are there any black people on here..?

[Anonymous]

I'm a black woman who has been posting on DCUM since 2006. I love it and feel that people discuss race openly in ways that they don't do anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an AA woman. While I sometimes get upset at some of the things said about black people, I also find it quite interesting how (some) white people seem obsessed about black people (what we're doing, why we're doing it, etc).

It would be flattering if the intent wasn't so insulting.

I'm interested in what you're doing and why you're doing it, only because I wish to know more, in order to get along better.

Your tendency to take offense at every turn is one of the things I'd like to understand. So hard to be friends with someone who assumes my intent is insulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an AA woman. While I sometimes get upset at some of the things said about black people, I also find it quite interesting how (some) white people seem obsessed about black people (what we're doing, why we're doing it, etc).

It would be flattering if the intent wasn't so insulting.

I'm interested in what you're doing and why you're doing it, only because I wish to know more, in order to get along better.

Your tendency to take offense at every turn is one of the things I'd like to understand. So hard to be friends with someone who assumes my intent is insulting.

^^A genuine account of one's feelings, laced with tiny barbs...and no progress is made.^^
Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone else wish that the human race would evolve to the point that COLOR DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE?? So many people (black, white, asian, arab, etc) are so uptight about color/race. I really hope that eventually, we won't even pay attention to the color of people's skin, and only focus on the fact that we are all the same - human beings. We need to come together as human beings, not keep perpetuating separating ourselves into color groups.

I saw someone reference a post where someone asked about an AA play group. WHY? Why would you actively seek to place your child in a play group with only kids of your color? Why would that be healthy for the child? Wouldn't it be better to have a diverse play group?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:or only uptight, obnoxious, entitled white women with too much time on their hands? just wondering..

ironic post, op.

Seriously. I guess OP missed that when posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone else wish that the human race would evolve to the point that COLOR DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE?? So many people (black, white, asian, arab, etc) are so uptight about color/race. I really hope that eventually, we won't even pay attention to the color of people's skin, and only focus on the fact that we are all the same - human beings. We need to come together as human beings, not keep perpetuating separating ourselves into color groups.

I saw someone reference a post where someone asked about an AA play group. WHY? Why would you actively seek to place your child in a play group with only kids of your color? Why would that be healthy for the child? Wouldn't it be better to have a diverse play group?

No, and I am saying this as a white person. It is not healthy for someone to deny who they are and to hear from everyone else, "But it doesn't MATTER that you're black/white/red/yellow/take your pick." Would you want to hear someone say to you, "It doesn't matter that you're white. No, really, it doesn't. I like you no matter what color you are." That kind of makes you feel like, icky, like, gosh, is white not a 'good' color to be? If not, then why wouldn't it matter? Why is everyone professing so hard that it doesn't matter, so, in fact, maybe it does?" Do you see what I am saying here, PP? It's better to, for lack of a better word, embrace it and go with it.

[Anonymous]

How naive, PP! People will ALWAYS find and act upon divisions, even if they're artificially created. Check out the study where they split a classroom randomly in two, and gave half the kids red tshirts and half the kids blue tshirts. Inside of a week, the children were identifying their fellow reds and blues as "kinder", "smarter", and "less likely to cheat in a game" than the blues, and vice versa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm an AA woman. While I sometimes get upset at some of the things said about black people, I also find it quite interesting how (some) white people seem obsessed about black people (what we're doing, why we're doing it, etc).

It would be flattering if the intent wasn't so insulting.

I'm interested in what you're doing and why you're doing it, only because I wish to know more, in order to get along better.

Your tendency to take offense at every turn is one of the things I'd like to understand. So hard to be friends with someone who assumes my intent is insulting.

You misunderstand. It's insulting when the intent of the OP is not genuine. Questions like: why are black people ghetto/why are black women so loud/angry, etc. Not saying these are the exact topics here, but questions like these do not indicate a desire to get along.

And I'm not sure why there's a curiosity factor for you. You'd know more and get along by getting to know that individual person. All black people are not alike so understanding how some are won't really help you.

*Your comment "tendency to take offense at every turn" is telling. The old "chip on the shoulder " fallback is still alive and well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How naive, PP! People will ALWAYS find and act upon divisions, even if they're artificially created. Check out the study where they split a classroom randomly in two, and gave half the kids red tshirts and half the kids blue tshirts. Inside of a week, the children were identifying their fellow reds and blues as "kinder", "smarter", and "less likely to cheat in a game" than the blues, and vice versa.

Right! Read Dr.Seuss' book, THE SNEETCHES, if you don't believe this!

[Anonymous]

I am an AA woman, frequent poster, high SES and live in Prince George's (gasp!) at least for now. I have enjoyed DCUM and much of the honesty the anonymity provides. I find OffTopic entertaining, got a lot of great info in the Expectant Moms thread on docs, hospitals, etc. during my pregnancies, enjoy the real estate thread as I consider where to get our next home, and as my oldest approaches Pre-K age the school forums have been interesting as well. I participate in a lot of online groups, including those more focused on my neighborhood/county but there are always things I get from here that I can't get elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone else wish that the human race would evolve to the point that COLOR DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE?? So many people (black, white, asian, arab, etc) are so uptight about color/race. I really hope that eventually, we won't even pay attention to the color of people's skin, and only focus on the fact that we are all the same - human beings. We need to come together as human beings, not keep perpetuating separating ourselves into color groups.

I saw someone reference a post where someone asked about an AA play group. WHY? Why would you actively seek to place your child in a play group with only kids of your color? Why would that be healthy for the child? Wouldn't it be better to have a diverse play group?

No, and I am saying this as a white person. It is not healthy for someone to deny who they are and to hear from everyone else, "But it doesn't MATTER that you're black/white/red/yellow/take your pick." Would you want to hear someone say to you, "It doesn't matter that you're white. No, really, it doesn't. I like you no matter what color you are." That kind of makes you feel like, icky, like, gosh, is white not a 'good' color to be? If not, then why wouldn't it matter? Why is everyone professing so hard that it doesn't matter, so, in fact, maybe it does?" Do you see what I am saying here, PP? It's better to, for lack of a better word, embrace it and go with it.

Umm, I'm white, and yea, I would rather hear someone say it doesn't matter that I'm white. Why would that make me feel icky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a black woman who has been posting on DCUM since 2006. I love it and feel that people discuss race openly in ways that they don't do anywhere else.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone else wish that the human race would evolve to the point that COLOR DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE?? So many people (black, white, asian, arab, etc) are so uptight about color/race. I really hope that eventually, we won't even pay attention to the color of people's skin, and only focus on the fact that we are all the same - human beings. We need to come together as human beings, not keep perpetuating separating ourselves into color groups.

I saw someone reference a post where someone asked about an AA play group. WHY? Why would you actively seek to place your child in a play group with only kids of your color? Why would that be healthy for the child? Wouldn't it be better to have a diverse play group?

We are not all the same and color does matter. Minorities do not have the luxury to believe such myths. They need to be prepared for the real world, and if that's what they are taught, they will be in for a rude awakening.

That doesn't mean that anyone is superior or inferior; however attitudes like yours are not helpful and come from a place of privilege that everyone does not have.

[Anonymous]

I am white, but I agree there are sometimes posts on DCUM from entitled people on here with racist attitudes. My issue of choice is public schools, and I am angered by the number of people who denigrate certain diverse schools and claim it's not because of race at all, but who all happen to praise other nearby schools that are almost completely white. However, I also think I have learned a lot about people's attitudes and reasons for them by the anonymity of the forum.

[Anonymous]

I'm mixed (black/white) and I find this forum interesting. I grew up in an all black neighborhood with a black parent (single mom) so I tend to identify more with black culture, even though I look white.

I'm somewhat younger (just turned 30) and I love to come on DCUM for advice from the older folks (read--anyone older than me). It's like you've got to take this board with a grain of salt. Despite the racist comments I've learned some really interesting things on here.