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

[Anonymous]

Encourage your kids to make friends with people of other races. For example, African American kids at elite schools often sit together and automatically form a clique together. I understand this is natural, being a traditionally discriminated against minority, and that their primary purpose in going to school is to get an education, not to improve race relations. But encourage them to be friendly to white kids who sit at their table, or even invite white kids to sit with them. At my big three high school, the "African American tables" were friendly and I always felt welcome sitting there - much more so than the popular white girls' table. My college, with about the same percentage of African Americans, was shockingly segregated. The African American kids had their own dorm, most did not want to interact with white kids at all. (For example, people would advertise summer sublets looking for room mates and specify the roommate must be black. I thought, seriously, you can't live with a white girl for two months??)
I understand it is exhausting to have to "educate" white people about african american issues and proper race relations. But if a white person says something ignorant, maybe correct them politely or mention that you understand why you don't know this but it's actually a little offensive. Or make a joke. I've had that happen to me a few times, and I appreciated knowing that. Okay, so I'm not supposed to comment on or ask black women about their hair!! I know that know. Or, someone once told me when I wrote an article describing a black man as articulate that I shouldn't say that. (Don't really get that one, but ok, I'll respect it.)
if you are throwing a party or BBQ, invite some white people.

[Anonymous]

Stop throwing their trash from Popeye's in my frontyard, which has happened at two homes in different neighborhoods.

For example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a stupid question.

If I have issues with a group of people then it is because of my experiences in life. If I don't like white people, it is not the job of white people to sing and dance to make me feel more comfortable. If I don't like black people, it is not Al Sharptons job to make it all better. If I don't like Mexicans, I am not going to hold a convention announcing what I think all Mexicans should do to please me.

What the hell kind of answer were you expecting PP? Are you testing how to be both inflammatory and subtle at the same time?

She should have put a request that psychos need not answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop throwing their trash from Popeye's in my frontyard, which has happened at two homes in different neighborhoods.

For example.

Seriously???

[Anonymous]

Aspire to be more like Colin or Condi. And less like Kanye or Beyonce.

[Anonymous]

I'm a European who goes to school with mostly black people and we get along just fine.I don't hear any complaining that somebody is holding them back(happened only once, but the guy was from Cameroon and local blacks told him to shut up).
I wanted to say that I wish you'd address the black on black violence. It makes me feel like black people don't value life (specially black life), and therefore black people are worth less.
Then again, what can be done to change it?!

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

To a certain extent the concept of black on black violence is misleading. All people who commit crimes are much more likely to commit it against friends, family, and neighbors. Proximity matters. Because neighborhoods are still very segregated in much of the nation, black criminals will most likely attack black people. And white criminals most likely attack white people.

And overall, crime has dropped significantly since the mid-90s, among all groups.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

OP why did you do this ??
You are going to bring out every idiot and stereotype thus board can muster !

[Anonymous]

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.

You have to understand that black on black violence has nothing to do with race. It is about low income and poorly educated people living next to each other. That is, people kill people who live close to them...because they are there. So the idea of "back on black" violence is really odd to me. But to say that it needs to stop is strange, does that mean blacks should be violent towards other races? I think what you are trying to say is that violence has to simmer down. Yes, that is true, but many many other social problems need to go away too.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I don't think there is much black people can do to improve race relations. I don't think most white people are reacting to real black people in their lives, I think they're reacting to an image of black people in their minds.

I wrote the list about speaking more quietly in public, smiling, picking up pants. I live in SF, a place where almost all the black people live either across the Bay in Oakland (thus not technically in SF Proper) or in the Bayview. I work in an office with about 15 people, and none of them are black. But when I am at the mall, movie theatre or on the train, there are black people.

When I get onto a crowded train and there's a black guy sprawled across two seats with his leg up on the seat across from him and he's got a scowl on his face, I don't want to feel unsafe (or hell, even uncomfortable) asking if I could sit down.

When I'm listening to my iPod and a group of black people are on the train, it's reasonable that I should still be able to hear my music despite people talking with each other.

You don'treally know any black people but you lump ya all together according to the few you see in the mall and on the train??
How dumbass is that!!!

[Anonymous]

1. Stop seeing yourselves as victims.
2. Stop making excuses.
3. Stop thinking you are entitled to, or are owed anything.
4. Stop thinking the word "bootstraps" is some sort of racism.
5. Realize that there is a world of opportunity for everyone in this country regardless of their background or color.
6. Start taking advantage of the opportunities.

[Anonymous]

I am praying real hard, but I am starting to hate OP.

[Anonymous]

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.