Cornball Brother

[Landlord]

Okay, I really don't want to generalize, stereotype or be guilty of the same thing that Parker is doing here, but don't we see this sort of attitude all over black culture (not skin color)? When I was in college during Obama's first election, seemed like 99% of the african american community at my school was in my dorm's lobby with homemade t-shirts supporting Obama. I talked with a few of them about why they supported him and there was no single response other than he was a brother.

 

I certainly see plenty of successful, respected and responsible black male adults as well, but are they the exception to the rule, or have I had a poor sampling of the culture? The above is just one example of many I can think of - if this aspect of society really is the way I perceive it to be, how do we fix it? How do we remedy the idea pervading the inner-city and black youth that it's more respectable to be from the hood than it is to be successful?

[EbylHusker]

I don't know. To be honest, I'm not sure you can unless you're black.

 

And by that I don't mean everyone that isn't of a certain ethnicity should give up trying to improve the overall situation of those in different ethnicities. Just that I think those within a specific racial group respond best to someone of their own race. So for example, I don't think the inner-city black youth's situation can improve all that much, no matter what everyone else does, unless they have strong, respectable black leaders trying to work with them and set examples. And in that way, I think locals involved in those efforts can have the most impact (as in, locals will respond best to a fellow local, regardless of whether they are working for a larger national organization or not).

 

Perhaps it's up to the rest of the society to see that those kinds of local efforts are supported, funded, and encouraged. No matter what, it is an extremely gradual process. I think it can only happen over many generations.

[Conga3]

Okay, I really don't want to generalize, stereotype or be guilty of the same thing that Parker is doing here, but don't we see this sort of attitude all over black culture (not skin color)? When I was in college during Obama's first election, seemed like 99% of the african american community at my school was in my dorm's lobby with homemade t-shirts supporting Obama. I talked with a few of them about why they supported him and there was no single response other than he was a brother.

 

I certainly see plenty of successful, respected and responsible black male adults as well, but are they the exception to the rule, or have I had a poor sampling of the culture? The above is just one example of many I can think of - if this aspect of society really is the way I perceive it to be, how do we fix it? How do we remedy the idea pervading the inner-city and black youth that it's more respectable to be from the hood than it is to be successful?

You get it, this is about culture and the choices of individuals.

 

It's not just a black thing... it's a minority mind set that is promoted and exploited by minority "leaders" to gain and hold onto power.

 

In a flawed society, there are disadvantages to being a minority...no doubt. But at some point, an individual's own knowledge and belief in those disadvantages is a much bigger obstacle to overcome than any sort of undertone that permeates in society.

 

Pick a minority and you'll find numerous inspirational stories of success of individuals at every level. Yet the vast majority of minority leaders reinforce the ideas of forces working against the individual in our society instead of the ideas that most of the limits on an individual today, are set by that individual...and not someone else.

 

The American Dream is also part of our shared culture, but that is something that can only be realized by an individual. As long as blacks consider themselves "African-Americans" and not simply Americans, they won't ever achieve what true minority leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned for them in an America he believed in and in no small part helped forge into reality.

 

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That's why I'll never refer to a black person as "African-American". To me that is probably worse than referring to them as n*****s. They are Americans just like me.

[HuskerShark]

Another little gem from this idiot talking about Tebow and race:

 

http://www.youtube.c...&v=st7JRB4U3fQ#!

[carlfense]

[The Dude]

Can we all agree this guy is a dumb sh#t? Can this be the one thing we all agree on?