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To be honest I like all of that. I might be a bourgeious Black person, in your eyes. I like coffee shops. If I could afford an old warehouse, I would turn it into lofts, and market it to Black people as well as everyone else because I think Black people would like lofts if someone actually marketed lofts to them. You make it sound as though Blacks would not live in lofts; we may not have the capital to invest in decaying real estate like that, but I think there are others who would jump on the opportunity to turn a profit on one.
I like museums, plays, the opera. I like Seinfeld, Amanda Bynes, Jennifer Anniston; all of that boring White people stuff as well as traditional Black people stuff as well. I like clothing that is subdued and has quality, class, and isn't screaming logos or what designer I am wearing today. It honestly is not anyones business what designer I am wearing, and I refuse to solicit business for anyone else because that designer is not soliciting business for me. You make it sound like DC has found a creative way to reinvent what would be considered ghetto culture elsewhere and pass it off in a more sophisticated manner, and that might be the case, but I don't think all Blacks or all Black culture in DC is that way. Culture is not always racial; it is socioeconomic, intellectual, spiritual, a lot of different things, but people have different ways of expressing themselves culturally. It isn't always Black people do this, White people do that; What White People Like or What Black People Like is funny because the stereotypes ring true, but there are always exceptions.
I am sorry for the rant, but I hear so many people say that Black people do not like high rises and the same urban living that White people do. Like we are perfectly okay with single family houses, the city bus and driving everywhere like an idiot. I see this sentiment everywhere; in Detroit Black people say that no one cares about Downtown, that Downtown is just for the tourists. How ignorant does that sound, Downtown should be for everyone I know that Downtown is not the epitome of Black culture, in any city, but Blacks should be able to extend their culture into the Downtown areas. It is like we are relegated to suburban living and we have simply accepted it, and refuse to fight to live on the same terms that Whites and everyone else can.
This is not Detriot, DC is an urban city. Black people in DC live in highrise apartment building s and rowhouses. Many of you are missing the point! We are talking about character. What are all of you talking about? The few don't dictate culture. The many dictate culture. Where is your defense for the city you live in? Do you have character? The newcomers are the ones without character.
This is not Detriot, DC is an urban city. Black people in DC live in highrise apartment building s and rowhouses. Many of you are missing the point! We are talking about character. What are all of you talking about? The few don't dictate culture. The many dictate culture. Where is your defense for the city you live in? Do you have character? The newcomers are the ones without character.
Here we go again. "White people are taking our $hit! White people have no swag!! White people be rayysict!!!"
I think these forums do a fine job themselves at turning into racial slug-fests even without my intervention....
I love how even the black people on this forum look down on the local culture here and seem to agree with those who aren't from DC becuase most black people on this forum aren't from DC themselves. Its always clear who is from here and who is not from here. They immediately show their lack of knowledge of the city and its indigenous population. Then they booster their hometown and how much better their local culture is compared to ours.
Wow. I was just encouraging the person to contribute. While I sympathize with your larger point, making the leap from culture to character is a losing proposition. You don't know what people have experienced or why they're here. Why do you presume that people who happened to be born somewhere have more character than people born in Alaska or Beirut? Don't you live in Maryland, anyway - like Gaithersburg? Do you lack character now that you've moved? Your argument's coming unraveled with emotion and odd bias.
Just thinking outloud here, but perhaps the reason people don't hyper-focus on DC's local black culture is that it doesn't really stand apart as much as you think. Can we honestly say that the culture that elected Marion Barry mayor of DC for decades is really that different from the culture that elected Sharp James mayor of Newark for decades or Coleman Young mayor of Detroit?
Those choices were all rooted in many of the same values, economic motivations, and cultural experiences across different cities. Was the subsequent shift in Newark to the young, middle class Cory Booker really much different than our shift to DC native Adrian Fenty?
Just thinking outloud here, but perhaps the reason people don't hyper-focus on DC's local black culture is that it doesn't really stand apart as much as you think.
What strikes me is not that [white] folks aren't focused on local black culture, it's just that they tend to be so deeply ignorant of the traditional drivers of culture: the Black church, traditional black neighborhoods, social and fraternal organizations, the culture of the underclass poverty, HBCUs like Howard. With my white co-workers, neighbors and other associates, sometimes I am just befuddled-- how can you live in DC and NOT even know about these things?
What strikes me is not that [white] folks aren't focused on local black culture, it's just that they tend to be so deeply ignorant of the traditional drivers of culture: the Black church, traditional black neighborhoods, social and fraternal organizations, the culture of the underclass poverty, HBCUs like Howard. With my white co-workers, neighbors and other associates, sometimes I am just befuddled-- how can you live in DC and NOT even know about these things?
Yeah, I agree with that for sure. Maybe I'm an exception since I go to HBCU gatherings, sit in a black church from time to time, and seek out some of the more authentic restaurants in poorer neighborhoods (so much food for the money!) that I don't really experience this divide. It is surprising when I encounter it, though - mostly in federal workers.
Wow this thread has once again gone so far off the rails. Still keeping quiet though, gonna shut up even though my former city was mentioned. Wont speak. Cant do it. Wow!!
No not at all. The offensive part is when people say DC lacks culture completely disregarding the black culture that exists here. Its funny how people go somewhere and see black people everywhere and associate it with the white collar racist code word sketchy.
My friend's neighborhood in PG County doesn't look sketchy to me and it's all black if I'm not mistaken. Even the gas station near his house seems fine.
I hate to inject race into the equation but it plays a big part in the way culture is viewed. Most non native (white) DCers are oblivious to the black culture in general not just DC. They don't have a clue unless it is spoon fed (albeit negatively) to them via the media. Allstar mentioned several festivals that blacks have in DC throughout the year but there are dozens more. When the Omega's came to town a few weeks back to celebrate their centennial, a few of my white co workers asked me about the organization. They had no idea what the Que's were about and were a little bit intimidated because they heard some of them barking on the train and downtown. LOL. I explained to them that 99% of the Omega's are college educated/graduates and they were in town to have a good time. Ignorance is bliss!
This is not Detriot, DC is an urban city. Black people in DC live in highrise apartment building s and rowhouses. Many of you are missing the point! We are talking about character. What are all of you talking about? The few don't dictate culture. The many dictate culture. Where is your defense for the city you live in? Do you have character? The newcomers are the ones without character.
Detroit is an urban city. Detroit may not have the density of high rises that the DC metro has but it is still urban, and not just downtown either because Detroit has suburbs with high rises. You just said earlier that the high rise apartments and such is something that Blacks do not do, well I guess, the majority of Blacks do not do. I am suggesting that it isn't because they do not want to, or would not, but in most cases may not be able to afford them, so the culture coalesces around single family houses or rowhouses, townhouses, whatever.
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