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What is this mess? I mean, we're now measuring how wonderful we are based on how indifferent we are or aren't towards white people? What kinda bull is that? As they say in Ebonics, "where dey do dat at?"
I got news for you, the super overwhelming majority of non-white people are indifferent to whites!
I am now hearing more and more how African American racism towards whites is far more widespread than anti-black racism. To further the point, look at the extract written by a Bahamian tour guide who recently dealt with African-American tourists:
So the Jitney from the place, driven by our friend, goes out one day on the little island tour and all. The thing was packed full of Black Americans (Again, I've never even heard of such a thing), and there were a grand total of three White Americans onboard. My fam wasn't on there, but they knew the one white couple who went along. [MOD CUT]
For starters, slavery was abolished in the islands of the Caribbean long before it was abolished here in the U.S. American Corporations and the American rich have always liked free or low waged employees, haven't they?
Second, AFTER slavery was abolished in the islands, a legal form of discrimination remained here (but not there), which required the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Third, there is still discrimination here. I notice it and I'm not black.
There's a huge difference between the way Caribbean blacks feel and the way American blacks feel. Caribbean blacks all feel citizens of their country first, and black second, because that's the way they live their life and are treated. There were no KKKers there, no laws allowing discrimination of blacks, and no remaining discrimination. There are still groups here that are racist. American blacks are treated like as blacks first, and everything else later.
Also, the person that wrote the article is basing an entire philosophy on an incident or two. Maybe it's the person that wrote the article that has the problem.
However, let's assume that ALL American blacks were behaving that way abroad, maybe the reasons I stated are the reason why.
If the roles had been reversed, and whites had had to endure generation after generation of the s___t American blacks had to endure, American whites might be telling a whole different story.
I guess everyones experiences are different but I've only witnessed them having contempt for African Americans for the most part. Although Jamaicans seem more likely than other Caribbean Blacks to bond with African Americans.
The other Caribbean Blacks I encountered in school seemed to only befriend other Caribbeans, Africans, Hispanics and Whites.
Yes, my family is from Trinidad, I can attest to that.
This is a good point. The only people who seem obsessed with race daily are African Americans. For us Blacks with a foreign background we just don't view Whites in any particular way. I tend to think African Americans are very fixated on Whites which is unhealthy.
Well, think about this. Blacks of foreign extraction might think differently because they aren't Americans and are not exposed to the same racial dynamic as Black Americans. It's a different thought process.
Blacks in America, however, often feel that they aren't treated fairly because of the history of this nation. Blacks in America have a different narrative, a different experience. In my view, the fixation on race isn't healthy, but it comes from American history.
That's exactly what I was saying. I didn't think I said anything nebulous but I guess I did.
What "foreign background?" You were born and raised in the United States. Which makes you the same as every other black man that was born and raised here. In other word, you ain't special.
And your point about West Indians is taken, but I have my doubts. Yea, we can only go by personal experiences, but I don't see them as any different from any other group in black America. This silly ass notion that American blacks that have roots in other nations are imbued with these noble traits is asenine. Like I always say, if that were the case, then why aren't their home countries reflective of that?
Whatever. You folks are taking the OP's apocryphal story and running with it as if it has some greater meaning or relevance. It doesn't. It's one incident that happened in one place...nothing more can be gleaned from it. Saying that it applies to the African American community overall is bunk.
I do agree its never wise to use one story and extrapolate. Could be false but it does fit a pattern of experiences I've had going back to childhood. I had an experience many Americans don't have I spent 6 years in mostly White school and 6 years in a Black school. One thing that jumped out at me even as a kid was how quick to anger the Black kids were. I'd be friends one minute and the next I'm fighting with a person.
Sorry even though I was born in the USA and raised primarily around African Anericans there are major differences. I picked up on them early on but I won't go into detail here. I'll say this though culture is far more important than race IMHO.
Sorry even though I was born in the USA and raised primarily around African Anericans there are major differences. I picked up on them early on but I won't go into detail here. I'll say this though culture is far more important than race IMHO.
The differences, however, come from having nearly all ties to Africa extinguished, and alot of other factors that have happened in the USA. Your parents came to America BY CHOICE,and therefore, your upbringing in the USA was different. It would take a long time to explain, but history plays a big part.
What I wanna know is if their cultures are so great, why are so many trying to get here?
Immigration from the Caribbean is decreasing, not increasing. Further, coming to the U.S. is a separate issue from our culture, which Caribbean people certainly would like to maintain.
Quote:
Originally Posted by green_mariner
The differences, however, come from having nearly all ties to Africa extinguished, and alot of other factors that have happened in the USA. Your parents came to America BY CHOICE,and therefore, your upbringing in the USA was different. It would take a long time to explain, but history plays a big part.
Agreed, although that explanation should probably be directed at DesertD since he claims the man's experience is not different. Not sure way.
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