Borderline racist question no. 3475938?

Question

Now that I've got your attention...
I've been teased most of my life for not being "black enough." My mother raised me in a home where we used proper grammar, no slang or "ebonics" or anything like that. I also love reading, and I read a lot of advanced books for my age. Put the two together and you've got a recipe for disaster in an inner-city school. I was always the one with a Charles Dickens novel in my hands while my peers were downloading rap lyrics off the internet. I was always accused of using too many "big words" (words with more than 2 syllables--plus, I don't think the word "ain't" has crossed my lips more than 10 times in my 19-odd years of existence on this mortal coil), and "acting like a white girl"(reading real books and actually doing my homework:). My question is this:Why do you think some(if not most) black people tend to look down on education as being a "white" thing?

Oh, here's something else to add to the mix. I'm going to a Jewish college(non-observant Reform Jew. Don't ask...), and I have a white boyfriend. I love classical and depressing emo music. Hate rap. I'm also agnostic--sometimes athiest when I'm having a really bad day.:) So..am I the bane of the black community?^_^

I'm amending my question again. You're right...it is a bit of a generalization. I guess I'm just bitter, having heard this kind of mess all my life. So, I'll say that a certain SEGMENT of the black community seems to have this problem.

I'd just like to thank all of you for your thoughtful and encouraging answers. I feel a lot better knowing I'm not alone in my experience.
I'm also impressed that I haven't gotten one racist troll yet. Kudos to you all!

Answer 1

oh, poor you. I'm probably the farthest thing from being black you have ever seen, but I see this as one of the problems of black society. You are doing you best to bring yourself up, but other people just can't accept that. The problem is that there just aren't enough black role models who don't throw a ball or talk bad on rap albums about women, at least none that have any respect from the black community. Sorry I couldn't help you.

Answer 2

Maybe education is looked down upon from fears of being culturally assimilated.
Ask yourself these questions:If all African Americans were to start speaking grammatically correct English then Ebonics would die out and become a forgotten part of Black history.
If a traditional education was sought by all African Americans then perhaps African Americans would be assimulated into mainstream White society.
As you know, African Amercians have a long and rich cultual history in America. Some of it has been (recently) recognized, some of it has not.
Maybe the backlash you have felt is a resistance to fit in. The people who taunt you, perhaps they are just afraid that black culture will be lost from too many blacks adopting the societal norm?
These are just my thoughts, as an outsider ( I'm white). But, when I left my family's rural farm for life in the big city I felt some resistance from my family. "You're gonna forget your roots," is what was most commonly said. They were just afraid I would forget where I had come from. Of course I haven't.
Maybe some black people are afraid that we'll forget that African Americans have a very different history and culture than the rest of America, and they don't want that to be forgotten.

Answer 3

I think it stems back from slavery, it used to be only white children were allowed to go to school and once black children were allowed the black schools weren't the greatest schools in the world. I know it has nothing to do with being ancestors of Africans, because every African I have ever met was very intelligent and many want or have an education. It has to be the way they were brought up, most African-American parents don't push their children as much in school. I think it is one of those things that just passes from generation to generation. I mean if a person (of any color) doesn't view education as a big deal then when they have children they wont instill the need of an education to their children and it just passes on down the family. I wouldn't be offended by being called "too white" though. They are probably just jealous because you know what those "big words" mean. Its important to be proud of what you are, and that isn't all about ethnicity or race, you are an intelligent young woman, what difference does it make if you are black or not?

Answer 4

You remind me alot of myself. And, I am very proud to say so.

There is nothing wrong with you. Your being "not black enough" is a minor problem in the grand scheme of things. That is a really ignorant thing to label someone. Don't fall into the negative stereotypes. But, I understand how it can become a burden to you.

Black culture is suffering for a variety of reasons. The young people are placing too much value and emphasis on self-destructive behavior. Education is not valued because the culture and society; does not encourage and nuture education among blacks. Sad but true. Many people would say that is an excuse; it isn't. I think you know what I mean.

I suspect that one day you may become successful and still have this burden on your back. The best thing you can do is look for those who share your interests. I know it would be nice if you would have been able to have more of your peers share your interest. That is not the case.

Answer 5

Most African American adults don't. It's just our kids who believe the pop/rap culture that is thrown at them. You see David Banner doesn't brag about the fact that he has a bachelor’s degree. And Ludacris rarely tells anyone that he was an honor student at West Georgia College. And young black kids would be stunned to know that CeeLo Green, Andre 3000 and Big Boy send their kids to very upscale, high ranking, predominately white private schools in Atlanta.

It's buying into a myth. And since so many parents allow their kids to do that without breaking down the truth to their kids, their kids think can just do whatever in school and society and become a huge success in the rap industry.

Now, I'm the product of an English teacher and a Math teacher. I can speak perfect English, as well as write it. I read my first major novel in 4th grade. My mother pushed the classics, but I was more into poetry and black 60's literature, and she was cool with that. I had a huge vocabulary and love to use it. I always had my poetry notebook and I was cheerleader (only one of 2 blacks on a 20 person squad) and editor of the newspaper. I got called all kinda white girl wanna be's.

I had similar problems to you, until I went to college and there I found hundreds of other black students who'd grown up like me. I love my Alma alter, the University of Georgia. I was a great experience. I even got to use Ebonics when we were just chillin' at the dorm.

You are not "acting white". You are acting like an articulate, intelligent, well informed young black woman. Press on, my sistah! Don't let it hold ya down. You'll be better for it in the long run. And hug your mom everyday for loving u enough to make up step up to your true potential.

And don't hold it against the black kids who give u a hard time. They are not as fortunate as u to have a mother like u do and the common sense to use what they got to get ahead in the game.

Good Luck

Answer 6

Get over it no we don't look at it that way i go 2 a public school all my life i love books and i speak slang or whatever u know what ain't nobody lookin down on u its the person inside u tell u i have 2 get mad when these kids which half the girls r going 2 have a baby by r in high school r these dudes that going 2 end up on the streets, dead or in jail. you just have 2 not listen to the stupid people in life because in the long run ur going 2 be the one getting paid r doing what u want remember that next time anyone says somethin bout the way u talk r act because u will succed and they won't

Answer 7

It's a funny thing. BUT< Believe me, no one who cares about you, the community, and or the state of the world right now, would "look down" on you for being educated. There is nothing worse in this day and age than a beautiful young person of any age or race, creed etc. that can't express thereselves without resorting to profanity or ubonics. I remeber the first time I saw Alishia Keys. She is a beautiful young lady with talent just oozing from every essence of her being. She opened her mouth....How disappointing. BUT, somebody must of gotten to her, ever since, she is gracious, polite, and has a certain command of the english language. Now she is, at least in public, as beautiful in every way as her incredible talent. So, to make a long story long, anybody that would put you down for improving yourself, must have ther own issues for such a reaction. Also remember it's the 21st century. The time for ethnic diversities, just for the sake of being a "different race or color" are over. Be proud of who you are and where you are from, but we are all created equal, grab a hold, the world is truley wonderful, despite all the negative people that you might be near.

Answer 8

Sometimes when we strive to better ourselves, our peers take it as an abandonment of them. As if we are looking down at them for not wanting more for themselves. Of course this is not true. But they may feel that the lifestyle they lead is good enough for them - why shouldn't it be for you? This transcends all races, classes and social levels so don't feel like you're alone. Each of those people that treats you this way will or has experienced the same thing on one level or another with family, friends or other peers. I'm speaking from the experience of being half asian/white. I never really let it bother me because I didn't care about the opinion of someone that refused to see my side as well.

Answer 9

I read about this in freakonomics,

basically the A students have to be A students and get harrased or pretend to rebel against "white america" and pretend like they are "stupid"

the reality is in all white school suburb america where i went, the A students were razed too,

obviouisly there was no racial component,

but there is always a desire to bring a "good" person down
a "smarter" person then "me" must be made fun of in order for me to have "balance"

youve heard of street smarts vs book smarts

i used to believe that

now i understand of course the difference between the 8 components of iq, and that one of them is the ability to read and respond to other peoples emotions

some if not most black people look at education as being a "white thing" because historically it was whites who got the education,

its only two generations back in america that black people started attending college in great numbers

i could give you a smart @ss answer to your question like look at all the black role models, but i don't like that nonsense

ill give you this role model
a guy named sean, you might have seen him on yahoo answers as jim darwin
sean graduted from college and joined the military, got married, had a kid, and left the military, and got a job on the 18th floor of a skyscraper in downtown chicago,
and today he got a raise,

the f____k did the color of my skin have to do with any of that

so just keep that in the back of your mind,
that you keep doing what your doing,

and in time,

you will be in a position where no one is going to care what color your skin is,

and all that will be important will be how fast you learn and how soon you become independent

i just got a 1000 dollar raise today

the people who approved it never saw me and dont know im a white man

whats to stop that from being you, where no one knows what color your skin is, when you are up for a raise on your own 18th floor

Answer 10

Probably because for generations black people were slaves and didnt have the chance to get educated. Then as the slaves were "freed" they did not have much money and still there are not an equal mix of white and black people with and without lots of money. You should go away to college and hang out with intelligent people (black, white, everything) then no one will say stupid things like you arent black enough. Remind people that how you speak doesnt represent a race, but how you speak does show that you are intelligent.