Well, tonight I've been watching CNN Presents Black in America and it is really interesting. The focus is on the Black Male (missed last when they talked about Black Women and family), Soledad O'Brien is doing a great job of telling the story and experiences of real Black men. Although she has covered many issues, the bottom line is that Black people are just trying to make it just like every other race of people. The difference is that we have challenges that have followed us since we were brought to America in chains. The legacy of slavery is still affecting our lives, how people perceive us and how we interact with one another. Did you know that a majority of employers said they would hire a White man with a criminal record before hiring a Black man with a college degree? Did you know that only 3% of management positions are held by Black men? Did you know that there are over one million Black men in the prison system and most are NOT there due to violent crimes?
This has been an eye opener for me and is a much needed documentary, but I feel that CNN is "preaching to the choir" and those who really misunderstand what it is to be Black in America will not watch it. I commend CNN for trying to educate the nation and provide a candid look at the daily and complex lives of Black Americans.
I grew up in the Midwest for the first half of my life and while there is racism in every corner of the globe, it wasn't as blatant in my world. My sister and I attended a private Catholic school, my friends were diverse and I think we were exposed to much. Then we moved to Arkansas and that was an eye opener for us! The town was segregated, private schools were for Whites only, friendships were segregated. After graduation I attended The University of Arkansas from 1987-1991, a time when only 4% of the student body was Black. I've been talked about for going to U of A, for trying to raise my kids to use correct English, for getting married BEFORE having children, for having my hair cut in layers. O'Brien touched on this isses as well, dealing with racism within the race as well. When will it end?!\
So my take on being Black in America: A constant struggle!
5 comments:
As a white man no longer living in the US, I found the programs powerful but depressing, as I did Ice Cube's Black & White TV show. I was raised in a confused quasi-liberal home where we were taught that everyone was equal but still had a black woman who cleaned our house while both my parents worked full time. Only black man worked outside and only white men inside at my father's small business. We had to address her as "Mrs. W", while my aunts and uncles referred to their housekeepers as "girls" even though they were women. In college I hung out equally with black and white students although there were something like 200 black compared to 25,000 white. Maybe this was because of a shared love of music and I became a VP of the PSU Jazz Club my junior year. But in the 40 years since university, I have felt helpless to do anything about what I have seen as constant and relentless discrimination and disrespect of black people. I would like to hear opinions of what an old white guy can do to help put these inexcusable attitudes and behaviors behind us once and for all. One more question for anyone: doesn't it bother anyone else that if you have one white and one black parent, or even three white grandparents and one black, the white community will call you black? It seems a too anxious attempt to label the person as "not one of us" as if having the slightest black ancestry is something the "white folks" need to be warned about. "Barack Obama will be the first American President of African descent" is ok. "....first Black President" sounds to me like coded for "Better not vote for him" . Am I being too suspicious?
I agree with Saen on the labeling. My hope is that when Obama is elected president a whole generation will grow up with a different attitude. I have to believe that what I teach my children will have an impact. I'm certain my grandparents had unacceptable beliefs about black people, but I have done my best not to pass that on to the next generation.
Wish I had caught the show, but I'm sure the library will get it on DVD!
Thank you for your comments, it's nice to know their are conscientious people who want to make a difference. I often say racism is a taught behavior so it's up to us as parents to teach our childen to love all mankind. I try to teach my children to learn and grow from all.
DQ recently asked me what a political prisoner is and whether the US has any. I explained to her what it meant to be a political prisoner. I then probably raised a bunch of hackles when I said that there are political prisoners in the U.S. and they tend to be people from miniorities.
Those were sad statistics. Many people do not realize it but we are still in chains in a LOT of WAYS. Perhaps, more T.V. programs like this which increases awareness will HELP.
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