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On this, I also live in "the hood." I am a middle class black person income-wise and I prefer living in inner cities due to ease of getting around and I am more comfortable living in inner city neighborhoods.
IMO a majority of the people who live in 'hood neighborhoods are decent people. Probably 90% or more. All it takes is a small criminally minded minority to make a neighborhood bad in regards to crime in particular.
Honestly, in regards to the OP, I personally feel that people like that just want to complain about black people in general and what I call "problem-ize" us. In my personal life I don't give these people any attention as they are not worth my time or energy and I'm not a person who thinks it is ever a good idea to associate with people who generalize millions of people.
And FWIW wanted to note that the main reason I quoted the above is due to the bold. That is just an odd statement to me. What sort of lifestyle do people in ghettos aspire to be and what do people think they aspire to be?
IMO too often black people take on the view of all blacks being "ghetto" or inferior based on class and neighborhood of residence. It is basically "co-signing" (to use my grandmother's terminology lol) racist views of us and accepting the inferior view of us as living a certain "lifestyle" predominantly just because we live in the inner city. Since you live in the hood, I know you know that a majority of people in these neighborhoods work and do the best they can just like all other Americans. There is no particular "lifestyle" IMO of inner city people. There is a "criminal lifestyle" that people who choose to be criminals ascribe to, but just because someone lives in the hood doesn't mean they are criminal or that they live a criminal lifestyle and this particular prejudice is the main one that is being protested in regards to police brutality in particular. Even black people who are middle class can be and are victimized by police based on the assumption that because they are black they live a particular "lifestyle." We should not take on the attitudes/ideas of oppressors.
My response to the bold is this: You have those in the 'hood who choose not to be a product of that environment, if I may clarify. The obvious you see are the gangs, drugs, and crime. You have those who fall into that lifestyle, and you have those who aspire either to be an athlete or rapper. Whereas, you have those who choose to be teachers, writers, lawyers, or entrepreneurs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by theraven24
This.
I'm female, Black, and grew up in South Central as well, and still live here. I never dropped out of high school, I went to college, I have a B.A., and I'm about to go back to school for my doctorate. I work and make sure my bills are paid. I'm not a thug, I'm educated, I'm not lazy, and I work, though Trump would like to believe that's not true. Though I would like to move away, I don't want to move very far away (if I had the money, I'd move to Baldwin Hills/View Park and stay in South Central), and I want to be able to give back to South Central. I also want to be able to walk into a store without getting followed, being accused of theft, and getting called a ni**er (yes, this has happened to me).
Wishing you the best in life and your career. I'm currently working on my English degree and running a local and online crochet business. It may not seem like much but it's my way of giving back to the community, and it brings me peace.
Obama, that person is called racist. It seems like you can't disagree with our president if you are white. I'm sure someone will call this post racist. Why, because I am being critical of blacks? The more you throw the word around, the less it means.
You are a racist and it's the job of a white ally to tell you why you are a racist not other black people. Go pick up a history book or google post traumatic slave syndrome. All white people are racist we don't just throw the word around. All white people are racist until they can unlearn the white supremacist teachings taught to them by birth.
Laughable!
Just watch the evening news to see why peaceful people don't want to associate with that kind of trouble.
1.)Because people are angry and sometimes that anger boils over. However there are more peaceful, noeventful protests than there are riots. Want to guess what gets nationwide coverage?? Also do you ask these same questions when people destroy property because their team did/didn't win?
2.)Again do you actually seek out information on "black on black" crime protests or do you wait for the media to show it to you? Do you live in a neighborhood to even know what black people, churches & communities are telling their children? North Carolina is an open carry state, the most they should have done is asked to see his permit ( if he actually had a gun). I've also heard reports the NC police were in plain clothes.
3.) Republicans either say the ssues don't exist or that they exist because of some inate flaw within the black community. I'd rather vote for a flawed candidate who is willing to acknowledge issues that affect my family than the candidate who ignores or blames.
4.) People want police to see them as people, as individuals and to be treated as such. You expect an officer to approach you in a certain manner and not automatically assume you are guilty of something, throw against a wall and frisk you. You expect to be able to ask what you did and not be met with force. It's possible to want police to do their job and to also ask not to be harassed.
5.) If you ignore the history of this country and act as if all people have always been treated equally then I'm sure it makes sense to you to assume people of color are jailed more because they are more violent. Most people in jail are there for drug offenses, not violent crime. People of color are less likely to get a plea deal, less likely to get bail and more likely to get arrested for things others may get a warning for.
But typing all of that out was a waste of time. Because if you really wanted answers you would have googled and done some research.
In bold...Open carry means holstered and not a threat, he was carrying in his hand, and yes there was a gun! If you carry a gun in your hand when approached by police, then you will be perceived as a threat.
Why do legitimate protests so often become violent riots, where looting and destroying your OWN COMMUNITY is becoming commonplace?
Why do so many protesters seem to mobilize immediately when a shooting involves police, yet the almost daily killings of young black men, and sometimes children, due to gang violence never seems to elicit anywhere near the same response?
Why, at this point, are parents, churches, and community groups not educating all black youths that you must COMPLY with the police completely if you are stopped. I know there are instances where compliance has still been met with excessive police force, and I want those cops held accountable, and prosecuted if evidence warrants it. But too many of these cases still show people not obeying the cops instructions. This incident in N Carolina involves a man being shot after getting out of his car WITH A GUN! How can you expect sympathy for your cause when you defend someone this STUPID?
Why, after so many years, do blacks still vote over 90% democratic, yet what have all these democrat politicians done to improve the lives of those in black communities? You accuse the GOP of not caring about the black vote, but why should they? If any particular candidate or official knows that there is no chance of black support no matter what they say or do, why should they waste their time?
Why do so many of you shout 'racism' at even the slightest instance of a white person disagreeing with you? For 8 yrs now, whenever someone who is white criticizes Obama, that person is called racist. It seems like you can't disagree with our president if you are white. I'm sure someone will call this post racist. Why, because I am being critical of blacks? The more you throw the word around, the less it means.
Why are some communities calling for more police protection, yet protest when those same police try to inforce the law?
Finally, how can you ignore the simple, statistical fact that the number of incarcerated blacks is way out of proportion to the overall black population? Do most of you really believe that the only reason for this is simply discrimination by police and the courts all across the country? Are the majority of these incarcerated individuals innocent?
I don't believe that average working class black people are doing all of this stuff you mention, some of course but what happens is that the media shows all of the "squeaky" wheels if you will and makes it out to be far worse than it is. Take the protests/riots of NC, if you look at how many people were there and you look at the percentage of people that were acting like knuckleheads and you contrast that with how many people actually live in that area you'll see that the knuckleheads area very small tiny percentage, most black folks in the area didn't have anything to do with that stuff. Most of the stuff you hear is by the outliers, most average black folks are too busy trying to make a living and take care of their families.
I was watching coverage of the riots/protests and you can see people standing around laughing and talking, it was just a night out for most of those people, the people causing the most trouble, I often wonder if those troublemakers even really give a rip about the situation, they are running around looting buildings giggling like its all cute somehow.
My response to the bold is this: You have those in the 'hood who choose not to be a product of that environment, if I may clarify. The obvious you see are the gangs, drugs, and crime. You have those who fall into that lifestyle, and you have those who aspire either to be an athlete or rapper. Whereas, you have those who choose to be teachers, writers, lawyers, or entrepreneurs.
Wishing you the best in life and your career. I'm currently working on my English degree and running a local and online crochet business. It may not seem like much but it's my way of giving back to the community, and it brings me peace.
On the bold, IMO that is not an adequate response to my question. Whereas, you stated that people don't want to life "that lifestyle" in regards to living in the hood. My point was that a majority of people in the hood are not criminals. They are not in gangs or on drugs. They also don't want to be a rapper or an athlete.
There is a stereotype that people in the hood are all of the above - criminally minded, in gangs, on drugs (or dealing drugs), not educated (ignorant), and seeking to be in entertainment or sports.
Fact of the matter is, that is not the reality of black people in inner cities, which you, myself and theraven24 stated.
So main point I am trying to get across to you is to think of how you are speaking about black people in inner cities. When you state most want to live a particularly negative "lifestyle" you are spreading the same stereotypes that racists and prejudice people spread about blacks in America. It makes no sense to buy into false stereotypes.
In regards to your English degree and crocheting, I hope it works out for your and you are doing well. Seek out some small business creation organizations to assist you as well if you need it. I also have an English degree and will tell you that it is not all that marketable in the business world so also be sure to take some business classes since you entrepreneurial focused or have a business minor. I primarily focused on technical and business writing in college and took quite a few business classes and due to that and my (adoring) personality, I have had a lot of success in my career versus other people who majored in English.
Also in the future think about how you want to help your community in a more specific way. There are lots of organizations or after school programs that could use someone who wants to be active. Crocheting it seems is a dying art as well amongst our youth. I remember my great grandmother teaching me to crochet when I was 7 but I forgot how to do it and had to re-learn as an adult. A group teaching kids in the community how to crochet would be a great thing (putting that on my list of programs to see about implementing where I live lol).
On the bold, IMO that is not an adequate response to my question. Whereas, you stated that people don't want to life "that lifestyle" in regards to living in the hood. My point was that a majority of people in the hood are not criminals. They are not in gangs or on drugs. They also don't want to be a rapper or an athlete.
There is a stereotype that people in the hood are all of the above - criminally minded, in gangs, on drugs (or dealing drugs), not educated (ignorant), and seeking to be in entertainment or sports.
Fact of the matter is, that is not the reality of black people in inner cities, which you, myself and theraven24 stated.
So main point I am trying to get across to you is to think of how you are speaking about black people in inner cities. When you state most want to live a particularly negative "lifestyle" you are spreading the same stereotypes that racists and prejudice people spread about blacks in America. It makes no sense to buy into false stereotypes.
In regards to your English degree and crocheting, I hope it works out for your and you are doing well. Seek out some small business creation organizations to assist you as well if you need it. I also have an English degree and will tell you that it is not all that marketable in the business world so also be sure to take some business classes since you entrepreneurial focused or have a business minor. I primarily focused on technical and business writing in college and took quite a few business classes and due to that and my (adoring) personality, I have had a lot of success in my career versus other people who majored in English.
Also in the future think about how you want to help your community in a more specific way. There are lots of organizations or after school programs that could use someone who wants to be active. Crocheting it seems is a dying art as well amongst our youth. I remember my great grandmother teaching me to crochet when I was 7 but I forgot how to do it and had to re-learn as an adult. A group teaching kids in the community how to crochet would be a great thing (putting that on my list of programs to see about implementing where I live lol).
My apologies if I didn't respond clearly.
Most of us see these images of what the 'hood is (according to media) and some are subjected to those images. A fraction of us believe that's the only way out. Distortion of reality, per se. The image pushed out by media was that lifestyle I had referred to, but I worded it incorrectly. Said lifestyle is only an illusion because, confirming your posts, a good number of us in the 'hood don't live that way in real life. We've already got too much on our plates to worry about.
And thanks for your encouragement and advice. One way I wanted to help my community was when I worked as a volunteer instructor for a crochet and knit club at my local library. It's been a long time, but I want to teach crocheting to folks in the 'hood so they can channel their energy and imagination, something like designing their own fashions...and maybe selling their designs.
Last edited by SeasonedNewbie; 09-25-2016 at 06:12 PM..
Reason: phone's acting screwy
I was born in the projects, but I left my city when I was 12 years old, and was raised in a middle class neighborhood for most of my life. As an adult, I did nothing but increase my middle class standing, and never really spent any real time in the ghetto. Now I do have many members of my family who still live in the "hood".
I always thought I had insight about poor neighborhoods and how people thought there. But recently my cousin and her husband (both who still live in a pretty bad neighborhood) visiting me in NYC. And I realized that there is a lot of difference between how I see the world vs the way they see the world. And they told me "you're from the streets, but you don't know anything about the streets, you're a suburbanite". And that's really true. I really don't know anything about the hood. When I hear about crime, I'm just as clueless as white people are.
However I do know that the police will never be effective in many of these communities, and they will never get better in their current state. This is why I'm all for more privatization in poor black communities, so that black people can have the power to make their communities great again.
You and me have a somewhat different upbringing. I was never raised in the projects. I never saw housing projects. I grew up middle class. However, like you, I never really spent much time in real ghettos. I have members of my family who are from "the hood".
In my own case, I'm not from the streets. Just like you, I never really knew anything about "the hood". The closest I came that was living in a subpar apartment complex in the suburbs. It was sketchy, but nothing like the "hood". I don't know the streets. I was never in the streets, never spent time in the ghetto. I knew enough to know that I didn't want to be there. I saw things about it on TV, but never lived in it. I wasn't extremely clueless. I just never dwelled on it as a kid. I have never had to think about it unless someone else brought it up. This is why when stuff like this is asked, I can't really give an accurate answer. I'm not from that environment.
Politically, the one person I've thought of is me, and why my needs are. My thought process about crime is this. If you can help it, get out of that area.
Most of us see these images of what the 'hood is (according to media) and some are subjected to those images. A fraction of us believe that's the only way out. Distortion of reality, per se. The image pushed out by media was that lifestyle I had referred to, but I worded it incorrectly. Said lifestyle is only an illusion because, confirming your posts, a good number of us in the 'hood don't live that way in real life. We've already got too much on our plates to worry about.
And thanks for your encouragement and advice. One way I wanted to help my community was when I worked as a volunteer instructor for a crochet and knit club at my local library. It's been a long time, but I want to teach crocheting to folks in the 'hood so they can channel their energy and imagination, something like designing their own fashions...and maybe selling their designs.
ITA in regards to the media is the primary organization that "defines" what it is to be black and live in inner cities or even what it means to "be black" in general.
Glad that this thread popped back up in light of last night's debate. Donald Trump going on and on about how black people who live in "inner cities" were "living in hell" was VERY over the top and too often people believe this to be the case. Even black people believe this to be the case or they perpetuate this myth/stereotype.
IMO it is VERY important for us to tell our own realities and the fact of the matter is in reality inner cities are not "hell" and everyone who lives in the inner city is not poor or a criminal or drug addict. We should not let media define our lives via these false representations and should challenge them everytime that they come up.
For green_mariner, I do think from your posts you kind of ignorant about "the ghetto" and "inner cities" mostly because, you, like a majority of people in this country, falsely believe that inner city communities are some dangerous, foreign place to be afraid of. Ironically, I also sought to live a suburban lifestyle once I got a decent job and made enough money to do so (which I did in my early 20s). I lived in the suburbs until my late 20s and then decided that that lifestyle is not "for me."
IMO inner cities are actually "real" communities. In the inner city, I always know my neighbors and we get along. I have sidewalks. I am 5 minutes via car from practically everything I need. Inner cities are more social than suburbs where it seems everyone keeps to themself (IMO you actually portray a rather suburban mindset in this respect as it comes down to "you" a lot and FWIW this is not some sort of put down, just an observation based on your post).
I like having neighbors I know who look out for me and my family and I for them. I like the convenience of urban living. People in inner cities are personally nicer IMO than suburban people as well. So when I see all these "dangerous" monikers on TV or hear Trump say blacks and Latinos live in "hell" in the inner city, I just roll my eyes. I love urban communities. They are not something I fear. I actually enjoy them over suburbs, especially cookie-cutter suburban communities where all the houses look alike. I get lost in those places lol. On my street we have 4-6 different types of architecture. We have sidewalks. We also have neat lawns. People have flowers out front, some veggies out back. We discuss gardening. We watch each other's pets since we know each other's pets when one of us goes on vacation or something. When I lived in the burbs, my neighbors barely spoke to me. Everyone has their yards and don't interact as much. You do get some burbs that are more friendly but IMO they are not as friendly as inner cities. I also like working and middle class people more than wealthier people. Like my grandma used to say, some wealthier people "act like their _____ don't stink too." Wealthier people are also complain WAY too much for my taste. I hate it when people complain about stupid things.
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