Blacks Look For Race in Everything?
My very diverse group of friends in graduate school, from places as far as Iran to Kuwait to Russia to India to China, marveled at my passion for my culture. Although many of them were somewhat oblivious to the very convoluted race issues in America, they had a desire to learn from my perspective. In some of those very difficult discussions, they bravely admitted their only perception of Blacks was what they saw on television- oversexed women or thuggish Black men. Thank God for President Obama and First Lady for a counter to those images.
It always amazed me that people from such foreign lands took more of an interest in Black culture than a host of Americans.
In America race is such a taboo topic. Start discussing race around Whites and watch them shift in their seat, tense up, look the other way or change the subject immediately. Likely you’ll witness all of the above. Many of their ideas about race fall into one or more of the categories below.
a) Everyone is afforded the same opportunities in America; and if you work hard you can do anything regardless of race.
b) Black people are so angry with us for something we didn’t even do. I wasn’t alive for slavery.
c) Slavery was so long ago. Let’s just move on!
d) I don’t see color.
e) I’m not racist. I have Black friends!
f) Black people are so sensitive about everything.
g) Don’t pull the race card with us, Marcus.
It really frustrates me that the masses don’t understand that slavery is directly correlated to, and a contributing factor to the detrimental state the Black community is in psychologically, economically and socially in 2011. We must never forget the Holocaust (and Jews won’t let you forget), but slavery, which has forever defined race in this country, should just be glossed over because some White folks have guilt? Even if we did forget slavery there was still the Black Codes, Jim Crow and the crack epidemic. Black folks’ problems in this country didn’t magically disappear in 1865. As frustrating as it is, I’m never surprised by the flippant attitude many Whites take on race. What I’ve never understood, however, are Blacks who make comments like this: “The problem with most Black people is that they look for race in everything.”
Are Black people looking for race in everything, or perhaps Blacks have historically been treated poorly based on the color of their skin, therefore we can’t simply live as if race doesn’t exist?
I don’t know how many times it has to be said for it to sink in: Black people are not a monolith. Now repeat. There is no daily conference call for all of us to go over the bullet points of the Black agenda. Obviously there are Blacks who could not care less about race. Others proudly proclaim they don’t believe in the collective as it relates to the Black community. And of course you have the Booker T. Washington’s who feel Black people should just pull themselves up by the bootstraps.
When I look in the mirror, I cannot ignore that I am a Black woman. Most of my experiences are centered around that identity. Blacks do not have the luxury of living their lives day in and day out without any consciousness of their race. For many, it can be the core of who they are. Not entirely who they are, but a major component. But individuals like the commenter who believe Blacks “look for race in everything,” and that it’s problematic, need a quick reminder. Blacks didn’t create the system. We’re trying to survive it.
Proclaiming, “Black people look for race in everything” is the sister statement to “don’t pull the race card” by someone refusing to acknowledge their White privilege. What is the race card by the way? I’ve been meaning to find out who was the inventor of said card. It’s like when people don’t understand why there is a need for organizations – NAACP, NABJ, CBC, HBCU’s – solely for Blacks. Well, because things are still not on an equal playing field. As much as we love to tote our President or Oprah around as proof that anyone can make it, we fail to address the fact that Obama and Oprah are the minority. Show me hundreds of Oprah’s then we can talk.
Race and racism are constructs here to stay. Any time the U.S. government continues to racially segregate through annual Census forms determining what areas will receive federal dollars based on race, please understand people in power have no desire for a post-racial anything. Kind of how in a capitalistic society there’s no desire to eradicate poverty and the lower class. It’s fascinating how the race issue is repeatedly dumped onto our laps as if we created the problem. Some of us are deemed too militant, too Pan-Africanist, or even wrongfully accused of being racist because we care about the advancement of our people. Sadly, the number of Blacks who also think like this are steadily rising.
If I did believe Black people always look for race in everything, which I don’t because it’s nothing more than a general assumption, I don’t necessarily think it’s problematic. Europeans created this social construct called race. And now Blacks are supposed to feel bad about being racially conscious and aware? Give me a break.
For those of us always looking for race in everything, don’t change. It’s only right there be a balance between us and the Negroes who have conveniently forgotten what it’s like to be Black living in America.
70 Comments – Add Yours
Latest Articles
Most Popular This Week
Recent Comments
-
NY's Finest on
The Black Beauty Standard
@Pseudonym: That lyric means her face is bleached but the rest of her body isn't.
-
elaine on
Dear H&M: Thank You For Reminding Us Beauty Doesn’t Stop At Size 6
@rlizak While I find some of your reasoning flawed (who is running 5 miles without breating hard?!?) I agree with you. While it is...
-
H on
On Plate Fixing and Other Wifely Duties
When you're with a good guy and he's appreciative, it's fine. When a person expects you to do things simply because you're a woman and...
-
Andrea on
When You’re A White Straight Comic, Bigotry’s All About the Joke
My thoughts as well.
You can be racially conscious without being overbearing.
Question to All: Why can’t we just get over it? I am. There will always be people who do not like you for a variety of reasons…race just being one of them. I myself am tired of blaming another race for our low education rates, high prison rates, high crime rates, high baby mama rates, low baby daddy rates, low marriage rates, and a host of other problems that surround the black community. In 2011, we need to take responsibility for ourselves and our own actions. Yes there will always be racism, sexism, ageism and alot of other ism’s in our lifetime and our children’s lifetime, does that mean as a black woman I have to walk around with a chip on my shoulder and have an excuse (i.e. the man) everytime something doesn’t go right for me?
@ Christy,
So long as the following continue to happen in 2011, lets just say thats wishful thinking on your part, which I absolutely love!
1.)Crack Parties with an agenda to ignore a vivid past.
“Tenn. Tea Party Wants Minorities’ Histories Removed from Textbooks”
2.) Hollyweired continues to marginalize minorities, stereotype and ignore Oscar worthy performances from our people. Tell me why Viola Davis did not win, tell me why Taraji Henson did not win. I do not care what anyone says, as an actor/actress winning the Oscar is a big deal.
3.) Corporations heralded by very well educated people, who are ignorant to the sensitive matter concerning race and continue to perpetuate it in the workplace.
“230 current and former employees at Turner Industries Group, have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Louisiana-based oil services company, claiming that they were forced to work in facilities where slurs, discrimination, and racist graffiti were passed off without concern.”
There are many more, but you get my point. As I said you can be racially conscious without being overbearing…ain’t no need to walk around with a chip on your shoulder….
I think you have clearly missed the mark here. Nobody said “blame” others for the issues that face African Americans today. But as any well read person knows, the experiences of our parents are distributed to us as we are being raised. Without intent and our awareness, messages about race, limitations, abilities, attractiveness and intelligence are being transmitted to us every day. Most of these messages are negative and put Blacks in a state of confusion about who they are and they’re place in this society. Most of those social issues you referred to go back to the family structure, which has been broken in the Black community for some time. They aren’t things that can’t be mended, but have to be done one family at a time. One generation at a time.
I’m glad that you have been able to rise above the issues that face many Blacks. You obviously have only been within the confines of the US or you would know that racism is a minor issue in this country as compared to others. You would do yourself some good to travel abroad and gain some perspective before you put ALL Black people in box. The are good and bad in all races and not everyone of every race makes the same bad choices. You need to educate yourself and experience some things before you can see the world in its true form.
I respect all opinions about race. However the race issue in America is not something you can just get over. There is a direct correlation between slavery and the where the African American community stands today. No you don’t have to walk around with a chip on your shoulder or be angry all of the time. We do need to take a stand, but we need to stand in the right place. We need to stop supporting the industries that continue to portray our community in a certain light. Although we are no longer slaves on the plantation we are slaves of mass media. We allow media to dictate the way the world sees us and a lot of people in our communities feel they have to live up to the images they see on television. Some of us are still slaves psychologically. Although you may be free in your mind, society still sees you a certain way. I find myself always trying to make sure I am not seen in the light of the angry black woman, who is over sexed, and uneducated. My name is Taniqua, every time someone asks me my name I am reminded of my race. I know I am not those images on television, however it is important to me that the rest of the world knows that i am not that image also. I want my own race to realize they are not those images either.
Sometimes I go about my life and forget that I am black. I don’t feel paranoid that I may be followed in a store, or that people think I won’t tip, or that all others believe that I am dumb or ignorant just because I am brown.. Just for moments I feel like a person and not a color ….Then I am reminded that I am..usually by a black person(not the point I am making) but I no longer feel that way.. I am currently always feel like a color and that nothing I do will be anything that isn’t eclipsed by my race and stereotypes and thats really sad. I am plagued constantly by the thought of it..Its painful to think about the way not just america is but the world is.
To the writer… thank you.
I am not black, but I am a female of color and I really needed to read this today. I make everything about race, not because I want to, or because it’s fun and exciting, or because I enjoy being angry – but because I can’t help to think that I get treated differently, feel invisible, feel like my opinion doesn’t count because I am a female of color.
Being in medical school is incredibly challenging. 90% of the class is WHITE. Most from privileged backgrounds. Simple statements like ‘the United States and Europe are affected most by this disease, all the civilized areas of the world’ doesn’t offend 90% of the class, but if offends ME and when I point it out, and make it clear that the statement was so clearly racist, I get a bad rap because I am looking at race all the time, and I am being racist. Except that now 90% of the class could focus on the lecture being taught I am so furious and offended that I come from an uncivilized culture that I can’t focus.
I completely agree. DO NOT stop looking for race. We are brought into a system that determines our success, our struggles, our everyday experiences because of something we can not hide or disguise – our skin color, our features, our hair.
Question the system. Ask for change. Stand up for the oppressed. It’s until we start fighting along side each other, and asking that EVERYONE be represented and respected will any real change occur.
I stand with my brothers and sisters of all colors. And yes, I will continue to look for race in everything, because it has defined everything that I am.
You got to be kidding me. They STILL say these things NOW? In this day and age? In medical school? Are you serious?
This is so true. These attitudes are quite prevalent in graduate and professional schools. It’s amazing how oblivious people can be and how frustrated I, like you, feel when there seems like there is no way to get through to people, or how you can get singled out for trying.
No-one can offend you unless you choose to be offended. If you’re so offended while attending a school that is 90% white, why not choose a school that is 90% black? Or is it that you don’t think there’s one that’s good enough? Just curious!
I wouldn’t mind going to a school that has more students of color at all! If anything that would provide an amazing relief to be next to people I can talk to and relate to. FYI there is only ONE historically black medical school in the country. It just so happens that I got into the school that I did based on where I live.
BUT – the class representation of 90% white in medical school is normal. This is based on racist government actions that led to schools of color and previously ALL women medical school – which only one exists now. You can read all about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexner_Report#Closure_of_many_medical_schools
As far as letting myself being offended… what do you think of when you think of a doctor? A white male? Guess who runs my medical school? Guess who runs healthcare? Guess which populations have the least access, and which have the most? NO – I do not choose to let racist comments offend me because they DO offend me, period. When I get attacked, my people get attacked, or other people get attacked based on stereotypes and discrimination, I have exactly NO choice but to be offended.
If anyone believes that racism and discrimination and most importantly OPPRESSION doesn’t exist in the United States, they live in a very naive world. If everyone – across all racial, socioeconomic, sex, religious backgrounds was equally distributed amongst poor, successful, educated – you might have an argument. But since the majority of minorities are the one’s that represent the least educated, with the worst schools, living conditions, poverty rates, lack of healthcare – racism, sexism, classism is alive and well – and if you don’t question your world and see it for what it is, you probably are a part of it, have internalized it, and will never change the system for yourself, your children, or anyone else.
And to Lulu… you bet they say this stuff… and worse. Like only pigs eat corn (even though that’s a staple to many ethnic diets) and sexism – don’t even get me started!
Systems of oppression work this way. The white doctors that were educated by the ‘good old boys’ of the past day come and repeat the same close-minded stories, and stereotypes in our class, which then allows all the students in the class to think that it is ok to view other people this way… and they will just continue the cycle.
I’m sure medical school is not the only institution like this at all… but they sure like to pretend that they are all ‘diverse’ with fake multicultural trainings that accomplish nothing when you have to go to class and get the stereotypes reinforced. SIGH.
oops… i misspoke, there are three black medical schools. No all women medical school. No Latino medical school. No Asian medical schools… etc.
@ Brenda so you are suggesting that she should separate herself because they are making statements that she feels are racist? Why should she leave a school she earned the right to attend? The cirriculum should not contain statements that are racially bias or inflammitory. Facts are facts but when you inject them with statements that are opinions represented as facts, you confuse the people who don’t know better. People are too lazy to do their own reseach so they don’t care to learn that what the professor said is not accurate.
I had a similar experience in my sociology class, where the instructor made some statements that were clearly false and not science based another student and myself called him on it. He carefully modified his statements but the damage was already done. How many times had he already taught that incorrect information? That is one of the ways non blacks get the wrong ideas about African Americans.
Let me put this on your mind. Its not appropriate to call a black person the N-word or a person with a mental disability a retard. What you are suggesting is that it is ok as long as that person it not in the room. If she leaves the school then it’s ok for them to teach inaccurate and racially bias information. That is ridiculous and should be challenged regardless to who is in the class.
I am a Black female and I’m a physician. Long story short, I went to a historically Black medical school, after transferring from a majority White med school. So I have experienced both sides of the coin. I totally agree with the original poster. And that is the main reason why I transferred schools. I figured- “Man, I’m paying all this money to be ignored AND disrespected!?!” So I left and never looked back. This kind of nonsense happens alot in majority White schools, and Black students are def left to feel marginalized and invisible. However, the original poster is wrong about there only being 1 historically Black med school- there are actually 3: Howard University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., Meharry Medical College in Nashville, and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. I graduated from Meharry- and I’m very proud of my Alma Mater. Transferring was the best decision for me (may not be for other people) and I’m a big advocate of historically Black grad schools (law and medicine). I believe they are a lot more progressive, respectful of Black students, and culturally sensitive.
You said it all !! I hope that wasn’t to over bearing!
As I do not wish to enter a political debate over whether race actually plays a role in an individual’s day-to-day life — though I think most of us would agree that it does, if only to a certain extent — I’ll stick to a short, simple critique of the article itself.
As a fellow writer, I must say that while your article does contain a few well-supported points, it also contains a few badly-supported ones. Cardinal Rule Number One: Have Sources. Such a politically charged piece should never be published without citing sources of information. Not to be rude, but as far as I can tell, this article contains zero facts, zero sources, and thus, zero credibility. If you really want to prove something to the community: give some hard data, not opinions (however correct they may or may not be); otherwise, your article just becomes an editorial piece, easily tossed aside by anyone with an even remotely different point of view.
As we do not know each other — my number 3 rule is “Never judge prior to conversation” — and I am not aware of how well you take (hopefully) constructive criticism, I hope that you realize that my intention was not to insult you — though I doubt the online community will see it that way — and I sincerely apologize if this is said case. I merely wanted to point out that if you expect a piece to have a hint of political weight, it can in no way sound like a diary entry.
Like I said, I am deeply sorry if I have upset you with this critique; if so, I’ll treat you to a coffee sometime.
Cheers.
This is a commentary site. It’s op-ed – facts are not needed…lol
@Michael to better support the argument that is being made, I suggest you research the Tuskegee experiments which took place between 1932 and 1972. This experiment was conducted by the U.S. Public Health Service on 399 black men in the late stages of syphilis. These men, for the most part illiterate sharecroppers from one of the poorest counties in Alabama, were never told what disease they were suffering from or of its seriousness. To which an official apology was never given until 1997 by sitting president Bill Clinton
“The United States government did something that was wrong—deeply, profoundly, morally wrong. It was an outrage to our commitment to integrity and equality for all our citizens. . . . clearly racist.”
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762136.html#ixzz1E2exsmGx
Why is this important? Because this is an example overt discrimination in our lifetime by our own government. It would be far too easy, even perhaps dismissive to point out discriminatory acts committed by law enforcement, major corporations and other vehicles of injustice. I need you to understand racism at its core. This country was built on racism and continues to thrive because of it. Just ask our Mexican brothers and sisters in Arizona. (or do I need an article for that)
What saddens me is that you are fully aware of its existence, yet unwilling to discuss anything unless “facts” are presented. Which, im sure everyone can agree is a smokescreen and a way for you to detour around addressing the issue at hand. Yes the author did not present any facts, but you contribution to this site is a critique of the actual op-ed not that of the subject matter itself.
So I ask based on your comment, are you a person of color? All signs would lead me to believe otherwise. (Not judging though)
Not this again. I really hate dropping J-school credentials, but I swear the online community makes you. I have an MA (which doesn’t amount to much) in Journalism. So trust you are preaching to the choir. I understand your point, but I think it’s fairly obvious this is an Op-ed piece. I don’t see anyone on the NYT website suggesting their Op-ed writers drop statistics and have sources. I also am not of the belief that my position is invalid because it lacks sources. I really wish people learned the difference between the three- writers, journalists and bloggers. I am all three. But this was not intended to be a news article, which would require research, sources, fact-checking etc. I’m sorry you feel people can only learn from a piece that drops a bunch of data.
My deepest apologies, Bené, for coming to such rash conclusions. Your article was presented to me — not as an opinion piece — by a close friend and I did not take the time to research the journalism genre, per se, of this publication and for that I am sorry, truly. I did not mean to insult your intelligence and by no means challenge your credentials — and judging by your portfolio, I’d say you’re well on your way. Again, I apologize for the misunderstanding.
In response to Not Surprised’s remarks:
You are absolutely correct: I refuse to enter a debate on racism on a public internet forum. There is a time and a place for everything, and the highly convenient yet highly impersonal communication method that is the world wide web — I think we’ll both agree — is not said place.
I do find it odd that you ask if I am a person of colour — a query to which I must disappoint. Why should skin colour be a criterion for the validity of opinion? (I’ll leave this as rhetorical.)
To close, I will merely say this: the perpetuation of racism is not due to one specific group of persons, but rather because our society as a whole perpetuates it. In a perfect world, racism would cease to exist instantaneously. Sadly, this is not the case and in the world we live in, massive social changes occur over generations.
If you wish to converse with me further, shoot me an email and I will be more than happy to continue; like I said before, there’s a time and a place for everything.
MichaelLFoo.com
Cheers.
Your obvious need to critique the mechanics of this article reeks of your entitlement, and its nothing new. Check YOUR privilege at the door. I’m starting to feel like this is no longer a safe place.
__________
moving on…
I find it funny that the people who say that poc always look for race in everything are usually the ones that always find ways to highlight race as if we would ever forget it. Its usually the same folks that say “Yeah I’m color blind,” but want to tell a race joke in the same breath. They fail at life and I’m done.
@ Christy
Co-Sign
Awesome article! Fantastic comments!
I agree with you 100%–I can understand black people who want to move on and forget but it’s super important to remember our history esp since as black Americans our original histories were ripped out of the mouth of our ancestors–it’s important that we continue to push forward and create waves–just look at Egypt!
Thank you Clutch for continuing to bring us eye-opening articles like these!
naj:)
As a Canadian who was born in Ghana and frequently travels in the U.S, I’ve always marveled at how quickly black Americans thrown down the race card. I never couldnquite understand it. It’s like it’s ingrained in some people as a knee jerk reaction when they fell slighted or when something doesn’t work out the way it should.
But then again, when I’m in the U.S, I’ve never felt so black.
In Canada, I can’t honestly say that I’m made aware or my skin colour but as soon as I cross the border, im more aware of it.
I understand your point of view and understand that it may be difficult for you to understand. Throwing down the black card IS sometimes unwarranted, yet and still race is omnipresent and looms over the country like a plague. I didnt feel a bit of narcissism on how quickly you point out that theres a difference between yourself and black Americans.
I am also aware that prior to migrating to north America, many (not all) are told to stay away from black Americans which is an ignorant social stigma. (Many of my international friends have confirmed this fact)
What I need for you to understand is that, although you might see yourself differently, when you come to America, youre black. Theres no division or special category, your black and someone is going to let you know that quickly. Furthermore your judgment is very peculiar to me considering that you left Ghana for a reason. I say that with no disrespect intended.
So to quickly touch on your comment. Yes, racism causes a knee jerk reaction
with black americans, because they understand what its like to endure it day in and day out. The fact that you are able to travel freely between america and Canada is due in part to black americans fighting for those rights. So please reconsider your opinion and keep and open mind
Oh, please. I love it when black Canadians pretend that racism doesn’t exist in Canada. History, present and past, suggests otherwise. I was recently in Toronto and read several newspaper articles that suggested that racism in alive and kicking across the country. It may be more subtle because there are fewer blacks in the country and you don’t have our slave history–but it’s there. It’s inhumane to dismiss the history (and present reality) of blacks in the states; I don’t care what color you are. If it makes you feel better to live in denial and to create phony hierarchies based on nationality and your country of origin, so be it.
@ Sarah
You do realize that as a Black person from another country that is not the United States of America our viewpoints on race are not going to be one and the same, right? Some newspaper articles you read aren’t enough to tell you jack about what race relations really are like there. Where is the denial? Yes, there are White people there who don’t think much of us. I for one don’t give a damn what they think.
But our histories? Not the same. Similarities, but not one and the same. You got upset over another Black person, who isn’t from your country, not sharing the same view.
Really?
I don’t understand how any black person can hold these two thoughts in their head without realizing that they clash:
-black people are not a monolith
-black people who don’t make race a priority in the same way as you do are [insert whatever 'oreo', 'black people betrayer' label, yes, that includes Booker T Washington or 'too militant', angry, et al]
At the end of the day, one of the biggest attitudes killing a meaningful racial dialogue in this country, is the one we hold against our own, for not fighting our battles in the same way.
Seriously — the most racist people in the USA today are black folk! The first thing a black person thinks of a white person is that the white person is racist! It’s one thing to remember, honor, and cherish the past — it’s another to use the past (one in which you were not even here) as an excuse to blame other folks (who weren’t here) for you to maintain your own oppression. White folks are not black folks’ problem — black folks are!
I feel sorry for you. It is clear that you don’t know or socialize with any people of color. If you did, you would see first hand the kind of things that are said and done to black people all of the time. Apparently, you didn’t go to college either because these kinds for things are discussed in any basic sociology course. Race doesn’t have to be looked for, it is presented to us everyday. They teach police officers that black subjects are more likely to have guns that whites . Subsequently, more blacks are killed by white police officers than any other group. They teach that more blacks are on welfare than whites, which is impossible since there aren’t enough black in the country to make that happen.
You should do a little research before you make claims you can’t back up. You don’t know the first thing about black people. What you see in movies are usually an other ignorant person’s views of a race that they know nothing about and it’s unfortunate that you’ve let the talking heads influence you. Do some research or conduct your own.
First of all miss thing you don’t know WHAT the hell all black people think of all white people so come off it. And furthermore Aamadou Diallo,James Byrd,Ricky Byrdsong,Oscar Grant,Yusef Hawkins,Micheal Stewart,Bernard Monroe,Malice Green,Eleanor Bumpers were NOT killed 150 years ago so get you head out of your a##!
I don’t mind if people look for race in everything, that’s his/her prerogative.
However, I do have a problem with people that still blame every pitfall of the Black community on ‘the white man.’
I recognize that slavery had a profound affect on the Black community, but at some point, you have to let it go. Blaming others (especially individuals who really don’t care about the state of the Black community) for every pitfall in our community isn’t going to change a thing.
Can you blame ‘the white man’ for your fellow sistah being half-naked in a video? No, blame your brothas (Lil’ Wayne, Rick Ross, Diddy). Can you blame ‘the white man’ for being an unwed mother? While you can certainly blame ‘the white man’ for destroying the institute of the Black family, you must turn that finger and point it at yourself, after all you did make a baby, knowing that you didn’t have a ring on your finger.
“Blacks didn’t create the system.” That’s true, but the system will ALWAYS be there, so that excuse is just as old and tired as the ‘race card’ (but pull it if it so suits you). We, the Black community, have to pull each other up and operate AROUND the system. They pull black history out of schools? FINE, teach your kids about Black history (the Internet is full of resources). The books aren’t as new as the “white schools”? So what, new book, OLD material; that doesn’t mean kids can’t learn and homework can’t be done. Want to keep our young men out of jail? INVEST in our boys (and girls), help them discover a hobby they love–whether it’s ballet, chess or football. Want to keep your girls out of music videos and off of YouTube? Make a two-parent home with parents that are invested a STANDARD (you BOTH lie down in the bed…remember that).
We have to band together because ‘the white man’ isn’t going to band with us.; he wants to see us fall and fail.
Kind of went off on a tangent. Eh, oh well.
Of all the comments posted, I think I agree with yours the most. Blacks need to achieve unity. Race does exist; it’s an absolutely awful social construct.
To the writer of the post: I love your insight, your clarity, your depth! Just the whole premise of the article: that instead of denigrating blacks, whites must realize it’s not that blacks are lazy, ignorant, etc., but just acknowledge that blacks are in our “detrimental state” as you so aptly put it, because of what was done to us. They’re really in denial and your article really underscored the importance of that. Just acknowledge where it all comes from and why blacks are even in this country. I MEAN IF IT WERENT EVEN FOR SLAVERY, BLACKS WOULDNT EVEN BE IN THIS COUNTRY. (Unless we’d CHOSEN to emigrate here!)
Bene Viera, this was such a POWERFUL piece I’m almost speechless at how you’ve sum(ed) up my everyday reality in a few paragraphs. “Some of us are deemed too militant, Pan-Africanist, or even wrongfully accused of being racist because we care about the advancement of our people”.
I get called Angela Davis by my ignorant white and black co workers bc I an racially conscious and aware…but I hear the moking tone they use as if I’m racist for pointing out the obviousness of American reality. I see the reality of being black in everything and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I try to educate folks, open they mind up alil but most black folk are too enamored with themselves and their fake consciousness that they don’t want to see TRUTH. Its pitiful. White privilegde is a helluva drug let me tell you, and they even feeding blacks that drug too…tellin em sure if you work hard enough you can be on our level too, live like us, covet money and greed like us, covet our white women like us, live the American dream”.
I know better. Its time to open your minds, don’t feel ashamed to be aware, because like Bene said, “Europeans created this social contruct called race. And now blacks are supposed to feel bad about being racially conscious and aware. Give me abreak”.
@ Sad for you,
I am really sad for you. I understand our history, I understand slavery was brutal and there are still effects. Our families were torn apart, our heritage was torn apart, but it’s over now. The same way we still are affected by slavery is the same way the other race (white americans) are affected. We can’t get over it so why do we expect them to. I also understand we are now more “free” in 2011 to do whatever we want and look what we have decided to do with our “freedom” as a black race-fathers are free to leave their children, women are free to go to the judge and demand child support, women are free to have sex with men who they know will not be responsible fathers, women & men are free to have unwed sex and bring children into less than desirable situations, children are free to act up in schools (as long as they are good on the basketball court, football field, or can sing/rap), We are not accountable to anyone but ourselves and God and as a group we have made a choice regarding what we will do with our freedom. Why doesn’t the NAACP march in the streets against illiteracy in our community, lack of fathers, lack of true mothering, black crime rates—oh, I forgot—”the man made us do it”
Is racism a terrible thing? Yes, of course. How though is it worse than any prejudice? What i also fail to understand is why many (not all) African Americans feel that racism applies to their race only. Guess what, Latinos, Asians, Indians, Arabs, and yes, even Whites, experience this. I have been criticized, judged, and spoken down to because of my race. While it infuriates me, i don’t choose to dwell upon it. As long as there are multiple races on this earth, there will be racism. Not to sound harsh, but i believe we should all great and move on. Is life not too short for all this nonsense?
Here, Here!
Jamaican-Canadian, but I grew up in the US. It’s not until I left that I realized that everything is a race issue in the US…but not necessarily everywhere else. I realized that I had become ultra sensitive and quick to pull the race-card even of the simplest thing (black folks don’t watch hockey ie).
I think it’s important that we are aware, at the same time it can also blind us.and restrict us from developing.
@ SAL
I agree. Jews, Indians, Pakistanis, Italians, Indians and Asians all get discriminated against. But they band together and are agressive in how they run their businesses and communities as well as raising their kids. My brothers and sisters, it’s not futile that we defend ourselves and discuss racial prejudice in the societies we live in as the article successfully does… but damn, let’s build our communities while we’re at it. Instead we idolize drug lords and rap superstars who brag about the money they made selling drugs (within their own communities) and exploit young women. It doesn’t make no mothaf*#$’n sense!
PS. The weave thing also gets to me… but I am even afraid to open that can of worms. Love the article picture though… Pshyc!