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but in seriousness America needs some sort of reform from the top down before we have a riot here in NYC.
Not just in NYC but nationwide which is why you're witnessing the militarization of local law enforcement...they know the next economic crash is coming (ALL financial ponzi schemes eventually fail) and its not going to be fun by a long shot.
This is very true. I too claim to be American first, Guyanese 2nd and European, African and Asian Indian heritages last. This is true that other Guyanese and those born here identify with their parents heritage. I remember on many occasions on how Guyanese say African Americans are horrible, crime filed people who don't know how to pick up a book along with other negative nuances. Me? I wish I can check off black! And I if I do check of AA or black its because I'm trying to reep rewards of Affirmative Action, even though I don't identify with AA that much. However I do embrace my Afro Guyanese heritage but also my European heritage and minor Asian Indian heritage and Amerindian influences as well. I just try and not to forget my roots!
As of right now the Ferguson riots have been ensuing due to the death of a teenager who may or may not have a promising future. His life was cut short and that is sad. What is going on in Missouri has nothing to do with NYC which I can say is true, but at a national level, the current situation for African Americans do not look good especially wit the wake of the 2008 economic meltdown which whipped out assets and homes of plenty of African Americans nationwide but also in here in NYC, check out Baychester, Williamsbridge in the Bronx or Jamaica Queens, ENY and Canarsie Brooklyn. Industrial and mechincal jobs that were once union were the backbone of the American worker and middle class regardless of race, and now these jobs are either down South or has moved overseas. Blacks in America and even in NYC face plenty of inequality due to rising costs, poor quality of healthcare costs, housing and educational facilities.
I am always struck when I hear Caribbeans like you, (definitely not all Caribbeans are like this) make negative statements about AAs. If you and your culture were so much better, you would actually be able to create a sustainable, well developed nation of your own, but sadly, roughly 43% of Guyana’s population lives below the poverty line. I think this may explain why so many Guyanese opt to leave their country of origin. Your nation has a serious issue with brain drain.
Currently, Guyana ranks 117th out of 187 countries on the UN's Human Development Index. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income indices used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
I don't understand why Guyanese people hate their own homeland so much that they do so little to ensure that their nation of origin is successful. Why not develop and build up your country, like the Chinese?
Also, maybe you are multi-racial, but Guyana has separate racial groups, which comprise mostly of East Indian, Black African (or Afro-Guyanese if you prefer), and Amerindian. According to the official stats, there are few Europeans in your native country.
Two years ago I met a very nice man on my way back from Jamaica (he was sitting next to me on the plane). He mentioned that he was Guyanese. I had originally guessed that he was West African, due to his external features. He told me that there are many racial issues between East Indians and Afro Guyanese in Guyana. He also mentioned that although he was proud to be Afro Guyanese, he could never stay, because there are no opportunities. For this reason, he could only see himself living in a country like the U.S., where the nation operates in a more "civilized" (to use his words) fashion.
Quote:
African Americans can not compete against suburban educated careerist transient millennial whites and con not compete with immigrants who are willing to work for lower pay. With no, job, no money, no father around, broken homes all together create a bottle neck of problems that leads to clashes with authority or creates crime against those who have and even those who don't. Should the U.S turn to Communism to create a more egalitarian union with the masses, a system that MLK Mccarty and Ronald Raegan all fear? Sure. Ok that was a joke but in seriousness America needs some sort of reform from the top down before we have a riot here in NYC.
I'm sure this doesn't fit your neat narrative, but a number of black Americans are middle class. I do understand that many recent poor immigrants who reside in low income communities often come in contact with indigent blacks, and just assume that all black Americans are the same. Indigent Black Americans, like indigent whites, and indigent Caribbeans often have poor family structures in place. Please let's not pretend that your cultural group have perfect intact families and high educational attainment, because the majority of Guyanese in the U.S. are poor and haven't collectively made significant contributions to American society.
This is a portrait of poverty in Guyana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uafhR7DVskc
If you truly love your culture, please work to improve the conditions in your native land.
Know that many African Americans are proud of our many unique positive contributions to this nation. My ancestors paved the way for people like you to enjoy access to America.
Last edited by Christine_565; 08-18-2014 at 08:51 AM..
I think blacks in NYC at least are more likely to live around other blacks (even of theyre West Indian), than they are with someone of another race, and it can be statistically proven too.
and no I don't think African Americans have some special connection to Caribbean people, but honestly some African Americans have Caribbean influence to a certain degree on their culture whether you like or not. People make connections with whoever they choose and whoever they feel.
If he feels some connection to other black folks then so what.
Some African Americans have Caribbean influence, and some don't. In terms of whether Black people live among others or interact with people of other races, that depends on the individual. Those with higher levels of education and more affluence tend to live around people of other races, those with low levels of education and money tend to be stuck in ethnic ghettoes.
So again, there are socioeconomic differences among Blacks as well as personal preference differences among Blacks that some of you don't want to acknowledge. Listening to the way some people describe Blacks on this forum I would think there's a collective robotic mind among Blacks with no individual capacity for an individual "unit" to think. Sadly, some Blacks have taken this racist viewpoint and internalized it, or use it in order to try and manipulate other Blacks.
As of right now the Ferguson riots have been ensuing due to the death of a teenager who may or may not have a promising future. His life was cut short and that is sad. What is going on in Missouri has nothing to do with NYC which I can say is true, but at a national level, the current situation for African Americans do not look good especially wit the wake of the 2008 economic meltdown which whipped out assets and homes of plenty of African Americans nationwide but also in here in NYC, check out Baychester, Williamsbridge in the Bronx or Jamaica Queens, ENY and Canarsie Brooklyn. Industrial and mechincal jobs that were once union were the backbone of the American worker and middle class regardless of race, and now these jobs are either down South or has moved overseas. Blacks in America and even in NYC face plenty of inequality due to rising costs, poor quality of healthcare costs, housing and educational facilities. In the wake of gentrification regardless of what city a person lives in, African Americans can not compete against suburban educated careerist transient millennial whites and con not compete with immigrants who are willing to work for lower pay. With no, job, no money, no father around, broken homes all together create a bottle neck of problems that leads to clashes with authority or creates crime against those who have and even those who don't. Should the U.S turn to Communism to create a more egalitarian union with the masses, a system that MLK Mccarty and Ronald Raegan all fear? Sure. Ok that was a joke but in seriousness America needs some sort of reform from the top down before we have a riot here in NYC.
Just want to point out the after effects of 2008's meltdown and certain other changes in the economy are not limited to Blacks and vary from state to state.
In the South you have fewer union jobs and the working poor have less access to quality healthcare (certain Southern states rejected the expanded medicaid funds). Obviously a lot of AAs left NYC for the South, but it doesn't mean all is well with the South.
I am always struck when I hear Caribbeans like you, (definitely not all Caribbeans are like this) make negative statements about AAs. If you and your culture were so much better, you would actually be able to create a sustainable, well developed nation of your own, but sadly, roughly 43% of Guyana’s population lives below the poverty line. I think this may explain why so many Guyanese opt to leave their country of origin. Your nation has a serious issue with brain drain.
Currently, Guyana ranks 117th out of 187 countries on the UN's Human Development Index. The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income indices used to rank countries into four tiers of human development.
I don't understand why Guyanese people hate their own homeland so much that they do so little to ensure that their nation of origin is successful. Why not develop and build up your country, like the Chinese?
Also, maybe you are multi-racial, but Guyana has separate racial groups, which comprise mostly of East Indian, Black African (or Afro-Guyanese if you prefer), and Amerindian. According to the official stats, there are few Europeans in your native country.
Two years ago I met a very nice man on my way back from Jamaica (he was sitting next to me on the plane). He mentioned that he was Guyanese. I had originally guessed that he was West African, due to his external features. He told me that there are many racial issues between East Indians and Afro Guyanese in Guyana. He also mentioned that although he was proud to be Afro Guyanese, he could never stay, because there are no opportunities. For this reason, he could only see himself living in a country like the U.S., where the nation operates in a more "civilized" (to use his words) fashion.
I know this doesn't fit your neat narrative, but a number of black Americans are middle class. I do understand that many recent poor immigrants who reside in low income communities often come in contact with indigent blacks, and just assume that all black Americans are the same. Indigent Black Americans, like indigent whites, and indigent Caribbeans often have poor family structures in place. Please let's not pretend that your cultural group have perfect intact families and high educational attainment, because the majority of Guyanese in the U.S. are poor and haven't collectively made any significant contributions to American society.
I'm a born American and also a 2nd generation American and New Yorker. Both of my parents, parents are from Guyana. I'm way too embedded in America now to make a difference in a country located in a continent thousands of miles away. However when I become older and have a little bit of more money, Guyana looks like a safe investment for retirement well assuming that the Atlantic Ocean does not swallow the country whole since its below sea level, or if Brazil or Venezuela annex Guyana as a future subsidiary state for their respective countries which is highly likely since Guyana is rich in minerals.
Also I never said anything negative about African Americans personally, but I know plenty of others who come from abroad do. I don't know why, but at the same time I don't care!
As for why Guyanese hate their own homeland is beyond me? I want to tell Guyanese people that America and living in NYC is much more harder than living in Guyana. That place is full of mud and rust. Also again that is not my country I was born here. You should know the history of Guyana and what caused this country that once a great place to live during the end of the British Empire to a now watershed of its former self. I want immigration from Guyana to be curbed, either the U.S needs to ban, hault or limit immigration, or Guyana should charge an exit tax on individuals who desire to leave. As for Guyana Brain Drain? I cant do anything about that. Not all Guyanese are smart. Tell a Guyanes person where Guyana is located her or she will say its in the Caribbean or West Indies. I look at a map of the Caribbean and I don't see Guyana no where! My best solution is for Guyanese to move to the Caribbean mainly Anglo Caribbean countries or Cuba with the exception of the Native Amerindians. And last the Land to be divided up by Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. It would be a win/win for everyone.
Guyana did at one point had an ethnic European presence, however European Guyanese left the country shortly after independence. If you watch Baseball read about Mark Teixeira ancestry you will find out his father is a white Guyanese. The Indians and blacks chased out the Europeans and then they turn on each other. Also the USA helped contribute to the distablization which created plenty of the race mess we see today. USA like Britain turns things into a mess, a good example is the Middle East and Central Asia and to a lesser degree Africa and the Latin America. I know a woman who is half Portuguese a quarter Indian and a quarter black. Even though she is mostly Portuguese and a quarter black and Indian she mainly embraces her Indian heritage over the other two. Me I embrace all my heritages and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them!
As for Black Americans being Middle Class? This I already know. My main concern is the declining Middle Class which is going on in this country, but notably and importantly the African American Middle Class in America is declining at an alarming rate. Plenty of blacks in America lost assets that has yet to be recovered while whites and to a lesser degree Hispanics are making up loss ground on the income front. Last America needs to fix its income inequality because this country is falling through the cracks very quickly. I remember Bill Maher making fun of the USA for being on par with Guyana for income inequality which is kind of embarrassing.
Just want to point out the after effects of 2008's meltdown and certain other changes in the economy are not limited to Blacks and vary from state to state.
In the South you have fewer union jobs and the working poor have less access to quality healthcare (certain Southern states rejected the expanded medicaid funds). Obviously a lot of AAs left NYC for the South, but it doesn't mean all is well with the South.
This is very, very true. Also the South has less safety net for rough times ahead. Either way welfare or no welfare, poverty is a #$%^.
As for Black Americans being Middle Class? This I already know. My main concern is the declining Middle Class which is going on in this country, but notably and importantly the African American Middle Class in America is declining at an alarming rate. Plenty of blacks in America lost assets that has yet to be recovered while whites and to a lesser degree Hispanics are making up loss ground on the income front. Last America needs to fix its income inequality because this country is falling through the cracks very quickly. I remember Bill Maher making fun of the USA for being on par with Guyana for income inequality which is kind of embarrassing.
You just said something negative about African Americans right there. When you single out a group of people and paint all of them with a broad stroke, this is when you get the drama that's been going on this board.
You've supplied no proof that African American middle class has declined relative to other groups.
Part of the problem is the middle class is ill defined. What is a middle class African American even? Are you talking doctors, dentists, lawyers, nurses, academics? It's hard to believe these people would be declining relative to professionals of other races.
Then in terms of lay offs and job losses, Microsoft is laying off tens of thousands. IBM has laid off tens of thousands, sold it's server business to Lenovo, and is in the process of selling off it's microelectronics divison. Certain other big companies have laid off large numbers of people and I doubt the majority of their employees, including the ones laid off were Black. These people lost their benefits and may have lasting damage to their careers (and may lose their homes). In the financial sector in New York, the people working in operations, administrative positions, etc have all been replaced by TEMPS (less money, no benefits or bonuses, etc).
So you should ask yourself why do you see wealth destruction for African Americans when it it's an issue affecting people of all races.
That's where the racism comes in.
And why does it even matter that X percent of Chinese do this, allegedly Z percent of African Americans do that, etc? Spouting these stats like this has become a big part of the political culture and it does lead to racial anomyousity and hatred.
For the record when all is said and done, it's basically irrelevant to me how African Americans are doing. At the beginning of the month, I personally have to rent the rent check. I personally have to buy my clothes and pay my bills. The African American ethnic group does not support me financially.
My contention on this thread is that people here present Blacks as mindless robots, not even human. There's this one giant statistical Black with no individual intelligence, will, or thoughts. This one giant Black robot is a criminal, is poor, is dumb. There are Blacks who perpetuate this by claiming all Blacks are united and all have the same thoughts on everything.
But back to your claims about Hispanics, yes there are Hispanics who are moving up socioeconomically. No doubt (the same can be said for any race). There are also Hispanics on welfare or those illegal immigrants making less than the minimum wage. There's massive poverty among immigrant communities, and even the children and grandchildren of some immigrants find it difficult to truly move up in their careers. You yourself spend a lot of time hating on transplants (whites with good educations) because you didn't attend a top school and you don't come from their wealth (I clearly am not speaking about poor or poorly educated whites). So while they can have a grand life in NYC, you cannot and this has been the source of many a bitter post from you. So rather than worrying about African Americans you might try and fix your own life and go to a worthwhile grad school.
I'm a born American and also a 2nd generation American and New Yorker. Both of my parents, parents are from Guyana. I'm way too embedded in America now to make a difference in a country located in a continent thousands of miles away. However when I become older and have a little bit of more money, Guyana looks like a safe investment for retirement well assuming that the Atlantic Ocean does not swallow the country whole since its below sea level, or if Brazil or Venezuela annex Guyana as a future subsidiary state for their respective countries which is highly likely since Guyana is rich in minerals.
As for why Guyanese hate their own homeland is beyond me? I want to tell Guyanese people that America and living in NYC is much more harder than living in Guyana. That place is full of mud and rust. Also again that is not my country I was born here. You should know the history of Guyana and what caused this country that once a great place to live during the end of the British Empire to a now watershed of its former self. I want immigration from Guyana to be curbed, either the U.S needs to ban, hault or limit immigration, or Guyana should charge an exit tax on individuals who desire to leave. As for Guyana Brain Drain? I cant do anything about that. Not all Guyanese are smart. Tell a Guyanes person where Guyana is located her or she will say its in the Caribbean or West Indies. I look at a map of the Caribbean and I don't see Guyana no where! My best solution is for Guyanese to move to the Caribbean mainly Anglo Caribbean countries or Cuba with the exception of the Native Amerindians. And last the Land to be divided up by Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. It would be a win/win for everyone.
Bronxguyanese, sometimes you come up with the most extreme suggestions that I'm left flabbergasted. First, about where Guyana is located, come on now?! This is just being nitpicky and anal for no reason. EVERY Guyanese person knows that the country is located in South America, however culturally it's very much a West Indian country and to say it's apart of the WI is just as valid as saying it's apart of South America. 2. Banning Guyanese from immigrating to the USA?! You know that is not a good look for multiple reasons that I don't even have to go into. Nor is putting an exit tax on people wanting to leave. This is extremism for the sake of extremism. And then there's your final suggestion: wow, it would NOT be a win/win for everyone. Specifically, for Guyanese people living in Guyana and who do have a vested interest & desire to stay, which is a great segment of the population despite the continuing out migration. People should not be forced to live in another country if they're not interested and to suggest to give up the land to other nations is a complete disrespect to Guyanese people and nation. Not to mention, the process of giving out a nation to other nations will not be easy as you suggest and could bring about new tensions between those nations.
Some African Americans have Caribbean influence, and some don't. In terms of whether Black people live among others or interact with people of other races, that depends on the individual. Those with higher levels of education and more affluence tend to live around people of other races, those with low levels of education and money tend to be stuck in ethnic ghettoes.
So again, there are socioeconomic differences among Blacks as well as personal preference differences among Blacks that some of you don't want to acknowledge. Listening to the way some people describe Blacks on this forum I would think there's a collective robotic mind among Blacks with no individual capacity for an individual "unit" to think. Sadly, some Blacks have taken this racist viewpoint and internalized it, or use it in order to try and manipulate other Blacks.
Personal preference does play a role in who a person socializes with, where they live, and what they do. Yes, some African Americans may feel a connection to the Caribbean and some don't. Your experience is your experience....i understand that very well. If he sees and likes African American women that can wine to the ground like West Indian "gyals" then so what.
I interact with black people from many different backgrounds, income brackets, and ethnicities just like you so I think I am well aware enough to know this.
I use logic on daily basis and can think for myself. More simply put, I'M NOT DUMB.
There is no collective, robotic mind among black people. Even in history this is how black people were portrayed also, as having no humanity. Unfortunately, as a result of media stereotypes, various media outlets like fox news, and other forms of communication non-blacks have accepted these images that they have been programmed to believe or think about black people.
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