SOMETHING I DON'T GET

[alandhopewell]

     I'm not trying to get anything started, particularly not here, although I will say that I've not seen anyone here exhibit this sort of behavior, anyhow.

    Over the years, this has mystified me, saddened me, even angered me, and I've looked at it from every angle I can think of, and I still don't understand-why do so many black people see things the way they do?

    I'm a person of color, and I've had my run-ins with bigotry over the years. It makes no sense, but it exists, it's a fact of life. Coming up, we were taught that the only words that could make n------- of us were the ones we said to ourselves; we didn't just learn this at home-Dr. King taught this, as did Jesus, as did the Jews who lived through the European horror, and greeted everyone (even Germans), with a smile.

    They all taught that we were all human beings, and that only we, ourselves , had the power to demote us to subhuman status. We learned that a bigot with empty hands was just a loudmouth, and should be treated accordingly, and that to drink from the same bitter cup as he  was to do the bigot's work for him.

    Dr. King challenged us to live as if race did not matter, as indeed, it doesn't. as a child, I took that to heart, and have done so ever since. Yet, there are those who would deem me hypocritical because I cited "black" people as having a problem. Obviously, this refers to some, not all, and, fifty-odd years of observation has taught me that this is true.

    Take the recent issue-legally, the man had not committed a crime, and that should have been that. However, so many people got so worked up, claiming that justice had not been done....what, was Mr. Zimmerman to be locked up to atone for slavery? Jim Crow? THE COLOR PURPLE winning no Oscars?

    Exactly what is wanted, when some folks of a darker hue start all that wailing?
In the film, GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, Sydney Portier spoke a line that codified , for me, how to live, in (deliberate) spite of the haters....

    "Dad....you think of yourself as a 'colored' man. I think of myself....as a man".
Now, Sydney's running around in a pillbox hat, with that "sour catfish" expression on his face, keeping Harry Belafonte and "Calypso Louie" Farrakhan company.

    It makes me hurt, inside....why do some people love to wallow in the busted glass of history?

[major jay]

I dunno, it seems like a lot of black men don't care about their families (they seem to idolize pimps). I know that's harsh, but it seems to me to be the root of the problem.

[ER]

Well said.

I think MLK hit the nail on the head when he advocated judging another person on the basis of the content of character, not the color of skin. It's a shame his hope has largely been drowned out in this century by people who seem all too ready to see pretty much only skin color.

To give some answer to what you wrote, I think as long as opportunists can profit (in many senses of the word) by rabble rousing, there will always be those who do so, and playing the proverbial race card is just about the easiest way to whip up emotions in America today, whether that's done fairly or not. The media certainly does it, as do those who make their livelihoods amid social turmoil they themselves often instigate.

The past is what it was, but those who use the wrongs of yesteryear as the basis for creating present-day injustices are themselves very wrong for doing so. It's all-too easy to cry racism, even when racism may not be present. The human race is imperfect and will always be, but as for institutionalized racism existing in America in 2013.... Well, a half-black President was twice elected. That should say something.

People would do well to be less volatile and less credulous, then they'd be harder to lead around by individuals who love being in the limelight following a tragedy.

[indianasmith]

As a middle aged WASP, I cannot answer your question fully.
All I know is, when I look at the nine students who broke the color barrier at Little Rock  in 1957, I see heroes.  They were willing to endure ridicule, abuse, scorn, and physical danger, all for the sake of getting educated in the same facility, by the same teachers, at the same level of academic quality, as whites.
Now I see a generation of young African Americas who despise education and condemn anyone who makes good grades or speaks proper English as a sellout and an Uncle Tom, while at the same time embracing habits and lifestyles that are profoundly self-destructive.

Dr. King had a dream.  THIS ISN'T IT.

[Leah]

I really don't want you to go out and ask this, you can get killed if you ask the wrong guy this. My guess is that the evolution of rap music is a main factor in this. But don't go bashing on it, it's not for you.

[zombie no.one]

My guess is that the evolution of rap music is a main factor in this.

nah... that's the same kind of argument as 'Marilyn Manson was responsible for Columbine'. loads of black people despise rap, conversely the first rap album to top the billboard chart was Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill, and they were white and Jewish.

[VenomX73]

My guess is that the evolution of rap music is a main factor in this.

I agree.

I have to disagree with zombie though. Have you listened to the rap lyrics?

It promotes gangs and violence. Glorified if you will. Think about it.

I lived in the hood for 30yrs - they don't listen no Beastie Boys up in here.

[Flangepart]

One thing I do consider, is that while there are many ways humans get stupid...it's only a difference in methodology. Selfishness, greed, bigotry, envy, you name it, we're all capable of it.
It's when we don't see, and admit to our own 'dark side' that we keep making the same generational, and individual errors time after time.
Hope that make some sense...

[zombie no.one]

My guess is that the evolution of rap music is a main factor in this.

I agree.

I have to disagree with zombie though. Have you listened to the rap lyrics?

It promotes gangs and violence. Glorified if you will. Think about it.

I lived in the hood for 30yrs - they don't listen no Beastie Boys up in here

Rap as a genre ranges lyrically from gangsta, to conscious, to abstract, to comedy, to political... It's made by blacks, whites, Latinos, Asians,  you name it...

But let's take that entire genre of music and use it as a scapegoat for the perceived demise of black culture specifically?? Oh please...way too much of a sweeping statement.

[VenomX73]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrjmeGKoR1E

[Chainsawmidget]

I think this is relevant. 

A Chris Rock comedy bit on the difference between black people and ni**ers. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PJF0YE-x4

[lester1/2jr]

I don't understand how this figures into the Trayvon Martin case.

Zimmerman wasn't a police officer and took it upon himself to deduce that Trayvon Martin, who was with his father visiting someone in the neighborhood, was some kind of thief. He wasn't. No one thinks he was.

Through some tragic misunderstanding Martin ended up dead .  I can't blame people for people for being angry about it.

I agree with Zombie #1  re rap

[VenomX73]

I think this is relevant. 
A Chris Rock comedy bit on the difference between black people and ni**ers. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3PJF0YE-x4

VERY relevant. Chris hit the nail on the head.

[alandhopewell]

I don't understand how this figures into the Trayvon Martin case.

Zimmerman wasn't a police officer and took it upon himself to deduce that Trayvon Martin, who was with his father visiting someone in the neighborhood, was some kind of thief. He wasn't. No one thinks he was.

Through some tragic misunderstanding Martin ended up dead .  I can't blame people for people for being angry about it.

I agree with Zombie #1  re rap

     To answer your query, the state of Florida has what's called a "stand your ground" law, which states that if a person or persons act in a way that leave you in fear of your life, in your home, or anywhere, you have the right to use deadly force to defend yourself; Mr. Zimmerman claimed such.

     My point was that people seemed to be demanding that the law be changed, merely because the person force was used against was black.

[lester1/2jr]

I think they want the law to be changed because of the tragedy that arose from it's implementation. Martin, who was apparently a tough gangsta or something, didn't do anything to warrant being questioned. Police are supposed to be aloof. It was racial profiling and it exposed a serious flaw in the stand your ground thing, particularly as it relates to Neighborhood watch type things.

You can't just be like oh well and move on. that doesn't solve the problem. I work in the streets as a driver and I've had hotheads approach me for all kinds of s**t. it's dangerous and you have no way of knowing if the dude is a psychopath.