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.
Until the Black community/Black American way of life, decided that they have had enough of living the "way America has dealt them". Realize, come to terms with and deal with, the color of your skin is not the issue. It is the whole attitude and the Black separation of "their" community from the rest of America. Sorry, ALL people in America are afforded the same rights to income, education, rights, speech and freedom. Why after many decades it the Black community still hanging on to the "old school" way of life of being repressed. Today, "America" still sees way too many "Black" Americans playing the role of "old". Sorry, the "Sepratists Ebonics" and the "presentation" of "gangsta-pants on the ground" and the way the black community has decided that they are "not accepted" to communities is a reflection of the way they were raised. I had many black friends in the 60's and 70's that were a part of the communites they lived in and mixed race friends that are "appalled" at the behavior of "their" "black communities" now. WAKE UP!!! Stop the "Sepratist" attitude. I love my black friends of the past and would love to meet new black friends in the furture. Get out of the "old way of expectation way of thinking" The Black community has so much more that the "Ghetto/Thug way of expectation and life" Yeah, I know. The same applies to the "White Trash" way of life too.
I am only referring to ways in which men have killed others here in the United States. Why are there not any black men that have hung women up on a tree and cut out the baby from a woman's womb? Something to think about along with many other ways in which men kill here in the United States.
There are blacks killing people out there right now. You can blame the economy as many like to do or prejudice or racism but they are right there.
It's interesting how we talk about racism as if color is what makes us who we are. Just b'c someone is black-skinned he's so-and-so? Someone yellow-skinned is so-and-so? Someone white-skinned is so-and-so?? Race has nothing to do with the person you are, IMO. It's our culture, our environment, our upbringing that shapes us. Sure, there are stereotypes and statistics but there are also those who don't fit the stereotypes or who beat the odds. Not every Asian is smart, stingy, or hardworking (I know plenty). I'm not going to comment on other racial stereotypes but we can all name a stereotype about our race. It's not the color of my skin that make me who I am; it's my culture, my upbringing, my environment. Being yellow, black, white, what have you has nothing to do with a person becoming a successful professional, athlete, inmate, or pauper, or anything in between. This is an old post but I just wanted to put in my 2 cents.
It's interesting how we talk about racism as if color is what makes us who we are. Just b'c someone is black-skinned he's so-and-so? Someone yellow-skinned is so-and-so? Someone white-skinned is so-and-so?? Race has nothing to do with the person you are, IMO. It's our culture, our environment, our upbringing that shapes us. Sure, there are stereotypes and statistics but there are also those who don't fit the stereotypes or who beat the odds. Not every Asian is smart, stingy, or hardworking (I know plenty). I'm not going to comment on other racial stereotypes but we can all name a stereotype about our race. It's not the color of my skin that make me who I am; it's my culture, my upbringing, my environment. Being yellow, black, white, what have you has nothing to do with a person becoming a successful professional, athlete, inmate, or pauper, or anything in between. This is an old post but I just wanted to put in my 2 cents.
It would be nice if people could be determined by even the culture one ascribes to. Unfortunately, for certain minorities in certain parts of the country, their race will speak volumes for them more than their culture. For example, in the so-called "progressive" BosWash Northeast region, I know personally that blacks (especially black males) who are culturally more assimilated, unless they're emasculate themselves to the point of seeming like they're flamboyantly gay, they'll get the label of being thuggish, overly-aggressive, bitter, angry men. However, this isn't the case for other parts of the region. This wasn't the case for me when I was in a culturally Midwestern/Appalachian part of Western Pennsylvania. Most people there saw that I didn't ascribe to the "ghetto thug," "militant separatist" or "bitter at the white man" subcultures and hence didn't give me as much s**t for my skin color. It wasn't racially perfect, but it was a lot more livable than the Faux Liberal Urbanized Northeast region. And from what I've heard about the treatment of assimilated blacks, the "culture" one would follow has more determination about "their place" than their skin color in places like the Pacific Northwest, most of California and the West Coast, the Southwest, Rocky Mountains, upper plains Midwest, Alaska & Hawaii, and now, gradually in states like Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina, despite those places being historically Southern.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jksa09
Until the Black community/Black American way of life, decided that they have had enough of living the "way America has dealt them". Realize, come to terms with and deal with, the color of your skin is not the issue. It is the whole attitude and the Black separation of "their" community from the rest of America. Sorry, ALL people in America are afforded the same rights to income, education, rights, speech and freedom. Why after many decades it the Black community still hanging on to the "old school" way of life of being repressed. Today, "America" still sees way too many "Black" Americans playing the role of "old". Sorry, the "Sepratists Ebonics" and the "presentation" of "gangsta-pants on the ground" and the way the black community has decided that they are "not accepted" to communities is a reflection of the way they were raised. I had many black friends in the 60's and 70's that were a part of the communites they lived in and mixed race friends that are "appalled" at the behavior of "their" "black communities" now. WAKE UP!!! Stop the "Sepratist" attitude. I love my black friends of the past and would love to meet new black friends in the furture. Get out of the "old way of expectation way of thinking" The Black community has so much more that the "Ghetto/Thug way of expectation and life" Yeah, I know. The same applies to the "White Trash" way of life too.
This definitely needs to be told to every black person who ascribes to this separatist border-line plantation minded BS. It seems that blacks in the 60 & 70 (and even up to the mid 90s) had ambition to do well, whether the goal was to assimilate or to improve the lives of their families. I've even seen this in my own life. During the 90s, my academic intellect was actually praised by my family members and the things I did that today would be considered "white" wasn't as much of a problem back even during the 90s. But I've noticed gradually how the change has been. And now when I try to address this, most of the "relatives" will try to turn it around and act like I committed a federal offense for not ascribing to the "black ways & attitudes." The same black girls who I was easily able to get their attraction (and then some) in the 90s are now out of contact due to this rapid change of attitude of embracing the "Gangsta & Plantation Life".
To be honest, this is going to come as racist, but it needs to be said: If anything, the ghetto and bitter attitudes of most blacks today are the things that need to get the treatment of spray-hoses, rabid dogs, and riotous whites, not the open to equity & assimilation through hard work and peaceful means of blacks during the 60s.
But there is another side to this: All of the non-blacks out there need to embrace blacks who are willing to assimilate and integrate themselves into the mainstream American culture. This may be the case in most Western and politically moderate & libertarian states, but this is far from the current scenario in the regions of the "Old South," Rust Belt, and East Coast.
Last edited by Do a Barrel Roll; 02-22-2010 at 09:30 AM..
But there is another side to this: All of the non-blacks out there need to embrace blacks who are willing to assimilate and integrate themselves into the mainstream American culture. This may be the case in most Western and politically moderate & libertarian states, but this is far from the current scenario in the regions of the "Old South," Rust Belt, and East Coast.
Sure. I'm willing to embrace and welcome blacks into my professional life and my neighborhood. I am even willing to be friends with them. However, that "embrace" just doesn't include getting physically intimate with any black men. I just don't find them appealing in that way.
Interracial attraction in regards to a romantic or sexual relationship is a matter of an individual's personal taste and it can't be forced under the umbrella of having equal civil rights. And calling someone racist isn't going to make others find you attractive enough to date or marry.
But if you think about it, even between people of the same race, most don't find everyone they encounter appealing enough to date and marry. Choosing a mate is a very highly selective process.
But there is another side to this: All of the non-blacks out there need to embrace blacks who are willing to assimilate and integrate themselves into the mainstream American culture. This may be the case in most Western and politically moderate & libertarian states, but this is far from the current scenario in the regions of the "Old South," Rust Belt, and East Coast.
Old habits die hard, and unfortunetly the general media preception of AA's follows the BET model. I feel your anger at the fact that there is a segment of Blacks who act out for the social cache it brings (not just in America either, look at Europe).
I dunno what will inspire change, other than Black people taking back control of their own communites and philosphies. My rejection of leftist politics was largley a reaction towards the paternalism America shows towards Blacks. I am a man and deserve to be treated like one.
What's needed is a sea-change culturally in America. A Libertarian washing away of the past lines and a more open, libertarian philosphy.
Old habits die hard, and unfortunetly the general media preception of AA's follows the BET model. I feel your anger at the fact that there is a segment of Blacks who act out for the social cache it brings (not just in America either, look at Europe).
I dunno what will inspire change, other than Black people taking back control of their own communites and philosphies. My rejection of leftist politics was largley a reaction towards the paternalism America shows towards Blacks. I am a man and deserve to be treated like one.
What's needed is a sea-change culturally in America. A Libertarian washing away of the past lines and a more open, libertarian philosphy.
The segment of African-American community that follows the "BET model" is not a large part of the African-American community. Unfortunately, it sells. It is the most popular. African-Americans such as me, who are in school, who don't fit that BET model don't get the most attention, unless it's Barack Obama, Bill Cosby or Sidney Poitier. Those are celebrities. A person like me will stick out, but I won't get promoted. I am a "nerdy" type. I will stick out as an African-American for that reason. It doesn't mean my image will be promoted. What gets promoted is the thug or rapper image. It sells. What exists among a relatively small part of the African-American population gets promoted more than it should. It is this image that I don't want promoted. The criminals and thugs that exist in the African-American community aren't looking for any promotion. They get the most attention.
I don't know what will inspire some people to take back their communities and their philosophies. I think some people have thrown their hands up in frustration, feeling like they will never be accepted. Not all, but some. I remember in high school being the "nerdy Black kid". I only knew a few other Black kids that were just like me. Many of the Black kids perpetuated the "thug" image. In high school, I fell into a stage where I felt like I had to act that way to get accepted. My father let me know that I shouldn't do that. Eventually, I just decided the embrace the "nerdy" side of myself. It would get to me that some of the African-American students would perpetuate the "thug" stereotype, of rejecting education, of perpetuating other bad things. I wondered why. I was the kid who wanted to be integrated into the mainstream. It didn't help that I lived in an area that also had a "redneck" influence. I got along best with the "band nerds" and the Christian "hippies" as my British Literature teacher called them. I wasn't in band, but I did participate in a Christian fellowship group. I often wondered why lunch time was so segregated. In high school, one of my biggest concerns was that the kids who perpetuated the stereotypes would make me look bad. My rationale behind it was that some people would see those persons acting "thuggish" and then look at me. I had a "nerd" disposition to begin with, but sometimes I felt like I had to be a representative, knowing that if I didn't act right, it would make it hard on the next Black person.
Nowadays I kind of get it. Sometimes I think some people perpetuate the stereotype because they have been given bad examples. Some people act badly because of the self-fulfilling prophecy attitude. What I mean is that some people act like thugs because of the feeling of "Blacks will never be accepted, so why should we even try". Sometimes I ask "why even try"? My reason is that I have to be myself. I could easily go into the "thug" culture, but I don't. It isn't me. I like the way I am. I know that some people(of all ethnicities) feel that as an African-American, I should live to some stupid stereotype. It doesn't mean I'm going to live up to it. I have to decide what is best for me.
The segment of African-American community that follows the "BET model" is not a large part of the African-American community. Unfortunately, it sells. It is the most popular. African-Americans such as me, who are in school, who don't fit that BET model don't get the most attention, unless it's Barack Obama, Bill Cosby or Sidney Poitier. Those are celebrities. A person like me will stick out, but I won't get promoted. I am a "nerdy" type. I will stick out as an African-American for that reason. It doesn't mean my image will be promoted. What gets promoted is the thug or rapper image. It sells. What exists among a relatively small part of the African-American population gets promoted more than it should. It is this image that I don't want promoted. The criminals and thugs that exist in the African-American community aren't looking for any promotion. They get the most attention.
I don't know what will inspire some people to take back their communities and their philosophies. I think some people have thrown their hands up in frustration, feeling like they will never be accepted. Not all, but some. I remember in high school being the "nerdy Black kid". I only knew a few other Black kids that were just like me. Many of the Black kids perpetuated the "thug" image. In high school, I fell into a stage where I felt like I had to act that way to get accepted. My father let me know that I shouldn't do that. Eventually, I just decided the embrace the "nerdy" side of myself. It would get to me that some of the African-American students would perpetuate the "thug" stereotype, of rejecting education, of perpetuating other bad things. I wondered why. I was the kid who wanted to be integrated into the mainstream. It didn't help that I lived in an area that also had a "redneck" influence. I got along best with the "band nerds" and the Christian "hippies" as my British Literature teacher called them. I wasn't in band, but I did participate in a Christian fellowship group. I often wondered why lunch time was so segregated. In high school, one of my biggest concerns was that the kids who perpetuated the stereotypes would make me look bad. My rationale behind it was that some people would see those persons acting "thuggish" and then look at me. I had a "nerd" disposition to begin with, but sometimes I felt like I had to be a representative, knowing that if I didn't act right, it would make it hard on the next Black person.
Nowadays I kind of get it. Sometimes I think some people perpetuate the stereotype because they have been given bad examples. Some people act badly because of the self-fulfilling prophecy attitude. What I mean is that some people act like thugs because of the feeling of "Blacks will never be accepted, so why should we even try". Sometimes I ask "why even try"? My reason is that I have to be myself. I could easily go into the "thug" culture, but I don't. It isn't me. I like the way I am. I know that some people(of all ethnicities) feel that as an African-American, I should live to some stupid stereotype. It doesn't mean I'm going to live up to it. I have to decide what is best for me.
Do you feel like you and Black men with your personality feel it's not worth it to true due to non-acceptance by whites, blacks, or both? It seems like both sides aren't accepting you, so of course you should just be yourself. Who cares if people accept you or not, are you happy with who you are? Find others of any race who care about who you really are too.
I used to be you and have some of your thoughts (except the thug thing), but I never faked who I was to fit in. Eventually I stopped caring what others thought and focused on what made me happy.
You also have to detach yourself from other Blacks who act in a negative way. I understand how you feel it may reflect on you, but only ignorant people would say "this guy is just like the ignorant acting thuggish guy over there because they have the same skin color". Once again, if you find people who care about who you really are, the concern of if you'll get lumped in with negative acting Blacks will fade.
Whether or not the BET culture is a large part of the "Black community" is definitely up for debate, BUT they are the most visible group. If positive Blacks want to be portrayed they need to start rejecting the BET coonery and UPLIFT people like you who are typically considered "nerdy" or "acting white" by many blacks in the schools. BET needs to start airing shows of young Black intellectuals, nerdy guys getting female attention, and thuggish and other negative guys being ostracized for their ways. Unfortunately most people are sheep and will feed into the current fad being spoonfed down their throats in the media. Unfortunately there is only one channel on basic cable for Black entertainment and it's doing the exact opposite.
Do you feel like you and Black men with your personality feel it's not worth it to true due to non-acceptance by whites, blacks, or both? It seems like both sides aren't accepting you, so of course you should just be yourself. Who cares if people accept you or not, are you happy with who you are? Find others of any race who care about who you really are too.
I used to be you and have some of your thoughts (except the thug thing), but I never faked who I was to fit in. Eventually I stopped caring what others thought and focused on what made me happy.
You also have to detach yourself from other Blacks who act in a negative way. I understand how you feel it may reflect on you, but only ignorant people would say "this guy is just like the ignorant acting thuggish guy over there because they have the same skin color". Once again, if you find people who care about who you really are, the concern of if you'll get lumped in with negative acting Blacks will fade.
Whether or not the BET culture is a large part of the "Black community" is definitely up for debate, BUT they are the most visible group. If positive Blacks want to be portrayed they need to start rejecting the BET coonery and UPLIFT people like you who are typically considered "nerdy" or "acting white" by many blacks in the schools. BET needs to start airing shows of young Black intellectuals, nerdy guys getting female attention, and thuggish and other negative guys being ostracized for their ways. Unfortunately most people are sheep and will feed into the current fad being spoonfed down their throats in the media. Unfortunately there is only one channel on basic cable for Black entertainment and it's doing the exact opposite.
Sometimes I feel it's from both. When I mentioned my "stage" of trying to act what some people would consider "Black", I only didn't for for a short time, specifically part of my freshman year in high school. I dumped it and had to find what I liked. As for not being accepted, it is my own personal experience that the lack of acceptance has come from both Blacks and Whites. Some of the Black kids would claim that I don't act "Black enough". Some of the White kids made a joke out of me because I reminded them of "Carlton Banks". This has even happened in college. One of my friends told me that because some of the White kids couldn't understand me or the way I am, they would make fun of me(even in college). I am happy with who I am. Sometimes I get upset about things, but I never stop being me.
Yes, only ignorant people would lump me with the criminals in the African-American community or persons who act thuggish. Unfortunately, some of those people also can also decide whether or not I can get a job or might have some form of being in charge of something. I remember one person on city-data who claimed that he(or she) doesn't hire Blacks, mentioning the bad things within the African-American community. Kind of sad when there are people out there like that. I have met people of different ethnicities who do care about me, so that can be helpful.
I think one of the reasons it is difficult to detatch one's self from the negative people is because such persons get the most attention. This also goes into the stuff you mentioned about BET. The stuff that is uplifting for people like me isn't being put on TV. I think the only way to solve this is to create new shows with a new paradigm, a new message.
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.
