of it than my parents and grandparents and especially great grandparents, and I am hopeful that your generation will experience less than I have. But there are still discriminatory systems in our country and you shouldn't flat out deny that just because you hang out with white people and they aren't oppressive to you. Most white people are very nice, regular people IMO. But the criminal justice system does have a bias as do employers and hopefully you won't have to experience that, but once you hit the real job market, that is when you more than likely will experience the biases against black people that are still prevalent in our society.
If you see something in my writing that indicates that I associate "goodness" with white people, just know that its unintentional. I don't see it in my writings. When I was in elementary and even middle school, it seemed like good things were associated with being white. Furthering my education beyond high school and college, speaking and writing (at least online) properly, and straying away from the neighborhood norms were considered white. While the last thing isn't necessarily good or bad depending on the neighborhood, having different political views, a different taste in music, and playing a sport other than basketball (I played baseball).
I do believe that racial discrimination still exists. As long as institutions such as Stormfront, the KKK, and neo-Nazi's exist, I believe it will be here. That doesn't mean that I won't support their First Amendment rights, however. But as you mentioned, I haven't experienced any yet. I have never felt uncomfortable around someone of a different race (past 13. I was scared of white people when I was a little boy due to little exposure to them in addition to the stories that my grandfather told me about growing up in South Carolina in the 1930s and 1940s). On top of that, when I was a freshman in high school, my mom really began to discuss with my brother and I the concept of self-responsibility and the problems within the black community. Because of this, I subconsciously see claims of racism and discrimination as excuses rather than valid. Maybe it'll stop if I do ever experience it, but it hasn't happened yet. Like you said, however, I may experience it while in the job market.
P.S. I will try to read some of the books as time permits. Particularly, the book about acting white because I never experienced that from anyone other than black people even in my majority white Catholic high school. I am open-minded and like to read and listen to opposing views.
And as long as police continue to apply force and punishment disproportional to the given circumstance, officers will continue to have their motives and actions questioned and held under suspicion and even themselves fired and brought to court when possible.
You don't seem to understand that the ability to give orders to citizens does not give you a blank check on what happens to them when you decide they didn't follow your orders correctly.
Actually, it does.
That is the law.
They can use whatever force is necessary to detain you, arrest you, or simply get you to comply with their orders.
They can't just shoot you to death if you resist an arrest, but then shooting isn't necessary anyway.
Did that girl get shot?
No.
She got thrown to the ground and a knee in her back.
That's standard operating procedure for dealing with people who resist.
Just watch "Cops" if you want to see examples.
And it happens to whites, blacks, hispanics, males, females, young and old.
A bunch of liberals demanding that police play "hug a thug" is not going to hurt the police. They'll simply go from being pro-active to reactive, and crime will skyrocket as is happening in Baltimore right now. Who do you think that hurts? People outside of high crime neighborhoods? No. The police themselves? No.
Last edited by dechatelet; 06-16-2015 at 11:02 PM..
I am not African-American and do not care for the term "black." Neither do I visit and Root or World Star Hip Hop. Neither of those have anything to do with my culture. You must live on those sites if that is what you mention.
Get out of here with that nonsense. Next time don't make assumptions.
oh. ok. You're black of Caribbean descent. Really not interested in how you "identify," though, tbh.
The point remains the same, btw. All of these stories are textbook examples of confirmation bias and (as someone above mentions), narrative pushing. No critical thinking exists on these topics anymore and in the world of twitter, tumblr and hashtag activism. (And that's where the MAJORITY of these "movements" are coming from). How can you even deny that? Maybe you aren't paying attention to the source of those "grassroots."
And for the record, the original link at the very start of this thread is... wait for it.... THE ROOT.
oh. ok. You're black of Caribbean descent. Really not interested in how you "identify," though, tbh.
The point remains the same, btw. All of these stories are textbook examples of confirmation bias and (as someone above mentions), narrative pushing. No critical thinking exists on these topics anymore and in the world of twitter, tumblr and hashtag activism. (And that's where the MAJORITY of these "movements" are coming from). How can you even deny that? Maybe you aren't paying attention to the source of those "grassroots."
And for the record, the original link at the very start of this thread is... wait for it.... THE ROOT.
Here you go again. I'm of African descent among other heritages, and as I have awareness of my heritage, you can keep your black label.
Not interested in your limited identification.
I couldn't care less about those so-called movements and don't follow them. Obviously it is you who is obsessed with them. Clearly your perspective is narrow. Don't you see how the Indians, Nigerians, Pakistanis and others carry themselves in this country? It is just as I specified. That is why I said, other cultures do just that...and do well.
Thank you! I am very interested in politics. I'm a Republican, but a centrist more than anything; I'm not hardcore to the right. I actually agree with the Dems on some items (like more infrastructure spending). I do know about Senator Tim Scott. I think that he is an excellent, inspirational man.
If you see something in my writing that indicates that I associate "goodness" with white people, just know that its unintentional. I don't see it in my writings. When I was in elementary and even middle school, it seemed like good things were associated with being white. Furthering my education beyond high school and college, speaking and writing (at least online) properly, and straying away from the neighborhood norms were considered white. While the last thing isn't necessarily good or bad depending on the neighborhood, having different political views, a different taste in music, and playing a sport other than basketball (I played baseball).
I do believe that racial discrimination still exists. As long as institutions such as Stormfront, the KKK, and neo-Nazi's exist, I believe it will be here. That doesn't mean that I won't support their First Amendment rights, however. But as you mentioned, I haven't experienced any yet. I have never felt uncomfortable around someone of a different race (past 13. I was scared of white people when I was a little boy due to little exposure to them in addition to the stories that my grandfather told me about growing up in South Carolina in the 1930s and 1940s). On top of that, when I was a freshman in high school, my mom really began to discuss with my brother and I the concept of self-responsibility and the problems within the black community. Because of this, I subconsciously see claims of racism and discrimination as excuses rather than valid. Maybe it'll stop if I do ever experience it, but it hasn't happened yet. Like you said, however, I may experience it while in the job market.
P.S. I will try to read some of the books as time permits. Particularly, the book about acting white because I never experienced that from anyone other than black people even in my majority white Catholic high school. I am open-minded and like to read and listen to opposing views.
The book is very interesting and actually your situation which I highlighted is the one expressed in the book. The book contends that prior to integration of schools, there was no such thing as "acting white." It became a "thing" in the 70s, 80s, and 90s after integration of black children into white schools. Black students, who would have just been called a nerdy or geeky (like nerdy, geeky white children) in the desegregated school by their black peers, were told in the desegregated era that they "acted white." The book also discusses how even in the present time period, if a smart black child goes to a predominantely black school without white people, then the black child will just get normal nerd/geek teasing and will be less likely to be told they "talk white" or "act white."
The situation you described where at the math competition, the girls said you all won because "you had the white boy" is indicative of this trend. When whites aren't a part of the picture or on the minds of black students, smart black students are just that - smart black students and there have always been exceptional black youth academically and will continue to be so.
Hope you are able to check it out. It was a good read. And ironically, prior to the book being publlished, this was a topic of conversation for my classmates and I at college. As stated I went to an HBCU and in particular classes, we debated specific historic events, incidents, and persons and shared viewpoints on how the above either was positive or negative for blacks on the whole. The professor was an older lady who grew up in segregated TN and went to Fisk. Her opinion was that blacks did not dumb themselves down until they were exposed to white people via forced school integration. Successful black teachers and administrators were removed from historically black public school locations that served as centers of the black life in predominately black neighborhoods. Those educators who were deeply respected and who truly cared about their students and who were intricately involved in the lives of the children and the parents in their respective neighborhoods, were replaced by inexperienced white teachers who held racial biases about the intelligence and academic growth of blacks in general. As a result, they were more apt to expend more time and energy with a white student or a non-black student in general. White students were held above the black students. Black students in retaliation, withdew from school (in Huey P. Newton's autobiography "Revolutionary Suicide" he describes this phenomenon happening in his childhood. He had constant issues with the education system but was passed in order to just be moved along and when he graduated high school he couldn't even read because his teachers did not value him as a black child according to him - FWIW, I recently read that book and saw a correlation to "Acting White"). And the effect was that performance by black students decreased and the trust of black parents to educators substantially decreased and are still poor today. I can attest to that, as even though I do respect educators, I am always wary that they have the best in mind for my kids, my son in particular. We have had small issues with both my kids that I felt were based on a racial bias and I did take that opinion to the school and it was rectified all times.
But my professor felt that desegregation has a negative effect on black students and black society in general when it comes to education. I agree with her. Many of my classmates did not agree with her and so we had good healthy debates about this. When the book came out, it was interesting to see that the data reviewed suggests that my professor was right in her line of thinking.
But my professor felt that desegregation has a negative effect on black students and black society in general when it comes to education. I agree with her. Many of my classmates did not agree with her and so we had good healthy debates about this. When the book came out, it was interesting to see that the data reviewed suggests that my professor was right in her line of thinking.
I don't think this was a result of integration even though it was coincidental with integration--post hoc ergo propter hoc is a fallacy to avoid.
It's true that education had been highly prized among blacks prior to the 70s, from the slave days, through WEB Dubois' concept of the "talented tenth," even into the Black Revolution of the 60s when the "intellectual" was considered a solid necessity to the formation of Black Nationhood.
I'd personally consider it a result of the popularization of negative black media images from the 70s on, when black people lost control of our own image to Hollywood....it's a "Huggy Bear" consequence.
The book is very interesting and actually your situation which I highlighted is the one expressed in the book. The book contends that prior to integration of schools, there was no such thing as "acting white." It became a "thing" in the 70s, 80s, and 90s after integration of black children into white schools. Black students, who would have just been called a nerdy or geeky (like nerdy, geeky white children) in the desegregated school by their black peers, were told in the desegregated era that they "acted white." The book also discusses how even in the present time period, if a smart black child goes to a predominantely black school without white people, then the black child will just get normal nerd/geek teasing and will be less likely to be told they "talk white" or "act white."
The situation you described where at the math competition, the girls said you all won because "you had the white boy" is indicative of this trend. When whites aren't a part of the picture or on the minds of black students, smart black students are just that - smart black students and there have always been exceptional black youth academically and will continue to be so.
Hope you are able to check it out. It was a good read. And ironically, prior to the book being publlished, this was a topic of conversation for my classmates and I at college. As stated I went to an HBCU and in particular classes, we debated specific historic events, incidents, and persons and shared viewpoints on how the above either was positive or negative for blacks on the whole. The professor was an older lady who grew up in segregated TN and went to Fisk. Her opinion was that blacks did not dumb themselves down until they were exposed to white people via forced school integration. Successful black teachers and administrators were removed from historically black public school locations that served as centers of the black life in predominately black neighborhoods. Those educators who were deeply respected and who truly cared about their students and who were intricately involved in the lives of the children and the parents in their respective neighborhoods, were replaced by inexperienced white teachers who held racial biases about the intelligence and academic growth of blacks in general. As a result, they were more apt to expend more time and energy with a white student or a non-black student in general. White students were held above the black students. Black students in retaliation, withdew from school (in Huey P. Newton's autobiography "Revolutionary Suicide" he describes this phenomenon happening in his childhood. He had constant issues with the education system but was passed in order to just be moved along and when he graduated high school he couldn't even read because his teachers did not value him as a black child according to him - FWIW, I recently read that book and saw a correlation to "Acting White"). And the effect was that performance by black students decreased and the trust of black parents to educators substantially decreased and are still poor today. I can attest to that, as even though I do respect educators, I am always wary that they have the best in mind for my kids, my son in particular. We have had small issues with both my kids that I felt were based on a racial bias and I did take that opinion to the school and it was rectified all times.
But my professor felt that desegregation has a negative effect on black students and black society in general when it comes to education. I agree with her. Many of my classmates did not agree with her and so we had good healthy debates about this. When the book came out, it was interesting to see that the data reviewed suggests that my professor was right in her line of thinking.
Thanks for the recommendation! I'll be sure to look it up and read it now that you clarified the portion that you emboldened.
No, they can't. You might want to check even the police regulations on things they can't do.
Wrong.
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