To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't believe black people can be racist. Being racist implies having a certain level of power to hinder the success of those you hate. In the US, blacks don't have this power. Now, I do believe we can be prejudiced. There is a difference.

Honey, you need to get a better understanding of the term "racist" because "having a certain level of power to hinder the success of those you hate" is no where in the definition. What you "think" has no bearing on the actual definition which is
" The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others."

You need to go beyond the definition. Superiority is tied to power. Please educate yourself.

A perfect example of the Blacks as Victims mentality. We have a Black president. We have a Black AG. We have Black people running major local governments all over the country. Yet somehow Black people can't ever be racist because they don't have the "power", no matter how much hate they are carrying with them. What rubbish. You are no different than anyone else in this country, regardless of your skin color. If you think that being black somehow absolves you from being racist, then you are in fact the most racist of them all.

Wrong. See post at 14:00.

BTW, having a black POTUS has brought many racist out of the woodwork.

[Anonymous]

I think it's just a matter of fact that when people grow up with differences in values, morals, work ethic, etc, those basic aspects, then it doesn't matter which ethnicity you are; you may have fundamental differences from others. I found that my closest friends were the ones with whom there was similarity/overlap in those fundamentals. We could understand and relate to one another, and we developed mutual respect.

Demographic factors do play a part, as others have mentioned, because there just may not be many immediate opportunities to interact often with people of other backgrounds. Still, that doesn't have to be a deciding factor. Growing up, in a mainly white neighborhood, it turned out that one of my closest friends because one of the handful of Chinese students at my school. We just clicked in various ways.

When I went to grad school, I became close friends with a black female student from Southern Africa. We had many differences between us, a main one being she was already married (I was single and would only end up meeting my future husband about 7 years later). She'd come to North America to pursue higher education, given the better opportunities for her field of study here. In this case, we both shared a passion for higher education (hence, where we met), we were both hard-working and wanting to succeed.
On the other hand, I think we also clicked because of our interest and curiosity in the differences in our lives. I was probably more impressed with her than vice versa, given the long distance she'd traveled, and how challenging her life was back home (she practically was a mother to her younger siblings, having to help out substantially in her household). Sadly, when she moved back, our communication waned, with circumstances taking over, lives become more complicated.

All this to say that I embrace the chances to know people of different backgrounds. But it's a two-way street. If one goes into something with an attitude of hostility or suspicion, whatever your ethnicity, you are closing yourself off from the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Providence has blessed Africa, the homeland of blacks, with more natural resources than any other continent--and that's in addition to a bounty of fertile soil and spectacular savannas.


And yet, Africa is one of the world's most miserable places. And the people there constantly complain about how "the white man" has wronged them.

How pathetic.

Please read up on colonialism/apartheid in Africa. Your ignorance is astounding.

[Anonymous]

The term "racist" holds a much different and much more negative connotation than "prejudice". They are not the same term (although similar) and cannot be used interchangeably or unequally--as in one race can only be prejudiced and while the other is racist for while exhibiting the same attitude and belief.

[Anonymous]

The term "racist" holds a much different and much more negative connotation than "prejudice". They are not the same term (although similar) and cannot be used interchangeably or unequally--as in one race can only be prejudiced and while the other is racist for while exhibiting the same attitude and belief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Providence has blessed Africa, the homeland of blacks, with more natural resources than any other continent--and that's in addition to a bounty of fertile soil and spectacular savannas.


And yet, Africa is one of the world's most miserable places. And the people there constantly complain about how "the white man" has wronged them.

How pathetic.

Please read up on colonialism/apartheid in Africa. Your ignorance is astounding.

+infinity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't know what you don't know.

Come into my environment and see the two white faces among the brown ones. Of the 120 kids sent to us as a last resort, TWO are white. And the white boy is not wearing his pants under his rear.

In a comprehensive school where there is equal representation of races/ethnic groups, you STILL don't see as MANY white boys who have adopted that style. I've had YEARS of experience in those settings, too.

It's amazing to me how defensive people get when the truth is spoken. And it's that attitude that keeps groups down. Acknowledge the ugly, attempt to fix it through education, and move forward.

sorry if you can't face the truth - But is is INDEED the truth.

I'm not the one living in a bubble. I'm one of the few whites trying to open up their world. But with that much push back and denial from ADULTS, I can easily say, "So long!" and hope that families and community members find ways to push these kids in the right direction.

But I doubt that many care. And some thing that by IGNORING this issue it will go away. Look at the statistics and tell me who's in jail. http://www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=122
We just sent one young man to the local prison for attempted murder.

And it starts at a very young age - when they're especially vulnerable to gang recruitment.

I never said I looked at a black male and generalized. There are successful minorities all over the US. But you can't ignore the statistics. And when you become angry by hearing the truth, you're part of the problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with number 3. I am school-based, and while I've seen both Hispanics and blacks wear pants that sag, I've yet to see whites do it. And it's mainly been black teens. We have even had volunteers - successful black males - step in as mentors and give the history on sagging (which is really quite gross), and yet, the students will not change their "style." Many laugh.

It's cool to have relatives in jail, according to many, and while you're reading this from a white woman posting, these words came from my principal, who's a black male with brothers in the penal system.

I've seen black males chastise other black males in public for sagging. And in my experiences, while I've seen more and more minorities enter the teaching profession, these men and women are in a different socio-economic class and have kids in schools that are either private or high functioning. So just as whites practice "white flight," my colleagues clearly have removed themselves from a certain population. In my opinion, bright flight is more applicable now.

So I believe it's about class/socio-economics first, but in this country, low socio-economic level - at least in populated urban environments - translates into black and Hispanic. And being poor and ignorant is indeed becoming a "culture." I live it every single day, and it's ugly and sad.

If you have never seen white teens with sagging pants, you aren't looking hard enough. And only the underclass (those who glorify violence) think having relatives in jail is cool. Please don't attribute this to all black teens.

That is a problem I notice a lot. Characteristics of some blacks are attributed to ALL. Things that some blacks feel is attributed to how ALL blacks feel. We are treated as ONE rather than allowed any individuality.

If you teach at a school for troubled children, then your perception is skewed. And if you teach in a school for troubled children in an URBAN environment, chances are high that the children will be largely made up of minorities. Because, more often than not, white families who live in urban environments are in higher income brackets. I'm sure if you taught at a similar school in a rural environment, your findings would be reversed.

This is not about being defensive. It's about acknowledging that this is less about race, but more about socio-economics and an underclass mindset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Embrace education. Walk the walk. No more of this attitude that academic success = "acting white" crap. That's utter nonsense.

UGH
Not all black people do this.

I am AA and my DD has been told that she's "acting white" by other black students at her school - she's in a public middle school. The comments about black kids segregating at school is very complicated and painful. It is difficult for a child to manage their feelings and not feel hurt that your own race doesn't accept you because your "hanging with those white B___s" What ends up happening is that by high school and even college those kids feel like they have to prove their blackness and explore those relationships, unfortunately it sometimes means the end of their white friendships. This happened to me growing up. As an adult I know how faulty my thinking was back then and now enjoy strong relationships with folks from a wide range of backgrounds.

I've had countless conversations with my DD about maintaining her relationships with her white friends many she's known since K and to not fall prey to what others have to say about her smarts. It's too easy to say go make friends with white people. Also it's important to understand that some black kids don't have other white people in their lives, outside of folks in authority roles. Because we live in a pretty segregated community, I think it's difficult to have an expectation that kids living in a space where they only interact with one race can form real relationships with another race.

The social aspects of race relations among kids is very complicated, so have some compassion and understanding. And I'd ask the adults on this board to really examine if they indeed have strong relationships with other races/ethnicities, strong enough to serve as an example for your kids.

Very honest and well reasoned post. Thanks and I say that sincerely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP you would have done better to ask if what all people could do to deepen and broaden race relations and the conversations around race.
How can we better understand each other and the social construct of race in thus nation.
Instead you have invited every ignorant, misinformed idiotic m.f. To tell me:


1) I don't smile ( heffa you don't know me and I don't owe you my smile because it is my job to assuage YOUR discomfort, besides, I have cramps)

2) I need to stop making excuses ( it is not an excuse, I really do have cramps)


3) It is my job to stop so-called black on black violence.
I guess that means your job is to stop white people from shooting up schools


4) Get educated - everyone in my family is college educated including my 96 yr old GM. My parents have grad degrees, so what is the problem...you need to borrow a degree?

5) I need to Stop calling out racism...I call it like I see it and I do not recall the last time I called it in my own life.
This means your talking about more than I am


6) Stop being angry .
Yes I am pissed because you don't want to let me be responsible for me and mine, you want me to account for the millions of other black folk I have and never will meet.
Are you responsible for Miley Cyrus?

Being well educated and from an established family it is surprising you are unaware that gracious people demonstrate kindness to others even when the may be uncomfortable at the moment. Also, considering your heritage it is interesting that you miss the notion that life in the ghetto is dysfunctional for both blacks and whites. It seems that education and assimilation have assisted in enhancing your quality of life. If these things have benefited you, why would you not encourage others both black and white to take similar paths to success??

[Anonymous]

BTW, having a black POTUS has brought many racist out of the woodwork.

Wrong. Sadly, anyone who disagrees with this president is deemed a racist. Every person who has ever held the office has been criticized--and often brutally so, but Obama is supposed to be treated differently. Therein lies the true racism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

1) I don't smile ( heffa you don't know me and I don't owe you my smile because it is my job to assuage YOUR discomfort, besides, I have cramps)

2) I need to stop making excuses ( it is not an excuse, I really do have cramps)


3) It is my job to stop so-called black on black violence.
I guess that means your job is to stop white people from shooting up schools


4) Get educated - everyone in my family is college educated including my 96 yr old GM. My parents have grad degrees, so what is the problem...you need to borrow a degree?

5) I need to Stop calling out racism...I call it like I see it and I do not recall the last time I called it in my own life.
This means your talking about more than I am


6) Stop being angry .
Yes I am pissed because you don't want to let me be responsible for me and mine, you want me to account for the millions of other black folk I have and never will meet.
Are you responsible for Miley Cyrus?

1. Yet, if white people AA's automatically assume they are racist.

2. Whites aren't allowed to have bad days or have cramps or we are racist.

3. It is everyone's job to stop violence. You don't want to be held accountable for black on black violence, don't be so quick jump on white violence.

4. Everyone in your family is educated including your 96 year old grandma and your parents with their grad degrees. Don't you dare cry "white privilege".

5. You have never blamed anything on racism or called anyone a racist? Good for you. It must be because you are privileged and educated. Read a newspaper or an op piece and you will see that whites are accused of racism all of the fucking time, whether we are guilty or not. We are presumed guilty because of the color of our skin.

6. You are pissed? You don't want to be responsible for the behavior of other AA's. Hell, whites don't want to be held responsible for the actions of other whites that they have never met, but we are and it doesn't stop there. We are held responsible for the actions of white slaveholders generations ago. It doesn't matter that neither we or our ancestors owned slaves. We are all held responsible and yes, we are pissed, too.

There are two sides to every story.

I cannot even respond to this idiocy
I never brought up white privilege and doubt you have the open mindedness to understand it and all of its nuances.
I never said I never experienced it racism, this discussion with you is proof positive of that.
I do not know what some black person did to you, but get over it.
P.S. I do not have to smile at you ...get over that too.

[Anonymous]

POTUS is black and white, not just black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't know what you don't know.

Come into my environment and see the two white faces among the brown ones. Of the 120 kids sent to us as a last resort, TWO are white. And the white boy is not wearing his pants under his rear.

In a comprehensive school where there is equal representation of races/ethnic groups, you STILL don't see as MANY white boys who have adopted that style. I've had YEARS of experience in those settings, too.

It's amazing to me how defensive people get when the truth is spoken. And it's that attitude that keeps groups down. Acknowledge the ugly, attempt to fix it through education, and move forward.

sorry if you can't face the truth - But is is INDEED the truth.

I'm not the one living in a bubble. I'm one of the few whites trying to open up their world. But with that much push back and denial from ADULTS, I can easily say, "So long!" and hope that families and community members find ways to push these kids in the right direction.

But I doubt that many care. And some thing that by IGNORING this issue it will go away. Look at the statistics and tell me who's in jail. http://www.sentencingproject.org/template/page.cfm?id=122
We just sent one young man to the local prison for attempted murder.

And it starts at a very young age - when they're especially vulnerable to gang recruitment.

I never said I looked at a black male and generalized. There are successful minorities all over the US. But you can't ignore the statistics. And when you become angry by hearing the truth, you're part of the problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I disagree with number 3. I am school-based, and while I've seen both Hispanics and blacks wear pants that sag, I've yet to see whites do it. And it's mainly been black teens. We have even had volunteers - successful black males - step in as mentors and give the history on sagging (which is really quite gross), and yet, the students will not change their "style." Many laugh.

It's cool to have relatives in jail, according to many, and while you're reading this from a white woman posting, these words came from my principal, who's a black male with brothers in the penal system.

I've seen black males chastise other black males in public for sagging. And in my experiences, while I've seen more and more minorities enter the teaching profession, these men and women are in a different socio-economic class and have kids in schools that are either private or high functioning. So just as whites practice "white flight," my colleagues clearly have removed themselves from a certain population. In my opinion, bright flight is more applicable now.

So I believe it's about class/socio-economics first, but in this country, low socio-economic level - at least in populated urban environments - translates into black and Hispanic. And being poor and ignorant is indeed becoming a "culture." I live it every single day, and it's ugly and sad.

If you have never seen white teens with sagging pants, you aren't looking hard enough. And only the underclass (those who glorify violence) think having relatives in jail is cool. Please don't attribute this to all black teens.

That is a problem I notice a lot. Characteristics of some blacks are attributed to ALL. Things that some blacks feel is attributed to how ALL blacks feel. We are treated as ONE rather than allowed any individuality.

THEY ARE NOT ALL BLACK PEOPLE!!!!
what part of that us so hard to understand?.
Not all white people are bernie madoff, ted bundy, tim mckveigh
and lucky for you all white folk are not judged according to your foolishness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

BTW, having a black POTUS has brought many racist out of the woodwork.

Wrong. Sadly, anyone who disagrees with this president is deemed a racist. Every person who has ever held the office has been criticized--and often brutally so, but Obama is supposed to be treated differently. Therein lies the true racism.

Incorrect and you are incredibly naive. I don't believe that all attacks are led by racism, but many are. The new "take back America" folks, those who claim his academic success is the result of affirmative action, and those demanding to see his birth certificate and questioning his validity are prime examples.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One thing - I wish blacks would SERIOUSLY start addressing the issue of black-on-black violence. I live in what many would consider to be the 'hood - and I feel as though every week I pass a church where there is a funeral for a youth. When I check news reports, these deaths are barely mentioned. It's disgusting. But, the only solution will come from within the black community.

Ok why don't you call white people killing white people white
White on white crime??
It is just crime !!!!!!!
Communities most affected by it need to adress it, but please don't act as of it some special kind of crime when both the victim and perpetrator are black.

Well, if a white kid dies (like that 16-year-old girl from McLean recently) it makes the national news. If it's a 16yo black kid from NE where I live, it barely gets a notice. When was the last time you saw a young black kids "street" death make the national news?

I first read about it on DCUM six days after the fact, but I think there is validity to your point. However, this should not influence an individual's view of the world or their daily decisions.