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Post by glc3 on Jul 31, 2006 18:25:11 GMT -5
What makes one black?
I have often heard people call someone a sellout or an Oreo and that lead me to thinking, What makes one a "real" black person.
I mean it can't be something as silly as the music you listen to or the way you dress, can it?
What makes one black and who decides what that is?
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Post by Blaque on Aug 1, 2006 15:40:05 GMT -5
GLC - I've heard people say "you don't sound Black" or "you don't act Black" but being Black is not a state of mind. It's not about the music we listen to, the clothes we wear, the way we speak...none of that makes a person Black. It's not even a reference to skin color because I am Black but my skin certainly isn't.
In my opinion a Black person is quite simply a person of African decent.
Outside of that, I don't think there is one thing that all black people have in common. There is no racial profile that fits all black people.
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Post by skye on Aug 2, 2006 12:33:47 GMT -5
In truth, the only commonality of Black people is that we are all part of the African Diaspora.
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Post by blackviking on Aug 6, 2006 6:41:48 GMT -5
"Black" is a label used by the White Supremacist system to define anyone who doesn't fit into the privileged class... e.g. White.
"Black" is an English word. "Negro" is a Spanish word... that means black. Neither of these two words accurately define us. African is more accurate. African American is more specific.
In my view, the reason people get caught up in wondering "What makes one Black?"... is because in the back of our minds we know that the word Black is meaningless. It doesn't apply to anyone. It's illusionary quality is apparent in it's malleable nature. A person would sound retarded trying to assert that someone who is obviously of African descent were not. However, if he doesn't talk like me, or think like me, or dress like me, or agree with my politics, or my principles, or my beliefs... then it's easy for me to question his "Blackness". I mean, since the actual definition of the word doesn't really apply to anyone, that means I get to define it in my own head and by my own standards. Then I can apply it or disavow it as I see fit.
Sound pretty stupid, doesn't it?
You know why?
Because it is.
Often times, I've found that this happens when one Black person is thought by others to not be working for (or even perceived as working against) the advancement of Black people. I believe it to be a pathology held over from slavery. It's the same loathing that the field slaves would have for the house slaves and overseers. Simply rooted in the perception that they had it better.
We may never know really. Perhaps they did have it better. But, I find it more likely that the burden carried by the house slaves and overseers wasn't lighter, only different. But, there was one way in which there was absolutely no difference in their lives.
They were all slaves.
Here's where we come back to the word "Black". Black is a label that the White Supremacist Order uses to define what and who we are. Therefore, that word belongs to that system. It is not who we are. It is how the system sees us. So, as far as I'm concerned, all it takes to be Black is to be defined that way by the system. And the system is extremely broad in it's definition. All it really takes to be Black... is to not be White.
That's the main reason why I never (read: never) question another African's Blackness. To me, it sounds just as stupid as questioning their ancestry would. Regardless of how my views may differ from theirs, to question their Blackness would display complete ignorance about how they are victimized, abused, and exploited by the White Supremacist Order.
On my best day... I could never pretend to be that dumb.
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jazzlover
B.E. Sergeant First Class
It Takes Pressure to Make a Diamond
Posts: 3,912
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Post by jazzlover on Aug 6, 2006 8:22:43 GMT -5
During the days of slavery and Jim Crow the white man called it the "one drop rule", If you had one drop of Black blood you were black!
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Post by dolphinfan on Aug 6, 2006 10:13:54 GMT -5
WHAT MAKES ONE BLACK, I WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT APPRAOCH THEN THE REST OF YOU!! IT'S KNOWING YOUR *TRUE* HISTORY, AND KNOWING WHEN TO STAND UP!!!!!!, AND *WHEN* SIT THE HELL DOWN WHEN YOU AIN'T GOT NOTHING TO SAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!, TO HELP A PARTICULAR SITUATION. Even though I'm not a particular fan of the NAACP!!! ,when they do say something I like, I support them, when they don't, I either stay quite, or raise hell, IFFFFF, I have something that would make my point relevent, to the debate!!!. 90% of the time, they are saying nothing, except to there real base, white democratic party, who could care less about us!!! Being black is knowing what really affects us, not what somebody told you.
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sweetpie
B.E. Staff Sergeant
Posts: 2,081
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Post by sweetpie on Aug 10, 2006 20:02:40 GMT -5
I don't like anyone that pretends to be anything that he is not...
I think it is not only looking black it but being it. Being proud of who you are. It disgusts me when a person of African descent doesn't support the race. We have this notion of people being people... great do you really think the others do? Why do we not support your own? In my opinion black folx do not support black. We still have the notion when doing business if it's black it's no good but if it is anyone else they won't steer you wrong." What?! Why not give black folx trying to make something of themselves a leg up instead trying to get something for nothing? That's the way it's done. We can see helping each other being prevalent in the other races when they bond. They will most certainly COME TOGETHER against you to get something. When will we learn? What's it gonna take? It seems to me there will be no black race in the future cuz it will take more of another race in us in order to accomplish something in life.
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