Prince George’s County: Growing, and growing more segregated, census shows (Annapolis: home, middle school)

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by coquinegra

Another ridiculous thread by someone without a clue in Hades about being a visible minority in America.

It is so ridiculous that you've posted twice in it. Go on with your day.

[coquinegra]

Originally Posted by meatkins

It is so ridiculous that you've posted twice in it. Go on with your day.

Um, being that I'm African American and living in PG county...It's my right to say what I like about it. And your silly pronouncements about what it's best for me to do.

Whitesplaining like a mug.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by btsilver

Yeah, the comments section is more racist than PO&C. I don't see anything "illuminating" about the comments other than a vocal minority on the internet expressing their displeasure at black people or PG county in general.

You're a little too sensitive that comes with the Internet. I guess in some bizarro world it'd be nice to think everyone is colorblind but that's not reality.

The DC area is very racially polarized anyways did you catch the WaPo article about why Black DC residents are Skin fans?

Anyway there were enough counterpoints. I read several comments from white PG residents who went through where they lived and why they chose to live in PG.

Conversely there were Black residents who posted why they don't live in PG and others who chose to. These are the comments that I refer to as illuminating.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by coquinegra

Um, being that I'm African American and living in PG county...It's my right to say what I like about it. And your silly pronouncements about what it's best for me to do.

Whitesplaining like a mug.

Please explain to me oh wise one, what being a visible minority in America is like. I seem to be a bit clueless.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by mdiggs1

Do you know what it means to be black in America? You're talking like black people are going to isolate themselves so much in Prince George's County, that they are not going to be able to operate well in society later on.

We live in a white culture dominated society in America, and black people couldn't avoid white culture if they tried. You HAVE to know about white people/society to make it in this land. The only group of people that can be really isolated in this country are white people. White people don't have to know much of nothing about black people/culture, or any other race of people to function well in this society.

I'm black and I grew up in a mostly black environment, but going to public school I learned everything there is to know about European culture, and I learned very little about African culture. Most black people know about Socrates, but even fewer know about Imhotep.

Oh God not this Egyptology crap. Imhotep has about as much revelncy to Black Americans as Socrates, probably less. Black Americans are descended from West Africans not ancient Egyptians. If Black Americans really want to reconnect with their roots West Africa is where you should start. Numerous empires you can learn about that did great things.

I really don't get this fascination Black Americans have with Ancient Egypt.

[EdwardA]

Originally Posted by coquinegra

Another ridiculous thread by someone without a clue in Hades about being a visible minority in America.

You didn't read the article. One of the main thrust was not only is it that whites are avoiding PG but other "visible" minorities are avoiding the county as well. Which is surprising since our region overall is so diverse.

Also are you Canadian? There the only ones I know who use "visible minority" it's not used in American venicalur.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by coquinegra

The point is that the kids will already be grown when they leave to go somewhere else! I grew up in an almost all white environment and I cannot tell you what it was like for me to come to the DC area and see Black professionals for the first time when I was 15 or so.
It makes a great deal of difference to a child of color to see others like himself/herself in formative years.

Here goes the attention you're obviously looking for....You grew up in a all white neighborhood? Good for you. I never said that living in an all white neighborhood was best either. I'm sure it must have been quite an experience to see black professionals, but let's not act like that's what the world is. Do you honestly believe that every black kid that grows up here honestly knows how to make it in the work world? I've recruited black kids who wear gator shows, and polyester pants like their going to church instead of a job interview. I've also seen kids who think talking to you like you are one of his boys is the way you talk to a professional because after all I'm a brother just like him. All I'm saying, do these things in front of other races of people and see how many jobs it will get you. Working and growing up with black people is not the same as the rest of the world.

[mdiggs1]

Originally Posted by meatkins

There is no comparison between white people growing up with white people and black people growing up with black people. First, there are 3 times more white people in this nation compared to blacks. That translate to a likelihood of them going outside their neighborhood and hometown and still being around white people. If you go to another county/district in this state alone, besides Baltimore City, you won't find a population that has even half the percentage of black people in it that we have in PG County.

Let me put it like this, I don't know if you work in an office, but more than likely, there's a good chance that you are the only black person who works in that office and if you are not, then there will be plenty of offices where there are little to no blacks within that organization. Also the only way you truly get to know people of different background is by actually interacting with them. After all the only thing other cultures read about black people is that we were slaves and now we shoot and kill, play basketball and rap. Do you think there is much else out there that would give a person that is not a black to think a black person they have little experience being around, could have anything in common with them?

Bottom line, there really isn't a whole lot of good that comes from people who are culturally isolated. A lot of white people who haven't been around black people often stereotype us, make assumptions and overall do not see us as individuals outside of those preconceived notions. Black people are just as likely to be ignorant about other cultures. The difference is a white person can still have a better chance of getting a job, while a black person who plans on working in the work world, will have to learn other cultures because we are far less likely to work around just black people.

Meatkin, my main argument is that I don't believe black people in America can be culturally isolated because of the dominant white culture; it's so overwhelming that it can't be avoided, even in childhood. Black people know way more about white people than white people know about black people, in my opinion.

If you go to public school in America (whether it is all black or all white), you learn a valuable lesson about the white culture. That lesson is that the United States and the whole world owes its progress to the white man and white culture, and that black people were just slaves, and since then haven't contributed much to American society, other than being able to entertain white people really well with music and sports while the white man is steadily coming up with technological advances.

[mdiggs1]

Originally Posted by EdwardA

Oh God not this Egyptology crap. Imhotep has about as much revelncy to Black Americans as Socrates, probably less. Black Americans are descended from West Africans not ancient Egyptians. If Black Americans really want to reconnect with their roots West Africa is where you should start. Numerous empires you can learn about that did great things.

I really don't get this fascination Black Americans have with Ancient Egypt.

I say Imhotep and Socrates have much relevancy to ALL Americans, including blacks.

If Socrates has no relevance to Black Americans, then please explain to me why in my English class I learned to argue using the Socratic Method? And please explain to me why I learned that a Greek named Hippocrates was the father of medicine, but then I subsequently learned that 1800 years before Hippocrates a man named Imhotep in Egypt wrote medical manuscripts that resembled Hippocrates manuscripts?

History Timeline!! - Egypt influenced Greece--Greece influenced Rome--Rome conquered much of Western Europe, spreading more influence--Western European nations dominated these two land masses today we call America. You're living in a Egyptian/Greek civilization homie. If you don't believe it look at the back of a $1 bill or go visit the National Mall.

[justtitans]

Originally Posted by mdiggs1

Meatkin, my main argument is that I don't believe black people in America can be culturally isolated because of the dominant white culture; it's so overwhelming that it can't be avoided, even in childhood. Black people know way more about white people than white people know about black people, in my opinion.

If you go to public school in America (whether it is all black or all white), you learn a valuable lesson about the white culture. That lesson is that the United States and the whole world owes its progress to the white man and white culture, and that black people were just slaves, and since then haven't contributed much to American society, other than being able to entertain white people really well with music and sports while the white man is steadily coming up with technological advances.

Are you saying that these people will eventually deal with white people? That I don't disagree with but it is when and how much that I wonder about. Reading about people in text book is no substitute for real life interactions. That's what i'm talking about. Do you think a white person that has never met a black person can know black people based on reading about black people from a book?

And your assertion that black people know more about whites than vice versa is a blanket statement. We are acting as if black people aren't capable of being ignorant and prejudice towards white people. That is simply not true. We live in a nation that has a lot of ignorant people who don't know other cultures and it results in conflict.