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What I consider to be the crux of racial problems in the U.S. is the failure of some races to conform to the American culture. Like it or not, an American culture does exist. It does not typically include successful individuals who walk around with their pants down around their knees, sporting corn rows, pronouncing "ask" as "axe", speaking in slang, or wearing ballcaps backwards. The same can be said for whites or other races who don't success because they have face piercings, multiple tattoos, sloppy clothing, "bustin' a sag", or who speak like backwoods hicks, or advocate violence, claiming to be victims.
If one wants to succeed, normally one must conform to the American culture whether one likes it or not. I state "normally" because there are exceptions, i.e. Anna Nicole Smith, Ludacris, Eminem, and Paris Hilton, and other Hollywood and sports elites.
I watched Tavis Smiley's Forum on Blacks in America last week on CSpan. I found some of the speakers' perspectives very interesting. The forum took place the same day the Barack Obama was announcing his presidency in Springfield, Illinois. He received much criticism from some of the speakers for symbolicly paying homage to Lincoln because those speakers viewed Lincoln as a racist.
I have great respect for Abraham Lincoln as my screen name and philosophical political party indicates. As with any human, Lincoln, had flaws. His ideas however were considered radical and controversial at the time. Ultimately he gave his own life for the betterment of all Americans.
Racism will continue to exist as long as we define ourselves acording to our ethnicity. When will someone's heritage state that they are Americans. Is it when your born here, 50 years, 100 years, 200, or 500?
I'm of Irish, German, Scottish, English decent. I love to wear my shamrock tie on St. Patrick's Day. However, when asked what I am I say American!
My black American friends are in a quandry. If they act to "white" they are criticized by other black Americans much like the members of Travis's forum criticized Barack Obama.
For Puerto Rican citizens the pressure to stick with other Puerto Ricans is even greater. I know Puerto Rican girls who are harassed if they develop friendships with white girls or apply themselves in school. Many are threatened by their own family members if they act "white."
If we could focus on the fact that we are all Americans and that is our common bond that unites us then we can begin to address the problems this country is facing.
I am a conservative, however, I find Barack Obama's message very interesting. It appears that he truly believes in uniting the people. I will be watching him very closely and I hope that the media and politics does not make him anything less or anything more than he really is so that Americans may judge him accurately on his character, leadership, and ideas for our future.
If he is the best candidate then I would vote for him. Race has nothing to do with it.
Is anyone interested in commenting on this? Did anyone else watch Tavis Smiley's forum on CSpan?
What I consider to be the crux of racial problems in the U.S. is the failure of some races to conform to the American culture. Like it or not, an American culture does exist. It does not typically include successful individuals who walk around with their pants down around their knees, sporting corn rows, pronouncing "ask" as "axe", speaking in slang, or wearing ballcaps backwards. The same can be said for whites or other races who don't success because they have face piercings, multiple tattoos, sloppy clothing, "bustin' a sag", or who speak like backwoods hicks, or advocate violence, claiming to be victims.
If one wants to succeed, normally one must conform to the American culture whether one likes it or not. I state "normally" because there are exceptions, i.e. Anna Nicole Smith, Ludacris, Eminem, and Paris Hilton, and other Hollywood and sports elites.
I have a newsflash for you...that IS American culture, or at least a part of it. Cultures grow and change constantly. We keep many traditions while others become outdated and unpopular so they fade away. New styles, new words, new foods, new activities, etc...they come along and sometimes they catch on and become part of our culture.
What is it with people who want to fight everything and keep everybody down who isn't like them? It seems like a hard, angry life that will eventually leave you old and bitter and unhappy with the world. Try a positive approach to some things...you'll be surprised at the difference it will make in your overall attitude and outlook on life.
I have a newsflash for you...that IS American culture, or at least a part of it. Cultures grow and change constantly. We keep many traditions while others become outdated and unpopular so they fade away. New styles, new words, new foods, new activities, etc...they come along and sometimes they catch on and become part of our culture.
What is it with people who want to fight everything and keep everybody down who isn't like them? It seems like a hard, angry life that will eventually leave you old and bitter and unhappy with the world. Try a positive approach to some things...you'll be surprised at the difference it will make in your overall attitude and outlook on life.
Sure cultures evolve and are fluid to a point. However, generally, to succeed in America, one must conform to the accepted norms. That's why one doesn't see Irish men at work wearing kilts, or Arab women at work wearing burkhas. The American culture is not accepting of these traditions in the normal workplace. If other races want to be succeed, they must publicly modify their traditions to conform to what is acceptable here as well. Once the black and brown races, in general, realize this and start conforming, they too will become more accepted and race relations will begin to improve. Most all successful blacks,(those that many call Uncle Toms), have come to this realization and are now able to take advantage of all of the opportunities that America provides.
As much as the entertainment industry would like it, the bizarre behavior popularized on television, in the movies, and in some music is not indicative of the average Americans view as mainstream culture.
How many people in any professional capacity do you see walking around with baggy pants, pierced/tattooed bodies?
The reason why it is popularized so much by the entertainment industry is ECONOMICS. People in poverty spend a disproportionate amount of their income on entertainment; televisions, music, video game systems, gambling, etc.
There are many students that need glasses to see the chalkboard or their textbook in the classroom and their parents say they don't have the money but then go out and buy them a brand new game system and game discs at $50 a pop. I see it all the time. It is sad!
This is not a race-related issue. It has to do with poverty It all starts and ends with a solid family structure that models and values education and pursuing the opportunities that America has to offer.
I don't want my country turned into Pop Nation! I want my children and my neighbors children and everyone elses' children to feel connected to what is really important, food, clothing, shelter, family, security, love and acceptance. That is how we end racism!
It seems that once some people are criticized, you're immediately branded a racist. I'd like to see everyone succeed, except for a select few, from all different races, who I don't feel are deserving of any success unless they change their actions.
As much as the entertainment industry would like it, the bizarre behavior popularized on television, in the movies, and in some music is not indicative of the average Americans view as mainstream culture.
How many people in any professional capacity do you see walking around with baggy pants, pierced/tattooed bodies?
The reason why it is popularized so much by the entertainment industry is ECONOMICS. People in poverty spend a disproportionate amount of their income on entertainment; televisions, music, video game systems, gambling, etc.
There are many students that need glasses to see the chalkboard or their textbook in the classroom and their parents say they don't have the money but then go out and buy them a brand new game system and game discs at $50 a pop. I see it all the time. It is sad!
This is not a race-related issue. It has to do with poverty It all starts and ends with a solid family structure that models and values education and pursuing the opportunities that America has to offer.
I don't want my country turned into Pop Nation! I want my children and my neighbors children and everyone elses' children to feel connected to what is really important, food, clothing, shelter, family, security, love and acceptance. That is how we end racism!
This could've come from the mouth of Bill Cosby. Excellent post.
Sure cultures evolve and are fluid to a point. However, generally, to succeed in America, one must conform to the accepted norms. That's why one doesn't see Irish men at work wearing kilts, or Arab women at work wearing burkhas. The American culture is not accepting of these traditions in the normal workplace. If other races want to be succeed, they must publicly modify their traditions to conform to what is acceptable here as well. Once the black and brown races, in general, realize this and start conforming, they too will become more accepted and race relations will begin to improve. Most all successful blacks,(those that many call Uncle Toms), have come to this realization and are now able to take advantage of all of the opportunities that America provides.
Oh okay...I thought that the "black and brown races" in the U.S. were as American as anyone else. How can you say that people of color aren't American? After several generations of living in a country I believe that makes one a citizen! And the citizens of a region or nation contribute to the culture by observing traditions and introducing new ideas. White people aren't the only Americans.
I know a ton of people who are professional and dress professionally for work, but outside of work they wear whatever they think feels and looks best, including pants riding way low. The same rejection in past decades was applied to other fads: mini-skirts, blue jeans, bellbottoms, etc. along with hair styles and words like cool and groovy. This is no different, but it sounds like you're seeing popular styles as rebelious just like parents and the over 40 generation did in the 60's and 70's. I dress professionally for work, and when i get home I change to jeans, warm ups, shorts, or whatever I choose and I'm not professional again until the next morning. I think that's fairly common.
Oh okay...I thought that the "black and brown races" in the U.S. were as American as anyone else. How can you say that people of color aren't American? After several generations of living in a country I believe that makes one a citizen! And the citizens of a region or nation contribute to the culture by observing traditions and introducing new ideas. White people aren't the only Americans.
I know a ton of people who are professional and dress professionally for work, but outside of work they wear whatever they think feels and looks best, including pants riding way low. The same rejection in past decades was applied to other fads: mini-skirts, blue jeans, bellbottoms, etc. along with hair styles and words like cool and groovy. This is no different, but it sounds like you're seeing popular styles as rebelious just like parents and the over 40 generation did in the 60's and 70's. I dress professionally for work, and when i get home I change to jeans, warm ups, shorts, or whatever I choose and I'm not professional again until the next morning. I think that's fairly common.
Sure. That's why I emphasized "publicly". Of course, most blacks are Americans, but why do many try to dress and act like Africans? As I explained, one doesn't see Irish men wearing kilts or Arab women wearing burkhas in public.
The current black culture is not conducive to economic success, in a general sense, as you admitted in this post by explaining how many conform to the American culture when at work. Once this conformation is completed publicly, race relations will improve. The public black culture now advocates violence toward women and each other in music, fathering multiple children by multiple mothers and vice versa, wearing sloppy clothes, and excessive cursing. Many Whites have the same poor habits, but they're not the rule in white culture.
I can't even come up with a response to that post without it being deleted. Your "us" vs. "them" attitude is certainly not conducive to anything positive, and all I can say is that I'll pray for you.
Last edited by sprtsluvr8; 02-19-2007 at 04:26 PM..
Reason: typo
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