The Official "Ask A Brotha" Thread

[KevanG]

I worked with some guys who were directly from Africa, within a month of entering the country, and they detested being called black or African American or anything. They insisted on being called African. If you called them anything else, they got pissed and threw a hissy fit.

 

[chamber-music]

Does anyone get the perception that black people have it worst when it comes to racism in the western world (North America and Western Europe)? Legit question.

These things are kind of hard to gauge. There is slightly less overt racism today due to it being more social unacceptable in many parts of modern society. People are likely to be more secretive about how they discriminate and keep their racist views to themselves until they are around those who share similar views.

Personally as a black man who has spent some time the U.S and lives in western Europe I would say no. While there are still many people who hate us, fear us, wish death upon us, hold ridiculous racist views towards us and discriminate against us there are probably a number of groups that probably have it just as bad if not worst.

Gay people and Muslims have it pretty bad. In the U.S I hear Hispanic people have it pretty bad and Eastern Europeans are treated poorly in Western Europe.

Whenever I hear someone from another country talk about not like black people, I always assume they're talking about black Americans.

Hell, there are Africans that don't like black Americans.

Some people from African countries don't like people from other African countries. Some people in those African countries don't like people from another ethnic group or tribe within that African country.

I worked with some guys who were directly from Africa, within a month of entering the country, and they detested being called black or African American or anything. They insisted on being called African. If you called them anything else, they got pissed and threw a hissy fit.

Well the African American one I can understand. Its odd when Americans call black people not from the U.S African American.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

Are both you and E-Man close buds?

 

[RockSP]

By any chance, do you look like Samuel L. Jackson?

We all do. But especially Laurence Fishburne.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

It's funny because those two actors look nothing alike.

 

[kane9321]

Anyone find it offensive when darker Dominicans don't want to be grouped in with blacks?

I think white skinned Puerto Ricans have more black pride.

it ticks me off

 

[DarkSentinel]

I've always wondered what an American black dude thinks of a black woman with a British accent. Seriously, what do you think?

 

[RockSP]

It's funny because those two actors look nothing alike.

I remember years ago someone on SHH said Jamie Foxx should've replaced Terrence Howard as Rhodey instead of Don Cheadle because Foxx looked like Howard.

......

 

[charl_huntress]

I've always wondered what an American black dude thinks of a black woman with a British accent. Seriously, what do you think?

American black women get a bad wrap for a lot of different reasons. So some black men are anxious to find a black woman who is not an American black women. This of course doesn't apply to all guys or black guys.

 

[blknrdcllctv]

I've always wondered what an American black dude thinks of a black woman with a British accent. Seriously, what do you think?

Sexiest thing in the world. When I hear a black woman with a British accent (like Lianne La Havas), I tremble inside and almost collapse.

That is not a joke...

 

[charl_huntress]

Finding an accent sexy is not unusual, but I usually don't see the same fascination with all accents. For instance, African accents and islander accents are barely noted as accents for black people.

I also think British accents make people sound more proper, which for some may mean more intelligent, so that may be a reason. LOL....LOL....when I was in the Navy I once spent a whole day in Bahrain using a British accent because I wanted to prove foreigners were nicer to black "foreigners" than black Americans.

 

[blknrdcllctv]

Does anyone here have parents who lived during the civil rights era? If yes. What were their experiences with it?

I think this was one of the best questions posed. Thanks for asking!

My father was born in 1949 and my mom was born in 1953. Both grew up in the South (South Carolina and Tennessee respectively). My father told me he ran into conflict when he first got to college (in Tennessee, where he met my mother). He had to fight quite a bit early on, and because my mom is biracial, people assumed he was with a white girl so he caught flack for that. Once when they were walking to the movies a guy yelled out "get your hands off that white girl n-word!".

As a biracial woman, my mother had it ROUGH. She grew up in a working class neighborhood, and my grandparents had maybe two more nickels to rub together than the neighbors. Unfortunately, this equated to mixed family + biracial children + a little extra money = you think you're better than us. My mother faced bullying beyond comprehension. Her black classmates and peers, male and female, would physically assault her. My grandfather did have to chase people away with a shotgun.

Quick aside - grandfather was Native American and White and my grandmother is Black.

Yes, there was segregation and hard times but what made the most impression on me was my mom's stories of struggle growing up biracial. I still feel so badly for her, because it's really affected her more than she'll ever admit.

 

[Erzengel]

But just like any nation, there are variations in terms of English accents. Some sounding more refined and even sexy and others sounding like Eliza Doolittle.

 

[blknrdcllctv]

American black women get a bad wrap for a lot of different reasons. So some black men are anxious to find a black woman who is not an American black women. This of course doesn't apply to all guys or black guys.

I would agree. As I've gotten older, I've become much more sensitive to that. I have my own reasons for being wary of black women, but a few bad experiences and generalizations won't stop me from pursuing relationships. I think there are a number of things to consider - background and upbringing, education, current SES, goals, values, spiritual life, emotional intelligence, and multicultural understanding.

I've dated all types of women, but as I've gotten older I've become much more reluctant to date a non-minority because it's hard to find a White woman who shares my political, social, and cultural perspectives and convictions. Not only that, I think more about things like standards of beauty, cohesion in the black community, and doing more for my culture. It's not that I have a sense of obligation to only date black women, rather I feel a real connection to my culture (although technically I'm on the fringes since I don't fit into any stereotype). That doesn't necessarily mean I'll end up with a black woman, or that I won't end up with a white woman. To me, I need this internal dialogue to be ever-present so I know I'm selecting the best person, for the best reasons, and my romantic life and my values are congruent.

 

[charl_huntress]

But just like any nation, there are variations in terms of English accents. Some sounding more refined and even sexy and others sounding like Eliza Doolittle.

Americans in my experience think all British people sound like they are from the movie Harry Potter.

I would agree. As I've gotten older, I've become much more sensitive to that. I have my own reasons for being wary of black women, but a few bad experiences and generalizations won't stop me from pursuing relationships. I think there are a number of things to consider - background and upbringing, education, current SES, goals, values, spiritual life, emotional intelligence, and multicultural understanding.

I've dated all types of women, but as I've gotten older I've become much more reluctant to date a non-minority because it's hard to find a White woman who shares my political, social, and cultural perspectives and convictions. Not only that, I think more about things like standards of beauty, cohesion in the black community, and doing more for my culture. It's not that I have a sense of obligation to only date black women, rather I feel a real connection to my culture (although technically I'm on the fringes since I don't fit into any stereotype). That doesn't necessarily mean I'll end up with a black woman, or that I won't end up with a white woman. To me, I need this internal dialogue to be ever-present so I know I'm selecting the best person, for the best reasons, and my romantic life and my values are congruent.

lol...You've posted in the Jill Scott thread, right? t: That thread is enlightening on so many levels.

 

[Erzengel]

It's like living in America. Sometimes the differences are just so apparent.

 

[blknrdcllctv]

Americans in my experience think all British people sound like they are from the movie Harry Potter.

lol...You've posted in the Jill Scott thread, right? t: That thread is enlightening on so many levels.

I haven't posted there before, but I did read her essay. Prior to this essay though, her tongue was not as civil on this topic. Ultimately though I get it...I do. That pain is real and is too often dismissed. Will it give me pause? Yes. Will it dictate who I ultimately end up with? No.

 

[charl_huntress]

It's like living in America. Sometimes the differences are just so apparent.

True, but you don't see the same fascination for accents that are other than British when it comes to black folk here in America. No one is really tripping a black dude with a Spanish accent.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Americans in my experience think all British people sound like they are from the movie Harry Potter.

Or, if they have stubble (male or female) like Jason Statham.

 

[Manic]

If I ever met a black person with a Cornish accent, I'd probably die of laughter. I'd have to ask them to repeat everything they said to me-- partly because of the silly accent, but also because they'd be impossible to understand.

 

[KalMart]

If I ever met a black person with a Cornish accent, I'd probably die of laughter. I'd have to ask them to repeat everything they said to me-- partly because of the silly accent, but also because they'd be impossible to understand.

Wouldn't a white or Asian person with that accent be the same?

 

[chamber-music]

I'm a little shocked every time I come across a black person with a Scottish accent. I just don't expect that accent to come out of their mouths even though I know there are some black people in Scotland although nowhere near as many as in other parts of Britain.

Black British actresses have been doing pretty well lately. Naomie Harris, Ashley Madekwe, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophie Okonedo, Zawe Ashton, Antonia Thomas, Lenora Crichlow, Thandie Newton, Angel Coulby, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Freema Agyeman, Nathalie Emmanuel, Wunmi Mosaku and Christine Adams.

 

[Manic]

Yes, but it'd be especially funny for a black person. There's a long list of accents I'm prepared to hear come out of the mouth of a black person, and Cornish just isn't one of them.

...Unless I actually find myself in Cornwall. Obviously.

 

[KalMart]

Thandie has always been one of my favorites. For some reason, I find Brit accents particularly sexy on black women.

 

[KalMart]

Yes, but it'd be especially funny for a black person. There's a long list of accents I'm prepared to hear come out of the mouth of a black person, and Cornish just isn't one of them.

...Unless I actually find myself in Cornwall. Obviously.

You know what I find particularly funny?




White people talking like 'black people'.


"aaaAAWWW SHIIIiiiiiiii-....!!"

Ever seen some white teenage girl say that? It's very bizarre.