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As I've lived in this world and observed intra-community relations, it has always baffled me how divided African Americans appear to be. In the inner city area in which I grew up, negativity has always been embraced over positive ideals and behavior. Simply put, if you don't "act ghetto", are goal oriented, have morals or values, then you're not accepted in "the community". You're characterized as "bougie", or accused of "acting funny". Hence, I grew up feeling like "an alien"! I never felt the urge to compromise/sacrifice my upbringing, standards, or values to "fit in" or assimilate to be accepted, for I was not ashamed of having sense. My parents raised my siblings and I in a Christian home. We're very friendly and humble people, but in this area, only those individuals that "dumb down" and meet inner city stereotpyes (uneducated, single mothers, automotive/factory plant workers, weed smokers and/or "clubbers") are accepted as "cool people". You'll find that many educated African Americans in this area succumb to the pressure, behaving and speaking in a colloquial manner so as to appear as if "they're down" and haven't "forgotten from where they've come". If you don't have a "hood mentality" and/or "street credibility", along w/ the education, you're DEFINITELY not getting appointed to or voted into key municipal positions! Conservative educated people are viewed as "Uncle Toms/Auntie Tomasinas" and are not trusted. It's very difficult to articulate in words, since the mentality is so heavily developed, propelled and plagued by ignorance & self hatred, but I'm doing my best. We should be using educational/entrepreneurial achievements to inspire young people in our community, not as barriers/dividers/deterrents. All classes of people should be working together to offer the best of us all so we can prepare and save a generation.
I wonder if the mentality I've spoken of is existent, or apparent in other parts of the country where there's a high population or concentration of African Americans. What do you think?
As I've lived in this world and observed intra-community relations, it has always baffled me how divided African Americans appear to be. In the inner city area in which I grew up, negativity has always been embraced over positive ideals and behavior. Simply put, if you don't "act ghetto", are goal oriented, have morals or values, then you're not accepted in "the community". You're characterized as "bougie", or accused of "acting funny". Hence, I grew up feeling like "an alien"! I never felt the urge to compromise/sacrifice my upbringing, standards, or values to "fit in" or assimilate to be accepted, for I was not ashamed of having sense. My parents raised my siblings and I in a Christian home. We're very friendly and humble people, but in this area, only those individuals that "dumb down" and meet inner city stereotpyes (uneducated, single mothers, automotive/factory plant workers, weed smokers and/or "clubbers") are accepted as "cool people". You'll find that many educated African Americans in this area succumb to the pressure, behaving and speaking in a colloquial manner so as to appear as if "they're down" and haven't "forgotten from where they've come". If you don't have a "hood mentality" and/or "street credibility", along w/ the education, you're DEFINITELY not getting appointed to or voted into key municipal positions! Conservative educated people are viewed as "Uncle Toms/Auntie Tomasinas" and are not trusted. It's very difficult to articulate in words, since the mentality is so heavily developed, propelled and plagued by ignorance & self hatred, but I'm doing my best. We should be using educational/entrepreneurial achievements to inspire young people in our community, not as barriers/dividers/deterrents. All classes of people should be working together to offer the best of us all so we can prepare and save a generation.
I wonder if the mentality I've spoken of is existent, or apparent in other parts of the country where there's a high population or concentration of African Americans. What do you think?
I don't think you have to be conservative to get an education and I think this gets overhyped in terms of the Black community, to be honest.
I also think there is a time and place for things. Meaning, "you can be down", but when it is all said and done, you have to face reality and buckle down to get ahead. So, it sometimes is a matter of not taking things too personal. Heck, I know of Black people from mostly White communities that have had their "Blackness" questioned. So, again, you have to "do you" and get ahead in life.
I don't think you have to be conservative to get an education and I think this gets overhyped in terms of the Black community, to be honest.
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I always have to laugh at this notion, to me it's just blatant overcorrection. Most middle class black people are not and will never identify themselves with Conservative Republicans.
I always have to laugh at this notion, to me it's just blatant overcorrection. Most middle class black people are not and will never identify themselves with Conservative Republicans.
Yeah, I never understood that. While socially speaking, that might be the case, politically speaking, no. Even on those terms, it doesn't mean that one needs to be "conservative" in order to get an education.
Ehhhhhhhhh, you can point out ultra religious white people & atheists, pro capitalist Hispanics & those who believe in socialism, Liberal Asians & Conservative Asians................. I think you see the point.
Only African Americans are expected to share some uniform set of beliefs, on every issue, in every aspect of life, like they are not individuals.
I find it curious that you think they are more divided than any other group.
Maryland is a place with numerous safe and successful predominately African American towns where the people speak proper English, and used the education they are blessed with to get somewhere in life.
Teaneck, Montclair NJ, Englewood NJ, and Queens have a good percentage of succesful African Americans in which they make more than the median household income. The highest earning persons in Queens are the African Americans compared to all other races in Queens County.
It's just the fact that from the beginning when this country first started having African Americans, they were always poor people without a choice, and it is a hard shell to break out if if your born extremely poor no matter what race you are.
That's why the Africans from Africa you see in America today are usually succesfull. This is because they came to this country for oppurtunity and broke the shell of being extremely poor in Africa and on a stride for making it big in this country.
So being born poor is the reason why so many African Americans are still in the ghetto and continue to act ghetto. It's so hard to get out of being extremely poor, and thats how they started in this country, dirt poor.
Whites in this country for the most part came here for oppurtunity and were aloud to come here, so yes, they had the chance for all the oppurtunity and money, they weren't just brought here by force without money or without a chance for oppurtunity like the Africans. That's why white people are for the most part, in good condition in this country since they were constantly being born into success and blessed with everything being handed to them.
That's why even really poor white people have a hard time raising kids to be succesful.. it's a hard cycle to break no matter what color you are, but it's possible if you just be above the influence; and there's only a few who are above the influence.
Sorry for the ramble.. I'm just trying as many ways possible to express my throy of why.
The black mode of behavior is working very well for them and they would be fools to change it. They are the dominant race in the US and always get what they want, including all the white girls they can use. It would be idiotic of them to try to compete with whites and Asians academically, which they can't, of course. No need.
This is America.. we're all Americans... We date who we want and we shouldn't worry about it. Why don't you ask the African Slaves who were raped and beaten by slave owners about a black guy using a white girl because if you look at it from another view, the white girl is being a tramp.
But besides the word "using".. why can't a black man love a white woman or vice versa? Because i mean if a person can mate with another person and still have a human functioning baby, i think it's safe to say that it still works and we're all one race; the human race.
Quote:
Originally Posted by openheads
Ehhhhhhhhh, you can point out ultra religious white people & atheists, pro capitalist Hispanics & those who believe in socialism, Liberal Asians & Conservative Asians................. I think you see the point.
Only African Americans are expected to share some uniform set of beliefs, on every issue, in every aspect of life, like they are not individuals.
I find it curious that you think they are more divided than any other group.
Exactly..
Obama got practically all African Americans to vote for him. Mccain didn't get just white people, he got everything else in the color spectrum BUT black (besides maybe a few)
Obama got it all from white to asian but he got a whole race Mccain barely had.
- Everytime there's a black organization, store, etc. it's automatically labelled racist (unlike irish, polish, german heritage organizations)
- The black community doesn't have a black radio or TV network to bring them together. Instead they have a fake black channel (BET) that teaches black teenagers that to be "real black people" they have to be thugs.
Let me clarify: When I use the word "conservative" in this context, I mean reserved, preppy, etc. It's moreso in terms of style vs. its meaning in a political context. I'll agree to some extent: Middle and upper class Af. Ams. would probably not identify themselves as or w/ "conservative Republicans". However, prior to the campaign and election of President Obama, more and more middle and upper class African Americans began to classify themselves as Republicans. I believe, mainly because they felt their "status" and/or educational levels warranted a distinction b/n themselves and "other" blacks that typically vote Democratic . This sentiment was expressed to me by several people.Further, I worked in various capacities for the Obama campaign. Although we were grateful for any and all volunteerism, inner city enthusiasm and efforts where I live were faint as compared to those in suburban areas which are predominately white. It was like night and day! That was very surprising to me because of the historical aspect/nature of President Obama's election. Finally, I have a very diverse group of friends, many of whom I've known since childhood. Therefore, I have had insight, exposure and access to their communities unlike many other African Americans. There are aspects of their cultures I am not particularly fond of and degrees of separatism/division, as with all ethnicities, however, one key ingredient they all have in common is they pool their resources to maintain their communities and economic viability. My larger point is African Americans all over the country should embrace and appreciate the diversity that all of us bring, despite class, socieconomic status, or pedigree. As a race we have a lot to celebrate: Our history, triumphs, strength and legacy of being overcomers. As far as division is concerned, my opinion and perception are based on where I live. I can't speak for, but am interested in, other parts/regions of the country. Hence, my posting of this thread. I value everyone's input.
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