why do black people want equality but still separate themselves from the rest of american society?

Question

black history month.....how 'bout asian history month or native american history month?
bet? how about the all-hawaiian channel?
soul charts? i mean, how exclusive can you get?
naacp? what about the advancement of other people who aren't black? does the naacp refuse them service?

Answer 1

Ya know... You have a good point.

Answer 2

I understand where you're coming from with this question. It depends on how you define equality. If you define equality as everyone being equal, then the question is very difficult to answer. The problem with everything being equal though, is that people who need extra benefits are left unsatisfied. For example, we say we want equality, so every high school in America has 3 elevators. What about the schools for the handicap and disabled? Would it be fair to have only 3 elevators when a lot more students would require the usage of these elevators? So equality should be more defined as "fairness" and I am pretty sure people would consider it fair if the schools for the disabled had a few more elevators. So in reference to your question, the soul charts, NAACP, BET and Black History Month is just a means to achieve fairness, which in essence is the heart of equality.

Answer 3

It is truly a catch 22. On the one hand, some people want blacks to assimilate into American society, but on the other hand, some people want black to stay out of their neighborhoods, schools, clubs, etc.

The problem is that after the slaves were freed, Jim Crow - segregation laws- kept blacks out of American society and denied them the rights of an American. Not only did these laws affect blacks, but it also affected whites. It made some blacks feel that they needed to create a society of their own were they could be treated with dignity and respect. It make some whites feel that it was okay, good even, to be disrespectful to blacks and live free from them. The people who lived through this time are still alive today. My parents could not go to the same beach or eat at the same table with whites when they were in their 20’s. My coworker remembers thinking that blacks must have had something wrong with them because they could not use the same water fountain.

The separation that you see today is a direct result of the past. Since segregation laws were abolished in the 1060’s, you may wonder why in 2007 all of the institutions that were created back then still exist – NAACP, Black History Month, etc - and why more were created – BET, etc. Well, old habits die hard. As you can imagine, many people were not very welcoming of blacks once segregation laws were done away with. Many still chose to deny blacks entrance into private companies, schools, neighborhoods, etc. Many blacks also chose to fully embrace and celebrate their blackness.

These wounds of the past are hard to heal. Things are getting better. It will take time. Mistreatment of this magnitude does not go away overnight. You can’t tell someone their whole life that they are a unwelcome nuisance and then one day expect them to fully embrace you once you decide to let them in. The human psyche is delicate. When it is beat down, it takes a long time to build it up. That said, there are some blacks who exploit the sufferings of the past to get over on the system. I’m not referring to those people. I am referring to the people who genuinely want to build up their communities and help others. That man in New York who jump down in front of the subway to save a young man was not thinking about black or white; he just saw a man in need. Regardless of what we try to do to improve our race, if one can’t see past race to help an individual in need, we all have a problem.

Answer 4

I live in Hawaii &... I believe we do have the All Hawaiian Channel & Radio Station. Several of them. We also have several Hawaiian Holidays and Hawaiian cultural history eve holidays, parades, etc... We also have All Hawaiian schools. You name it we got it.

What race are you? Is your race somehow under represented in the history books, national holidays, etc?

I guess you could have an organization for the advancement of Caucasians, etc... but that would just be silly.

Seriously... Woulds you actually join something like that?

How about Caucasian History Month? LOL! (As if Caucasians are somehow under represented in the history books)

There are several clubs for Caucasians. Most of them are built around preserving the European heritage.

If you are a German person and like to dress in lederhosen and dance to someone playing the polka on an accordion, I'm sure there is a club for you somewhere. The Polish, Russians, etc all have similar clubs.

Answer 5

The history of white america has made that minorities have had to stick together for protection. Ask Emmet Tills mother about being in a neighborhood where there were not very many African Americans. Furthermore white people are the largest seggregationists around, the have country clubs with income requirement so high that minorities who are traditionally the poorest population can not afford to go. African Americans and Hispanic and Asians don't seggregate themselves from eachother to the extent that we seggrgate ourselves from whites because we have been victimized by white people

Answer 6

It's about power. In the 21 century, multiculturalism has a influence but people want power and not fill co-dependent to Americanism. Also some Afrocentric beliefs that the person with power ruled the world and equality materialize if you had an amount of power to have your own sovereign nation.

Answer 7

Sept 15-Hispanic Heritage Month(really big in Florida, Cali, NY, NM, Arizona, Texas,etc don't know about your state)


March-Women's History Month

Ever heard of Telemundo, Univision, the Man Channel, Oxygen(aka The Women's Channel)? Why are you focused on tv for blacks, when there is tv for hispanics, men, women,etc..If there is an audience, there is a channel.


The NAACP doesn't just help blacks, it helps people of all races. It's main focus is on blacks though. Is there something wrong with an organization created to help the only group of people in this country whose ancestors were systematically enslaved on a widescale and used as cattle for hundreds of years? I mean seriously.

Answer 8

The reason is to address the comunity about a group like that is to show that the society cares. You cant change things if you dont start from the bottom. The month is there to make a statement, and lots of people have died to get it going.

Like with gender related discrimination, it need start from the bottom. A child starts learning stereotypic gender-behaviour as early as 3 months old. This mean if one give a boy stereotypic bouy-toys he will learn to think that boys like cars... Which of course is not true.

Answer 9

it's no secret that blacks in American history (even currently)have gone through major prejudice and suffering but so has mexican americans and american Indians with thier land taken from them and thier women and kids killed and asians so enough is enough no more need to get back at "the man" (white people) anymore prejudice is prejudice against anyone!! black,white,brown,red yellow whomever! if you want equality then everyone needs to be on the same page or there is always going to be an injustice so no more using the old "It's because I'm ........" ticket. good people will overcome the wrong doings of others and stand up and be proud of who they are

Answer 10

African-Americans were enslaved and had their culture, language, land, identity and traditional beliefs stolen from them. They are forced to live in ghettoes due to inequality in politics and economics. They did nothing wrong and get treated like dirt. I hate it when people do nothing and get treated like dirt, especially because of race. Why should anyone have to live in shame while trying to reaffirm their influence on society and their self-importance? There have been many efforts in the Black community to deal with poverty and isolation as well as economic opportunity. It is not their fault Bush thinks that giving someone a job or education is bad for them. It is not their fault if there is no money for housing, daycare for single mothers and medicare.

Answer 11

Some of those things were put in place to gain equality for the black race.

You can still talk to people who remember when they couldn't eat in the same restaurant as us whites, or ride the same bus.

And I don't know where you live, but I live in the south and all of those things you mentioned are not luxuries for black people, they're necessities for equal treatment.

Open your eyes and look around.