Why do whites always say black males are "well spoken" sometimes?

Question

Or given the complement that we are articulate?

Why is this comment only given to black males and no one else. They never make this "complement" to other white people. They say this about Tiki Babar, Obama, OJ etc all the time. Only the black males...They are so "well spoken".

Well what the heck exactly is that supposed to mean, are our expectations THAT low?

fdm- sorry for the mispelling but this is a glorified msg board not a essay contest. You get the drift.

San Hosa stop arguing sematics

Nell-I wouldnt mind the compliment if it was normally given to everyone.

Answer 1

They set the standards of us low as illiterate and not able to say our words without some kind of slang or slur in it.

I know it was a cartoon but the boondocks pointed that out when Huey Freeman told the rich white people that god was black, ronald reagen was the devil and that the goverment was lying about 9/11 they always clapped and said he speaks so well.
I have never heard this directed to a white male except for young one who is just learning how to talk in short sentences.

Not all whites do that just the ones who think we are incapable of meeting their what they consider high grammer standards.

Answer 2

A compliment should be taken as a compliment- not as an insult. And if someone says you're well-spoken and they're saying it because they didn't expect a black man to be well-spoken, then congratulations! You just challenged that person's stereotype of how a black man acts.

Answer 3

pardon me, but "all" white people do NOT say black males are "well spoken" sometimes. If ever I heard a purely racist remark that has got to be it. You refer to a very few, covered in the media, and paint every single person with the same brush, shame on you.

Answer 4

I've never understood that one myself.

It is a biased & condescending statement.

It's just another stereotypical group of words.

Maybe, some white people say that phrase because they have been around black males who only spoke slang or "Ebonics, if you will.

Then, when they hear and see an African-American public figure/celebrity or just an ordinary civilian present himself in a positive manner unbeknownst to them, they become bewildered and enlightened at the same time.

When one speaks well, it means he/she has mastered the English language.

Answer 5

Because the other 75 percent are bringing you down . And it sucks and I'm sorry . I was just at the grocery store and I watched a black family in there and saw how well behaved the kids were and how happy they seemed... why do i have to notice that? That is what makes it wrong in the first place. it should not be the exeption but the Media and perceptiion of the majority of your race is badly damaged. Guess we need more work on that apparently.

Answer 6

guys like obama and the others speak like they understand and can use the english language. A lot of other guys are so into " bein black" that they forget that the more ignorant you sound the less seriously people in this country take you. Not once yet have I heard Obama say that he "axed someone a question" I'm going to vote for him because he doesn't talk like he just got busted on the corner for smoking crack.

Answer 7

It's really a damn shame that here we are in the year 2007 and racism still exists. In our media, in our schools, in our streets. It's everywhere!!! And they'll say it's not racism but what do you call it when only a certain race does a certain thing, persay? Like blacks speak in ebonics and whites dont discipline their kids. Mexicans are filthy and so on and so on..... it's a damn shame. WE ALL NEED TO GET OVER IT!!!! WE ALL BLEED THE SAME COLOR!!!!

Answer 8

i think of this is purely an straightforward case of judging the completed from a decide on few. Like a white individual judging all blacks to be uneducated cocaine dealing welfare sponges because of the fact of dealings with a decide on few in that classification. comparable is going for an knowledgeable black kin residing next to a team of white crack hoes. Or 10 mexicans who pile into one pickup truck. it isn't the completed race that would desire to be judged by utilizing those decide on few...they only supply the race a undesirable call or a undesirable rap.....and that stinks! i'm very fortunate that I certainly have on no account been prejudiced against and that i'm hoping on no account to in my opinion bump into it. i be attentive to that I certainly have racist techniques each now and then and be attentive to that i am going beserk when I see the mexicans down the line leaving their beer cans on the backyard whilst they crank up their freekin' circus music and letting their chickens run amok interior the direction of the streets. yet to think of that each and each black guy who I see drives a Mercedes might desire to have stolen this is purely asinine. i'm hoping you relatively do see the solid in each race and in all of us....i think of it could make the worldwide a a lot extra convenient place to stay in.

Answer 9

I see what you are saying, but why take it as a put down. If I didnt know you and said that you dressed nice, would that mean I expected you to dress sloppy? The remark about Obama is just stating that hes SMART. Not a black man who happens to be smart but a SMART MAN who happens to be black. In other words, well spoken means more then he speaks proper english it means you can speak in a manner that is definite, distinct, eloquent, expressive, meaningful, and articulate and none that that seems bad to me.

Answer 10

Um, I think Chris Rock covered this very well talking about Colin Powell like ten years ago. The reason is that talking heads and other people who would make these comments don't know any real Black people. Their knowledge of Black Americans comes only from the media (which really poorly portrays Blacks) and drive through windows. Not good sources of information. This is all in all closeted racism.