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.
I agree 110%. There is a huge double standard in this country, this is in large part why the majority resent and are generally unresponsive to the plight of the minority. Nobody wants to be told that their rights, for example, free speech, are no longer valid. While at the same time another group are allowed to say whatever they please. To continue with this example, black comedians can curse dumb, incapable of humping, jumping or dancing "whitey" up and down. We all know this would not play out this way if the colors were reversed.
As a black person I agree with you on this issue. You are absolutely correct.
This is partly how today's pro black groups and leaders seem to be getting nowhere. They set their cause back five steps every time they take one step forward. Americans don't like being stepped on, or being told that their rights are being pulled out from beneath them. Americans resent that another group is not fighting for equal rights as they falsely claim, but rather preferential treatment. The days of Martin Luther King Jr are over. He fought for basic equality and did it peacefully to boot. He took baby steps and the Americans at that time were coming around and were accepting more than they had ever before. If MLK Jr would've continued at that pace and with his attitude, I believe today's black American would be much further along in terms of equality and overall respect.
I do not see myself as a 'minority'. To me that is a derogatory term as in "inferior". I am just as good and as capable as any, but I know that a lot of so-called minorities struggle to see themselves in the same way. I never have and never will tell my chidlren that they are a minority.
As far as equality, no one should have to earn equality. Everyone should need to earn respect but equality is should not be conditional. Respect is something that is first aquired inwardly. To depend on another man's criteria of respect is to be held captive to someone else's stardard of righteousness.
It's not about volume, it's about texture. Next time you are out with black friends, ask one if you can rub their hair.
No; I am being serious, I used to have a classmate who was a blonde haired, blue eyed (I think) White girl with an honest to God natural 'fro.
Admittedly; she probably had some Black heritage, but still......
As it stands; I have some bi-racial cousins in rural Virginia and I am 90% sure that I have some AA in my background through my maternal grandmother. There are some unexplained 'family skeletons' in that corner of my direct lineage.
No; I am being serious, I used to have a classmate who was a blonde haired, blue eyed (I think) White girl with an honest to God natural 'fro.
Admittedly; she probably had some Black heritage, but still......
As it stands; I have some bi-racial cousins in rural Virginia and I am 90% sure that I have some AA in my background through my maternal grandmother. There are some unexplained 'family skeletons' in that corner of my direct lineage.
I'm serious too, but in a sarcastic sort of way. (I'm still chucking at Rochelle's concern that if she goes to a sports bar with white people they will all want to talk about OJ and feel her hair). White people hair is just not the same I don't care what it LOOKs like. You gotta get a pinch to see what I am talking about. Black people go for days and weeks without washing their hair without getting itchy or oily. They put on mayo, oils, things you could grease bearings with, ground up almonds and various fruits, and wash it with the darndest of things. There are clouds of smoke around them in the morning as they burn their hair into shape for the day. Try that on a white head of hair! Even bi-racial kids hair is very different in texture from the black parent's hair. Black hair is truly a unique - and of course beautiful - thing.
Last edited by Ponderosa; 09-16-2007 at 09:58 AM..
I agree 110%. There is a huge double standard in this country, this is in large part why the majority resent and are generally unresponsive to the plight of the minority. Nobody wants to be told that their rights, for example, free speech, are no longer valid. While at the same time another group are allowed to say whatever they please. To continue with this example, black comedians can curse dumb, incapable of humping, jumping or dancing "whitey" up and down. We all know this would not play out this way if the colors were reversed.
As a black person I agree with you on this issue. You are absolutely correct.
This is partly how today's pro black groups and leaders seem to be getting nowhere. They set their cause back five steps every time they take one step forward. Americans don't like being stepped on, or being told that their rights are being pulled out from beneath them. Americans resent that another group is not fighting for equal rights as they falsely claim, but rather preferential treatment. The days of Martin Luther King Jr are over. He fought for basic equality and did it peacefully to boot. He took baby steps and the Americans at that time were coming around and were accepting more than they had ever before. If MLK Jr would've continued at that pace and with his attitude, I believe today's black American would be much further along in terms of equality and overall respect.
I do not see myself as a 'minority'. To me that is a derogatory term as in "inferior". I am just as good and as capable as any, but I know that a lot of so-called minorities struggle to see themselves in the same way. I never have and never will tell my chidlren that they are a minority.
As far as equality, no one should have to earn equality. Everyone should need to earn respect but equality should not be conditional. Respect is something that is first aquired inwardly. To depend on another man's criteria of respect is to be held captive to someone else's stardard of righteousness.
Unfortunately, it doesn't matter how you view yourself, it's not reality. Also not reality is your statement:
"As far as equality, no one should have to earn equality. Everyone should need to earn respect but equality should not be conditional. Respect is something that is first aquired inwardly. To depend on another man's criteria of respect is to be held captive to someone else's stardard of righteousness."
This may be the way it SHOULD be, in a perfect world, but it just isn't the case. Saying something shouldn't be a certain way doesn't change the facts, it serves only that particular individual to continue to live in a state of delusion. Sorry to tell you but how you are perceived by others' means a whole lot in this country (other countries too) no matter how much you deny it and say that you don't care. And for the record, minority means that a particular group is a lesser percentage of the total population, which is what you are if you're not caucasian.
This may be the way it SHOULD be, in a perfect world, but it just isn't the case. Saying something shouldn't be a certain way doesn't change the facts, it serves only that particular individual to continue to live in a state of delusion. Sorry to tell you but how you are perceived by others' means a whole lot in this country (other countries too) no matter how much you deny it and say that you don't care. And for the record, minority means that a particular group is a lesser percentage of the total population, which is what you are if you're not caucasian.[/quote]
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he".
Let me clarify myself, I do not see myself as a "minority" based on a fundamental definition of the word but what I trying to say is that I went through all the struggle associated with being part of a lesser numerical people group and have overcome. I know who I am and no one can change that. Not blacks, not whites, not Democrats nor Republicans. My identity and destiny do not depend on what anyone thinks of me. Sorry if that offends but it is what it is. Fact is, I'm FREE!
Prove that whites act on it more. Prove it. I hear more crap from blacks on a daily basis that something happened to them because they're black than I ever, EVER heard a white person say to them.
You must not be following this thread, because if you had been you would know that I have not denied that there are some black people who see racism everywhere they look. But, again, that is not most black people. And as far as what you have heard, your reasoning is faulty. Just because you don't hear it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Are you claiming to be omnipresent and omnicient?
Quote:
I was at a store today shopping, and a black family had to be sent to another line because they were in a return like, not a regular checkout. Their response? Because Im black! Know what everyone else did? Laugh at them.
There are 35 million black people in America. We have our share of idiots, too. Yes, there are black people who see racism everywhere they look. But, you have something in common with them. Just like YOU will never be convinced that all black people don't actively look for racism, they will never be convinced that all white people aren't racists. It works both ways. They're at one extreme and you're at the other. The truth is always found in the middle.
Quote:
You need to quit blaming whites for your problems.
Who is this 'you' that you're talking about? Are you talking about me or are you talking about black people, collectively? Either way, you're wrong. First of all, you don't know me, or anything about me, so you can't speak for me. Secondly, not ALL black people blame white people for their problems. Some do, yes. But, MOST do not... and most of us who don't blame "the man" for everything have problems with the ones who do, because it's so obvious to everyone, but them, that they set their own selves up for failure.
See, this is the problem I have with you BurtsBees. You get emotional and make blanket statements. ALL of any group of people don't do anything! You make blanket statements and when you get called out for them, you have a hissy fit and get hostile. Stop making blanket statements and I'll stop pulling your card.
Quote:
You claim there wouldnt be any black on white racism if it wasnt for whites doing it in the first place. Get real.
All you have done throught this thread is make accusations and tell me I'm wrong. You just keep hurling more accusations and giving isolated examples to support those accusations. But, you have never attempted to give any reasoned analysis. So here's your chance, since you think I'm so wrong about everything. Don't just tell me I'm wrong, tell me why and how I'm wrong. Back yourself up with reasoned discourse, instead of emotionally charged accusations and isolated examples, for once.
How do you explain black on white racism? What/where is the root? What do you think is the cause? What do you think can be done about it? What should be done about it? While you're at it, please explain the same for white on black racism.
Quote:
A black person tells them they're in the wrong line and its fine. A white person does and suddenly the world is upside down.
There you go with the blanket statements again!! Individuals are individuals and some individuals are jerks. Stop taking individual, isolated incidents and assigning those negative characteristics to every black person across the board. I see white people regularly acting a fool too, but I don't look at those individuals and assign their negative characteristics to the rest of the white "race", and neither do most black people.
You don't want to believe that these kind of people are a minority within the black community, but I'm telling you they are. I know I'm wasting my time with you, because your mind is already made up; it's closed as tightly as a vise.
Quote:
Im tired of having to tip toe on glass for the feeling that a black person will get "offended" if I dont show them more feeling than a white person. Fact is, when blacks feel something happened because of racism, more chances than not its because of their own fault and would have happened even if they were white.
Stop tip-toeing. Problem solved! It'll take practice, but you can do it. Before you know it, it'll be natural for you not to tip toe. I'm not being facetious. I mean it. Be authentic. You'll be less frustrated and angry, and most black people will respect you for being honest. You know when people are faking with you, don't you? Well, we do too (why should we be any different?). It's the ones who fake it that most of us don't respect and will never trust.
I don't buy into that notion of backing somebody up just because we're both black. Foolishness gets no support from me. If you're wrong you're wrong, and if you ask me I'm going to tell you (and sometimes you don't have to ask), and that's it. Yes, I've been called all kinds of names as a result, but oh well.
Truth is truth, right is right, and fair is fair. And, that's just how it is in my book.
[QUOTE I see a lot of threads started like..."Black family moving into blah blah area" - or "Need black hairstylist" - "need a black church" - "need a black bar/club" - I find this quite bothersome that one would feel compelled to announce that they feel they are so different QUOTE]
I just had to comment on the "Need Black Hairstylist" comment...
My regular barber was out sick so I went into a mall to get my haircut at a department store shop. When I came up to the desk, the told me to have a seat. I started to see a few of the workers scurring around and I heard some mumbling at the desk. The receptionist then called me up to the desk and said "I'm sorry, but we don't have anyone here who specializes in black hair" So I had to go find another place to get my haircut.
It may sound ridiculous to you that sometimes a black hair stylist is needed, but in many cases it's necessary because many regular salons or barber shops can't handle the different needs of black hair.
Seriously, I tried to post about that particular comment! My computer froze and I lost it though. Unless you are black or are raising black children, you just DON'T GET IT!!! My Sis-in-law just wanted her long wavy weave trimmed and the salon she walked into said they couldn't do it. I mean, it's as soft as my hair. I guess they were just confused?? Maybe they thought she was an alien?
Seriously, I tried to post about that particular comment! My computer froze and I lost it though. Unless you are black or are raising black children, you just DON'T GET IT!!! My Sis-in-law just wanted her long wavy weave trimmed and the salon she walked into said they couldn't do it. I mean, it's as soft as my hair. I guess they were just confused?? Maybe they thought she was an alien?
I once knew a Black/AA lady who had naturally straight hair; OK, it may have had a touch of wave to it.
Note that she had a dark complexion as well.......so, if she had any significant White or Native American in her heritage, it was not evident.
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.
