Is the "thug" lifestyle of young African Americans a detriment.......?

Question

Is the "thug" lifestyle of todays African American youth a detriment to the progress made during the civil rights struggles of the past 200 years? Please explain your answer as best you can.

It's the violence ridden fringe that seems to have the most impact. They glorify a lifestyle that shoots first and asks questions later. It's quite scary.

Gldjns.....Great points!!!! I understand these issues perfectly but what I'm looking at is the fringe..... There are plenty of pro-social African Americans that are not only highly motivated, highly educated individuals, but highly respected, deeply valued members of society....but what I guess i'm getting at is, does it overshadow those achievements?

Is it media bias?

Is it the lifestyle? Maybe by being bombarded with images of young African American men in handcuffs with such regularity, we attach this label out of ignorance. We need these questions to help us understand each other. I'm no racist and I didn't mean to offend anyone, I just want to help create some sense of understanding.

Ohh.....by "fringe" I mean the get rich quick by any means nessesary, b**ches and ho's, gun toting, ganster rappers thats speak before they think.

Maybe this isn't a question of lifestyle, maybe its more a question influence and social pressure.

**necessary**....sorry

Thugs are white, black, green, and yellow, but we tend to associate the word with young African American men. Why and what does it do to the overall image of African Americans and more importantly their sense of self? Skinheads and the K.K.K. (thugs too) give whites and the progress we've made toward civil rights a black eye too, so it goes both ways. I just want to spark debate.

Answer 1

After a history of oppression and slavery, African Americans have been struggling for equal rights. Despite the progress they have made, there are still poverty conditions that compel these young people to form a gang society as a shield against prejudice. However, this is a self-defeating attitude that only education and the desire to better themselves can correct. And many young blacks are determined to have a better life for themselves, devoid of gangs, poverty, crime and inferiority. Look around, and you'll see how successful some young black people have become, many of whom are doctors, lawyers and business men and women, who are a credit rather than a detriment to their race and to society as a whole. You'll find the "thug" lifestyle among whites and other races as well as blacks. People have choices to make, and it's up to them to make the right ones. Does this answer your question?

Answer 2

You're going to get so many racist accusations for this. I'm almost afraid to answer this because I don't want my account deleted.
I would say yes. You have to realize though that the thug lifestyle is the ghetto equivalent of the rock n' roll lifestyle that many many white people adopt. Not that all thugs are black and not that there are not some black people in rock music, but this is true on average.
There is prejudice against black people in society, both subtle and blatant, whether it is admitted or not. White people are the ones in power, not just financially, but socially. They set the standard for what is acceptable conduct and the thug lifestyle does not fit the standard. The only lucrative outlet for the thug is drug dealing or becoming a professional rapper, the former being the most likely to occur. Drug dealing is part of their lifestyle. So is violence. Drugs are also apart of rock, but the violence is generally not a part of it.
If by progress you mean "being taken seriously and becoming equal to the white man and shaking off all of the negative stereotypes that are attached to black people", then yes, the thug life is a detriment to their progress, because the thug life in now way helps them to achieve these goals. It just further imbeds the negative stereotypes into people's minds and it digs the african americans a deeper hole.

Answer 3

That time period is simply pronouncing that our ancestors got here from Africa, now not always the individuals alive at present which are referred to as that. I do hate the phrase Black(like crayon colour) although, I imply technically, we're brown, and I have NEVER noticeable a individual that used to be truthfully Black, I simply suppose it might be a darker coloration of brown. I wager I might see wherein you're coming from although, however just a little. Besides, its been occurring for this lengthy, why difference it handiest to complicate matters. The solutions you get will likely be headquartered on individuality, which means that a few individuals adore it, and others do not. I have no idea what to mention approximately the entire subject, I imply so long as it's not racial, then I am cool with it.

Answer 4

I think a lot of it is the music that voices the thug life as being Hip,and cool.I mean face it the bling they flash with the cars the cash,and don't forget the Ho's.In the long run maybe it is just rebellion like the hippies did in the 60's,we hope,or perhaps it is much worse and reflects on what is about to come from that culture in the near future.

Answer 5

Yes, In some ways of seeing.

Although maybe you shouldn't use African Americans in general, because Im "African American"(There's quotation marks around it because I hate putting myself into a certain group by the way) & Im in no way a "thug", in fact Im straight edge & a pacifist. Im also not influenced, I don't even listen to rap, Nor do I know any "thugs" or "gangsters".

I don't think you're racist at all, I agree with you.

That's all.

Answer 6

Do you think Rosa Parks refused to sit on the back of the bus so that some ignorant young brother could rap about his "Hos" and "N-words"?

Do you think Medgar Evans ate a bullet so that silly children could say, "Yo! My **slang for ***** that rhymes with bigga** is tight like dat"? Of course not!

Do you think the Right Reverend Dr MLK took a bullet so that Black Folk could humiliate themselves by peddling dope and hookers?

Every "thug" and "gangsta" that disrespects the struggle is taking a direct poop down the throat of real men and women that risked life and limb to give them what they have today

I have wood!

Answer 7

I think it is more a question of influence and social pressure. We tend to associate with what we think is "cool" or "hip". If in a place where poverty and violence are social norms, you see something that represents a way out, even if it is by any means necessary, it's going to influence you.

Answer 8

Yes it is. This seems to be in a lot of African Americans.

Answer 9

Whoa. You may have opened a social vortex with this one...


EVERYBODY STAND BACK! HE MEANS WELL AND HE HAS A GREAT POINT!

Don't hurt 'em Hammer!

Answer 10

indeed it is.