Not like āI went to school with oneā but have had an actual friendship?
Iāve had a couple of conversations recently where people have confidently said things about the Black community that are ridiculously incorrect. The kind of shit where you can tell they grew up in a very white community and learned about Black history as a college freshman.
Disclaimer: I am white, but I grew up in a Black neighborhood. I was one of 3 white kids in my elementary school lol, including my brother.
Iām hesitant to answer such an odd question, but letās go for it. Before answering, I think itās important to establish two things. One, I was born and lived the vast majority of my life in the USA, tho I have spent over 2 years collectively outside of the country. Two, Iām white of skin, but ethnically Latino. Iām so white looking, that I can be in a social group of mostly Latinos for 3 months before anyone realizes Iām Latino myself.
My entire life, Iāve been around Black people. My 2nd friend ever was a Black Panamanian kid. I went to a school in Opa Locka, FL which is practically 99% Black. My high school girlfriend would technically be considered Black, who I saw her as her and if I had to label her race, sheād be āmulataā to me. Btw, āmuIatoā is not in anyway an insult in Latino culture. If anything, itās a term of endearment. Moving on, I joined the military and worked along side and served under Black people. I currently have several friends and acquaintances that are Black. My neighbor is Blacker than midnight on Broadway and Myrtle. Jk, thatās an awesome Mos Def lyric. But seriously, my neighborās skin is like legit black as in the color, and Iām one of his maybe 3 total non-Black friends (heās exclusive for a reason) and maybe the only white-skinned person that has been inside his house in the past 2 years. I spent this recent New Yearās with him and his friends at a party. I was the only non-Black person there. Also, I have teammates in my hobby and acquaintances in the larger social circle that are Black.
This is how I see itā¦
Black people arenāt Black people. Theyāre people. Nothing about them makes them Black. Theyāre just there being themselves. If you ask a little kid if theyāre Black, they will look at their skin and answer based on their objective perception. As such, Black people vary in every characteristic just like any other set of humans that are grouped by a physical feature.
However, Black are Black people because of history and current state of society. African-Americans are representing a group of people that have a common history, ascribed place in society, and resulting culture. Thatās what makes them Black: the way they were treated for centuries, the way they are treated now, and the way they endure it. The way I personally understand it in my head, Black people are the expression of a group of humans that have been singled out, used, and treated poorly by the rest of society based on a completely irrelevant physical characteristic that cannot be hidden.
As far as immigrants, Black people that come to the US often find themselves in an odd situation. They donāt fit in well with dominant White people because of their skin color, and they donāt fit in well with Black people because of their culture. Not all White people are racist, but some are. Some are overtly racist, while others are more covert or even unaware. Being racist is generally understood as an immoral thing, so some racist people learn to hide it. Others that are trying their best to be just, think they arenāt racist, but are based on their values and behaviors. What I mean by this is that they may hold values that are incompatible or oppressive of the Black community, yet have absolutely no problem with anyone based solely on their skin color. A supervisor at work may have no issue with anyoneās skin color, but rate their employeeās performance in part by their use of āproper Englishā and attire. Due to covert racism, most people of color start to become mistrusting of White people because they donāt know who is and who isnāt racist at face value. Back to focusing on immigrants, African-Americans think that many immigrant Black people havenāt endured life in the US as Black enough to fit in. Immigrants in general come with a different set of values, and in particular, a strong belief that hard work results in economic success. This belief often clashes with the experience of African-Americans. The conflict results in a disconnect between African-Americans and Black immigrants.
Iāve always been someone that cheers for the underdog. I donāt know what it is, but I do. Maybe itās my 'tism, always having felt like an outsider and being bullied, Iām forced to empathize with underdogs. Regardless, to me, Black people are the shit. The way they have adjusted to society has lead them to develop awesome perspectives, skills, and contributions. For example, they were historically given the least favored food, so they learned how to make that delicious which made them amazing cooks. They are marginalized and neglected by society, so they created counter-culture such as blues, rock, hip-hop, and jazz to express injustice, pain, and pride in overcoming hardship. Almost any popular music that has come out of the US has its roots in the African-American community. They are oppressed in the workforce, so they became amazing athletes in which success is extremely objective. It makes no sense to oppress Willy Mays when heās blatantly the one carrying the team.
They have also developed an extraordinary sense of social awareness. Whenever I go somewhere and there arenāt any Black people around, I get concerned. Either the place Iām at is actively restricting their participation, or they know something I donāt and are choosing to stay away. I could be wrong, but I still notice when it happens.
Additionally, as ethnic outsiders with justified and necessary collective hyper-vigilance, they are aware of what other ethnic groups do differently. So, when they talk about it, I find it interesting because it teases apart what is universally American and what is based on sub-group ethnicity.
They have also developed a sense of community I havenāt seen in other ethnic groups. Black people take care of each other, and as long as someone isnāt a problem to the group, no one from their group is excluded based on undesirable characteristics (mental issues, substance dependence, criminal history, etc.). They all accept each other and seem to have an understanding that life is hard, so of course people adjust in unhealthy ways sometimes. In fact, my neighbor definitely has his issues, but he still has visitors more days than not. And they always come with some sort of gift. Iāve luckily fallen into his social circle a little, and they check up on me sometimes too. I have never had this experience with other neighbors.
Something else Iāve noticed among Black people is that they are more emotionally free and fun. In contrast, White people seem controlled and restricted. Itās like White people have a standard for emotional control and respect. Itās considered rude to be emotional and wild. Black people donāt really follow that. If they feel excited, they will yell. If they have a lot of energy and thereās a good beat, they will dance. If they lose someone, they will cry and yell in pain. Iām not saying White people donāt do those things, but itās different. Let me illustrate with an example. If someone is dancing at a White party, itās either very good dancing moves that were practiced, or something soft and individual or with one other person. If someone is dancing at a Black party, itās more likely to be extravagant, full of emotion, and collective with a group. Of course, there is overlap, such as rural White people and line dancing, so Iām having difficulty explaining it. I guess my running observational theory is that White people dancing are saying ālook at what I can doā and Black people are saying ālook at how I feelā.
Thatās it from me. If I insulted anyone or was incorrect, please let me know. My only goal was to express how I saw things and encourage further conversation. I would be happy to receive respectful critique as I know I am not perfect and always looking to continually grow.
My whole family is racist, so Iāve spent a lot of time un-learning shit while being mindful of my subconscious biases. The last time I was with my family, I had to leave the room because they were all sitting in a circle talking about how black people are genetically inferior. Literally, thatās just how they spend some evenings, being overtly racist to each other.
Iāve had a few black friends throughout my life, all wildly different. One was a stuffy nerd with alopecia. One was a little person grunge rock bass player. One is the most eloquent, kind, and fanciful gay man Iāve ever met.
There is one, lone insight I think Iāve gleaned from my experiences with black culture. My family often complains about black people being loud, and I think I have an understanding as to why they sometimes are. One is, like you said, they arenāt as afraid to express emotion and that can be as loud as the strength of the emotions. Another reason, I think, is that throughout history they have been marginalized, ignored, and forced to live in out-of-the-way areas. This is not lost on them. I think a way of reclaiming their humanity is in reclaiming their right to be seen and heard. They are THERE. You can ignore them and the issues facing them but you cannot ignore 24" subwoofers. You canāt ignore bright colors, dazzling chrome, and the shaking hydraulics of a lifted car.
Also, Iām with you. Whenever black folk are around, I just feel safer. Like, when I go out, I fear right wing nutjobs and their violence, and that just feels less likely to occur when Iām around non-white people. If Iām somewhere and thereās only other white people, Iām nervous because one of them is guaranteed a brain dead red-tin-foil-hat wearing psychopath, and with no minorities around heās likely to let everybody know exactly how racist he is.
Hey there, runaway cousin! I too have racist family members that speak that crap and have also been in other environments where the central point of a conversation is to devalue and hate others. I have tried to ride it out hoping that I can either ignore it, excuse it, or even have a helpful impact, but I have gotten to the point that I just canāt. It is disgusting. I cannot tolerate that hate circle jerk and feel shameful for even have knowingly been a witness to it. Now, I have completely cut off my sister for months in part because of her hate. If itās not one group, itās another. In my experience, the thing is that it doesnāt just stop there. Itās part of a whole social complex that is terrible for me. Not only do I have to bear the shame of it, but there are other matters as well. I cannot function in that environment.
Another reason, I think, is that throughout history they have been marginalized, ignored, and forced to live in out-of-the-way areas. This is not lost on them. I think a way of reclaiming their humanity is in reclaiming their right to be seen and heard. They are THERE. You can ignore them and the issues facing them but you cannot ignore 24" subwoofers. You canāt ignore bright colors, dazzling chrome, and the shaking hydraulics of a lifted car.
I think that was beautifully said! ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø Additionally, they have been told that everything they like is bad solely because they like it, so they are being proud of having their own taste and are showing it off. So to them, I say: Drive around town, blast that system, and pump those hydraulics! Iām proud of your taste too and thanks for being you. š„¹šš„³
Black people arenāt Black people. Theyāre people.
This! I couldnāt believe it when I had to answer a question about race on the entry card into the US.
I get asking about skin color. Itās like hair color, or eye color, but race? So many assumptions and biases just in that one word (race).