I'm an African American. Ask me anything.

[Anonymous]

Why do black babies fare the best in the NICU?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think white people perceive AAs as a less ambitious race?

Probably because the percentage of high achieving AAs is low compared to whites. What white people don't realize though is that it's quite easy to be high achieving when you are equipped with the means to do so. You'd be hard pressed to find an accomplished white person who didn't grow up in the middle to upper class. Sure, not all white people grew up rich and comfortable, but many many more of them did compared to blacks.

How do you explain dirt poor, uneducated immigrants who don't speak English and don't know anyone when they come to the US who end up very successful?

Are you talking about in today's world? Because most of the poor non-English speaking immigrants that come to the US are illegal. And they aren't raking in the dough.

Also, unless the immigrants to which you refer are black, they still start off on a better footing than many US blacks. Even this very thread talks about black people being less ambitious than whites, being more aggressive/confrontational, unprofessional, etc. How do you think this mindset affects a black person if the person holding these views is conducting the interview?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread creeps me out. I am biracial so always grew up in a mixed race environment. I'm amazed at how many whites on DCUM talk about black people as if they are another species.

Do you think that this can be changed? If so, how?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread creeps me out. I am biracial so always grew up in a mixed race environment. I'm amazed at how many whites on DCUM talk about black people as if they are another species.

Do you think that this can be changed? If so, how?

Not the pp, but I don't think this will change. Even white people who aren't racist have misconceptions and/or stereotypes that they believe about black people. The same people who claim to be "color-blind" are the same ones whose hearts pound when they see a black man at night.

Honestly, I think that black people will always be viewed as "others".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it very interesting that many AA women prioritize their hair over physical fitness. Is it really worth it to have straight hair if you can't exercise?

But many of those women have careers that find dreadlocks, cornrows, and natural hair unacceptable.

That is more reception that reality. I worked in a major new york law firm for 7 years with shoulder length braids and never had any issues. I interviewed with an got a job offer from Goldman Sachs with said braids. Natural black hair can be styled professionally.

I agree. While I can't think of an instance where a bush would scream anything other than Black Panther or hippie, dreads and braids look beautiful when styled in a bun. Like with all hair, styling is key.

Keep calling it a bush and disparaging the kind of hair you naturally have (assuming you're the PP who called natural hair a "bush" earlier).

Why don't you throw in some disparaging words for black skin for good measure?

What are you talking about? I'm a black female. Some black women wear their natural hair in a bush. What's offensive about that? A bush is a bush...it's neither wrong nor right.

Do you also call dreadlocks ropes? Braids snakes?

I've never heard "bush" used to refer to any type of hair in a positive manner.

[Anonymous]

PP here. I am so sorry you feel that way. How terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think white people perceive AAs as a less ambitious race?

Probably because the percentage of high achieving AAs is low compared to whites. What white people don't realize though is that it's quite easy to be high achieving when you are equipped with the means to do so. You'd be hard pressed to find an accomplished white person who didn't grow up in the middle to upper class. Sure, not all white people grew up rich and comfortable, but many many more of them did compared to blacks.

How do you explain dirt poor, uneducated immigrants who don't speak English and don't know anyone when they come to the US who end up very successful?

Those who immigrate are coming seeking better opportunity, so it's an uneven comparison to the native citizens of a country. Immigrants aren't even indicative of the work ethic of their native country as a whole- they are exceptions. People who are willing to move to a strange land with strange customs and perhaps a strange language in order to make a better life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find it very interesting that many AA women prioritize their hair over physical fitness. Is it really worth it to have straight hair if you can't exercise?

But many of those women have careers that find dreadlocks, cornrows, and natural hair unacceptable.

That is more reception that reality. I worked in a major new york law firm for 7 years with shoulder length braids and never had any issues. I interviewed with an got a job offer from Goldman Sachs with said braids. Natural black hair can be styled professionally.

I agree. While I can't think of an instance where a bush would scream anything other than Black Panther or hippie, dreads and braids look beautiful when styled in a bun. Like with all hair, styling is key.

Keep calling it a bush and disparaging the kind of hair you naturally have (assuming you're the PP who called natural hair a "bush" earlier).

Why don't you throw in some disparaging words for black skin for good measure?

What are you talking about? I'm a black female. Some black women wear their natural hair in a bush. What's offensive about that? A bush is a bush...it's neither wrong nor right.

Do you also call dreadlocks ropes? Braids snakes?

I've never heard "bush" used to refer to any type of hair in a positive manner.

Wow...some people will take offense at anything. ANYONE could have a bush...I rocked a "baby bush" in elementary school. I've never ever considered this a negative term. What else would you call a hairstyle that is styled in a bush? A shrub-stub?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel all white people are guilty over slavery? All white Americans? Are you angry? Are you grateful that, despite the way your ancestors got here, YOU are here? How do you feel when people site statistics about the prevalence of (fill in the blank bad thing) amongst blacks? Are you embarrassed?

Do you think there really are any significant genetic differences between whites and blacks that are more than skin deep? That blacks are better at some things (taken as a group) and that maybe whites are better at other things, taken as a group?

Not OP. humanity originated on what we now consider the continent of Africa so a true DNA chain takes us all to Africa, no?
I am never embarrassed. Anonnyed? Yes.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain why were Africans targeted for mass slavery? How did other races avoid being the majority of slaves in a new land?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I can't think of an instance where a bush would scream anything other than Black Panther or hippie, dreads and braids look beautiful when styled in a bun. Like with all hair, styling is key.

These are your words. While I don't think being a hippie or a Black Panther is a negative thing, are you really going to lie and say the implication of your words as quoted was not that you associated a "bush" with things that most people view negatively?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel all white people are guilty over slavery? All white Americans? Are you angry? Are you grateful that, despite the way your ancestors got here, YOU are here? How do you feel when people site statistics about the prevalence of (fill in the blank bad thing) amongst blacks? Are you embarrassed?

Do you think there really are any significant genetic differences between whites and blacks that are more than skin deep? That blacks are better at some things (taken as a group) and that maybe whites are better at other things, taken as a group?

AA female here

-Not all white people feel guilty over slavery. But the ones who don't want you to ever talk about it and think that if you do so you are "wallowing in the past/playing the race card/being a perpetual victim"? Yeah, they definitely seem to be feeling some guilt. Not sure what else explains their defensiveness. Don't have experience with non-American whites, so can't address that point.

-re: statistics. Not really embarrassed. Most of the people who spout these stats know very little about the discrimination that occurs in the US judicial system. Not everything is so black and white. If you are being intellectually honest, you will admit that blacks are arrested more and receive harsher penalties than their white peers.

-I don't know what my past life was. My ancestors could have been kings/queens (slim chance, I know)!! Honestly, I think black people were better off in Africa. US race relations have been screwed since the country's founding. Such a sad and sordid start to a country that represented greatness and freedom.

-I don't think that one race is better than another in anything. It's all about exposure and being provided with an environment/opportunity to thrive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel all white people are guilty over slavery? All white Americans? Are you angry? Are you grateful that, despite the way your ancestors got here, YOU are here? How do you feel when people site statistics about the prevalence of (fill in the blank bad thing) amongst blacks? Are you embarrassed?

Do you think there really are any significant genetic differences between whites and blacks that are more than skin deep? That blacks are better at some things (taken as a group) and that maybe whites are better at other things, taken as a group?

AA female here

-Not all white people feel guilty over slavery. But the ones who don't want you to ever talk about it and think that if you do so you are "wallowing in the past/playing the race card/being a perpetual victim"? Yeah, they definitely seem to be feeling some guilt. Not sure what else explains their defensiveness. Don't have experience with non-American whites, so can't address that point.

-re: statistics. Not really embarrassed. Most of the people who spout these stats know very little about the discrimination that occurs in the US judicial system. Not everything is so black and white. If you are being intellectually honest, you will admit that blacks are arrested more and receive harsher penalties than their white peers.

-I don't know what my past life was. My ancestors could have been kings/queens (slim chance, I know)!! Honestly, I think black people were better off in Africa. US race relations have been screwed since the country's founding. Such a sad and sordid start to a country that represented greatness and freedom.

-I don't think that one race is better than another in anything. It's all about exposure and being provided with an environment/opportunity to thrive.

Just read that minority kids are disciplined more harshly by schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While I can't think of an instance where a bush would scream anything other than Black Panther or hippie, dreads and braids look beautiful when styled in a bun. Like with all hair, styling is key.

These are your words. While I don't think being a hippie or a Black Panther is a negative thing, are you really going to lie and say the implication of your words as quoted was not that you associated a "bush" with things that most people view negatively?

No, they weren't meant in a negative light. Even you admit that you don't associate Blank Panther/hippie with something negative, so why would I?! I think that the Black Panther Party was AWESOME in a lot of ways and I'm a fan of the 1970's hippie movement (peace, love and marijuana ). I'm a child of the 80's, so I think both of these represent a cool time in history. Please stop reading into something that isn't there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you feel all white people are guilty over slavery? All white Americans? Are you angry? Are you grateful that, despite the way your ancestors got here, YOU are here? How do you feel when people site statistics about the prevalence of (fill in the blank bad thing) amongst blacks? Are you embarrassed?

Do you think there really are any significant genetic differences between whites and blacks that are more than skin deep? That blacks are better at some things (taken as a group) and that maybe whites are better at other things, taken as a group?

AA female here

-Not all white people feel guilty over slavery. But the ones who don't want you to ever talk about it and think that if you do so you are "wallowing in the past/playing the race card/being a perpetual victim"? Yeah, they definitely seem to be feeling some guilt. Not sure what else explains their defensiveness. Don't have experience with non-American whites, so can't address that point.

-re: statistics. Not really embarrassed. Most of the people who spout these stats know very little about the discrimination that occurs in the US judicial system. Not everything is so black and white. If you are being intellectually honest, you will admit that blacks are arrested more and receive harsher penalties than their white peers.

-I don't know what my past life was. My ancestors could have been kings/queens (slim chance, I know)!! Honestly, I think black people were better off in Africa. US race relations have been screwed since the country's founding. Such a sad and sordid start to a country that represented greatness and freedom.

-I don't think that one race is better than another in anything. It's all about exposure and being provided with an environment/opportunity to thrive.

Just read that minority kids are disciplined more harshly by schools.

Sad but true. White kid gets a stern talking to or maybe a call to his parents to alert them about his "mischievousness". Black kid gets sent to the principal for being unruly.