Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But here is the question: How would that stereotyping help YOU? How would it help you if it meant you don't get treated fairly, if you get discriminated against, if you have a slightly lower quality of life as a result? I've been asking that question for years.
I have to ask that question because at the end of the day, I have to live in this society, I am here. I need to have my quality of life.
You want some free advice, if you want to have a quality of life where racism doesn't exist and stereotypes don't exist, move to canada
green, it wouldnt help me. It is what it is...that my motto. Honestly though, I take everything with a grain of salt. My wife gets fed up with me with that attitude but I find life to be much smoother without taking everything so seriously.
I know what you are getting at but on the flip side if the statistics showed that crime rates amongst whites were higher than blacks than by all means stereotype us. The problem is I dont think you can change a stereotype. If the roles were reversed then you could ask the question why are blacks being stereotyped when crime rates amongst whites are higher. But they arent, so people will continue to stereotype regardless. Its human nature. I am not saying its right, but stereotypes dont just start from someones imagination.
green, it wouldnt help me. It is what it is...that my motto. Honestly though, I take everything with a grain of salt. My wife gets fed up with me with that attitude but I find life to be much smoother without taking everything so seriously.
I know what you are getting at but on the flip side if the statistics showed that crime rates amongst whites were higher than blacks than by all means stereotype us. The problem is I dont think you can change a stereotype. If the roles were reversed then you could ask the question why are blacks being stereotyped when crime rates amongst whites are higher. But they arent, so people will continue to stereotype regardless. Its human nature. I am not saying its right, but stereotypes dont just start from someones imagination.
I think differently. I have to think about ME. If I am not a criminal, have nothing to do with crime, and I aam a law abiding citizen, it isn't fair to ME(keyword ME). I don't think in terms of "it is what it is" because I take things seriously. I'm a serious person.
I don't care what the stats are. If those stats have nothing to do with ME personally, then it isn't fair to me. I don't care what human nature is. I care about making sure I have a decent quality of life, and living an an environment where I don't have to worry about stereotyping. Why? Stereotyping can result in discrimination, which could mean an unnecessary pat down search in the store, me getting followed in the store, or even costing me a job.
The black crime statistics are what they are. Yet we can quote statistics until we are all black and blue, but the reality of the matter is that, me being a black male, and there are millions of blacks like me who have never committed a crime, who have never been arrested, who have never been on parole, who are bascially law abiding citizens, and yet no one addresses that statistic as well----HUMMMMMMMMMMMMM?
Don't most black Americans choose to live in the big urban areas? Aren't the higher crime rates occurring in these big urban areas? So if most blacks live in big cities, and big cities are where the crimes occur, then wouldn't an over represented number of blacks be involved in these crimes?
Wouldn't the crime rate in any big city be unchanged, regardless of whether or not blacks lived there? So aren't we looking at a fact that a majority of blacks are living in big cities, where crimes occur, and not that skin color as a determining factor for committing crime?
Don't most black Americans choose to live in the big urban areas? Aren't the higher crime rates occurring in these big urban areas? So if most blacks live in big cities, and big cities are where the crimes occur, then wouldn't an over represented number of blacks be involved in these crimes?
Wouldn't the crime rate in any big city be unchanged, regardless of whether or not blacks lived there? So aren't we looking at a fact that a majority of blacks are living in big cities, where crimes occur, and not that skin color as a determining factor for committing crime?
Why brings us to another question: Why do alot of Black people choose to live in big urban areas? What is the factor behind it?
Old thread, but no, I don't think anyone should be mad. I can understand the anger though. I am a black woman, not a man so that may have something to do with my view. I do know that my husband is upset that he is stereotyped. He was bothered yesterday by a security guard asking him where he was going and what was he doing when he was outside of my office building waiting for me after work. He is harrassed a lot. Instead of getting angry in the moment, he files complaints and honestly that is what I think all black men should do, especially when they are stereotyped by law enforcement or any sort of security guard or store person. And FWIW, my husband is 40 and looks 40 and doesn't have dreads or wear his pants around his waist yet he is consistently thought to be a criminal.
I do think it is unfair that black males are stereotyped by what 2% of them do. The majority of black men are not criminals, but many think that they are due to the media perception and crime statistics.
I also don't feel that this stereotype will go away any time soon. Crime rates have gone down very dramatically since the 80s and 90s and crime rates in major metropolitan areas with large black populations have also gone down substantially but we still have the stereotype, which started many years ago.(i.e. the claims of black men raping white women back in the early 1900s or of being hyper criminal when back then that was not true). I just think it is something that black men need to learn to deal with and that black males at a young age need to be informed of their individual rights and what to do if approached by law enforcement, what to say, what not to say and for them to know that calmness is always the best option and that it can only help them to file a complaint against people who they feel discriminated or harrassed them based on this stereotype.
desert, I dont know if whites have higher crime stats then Asians, but if we did...go ahead and stereotype us. I could care less. Its no longer stereotyping when you have facts to back your claim.
You are absolutely correct about doing it without being stupid or insulting but with that being said it would make it apparent that you accept the fact that it is ok to stereotype as long as you stick to not being stupid or insulting about it.
I would never run around calling people out because its like you said, until they prove differently you should treat them appropriately. But you can still treat people appropriately if you stereotype them.
Yea, the most important thing in society is to be polite. You can't control the thoughts of others. I've NEVER cared about being stereotyped, just don't get out-of-pocket about it, and don't deal with me from a hostile standpoint or my hand will be forced to come back with equal hostility (usually, i'm MORE hostile)....and things will only degenerate from there. Stay courteous and treat me in the same manner that i treat you.
And i certainly won't overcompensate in order to prove that i'm not like "other blacks." Some blacks feel obligated to tip more, or act in a way that they hope will influence people to look at us differently. I'm not about to go that route.
Why brings us to another question: Why do alot of Black people choose to live in big urban areas? What is the factor behind it?
I don't know the exact numbers, but blacks are just as rural as they are urban. The "urban/black" thing just won't go away.
But in the cities is where the jobs are. People tend to go where there are opportunities. We don't have roots in Montana, so why would we move there? Idaho? Kansas? LMAO...not really our style. Those place aren't devoid of blacks, but they aren't high up on the list.
I like big cities, and so do many other blacks.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
