As an African American?

Question

Yes I am an African American...Please tell me how our racial and ethnic stereotypes prevent us fron successfllu living a peacefully in society?

OH GOD SORRY ALL!!! I should of explained this question better...this is a question that was asked for a final in my sociology class....sorry if it was taken the wrong way!!!

Answer 1

let see, its a good question. Thank you.
lets pretend there are two groups of people walking down the street. One group African-American, one White. Now the white group (of course depending upon gender, age etc.) may choose to go to the other side of the street. Is that discrimination?
Perhaps they assume the other group are acting bullyish, or dress in a manner they equate to violence, or are just giving them room. Perhaps the African-American group will assume that the others must get out of the way, proving they have equal rights, or perhaps they are cautiously waiting to see if the other group will do ANYTHING they can possibly call racist.

I think all people need to be judged by their actions and deeds and words, not by their skin color, religeous beliefs, etc.

It has been and I think will continue to be a long road before the Human Race stops picking itself apart. I guess we as humans will only put aside our differences when something bigger and badder than us comes along, only then might we unite.
But I leave room for hope.


I agree with some of the other comments though,
Why label yourself and AFRICAN-American?
I am of European decent also, Never have I referred to myself as a European-American. My great-great grandfather came from Scotland. But I was born in America so I am an American.
I think that by using that label it prevents peaceful living

Answer 2

I don't have any problem with African Americans have a sucessful life. I guess if you want an answer. I was at the Katrina Relief donating my time and effort. We were supplying free medical goods to the survivors. Well I was just walking by on my way to the cafeteria, because the volunteers ate with the Katrina survivers. An African American lady with her friend yelled out to me"look at that dumb white bi***..., I think I heard about 50 racial slurs the whole time I was there. That really put a bad taste in my mouth because I was there to help. I felt like ok if you are so ungrateful and say that then screw you. Your all on your own. Now understand I know that ALL the victems were not aferican american, but 90% were. That has always weighed heavy on my mind. I always thought that we were the racist. So take what you want from my answer, but I think that things like that make people like me sour. Just like if you were in that situation I would expect you to be sour.

Answer 3

Abe Lincoln said "I shall study and prepare myself and someday my chance will come". I think most of the African American stereotyping is done by the African American's themselves. I think African Americans (some) are like teenagers trying to grow up. Teenagers are angry with every one especially their parents( authority figures). They blame others for their supposed problems. After they mature, they are much more understanding of their parents, the police, and the place in society they are. It seems to me that are too preoccupied with supposed stereotyping and not focusing on learning useful knowledge. Why not study in school? Its free in the US. For instance, I always thought that African American's lips and tongues were different so they could not speak English very well. Then I heard a British Black person speak and it was a totally normal understandable English. It was a shock to me. I am a Caucasian.

Answer 4

Sterotypes of Black doesn't prevent Blacks from living successfully and peacefully in the American and Western societies for the most part. Less than one percent of crimes involving Blacks and Whites are race related hate crimes instigated by Whites.

Black have a very difficult time living peacefully in American society because other Blacks inflict crimes against them. Nearly 99%.

Many Blacks do not live as successfully as they could in America because of lack of education, lack of acceptable social skills and a weak command of the English language.

I believe what I say is true, and not racist as proved by the many, many blacks who do live successful lives, and the many who are able to live peaceful lives by avoiding dangerous Blacks.

An average educated Black and White man make early the same salary, but a Black man may choose to live in a Black area because the property values are lower and they are able to get a better house which was abandoned at a cheap price by a white. The problem then is that the entire neighborhood becomes Black often...nice houses still, but the crime rate soars.

It seems the solution would be for the Black leaders to encourage a better education, a command of proper English (instead of this Ebonics foolishness), and Blacks insisting that their neighborhoods be safe by not sheltering the criminals and making excuses for nearly all crimes just because they are Black brothers and sisters. Whites have always strung up bad whites, too, when they were caught, and to some extend have a culture that does NOT look up to criminals.

And STOP trying to "kill the messenger". Jesse Jackson had it right in 1968, but has forgotten all that for a life of blaming others for everything and attempting to teach Blacks to do the same. Connie Rice and Colen Powell are number one citizens in my book, and they are vilified by the "average lower class Black".

Taking responsibility for ones own life, and acknowledging the actions of people of ones own race don't seem to be part of the Black culture; unfortunately, even if it is politically incorrect to say it, the rest of DO notice. Don't think all this political correctness krap has actually made everyone stupid.

Answer 5

Dude...first of all. You're BLACK. You're AMERICAN. Lose the African American crap. That, right there, is 50% of your problem. By referring to yourself as A/A, your defining who you are by your race. And if the real "ni99as" would behave themselves and get some respect for themselves, everyone else in the world wouldn't lump us all together. It is this "lumping" together and the result thereof that may give you cause to believe that sterotypes are preventing us from living peacefully. In fact, my black friend, it is the black race ourselves who create and maintain the adverse opinions others may have of us.

I know that most of what we witness on television does not represent every black person, but you know good and well, they are the majority of the minority. Most of "us" aren't educated, don't have a high or even basic command of the English language and choose to remain ignorant and uncultured believing that this somehow preserves our "blackness". Until "we" get over ourselves and stop blaming everyone else for the problems within the black culture, we'll never get along with any one in our society. Society will remain afraid of us. You must talk right, act right and look right dude. That goes for anyone of any race.

Answer 6

You can only limit yourself by believing racial and ethnic stereotypes. That is an easy thing to day but it is true unfortunately, many people people the "trash" talk about them, not only African-Americans. Any people/person who are being held back are only held back by believing the lower expectations.

Unfortunately, low expectations is a cycle. If you parents had pow expectations for you, theirs probably did for them and before them. It's easy to believe the bad stuff especially when you don't hear anything good.

I think that it only takes one person who can change the expectations for someone to change the world. Nurture your children, praise them and set no limits for them...

I am a teacher and I KNOW that kids live up to whatever standard you expect. If you expect them to be bad, they will be. If you expect them to drop out, they will. If you expect more (and accept nothing less) they will live up to it- and shock the crap out of themselves too b/c they didn't think they could do it.

Anyways, this is all in general, not just for African-Americans. Are any of us really living up to our true potential???

Answer 7

what? the only people that are still racist today are hicks...and they dont matter. There might be a racist boss or leader of a company that keep african americans from gaining that job, but other than that, i really don't think an african american should have that much trouble today in society and living peacefully...

Answer 8

Don't start thinking that way. You , yourself, will be putting barriers in your path to success. People's veiws can only affect you up to the extent that you allow them to. If you have heard Mariah Carey's song entitled "Can't Take That Away." You will know what I mean. Below are some excerpts from the song. I hope it will help you out.

Can't Take That Away

They can say anything they want to say
Try to bring me down
But I will not allow
Anyone to succeed
Hanging clouds over me
And they can try hard to make me feel
That I don't matter at all
But I refuse to falter
In what I believe
Or lose faith in my dreams

'Cause there's a light in me
That shines brightly
They can try
But they can't take that away from me
From me

Answer 9

America is a melting pot and I dont see African Americans having the desire to melt into it like others have. By making being black the focus of their lives as if that defines who they are it holds them back from being individualistic. For example one thing that impressed me about Condoleeza Rice when I looked her up to find out more about her was the books she had written. Not one of them focused on being black. Her focus was on just being a person, not being black. Blacks seem to be into being black more than anything, having their own little language, their own walk, their own music. I knew a black girl once who was distressed because she loved classical music and her peers told her she couldnt because it was white music. She was not being allowed to be herself. She was basically being taught she had to focus on being black and liking "black" things.
Whites dont have that problem because we dont focus on being white or try to define what white is.
The only whites that do focus on being white (a small minority of them) are obsessed racists and they arent growing as a people either. To grow you have to broaden your mind and use what you can to further yourself and not think about whether thats a black or white thing.

Answer 10

You said it, I am German so does that mean I am German American...nope I am American. Why the African word aren't you just an American that is black.