Why are Black men almost always characterized as being lazy free-loaders?

Question

It seems like Black men are characterized as either free-loaders, junkies, criminals, lazy, gangstas, or cowards. Why is that?

Answer 1

Media induced images and stereotypes, warped statistics, and pop culture images shoved down everyones throat,..

this is true of almost any stereotype that exists though

Answer 2

most of the people answering here are naive.
if any of you lived inside the black community..I'm not speaking of the well off ones, I'm talking about the average/below average... you would know why by now that many black men in the low income areas show dislike toward each other, many have children by several different women, and disappear when it's time to pay bills. Many would rather hang out on basketball courts/clubs/corner markets.. than in libraries and higher learning institutions. And whoever said the black women haven't worked a day in their lives--not true. I think the average white woman hasn't worked anymore than the average black woman. The problem is with black men who have children all over the place and don't contribute to the household they create, and generally, there isn't much of an excuse for it. A woman can't do it all, and a family needs both the man and woman to be strong. Those who want to get an education usually get it, and those who care less about it end up in prison. Unfortunately that scale leans toward the latter. You all can pretend none of this exists but I know it does because I see it every day.

Then again, I've also grown up in white neighborhoods and know some of the same kinds of things go on there but it's kept out of sight (also a lot of the time whites have more family to fall back on). Anyhow, I think it could only be beneficial for average black men to be more discreet about their lifestyles and put forth more of an effort to get educated and take care of the family if they really want to erase the way society catagorizes them.

Answer 3

Apparently it depends on who you hang with. As humans, we tend to remember behaviors that irk us. Black men, a minority, seem to stick out in a crowd. Our minds like to find patterns in the things we look at, noticing the differentation.
Also, some people can't tell the difference between smart and lazy.
Another contributor, sadly, is that black men make up, if not a majority, a significant chunk of prisoners in america (which has more prisoners, per capita, than almost all other countries in the world).
The general consensus in jail is 'do as little as possible' because you don't want to be seen as helping out your captors.
Prejudice and racism are merely tools of the wealthy to help divide and conquer the masses. "If their anger is vented on each other, they won't have time to figure out whos really screwing them"

Answer 4

Because this is the image white people want you to recall when you see a black man. It's called brainwashing. When the Huxtables came on TV everyone said black people don't act like that. They aren't doctors or lawyers. They don't have a husband and wife in the house. They said it was fantasy. Well when the world is being brainwashed that wasn't a good show to have on TV. If you are trying to oppress a whole race of people you don't like and wish would go away this is how you do it Make people fear them loathe them have horrifying mental pictures of them have negitive ideas about them. There is no excuse for it except to penalize them for being born black.

Answer 5

Well, Black men in American have generations of economic disadvantage in their social 'baggage.'

They struggle against overwhelming pressure to participate in a ghetto culture which often ends up with young black men getting into all kinds of trouble.

Economic disadvantage increases the dysfunction of many black families, and this provides few good role models for young black men.

I read a study where a majority of black boys wanted to be basketball players. Well, there's nothing wrong with being a basketball player, but this is literally a one-in-a-million long shot to escape the ghetto, and few black boys will succeed in making it into the lucrative big leagues.

Occasionally, a young black boy with respond that he wants to be a lawyer or doctor. But there is very little support for a black male to accomplish anything as expensive and complicated as getting into law school or medical school.

Most black males are lucky if they don't get shot to death before the age of 27.

Most white people don't know many black men. Consequently, they associate ALL black men with the ones they see on the nightly news, being indicted for armed robbery, etc. White people in my old suburban neighborhood would cross the street if they saw a black man walking toward them, out of fear for the unknown.

As a result, when a black guy shows up at most white dominated workplaces, he has little chance of ever getting a job.

America's solution to this terrible historic abuse of the entire black male population can be traced back to slavery and segregation. What is our solution for these difficult problems?

Well, we penalize poor inner city schools which can't pass the 'no child left behind' tests by taking away their funding and firing their principals, a completely insane thing to do, and on the grander scale, we continue to build more prisons, which are filled with poor, black men.

America -- land of the free -- unless you are black and male, and then you better keep yo black butt outta trouble, if you know what's good for ya!

Answer 6

PEOPLE...STOP BELIEVING EVERYTHING YOU SEE &HEAR ON TELEVISION AND RADIO. You are being brainwashed to do things without thinking them through!! Stop looking a the surface and go deeper.....

The media is responsible for this false image of Black men. It is a ploy that has been going on for years to disempower the black man and in turn destroy the black family.

By telling the world that Blacks are useless criminals (druggies and the list goes on), Black people will always experience discrimination and opposition and never have the capability to rise to the top.

Many racist Whites, knowing the incredible amount of power they have, have fear that they will lose it. Racism is hatred based on fear.

The media (which is the most powerful form of communication in the world) helps to destroy positive images of black people and are constantly seeking ways to show blacks only as bufoons, entertainers, stupid and inferior.

Using this tactic ensures that the world will never accept them, that they will always be struggling and fighting for their rights (which takes the focus off of what is really going on) and in turn never realize their full potential or reach their peak level of greatness as a race.

Just imagine what would happen if the media ceased negative publicity of blacks and only aired positive imagery and messages....Just imagine..this world would be a very different place.

It is unfortunate but people believe what they are told and what is put in front of their eyes. The media is aware of this and uses it to maintain White power and keep the rest of the world in mental bondage. Blacks have fallen victim to this unlike any other race....

Think about it.

Answer 7

or cowards?.. I never heard that. However, whoever characterizes the Black men this is actually the lazy, criminal, coward, because all THEY ARE CAPABLE OF is to criticize you. They are not more than a racists.

Answer 8

Those black men who are one of the above seem to be high profile; people notice them more than the guys who are living up to their obligaitions, taking care of their families, etc. News is usually about someone misbehaving, not someone doing what he is supposed to be doing. Plus there are a lot of people who want to believe the worst, whether it is true or not.

Answer 9

why do you think that? thats insane..i have never seen anyone charaterized that way .. maybe a few but they do whites,and spanish and every race that way .. Its unbelieveable that in this day and age anyone would even feel the way you do to even ask that question.There are many prominent blacks ,many polititians,many in government,many in all walks of life, The actors you see,morgan freeman, james earl jones, eddie murphy ,the list goes on and on why think that. Look at something that really exist in life as a problem dont invent them..

Answer 10

Why on earth can you forward such a stupid question. If you are dealing with a lazy man, go to hell with him. And never on earth should you call your friend black