The theory once put forth by black leader Kevin Powell, in an episode of MTV's The Real World.
What do you think?
2006-11-21 18:44:50 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
Kevin Powell was a senior writer for Vibe magazine (he wrote about hip hop music but also politics). He co-founded the nonprofit community-based group Hiphop Speaks, which he describes as "a series of forums and MC battles geared toward using hip hop as a tool for social change." He has frequent speaking engagements at colleges, speaking about race issues, literature, and the history of hip hop.
In 2006, he announced that he was running for the United States House of Representatives in the 10th Congressional District of New York against Representative Edolphus Towns. He later withdrew from the race.
For those that were asking about 'leadership'.
2006-11-21 20:10:02 · update #1
I personally think a better way of putting this statement is perhaps black people can't EXERCISE racism because they have no means (control) to do so. In other words, black people can't deny a white person a loan or discriminate in hiring a white person, because they're not typically in a position to do so. What do you think?
2006-11-21 20:30:45 · update #2
I get what he is saying, because generally racism is where the high-status group discriminates against the low-status group. Since black people are the low-status group in American society, it is not possible from them to do this kind of top-down racism.
It is also possible to define racism, though, as discrimination against any group of people, or thinking that any group is lower in status than you. Since this definition is more relative, black people can do this kind of racism.
In response to the answerer right before me, I'd say that the people in power always have the luxury of not noticing that they are the people in power. So that's an explanation for why black people are more concerned about race than white people: the white people don't have to be.
2006-11-21 18:57:58 · answer #1 · answered by drshorty 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
That statement was made in the early 90's. Do The Right Thing was a cult classic, The LA Riots/Rodney King beating. Kevin Powell made that statement at a tough time in history. He was not correct in my opinion.
More Importantly.... Black Leader of what?
2006-11-21 18:53:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anthony 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
lol whatever......if he had said, 'black people have little power to control established institutions on the basis of color.' then I would have agreed with him. But this example of poorly articulated, half-right, and silly comments is one of the reasons why racism persists in this country.
IMHO lots of black people in this country are more concerned about race than other people. Not all obviously, but generally they're the first to bring it up, the first to exploit it, and the first to accuse others of racism- all in the same breath, no less!
However, I have to say that I've never been to the South, and for all I know things are as bad as ever there. I live in the bay area, CA, and the whole place is pretty much every color.
drshorty- you're right, but I don't recall saying that white people weren't aware they are in a position of privilidge in this country generally. Obviously economic marginalization is the root cause of cultural divisions.
2006-11-21 18:53:42 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Kevin Powell Real World
2016-11-01 04:22:47 · answer #4 · answered by gulnac 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know...I sure see a lot of freedoms for the blacks. Sometimes, more than whites.
No idea what happened with that. If he really wanted to get stronger power, he could try. He might've not been taken seriously for a non-ethnic reason. Otherwise, if blacks weren't taken seriously, Colin Powell wouldn't have even touched the power he had, let alone actually have it.
2006-11-21 20:26:47 · answer #5 · answered by Byte-Sized Cookie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if blacks were not racist then there would only be black people.
People do not voluntarily leave the security of the group.
No child is ever darker than it's darkest parent.
you figure it out
Genetically it has been proven we all originated from one single woman.
whatcha gonna do with your theory now cuz it ranks right up there with verticle evolution.
2006-11-21 19:10:44 · answer #6 · answered by icheeknows 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I remember that. He's an idiot. The definition of racism has nothing to do with who has the most control.
2006-11-21 18:59:04 · answer #7 · answered by Michael H 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
kevin powell was a black leader???
2006-11-21 19:34:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Black people in general are INCREDIBLY racist, but everyone thinks it's OK because they're black.
2006-11-21 18:53:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
sure they can..... any race can be , it is all in their raising up
2006-11-21 18:47:13 · answer #10 · answered by MagikButterfly 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋