African American?

[.lava]

i think American society could not really get over their past. they could not recover. so they are trying to come up with name like that to forget about it. i am not even sure. i think there is still racism in USA. i recently watched documentary about Katrina hurricane. it was awful and i could not help wonder would it be the same if LA was hit by a hurricane like that.



.

 

[Somkid]

In Thailand all of us white folk are "falang" it means foreigner they don't separate German from French or American from Swedish and black people here are just black.

 

[DallasApple]

i think American society could not really get over their past. they could not recover. so they are trying to come up with name like that to forget about it. i am not even sure. i think there is still racism in USA. i recently watched documentary about Katrina hurricane. it was awful and i could not help wonder would it be the same if LA was hit by a hurricane like that.



.

Maybe it would..Isnt L.A heavily populated by Mexicans?..

No but serioulsy I think the handling of Katrina was government "line of command" failure...I dont think if it had been 100% white it would hav been any differnt..It was a dismal failure period.

I think they played Russian Roulette..Then when it happened everyone passed the buck and went.. ...Look what they did with the crazy Keresh guy?..with all the experitse and "power" they basically burned alive innocent men women and children..trying to "resolve it"..

Blessings

Dallas

 

[.lava]

Maybe it would..Isnt L.A heavily populated by Mexicans?..

No but serioulsy I think the handling of Katrina was government "line of command" failure...I dont think if it had been 100% white it would hav been any differnt..It was a dismal failure period.

I think they played Russian Roulette..Then when it happened everyone passed the buck and went.. ...Look what they did with the crazy Keresh guy?..with all the experitse and "power" they basically burned alive innocent men women and children..trying to "resolve it"..

Blessings

Dallas

lol i forgot about Mexicans
i am sorry i do not what you're talking about. who's crazy Keresh guy?


.

 

[DallasApple]

lol i forgot about Mexicans
i am sorry i do not what you're talking about. who's crazy Keresh guy?


.

He was just a crazy religious fanatic..That thought he was the "son of God"..But he had a "camp" with men women and children and the government "took charge"..and in the end ended up burnign the place down with their "solutions"...21 children died.Thsi was in America..(Texas to be exact)..

I just think the government needs to admit they dont know what the hell they are doing sometimes..

I was watching the "Katrina" cirisis on Fox and CNN before the floods hit..Then when it flooded I was glued to the t.v...I remember screaming and wanting to punch the t.v..DO SOMETHING!!! ...Bring them some friggen WATER!!!!..Help them!!!

Little babies were dying of heat and dehydration..Old people were dying from that too plus medical conditions such as diabetes and not having their medicine..And for 4 solid days all they did was "air lift" (which was awesome..the Coast Gaurd worked round the clock) but air lift and drop people off where there was no flooding..But they FAILED at evacuation..food and water for 4 friggen days..

Blessings

Dallas

 

[Reverend Rick]

i think there is still racism in USA. i recently watched documentary about Katrina hurricane. it was awful and i could not help wonder would it be the same if LA was hit by a hurricane like that.



.

There is still cannibalism in the United States as well. I can understand your questioning if this happened somewhere else would things have been the same. That is a good question.

I have a good question as well. Mississippi was hit by Katrina too. Those folks have their mess cleaned up and are back to something close to normal. What's up with that?

While I am asking questions, what happened to black folks being called people of color?

 

[DallasApple]

Also on that note I have personally met and talked to Katrina survirvors(many ended up in Texas).And I have a good friend whos brother is a detective out there (New Orleans) and her SIL is a pediatric nurse..There are some heros to be sure..

Love

Dallas

 

[.lava]

He was just a crazy religious fanatic..That thought he was the "son of God"..But he had a "camp" with men women and children and the government "took charge"..and in the end ended up burnign the place down with their "solutions"...21 children died.Thsi was in America..(Texas to be exact)..

I just think the government needs to admit they dont know what the hell they are doing sometimes..

I was watching the "Katrina" cirisis on Fox and CNN before the floods hit..Then when it flooded I was glued to the t.v...I remember screaming and wanting to punch the t.v..DO SOMETHING!!! ...Bring them some friggen WATER!!!!..Help them!!!

Little babies were dying of heat and dehydration..Old people were dying from that too plus medical conditions such as diabetes and not having their medicine..And for 4 solid days all they did was "air lift" (which was awesome..the Coast Gaurd worked round the clock) but air lift and drop people off where there was no flooding..But they FAILED at evacuation..food and water for 4 friggen days..

Blessings

Dallas

four days is long time in a crisis like that. that's what made me think about racism possibility.

.

 

[.lava]

There is still cannibalism in the United States as well. I can understand your questioning if this happened somewhere else would things have been the same. That is a good question.

I have a good question as well. Mississippi was hit by Katrina too. Those folks have their mess cleaned up and are back to something close to normal. What's up with that?

While I am asking questions, what happened to black folks being called people of color?

you are American, right? you know all about it better than i do. i am out side watcher. that's the reason why i ask. i do not know answer of your question.

cannibalism...no, you don't mean it :cover:

 

[Reverend Rick]

you are American, right? you know all about it better than i do. i am out side watcher. that's the reason why i ask. i do not know answer of your question.

cannibalism...no, you don't mean it :cover:

Ever heard of Jeffery Domlier?

 

[.lava]

Ever heard of Jeffery Domlier?

no, i .have.not.

 

[kai]

And? There were a whole lot of other people and countries who benefited off of the African Slave trade, but I'm talking about how America played a role. I fail to see how other hands being in the pot in any way absolves the American government for its own part. The slavery of the Africans in America had many facets well beyond unpaid hard labor. There was the whole dehumanization, degradation, humiliation, and outright pure hatred that helped to shape and define what slavery here meant. Believe it or not, black people still suffer from the after effects today, regardless of the fact that those of us living now have never physically endured slavery. We have however been taught slave mentality from generation to generation. What was once learned behaviour for survival sake, became tradition for us. It was normal to be raised in fear/awe/trepidation/dislike-hatred of white people in general. It was normal to feel inadequate around them, or feel unworthy. This goes on today in a more subtle subconscious way. It takes a great effort to realize that type of thinking is backwards and wholly unproductive.

The reason why racism, bigotry, and even the perception of these things is a sore spot for us, is because as a whole we have not fully recuperated from it. A century or so is not enough time to fully heal from something like that. We were taught to be slaves, think like slaves, talk like slaves, act like slaves, and it takes much time to unteach that, and undo it. The wounds of slavery cannot be healed with legislation only. It helps obviously, but the onus is on us blacks to heal ourselves. The biggest problem with that though is that we have not all came to an agreement that we have a problem in the first place.

you were taught to be slaves,think like slaves act like slaves, you personally or someone in your distant past, i dont mean to offend but you need to get over it, it wasnt you!
some people claim the identity "African" then have problems with it when they find out about African complicity in the slave trade .

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

you were taught to be slaves,think like slaves act like slaves, you personally or someone in your distant past, i dont mean to offend but you need to get over it, it wasnt you!
some people claim the identity "African" then have problems with it when they find out about African complicity in the slave trade .

This is where you are wrong kai. It is me, it is the vast majority of blacks indigenous to America. We have perpetuated slave mentality among ourselves for generations. We learned so many things that started out as behaviour learned in order to stay alive in slave conditions. These things, and too many to get into now, have persisted and are causing us problems even today. Slavery is more than chains kai, and I'm surprised you don't know that. Getting over it is easier said than done. Look around kai. Let's not pretend that because the shackles are gone that everything is so fine and dandy and none but a few meet racism but in isolated incidents. Let's not do that, because doing that is the reason why there has never been an honest national discussion on race relations between blacks and whites. We were unceremoniously kicked off the plantation, and basically told to shut about it and be glad we escaped the situation with our lives. Slavery is done as far as the law is concerned and that's that right? There isn't anymore to be said is there? There are no after effects are there? After hundreds of years in bondage and so many more in sub-human status, we are to kiss and make-up with not so much as a mumbling word said ever again?

This is why we can't talk about it honestly kai, because when people like me try to simply explain what all this has meant to us up until the present day, we are told to "get over it". I'll get over it when we no longer suffer as a community from the things our forefathers endured. As slaves we were taught to mistrust one another as a tactic to keep millions of slaves in line. Once we mistrust each other we will not listen to one another speak of escape and freedom for fear of death and other reprisals. We still do that today kai. Did you know that? Do you know we look upon each other with suspicion and are hardest on each other, and more critical about each other than we are anyone else? We are more prone to bring harm and destruction to one another than any one hence black-on-black crime still being a major issue in the black community.

In order to "get over it" as you say, we black people (and it would help if white people would also listen and pay attention to it as well) must go back into the time of slavery and study it to understand why we act the way we do. Why we think the way we think. This will help us to improve our own situation and more forward so that slavery will be a grim but necessary reminder of what we must do, and how we must never propagate these things among each other ever again.

 

[kai]

This is where you are wrong kai. It is me, it is the vast majority of blacks indigenous to America. We have perpetuated slave mentality among ourselves for generations. We learned so many things that started out as behaviour learned in order to stay alive in slave conditions. These things, and too many to get into now, have persisted and are causing us problems even today. Slavery is more than chains kai, and I'm surprised you don't know that. Getting over it is easier said than done. Look around kai. Let's not pretend that because the shackles are gone that everything is so fine and dandy and none but a few meet racism but in isolated incidents. Let's not do that, because doing that is the reason why there has never been an honest national discussion on race relations between blacks and whites. We were unceremoniously kicked off the plantation, and basically told to shut about it and be glad we escaped the situation with our lives. Slavery is done as far as the law is concerned and that's that right? There isn't anymore to be said is there? There are no after effects are there? After hundreds of years in bondage and so many more in sub-human status, we are to kiss and make-up with not so much as a mumbling word said ever again?

This is why we can't talk about it honestly kai, because when people like me try to simply explain what all this has meant to us up until the present day, we are told to "get over it". I'll get over it when we no longer suffer as a community from the things our forefathers endured. As slaves we were taught to mistrust one another as a tactic to keep millions of slaves in line. Once we mistrust each other we will not listen to one another speak of escape and freedom for fear of death and other reprisals. We still do that today kai. Did you know that? Do you know we look upon each other with suspicion and are hardest on each other, and more critical about each other than we are anyone else? We are more prone to bring harm and destruction to one another than any one hence black-on-black crime still being a major issue in the black community.
what the heck is that all about ?still today you will not listen to on anotherspeak of escape for fear of death are you a prisoner of some kind ?where the heck do you live?
In order to "get over it" as you say, we black people (and it would help if white people would also listen and pay attention to it as well) must go back into the time of slavery and study it to understand why we act the way we do. Why we think the way we think. This will help us to improve our own situation and more forward so that slavery will be a grim but necessary reminder of what we must do, and how we must never propagate these things among each other ever again.

i am sorry fvm but your post smacks of wallowing in a self pity thats not even yours,if i lived 200 years ago in my country i went down a mine at 5 years old or up a chimney or the army/navy or i died of starvation i study history yes but i dont sit here and imagine i am one of those people because i simply am not.

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

i am sorry fvm but your post smacks of wallowing in a self pity thats not even yours,if i lived 200 years ago in my country i went down a mine at 5 years old or up a chimney or the army/navy or i died of starvation i study history yes but i dont sit here and imagine i am one of those people because i simply am not.

And you still don't get it. I am convinced you are making a rebuttal for the sake of a rebuttal rather than try to see what I am talking about. Going back to study the not-so-distant past of your people to understand it and learn from it, is not self pity kai. When the jews remember the holocaust are they wallowing in self-pity? Or are they reminding themselves of the seriousness of that time even though it was a bad time? Why is it that when black people talk about slavery and in what ways we feel it has affected us, we are automatically wallowing in self-pity? I guess we are supposed to pretend it never happened right?

The reality of the issue present-day is that we in the black community have a myriad of problems, many of which we are perpetuating on ourselves. To say that we should not or cannot look to slavery as a possible root to the problems we face TODAY, is stupid. To solve any problem one must understand the cause of it. To cure any disease one must study the disease itself, find its cause, then cure it from the root. When you want to get rid of weeds from your garden permanently, you don't just cut them from visibility you cut from the root to eliminate it altogether. This is what we must do. Solve our collective problems by focusing on the roots, whether the roots are from yesterday or 200 years ago.

The fact that you are totally blinded and lost on this issue is staggering to me. Furthermore, the fact that you have totally missed my point by continuing to tell me that I need to get over it, and that speaking of it at length in wallowing in self-pity means that me and you can't have this conversation.

 

[DallasApple]

We should never "pretend" it never happened.It needs to continue(as it is now) to be taught in history class in school to children...And if adults so choose..they can continue to study deeper.

But part of that teaching should be encouraging in that how far we have come from then.Similar to womens rights..Its interesting to look back at the not so distant past..what a womans typical role was and the opression and discemination she expereinced..As oppsed to modern day..So that I can be more appreciative of the rights I have today and of the people that fought for me to have them.

Blessings

Dallas

 

[DallasApple]

To cure any disease one must study the disease itself, find its cause, then cure it from the root. When you want to get rid of weeds from your garden permanently, you don't just cut them from visibility you cut from the root to eliminate it altogether. This is what we must do. Solve our collective problems by focusing on the roots, whether the roots are from yesterday or 200 years ago.

How do you propose you solve what happened 200 years ago?

Blessings

Dallas

 

[fullyveiled muslimah]

How do you propose you solve what happened 200 years ago?

Blessings

Dallas

I can't solve 200 years ago stuff. I'm not trying to, I'm talking about solving problems common to the black community, and part of that should be to take a look back at where these problems may have started. Some of these problems do have there roots hearkening back to slavery and to the turbulent times after that. Some of the problems have there roots in more modern times and are not particularly exclusive to blacks.

Can't figure for the life of me why that is a difficult thing to understand.

 

[DallasApple]

I can't solve 200 years ago stuff. I'm not trying to, I'm talking about solving problems common to the black community, and part of that should be to take a look back at where these problems may have started. Some of these problems do have there roots hearkening back to slavery and to the turbulent times after that. Some of the problems have there roots in more modern times and are not particularly exclusive to blacks.

Can't figure for the life of me why that is a difficult thing to understand.

Its not difficult to understand..Im just trying to learn here form you and your perspective.How you woudl "apply' the rememberance and understanding and knowledge of times gone by to solutions in the present..that is all..I mean no disrespect.

Love

Dallas

 

[lilithu]

If Asians are Asian American, and blacks are African American, whites should be called European American.

You are European American. I use that and white interchangeably, (tho I usually say "Euro-American" because it's shorter). Just as I often use African American and black interchangeably. And not all blacks like the term African American. Some would rather be called black. To complicate things even more, some blacks in the U.S. are in fact NOT African American.