This is a forum post by the user HandsomeStallion
: This is something that I've been thinking about and discussing with a lot of brothers and sisters. Back in the day, Black people were self-defining in terms of what we did and said. The White majority would try and characterize the Black man as one thing and we would strive to define ourselves. Same with the Black woman. I would say that was true all the way up until early 70's and it started to get progressively worse until the mid-to-late 90's. Seems like at that time, Black people stopped defining ourselves and basically started being defined by the media and the White majority.
I'm not saying that you are a sheep, I'm not saying that your family is a sheep, hear me out. Nowadays, we already have a preconceived image of what a Black man is based on the media. And if you don't conform to that image, you're not seen as Black or "Black enough". If you don't listen to rap, you're not Black enough. If you speak proper, you're not Black enough. If you get education, you're not Black enough. If you ain't fúcking a bunch of Black women, you're not a Black man (well ). The Black man with an education is automatically seen as a corny sellout. Etc etc
How can we combat our negative perception in the media?
What can you do as an individual to combat this?
Are we powerful enough in Hollywood to do this? This is why I abhor Tyler Perry. He's probably the most powerful, right now, Black producer and he does nothing but perpetuate stereotypes. That title used to belong to Spike Lee and as far as I can remember, he never had blatant coonery like Tyler. Even the most stereotypical of Spike's characters has depth.
Part of the issue with our image is that we have no control over it. We are "perceived" the way we are by the rest of the world because we are PRESENTED in that way. We have foreigners coming here with built-in disrespect and contempt for us without ever having have met and gotten to know a black person.
When the Jews got paid from the Holocaust, what did they invest in? How many television stations are owned by or are majorly invested in by Jewish people? They immediately took control of their IMAGE. They control their own perception of themselves because they control the means in which they are presented.
Black folk own very few (TV-One) media outlets. We have no control over our image. White men and Jewish men are presenting us to the world. In order for our perception by others to improve, we must acquire a means to improve it.
Yes, there will be people saying 'We never got reparations like the Jews did, they weren't held back as much as we were.' Which is true, but having said that, despite the fact that discrimination is still pervasive throughout the corporate society, we still have a chance to change this... or is it too late? Maybe I'm contradicting myself in saying we should care how people perceive us. Maybe that one guy who is seen as a sell out because he defies the 'stereotypical' image, *** be concerned about how the media portrays his people and just do him.
I made another post similar to this but I can't be arsed to find it/re-type it.
Please click the video link below.
Peace.
De-segragation was the beginning of "us" feeling like being able to shop with the whites gave us status...in turn we neglected our black businesses...we were no longer seeing the Black Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmicist, Bakers, butchers, etc...
Then to add injury to insult we look at blacks that are in business for themselves and turn our noses up because we dont want anyone else (of our race) to do better then we are...we dont want them in the spotlight-shining or atleast not for professions...NO we would rather support the rappers and entertainers that are doing a HORRIBLE job of representing US.
Im not going to go too deep but Handsome (and that you are) I feel you 98%...and yes the jews might have received reparations but dayum it black people ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN FOR US SO GET OVER IT AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE DONT NEED A HANDOUT TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN...
or do we?
BleepThis Flag post De-segragation was the beginning of "us" feeling like being able to shop with the whites gave us status...in turn we neglected our black businesses...we were no longer seeing the Black Doctors, Lawyers, Pharmicist, Bakers, butchers, etc...
Then to add injury to insult we look at blacks that are in business for themselves and turn our noses up because we dont want anyone else (of our race) to do better then we are...we dont want them in the spotlight-shining or atleast not for professions...NO we would rather support the rappers and entertainers that are doing a HORRIBLE job of representing US. =========================
co-signed.
BleepThis, I always said de-segregation was the beginning of the end for us as a race in America. Before we began integrating, we had to be self-dependent on each other. Remember The Montgomery Bus Boycott? For those who may not remember, we simply boycotted the bus service in that area during 1955, not using their services for a long duration of time until they gave us equal rights on the bus. And the aftermath? That particular bus service LOST HUGE PROFITS and had no choice but to stop discriminating on the bus.
Now, if recent reports are accurate, black people are the biggest consumers in the US. We're happy to buy products that do no represent us, pertain to the negative imagery of ourselves or buy the latest gadgets but we won't invest in long-term businesses, assets etc. I'm not saying this applies to all black people, but from what I've seen, that is generally the case.
Just imagine if we all got together and stopped supporting particular products that only perpetuate the negative stereotype of black people. Imagine if we did the same to certain T.V. stations?
To be honest, I've tried to do this so many times. My Granddad did and my dad did too. The fact of the matter is, people are afraid of a revolution. Just like in that video link I posted up above.
To be honest, I've tried to do this so many times. My Granddad did and my dad did too. The fact of the matter is, people are afraid of a revolution. Just like in that video link I posted up above.
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i read what you worte the other day telling your story and feelign like its not even worth the bother now because "we" will not get on board...isnt it amazing how the rappers talk all this BIG TALK and males and females (especially on mto lol) talk all this gangsta "what i would do if a *** would" or "how i would *** da police up (i love this lie)but these same HARD CORE AINT SCARED OF NOBODY (So they say) AZZ NICCAS WONT GET OUT HERE AND FIGHT THE REAL ENEMY?
How does it benefit us to not be afraid of each other BUT SCARED SH*TLESS of the rest of the world? I work and live in Memphis...but dayum near 80% of my co-workers live in Mississippi i work for a fortune 100 company that is right on the interstate that gets you to Mississippi in 10 mins...at lunch they spend their money in Mississippi...hwo the *** is that suppose to help Memphis's economy (a majority black city) and the majority of blacks that do work here are in customer Service, Distribution, or Administrative Assistants...everyone laughs at me cause when they go to lunch if they go to ississippi i tell them i dont spend my money in Mississippi hell thats not going to contribute to fixing up Memphis...
as i digress...lol
NICCAS IN 09 ARE SCARY POINT PERIOD BLANK
HA! You put the Last Poets up they are the *** yo!!
Anywho I know in America we fcuked up with Integration when we gave up our businesses that's including the black film studios and record companies we gave up our voice, all because we wanted to be able to get the same resources as noncolor people. At face vale there's nothing wrong with that but when you stop supporting your own cuz of this preconceived notion that "white" is automatically there is something wrong with that. It's a shame that most people today don't accept anything till the causasians say it's okay. With that belief we gave up our voice and right to express ourselves.
BleepThis, there's once again the stereotype that black business are incompetent, especially when it comes to service. There's this preconceived notion (although this is true in some cases) that black staff members tend to be rude, unhelpful and insolent. The amount of times I had to ask my sisters (not my biological ones) why they would buy human hair from an Asian shop first before a black independent business? T hey sadly had no answer.
Here in the UK and USA, Asians saw a market that black people didn't capitalize on, and now they've monopolized it. As well as inflating prices on black hair care products, they also continue to sell negative illegal products on the side to exploit their black market (i.e. bleaching creams, smh).
Thankfully my family took the initiative to be independent themselves and pretty much everyone in my immediate family own their own business. My dad opened boxing gyms in different countries, my mother was a hairdresser. I'm kinda already following in my dad's footsteps, but I'm still young so who knows how far I can take it?
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GODFAV, people seem to forget how influential the civil rights movement was. It inspired people in Ireland during their time of discrimination. I forget his name but one Irish leader at the time cited Martin Luther King Jnr as a huge influence on his campaign. The thing is, now every other minority wants to cloak themselves under the "black" label when it comes to equal rights, but once they get the privileges that black people fought so hard for, they're quick to discredit black people. Trust me, I see it all the time.
We, as a race, are too accepting of other races and cultures. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but in the long run, we neglect ourselves and our own needs. It's like I say, the black race is like a good host to others, but a bad mother to her own kids. Believe that.
We, as a race, are too accepting of other races and cultures. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but in the long run, we neglect ourselves and our own needs. It's like I say, the black race is like a good host to others, but a bad mother to her own kids. Believe that.
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man in one of my classes (back in the day) we were on the subject of interracial relationships and children and in the discussion amongst blacks and non blacks everyone was in agreement that black families tend to accept the non black person in a relationship and definatley the kids born of this relationship...there was an Afrikan chick in the class and she told us her family disowned her because she had a babay with a black man...an asian had a simialr story and some white chicks (i went to college in the south)...but every black in the class was like "well my brother or cousin married a white girl or asian chick and we love them!"...so i agree with your statement we are quick to welcome everyone with open arms BUT it is rarely reciprocated.
@HandsomeStallion- Let's be honest with each other, It ain't other races it's the caucasian male's opinion. This goes out to other races of color as well. EVERYTIME that the media (the causasian man's opinion) says that a nation of color is bad we believe them. Instead of objecting that this might be another trick to control another nation of color. Iraq for example when 9/11 happened you had all types of people HATING middle eastern and moslems for no other reason except that the middle eastern moslems allegedly blew up the towers. Than we find out that it was Bush who planned it and because he didn't admit it himself some don't believe it. The statistics that are geared to make black people inferior our same brothers and sisters will regurgitate them because the caucasian said so. This belief that their is only one race the human race that furthers grasps the hold of white supremacy we believe it. Why? because the caucasian says it's the truth, not realizing that believing this *** doesn't fight institutional racism or stops the attack on black boys in our school systems, it leads us to believe that racism is just coincidence that *** didn't work out in the favor when applying for jobs.
@BleepThis- Yes, unfortunately there is alot of things we people of color accept with out questioning let's take for instance the terms minority and under-privileged. First minority, we automatically we accept that why?! because the caucasian gave it to us but if we looked at the world in a full scale we would see that it is the causaian that is really the minority. When it comes to the original peoples of the earth everywhere you go there would people of color while causasians only have Europe (Including Russia). Than if we investigate this term minority this term puts us in the disadvantage cuz we are led to believe that we do not have voice or a power but if we all the continents and nations of color came together it would be nothing to over top the causasian who is in power. Then we have the term underprivileged which is used to describe those who do not have the advantages of those who are overprivileged. Mind you that in order of you to have an underprivileged we would have to have a overprivileged but in polite society we can't believe that because that is not what the causasian says to be true. The lie that we all have the same advantages in the system (of white supremacty) is portrayed and we argue against that lie than we are told that we do not work hard enough. But if it's the causasian that does the hiring that what does that say about who is really in charge? Please brothers and sisters don't believe the hype of Obama. There is still a system of racism like Bush I'm sad to say that Obama is a puppet as well. There is still an attack of black boys, there is still negative images telling our children and unconscious people to strive to be like them and so much more in destruction. I am not bagging on Obama but to undo the system of white supremacy it's going to take so much more than acts of a president and we should not depend on him to save our children. We should pick back up our guard and our revolutionary *** and be the change we want to see.
*** GODFAV, you're killing me with those TITAN-Paragraphs. lol. Nah I'm playing.
But GodFav, I said it a while back on here and pretty much all my life, the media is only as powerful as you allow it to be. I was gonna post this assignment I did for Uni called "When does the truth become a lie" but it was too long and it'd probably go over most people's head on here. My point being is, before we had the internet and other means of accessing news, the media was the most powerful outlet.
Now think about it, there have been years of propaganda against black people indoctrinated across the world. During WWII, blacks were depicted negatively to the Japanese (even though we were fighting for 'America'). Even today, you'll hear little news stories of Iraqis saying such thing as "It's bad enough we're occupied by Americans, but to be occupied by those monkeys too?". I read it somewhere ages ago. The first thing I thought was "More propaganda to try and encourage those black soldiers serving to despise their enemy more."
I'm kind of going off on a tangent but the point I'm trying to make is that if you're told something enough, you'll believe it. If the media keep on telling people 'this is how one race acts, behaves etc.' even if you know better, somewhere in your subconscious, you'll actually start to doubt whether you're right and their wrong. Just like I was saying in my assignment, when does the truth become a lie? How do we know what the truth is because we all receive information through someone else. Period. ***, I think I stopped making sense, I'm tired.
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BleepThis, divide and conquer. That's how. I always said, power comes in numbers. How do you diminish power? You diminish the numbers. America is the new Britain. Britain, during it's time of its empire ruled over 1/4 OF THE WORLD. They divided countries, tribes and races, and the effects of which are still evident today (India and Pakistan are a prime example.)
Even more so, after 9/11, I saw the most disgusting example of division. Because 'whites' now view all people of Arab descent to be terrorist, I saw Indians wearing *** such as 'Don't have a freak, I'm a Sikh'. I asked one individual wearing the *** what motivated him to wear it? He said 'So white people don't think I'm a terrorist like those Muslims. We share the same color so they lump us all together!' SMH. SEE. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
GODFAV, you can rarely be apprehensive of what Obama will do without being called a 'sellout' or 'hater' because a black man's in the office, and any critique of him from another person of color, automatically means you have the 'crab in a barrel' mentality.
I keep on telling people, Obama was elected to be a decoy from race relations. There are those who are now only proud to be black or an American because a black man's in office. WTF? This is what I'm saying. It *** take the efforts of another to inspire you. I mean, it's positive and all, but without self-belief in the first place, the impossible is accepted. There are those who are WAITING for someone to lead to be told what to do. That's the problem. After MLK and other cult of personalities, people believe they need to be lead in order to be mobilized into action. Argh! I just truly give up GodFav. I've been there and done that. If you read one of 100stacks, you'll see what I've gone through trying to change things, but people don't want a change, they just want to be complacent.
@Handsomestallion- I'm really trying to understand your message in the first post geared to me,lol. So I'm going to respond on what I think you were saying.
The problem is that people have this belief that "it's just a movie, it's just television, it's just a slutty *** bratz doll, it's harmless." That right there is what hurts us, becuase people are not CONSCIOUS. The system of white supremacy is so much bigger than the media, it's the education system also. Don't even get me started on religion. For the second response. Not all people are leaders although they like to think themselves as such. So it in implores us the conscious to lift them up to where they are able to make sound decisions if the conscious desire change in the state of our people.
Wow, I just read my other post, and I can see why you were confused. LOL. Long *** last ***.
Yeah, I agree with you. People will say 'stereotypes' in movies or in education is just harmless fun, but all stereotypes stem from a 'fallacy' that people continue to reinforce i.e. the aggressive dark skinned black male and the weak effeminate light skinned male. We've allowed this to 'define' us as I said originally.
As for the leader thing, I agree. People used to tell me I was a leader but that was something I never wanted to be. I wanted people to lead themselves and just HEED what I was saying. But to be honest, now I don't really care if others outside of my family choose to be ignorant. It's like fighting a loosing battle. In my seminars, the kids would listen and try and change but their parents were just so ignorant that what I would say would be irrelevant once their parents didn't like me 'inspiring' them or or making them think. People are comfortable within their own blanket of ignorance.
Like I said before, I can only hope my kids continue what I started because I've been through too much trying to help not just my people but the human race and every time I come close to doing something major, there's always someone that stabs you in the back.
I may be late, but I will give my point of view anyways..
I'll start with TP. I agree with what you are saying. Although he speaks that he is making movies and plays for 'us', his actions and his work shows otherwise. I was talking with my mom about House of Payne the other day. When you look at the male characters, none of them symbolizes a strong, black man. CJ - Wife was on crack. Lost his home. Resulted to moving him and his family into his uncle house. Never shows any action or plan of moving out. Remarried his wife, had two more children, and still living with his uncle. Plus his character is so soft and appears to have no backbone. Calvin - Poor boy switched his major numerous times, is constantly looking for a hustle, and really have no determination in life..
I really started questioning TP when Daddy Little Girls came out. When ever he was talking, he claimed he wanted to make a movie to showcase a strong black man taking care of his business but yet, when the trailers was shown, they highlighted his relationship with Gabrielle Union and made it appear more of a love story than a strong black man raising his kids..
I could go on and on, but I'll stop there..
As far as the other points made in post, blacks are being defined as they are portrayed by the media. And to me, it seems as if blacks are allowing it to happen. When I look at articles online that showcase different entertainers, rarely blacks are mentioned. It is as if blacks are not present in entertainment at all. But the ones that are showcased alot are usually known for things other than an education, sophistication, intelligence, and maturity..
Well, I'll say it!!!!!!!! As a whole WE ARE SHEEP! and led astray by brainwashing us to believe that we are less than and force feeding us the subliminal and not so subliminal garbage that to be like white is the AMERICAN WAY AND DREAM. SO! what have we done ? we have slowly changed the way we look,think,live,speak and feel about ourselves.
MissInformed, calm down. I wasn't saying you weren't. My mother is half Spanish so it would be foolish of me to say you aren't.
And as for your post above I agree. A clear example of that is of a thread made by someone in here saying "How do you feel about white women calling their half black kids little n***as" when she should be more concerned with our own people calling each other that word.
It goes back to my original point, we've become so desensitized to the usage of that word that we accept it as the norm being used amongst ourselves, but we're quick to question of races of people who say it to us.
The real question is, do we need to have more say in what the media puts out there are should we not allow the media to have that much influence over us by not encouraging their negative stereotypes? (Whether that's by not buying negative music, movies etc.)
MissInformed, ignore that clown. These masks come out of no where talking BS. The same kind of idiots who'd rather see us talking about ignorant topics rather than having a deep discussion.
MissInformed, do you allow your daughter to watch MTV/BET etc.? Because they are the exact media that sadly have alot of influence over children these days.
Hansome The media has alot to do with what our people see as beauty these days. Not all, but some of our black men are influence way to easy by the media and they fail to see how ignorant they look doing so. Just like men saying light skinned women are beautiful! But they quicked to say they hate or can't stand a light skinned man! Why is that? Because what they believe they see as beauty they fear believes the same ignorant thoughts as them. I have seen beautiful in all colors of the rainbow never to lable one shade of color as beautiful. What the media does is make it seems as "white" is beautiful and so the closer your skin looks to being white the better you look. The media put this light skin women out here and tell I'll black men this is beautiful and the ignorant ones believe it. Why is Beyonce so beautiful to the world? Because she light skinned if she was 5 shades darker would she still be as beautiful? Why Gabriel Union not put out there as beautiful and her face and skin is flawless?
MissInformed, I'm glad you're actually taking a pragmatic approach to this. I understand that alot of these kids grow up in single parent households and therefore, they do not get the actual education needed to teach them about their culture. Having said that, I feel every black parent should make the effort to deter their kid's attention away from such garbage and to actually fill their minds with education that has substance.
MsChynaD, I agree with you. But it goes way back. Even before the media had such a damning influence. My mother would get picked on for being a 'high yella' broad when she was younger. And she had brain washed negroes telling her all kinds of ignorant *** about how her light skin is beautiful. It's a shame that this has been going on for too long. I have to be honest though... I don't how to change or stop this ignorant cycle. The best one person can do is educate their kids about how all shades are beautiful. But sadly, there will always be those foolish kids who don't know any better, destroying the self-esteem of others because of their color.
A well thought out story, but wrong indeed. Your culture cannot define you because you develop culture. Culture isn't something that simply is, it is something that is created. You as a group of people define your culture in general. All I see is a soul crying out in shame for the acts of sin and evil his own people have come to commit, while finding something else to blame for it in the process. When are you people going to stop trying to blame the world for your actions and accept that it's not the media that molds your culture, it's you. You have an opinion of the world through your eyes and you come to behave in certain ways because of the way YOU view the world, and this isn't just African Americans in general it's people who represent the culture you spread. The belief that if things get hard, or it seems like the world is against you and everything is on your shoulders that killing, robbing, stealing, fighting, and hating amongst yourselves will bring about any solution to a common problem. This is the nature of the struggling human being, and as long as the world continues in the way it does, this will always exist. In our world, people will never come to understand one another, thus we will always instinctively continue this chain of chaos, and it will only get worse. Hatred Breeds Pain, and Pain Breeds Hatred. The only way to resolve it, is to find a working answer, a true answer to peace. In our world, it cannot be done.
the white majority would try and characterize the black man as one thing and we would strive to define ourselves.
-- the white media told us that black unity and cohesion no longer existed and we accepted their belief. our own negative experience with fellow blacks merely act as confirmation to what is being implied to us through their media .we will never be able to come together and solve our many challenges as long as our existence is being manipulated
when are u people going to stop trying to blame the world for your actions ---
as long as its whites that are controlling the societal score board, it will remain we blacks that are on the the losing team . even though we have different incomes, education level we must still recognize that america does still harbors deep seated racial biases and if we are ever to obtain our common hopes for a better tomorrow we must recognize that this better tomorrow remains grim as long as it is whites that are defininig, manipulating who we are .
@ -> *** <-(Yeah.....) Blind hope, and simple words like that may sound cute, but it just further expresses a common belief which only applies to those dumb enough to believe it. You blame everyone else for struggle and only miss the bigger picture. Every time someone like this fails it's always someones fault but their own. Clearly someone had to come to you with this foolish solution to "the black problem" otherwise you wouldn't be here today attempting to preach it to us. Your teacher is as blind as you are and most likely black, which explains your embedded hatred toward the other race. Seeing this for what it is, your opinion, though it may sound intelligent, is useless due to your own biases.
I wont go as far as re-explaining what I've already said because it's pointless. Simply put, the first step is not crying and groveling on your knees about how weak you are and blaming the rest of the world. It's standing up for what's truly right, having vision beyond the foolish morals and ideas that you've been subjected to in this day and time. That's why when I see the leaders people like you came from, I can only pity you as much as you do yourself without even noticing it.
lol i believe until we straighten out white thinking , nothing can be done. the writing is on the wall it is scribbled everywhere for us to see. this world is turned upside down because the white media defines who we suppose to be.yes we are being cast away like pearls to swine lol. the media control political supremacy they exercise.they know however that our people are bound eventually to rise up for ethnic survival . so they are busily working to diminish our power and numbers
when are u people going to stop trying to blame the world for your actions ---
as long as its whites that are controlling the societal score board, it will remain we blacks that are on the the losing team . even though we have different incomes, education level we must still recognize that america does still harbors deep seated racial biases and if we are ever to obtain our common hopes for a better tomorrow we must recognize that this better tomorrow remains grim as long as it is whites that are defininig, manipulating who we are . take it up with handsome stallion all i did was post my thoughts lol ---------------
*** Flag post when are u people going to stop trying to blame the world for your actions ---
as long as its whites that are controlling the societal score board, it will remain we blacks that are on the the losing team . even though we have different incomes, education level we must still recognize that america does still harbors deep seated racial biases and if we are ever to obtain our common hopes for a better tomorrow we must recognize that this better tomorrow remains grim as long as it is whites that are defininig, manipulating who we are . take it up with handsome stallion all i did was post my thoughts lol -----
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So embrace the system, rise within it and change it for the better, from within.
Like the the hot dog vendor told the buddhist waiting for his change. Change must come from within.
2 white racists? 1. I'm not white, and the fact you even thought to make a statement like that just shows your stupidity. 2. There were no racist remarks used in any of my posts, though I suppose if you did have the literacy level to comprehend even the smallest words you'd understand that. Again people, ignorance is no excuse for stupidity, the idiot with the sesame street icon being a prime example.
P3IN Flag post 2 white racists? 1. I'm not white, and the fac-- -------------------------------- Either Cracka, Cracka in Black Skin, or SHE-Cracka in Black skin.
Makes no difference. You're all one and the same. White. Racist. And of no benefit or help to the discussion of the black community. Now, Bye clown.
And you would be.......... what exactly? Dumb "cracka" in black skin with an icon from a child's tv program? Very beneficial to the race. I think we should all follow this......In fact, you know what I'm going to change my name to Elmo, and be a ***. Then maybe the black community will be saved. Hallelujah?
