I am white. I cut the sleeves of my hoody and have survived a hispanic? murderer! I coach an nfl team, really I do. In all seriousness, we could all be travyons. If I walked through a white neighborhood @ 1 am and was being followed by the neighborhood watch man, I, being the smarmy sob that I am would definitely say something back to him. And if said watch man had some history of violence and is short tempered...things would escalate quickly. If I rolled through Long point at 1 am with a hoodie, the mexican eses may think I belong to a mara things could escalate quickly. If I rolled through 5th ward with a hoodie at 1am, things might escalate quickly. see the pattern? don't be out walking at 2am, anywhere. and always suit up! pssh hoodies. SMH at hoodies!
Have to say, although I think your posts are racist and weird, I also appreciate that they are relatively civil, even though I provoked you. I'll take the r****d back.
There's nothing wrong with respecting your ancestors and knowing their history and allowing it to inform you and your identity. Where it becomes a problem is when you identify as "African" when you aren't African. You're African American, and your family narrative is extremely informed by that. My Ivorian drummer is African. He cooks fufu and yams and grew up listening to Fela Kuti and avoiding gangs with Kalishnikovs. He speaks French and three tribal langauges and speaks fluent English with Nigerian slang. His favorite thing to talk about is Didier Drogba and he only watches French TV shows and doesn't like monogomy. He's African! For three years, I worked in financial journalism and my beat was Sub-Saharan Africa. I regularly dealt with heads of state and African politicians and industrialists...including high ranking officials working for Robert Mugabe. Their identity as Africans is something they take very seriously and are very proud of, especially considering that the post-colonial phase of Africa's history is within their lifetimes, but they bristle when they deal with well-meaning Americans, Latin Americans and Europeans of African descent who claim common cause and identify with Africans. It's a source of jokes for them. My great-grandfather fought in the revolution in Ireland and was deported by the British to Florida in the early 20s. He supposedly knew Michael Collins. But that doesn't make me Irish. I can appreciate the history of it, and know where I came from, and I feel free to sing "Back Home in Derry" but if I tell an Irish person I'm Irish (and when I was younger I did just that, so I don't say this to insult you) they will laugh or even be insulted. I have grandparents and great grandparents from Mexico, Germany, and Italy as well. I like all those places. I've been to all those places, and can speak the languages to some degree, and I know the personal histories and have memories of relatives passing on family traditions (like giving kids wine at the table) that I loved, but I was born in the US, like my parents, and I grew up in the United States. Like everyone else on this planet, we have no say where we are born, and we both happen to be Americans, Amaru. By all means, visit West Africa, learn local languages, eat the food, study the culture, and expect people to be interested in your interest in them. Tell those that are inclined to listen the narrative of your family's history, but don't expect to identify as African and be taken seriously. I experience it nearly every day in Israel as well. Whether it's wealthy businessmen, religious enthusiasts, or wide eyed Jewish teens on their first trip abroad come to Israel from the US, they tell everyone that this is "their" country (it isn't -- they don't pay the high taxes or have to be drafted or deal with years of constant war) and then complain about it because the culture is more secular than they expected, less developed, more expensive, very Arab and Russian in many ways and a lot ruder than American sensibilities would tolerate. And then they don't understand why everyone makes jokes about Americans. So for your sake, don't be that guy!
^^ a lot of good stuff in this post, but I lol'd when you described the American Jews on their first trip to Israel. I saw this repeatedly when I was there-- in places like Masada and in Jerusalem, when you see the packs of very loud, misbehaving teens speaking in New York accents, you know you've come upon the "American Jews on their religious trip".
He's just looking for a more poetic way to say "black" and to tenuously piggy back on the hardships of slavery to reinforce his contemporary views. Notice the two references to actual Africans left him clueless and speechless.
They are awful and I go out of my way to avoid them, especially because I'm American. This parody came out a year and a half ago, and was passed around on Facebook. I normally don't like the show (Eretz Nehederet) but this very un-PC poke at the Taglit kids made me laugh. link and the video is here Eretz Nehederet takes on Birthright January 30, 2012 - 9:12 AM by David Eretz Nehederet actors portraying American-Jewish participants of a Birthright trip in ecstacy over learning they're going to visit Yad Vashem. The increasingly blurry relationship between Israel and American Jews continues to be a subject for discussion, criticism and parody. Only a few months ago, there was the controversy over the video campaign by the Ministry of Absorption to convince expatriate Israelis to come home. Whether due to lack of understanding by the makers of the videos (claim critics) or over sensitivity by those offended by the videos (claim advocates), the results proved that we don’t really see each other in the same we see ourselves. That’s why it’s good for someone to come along once in a while and flatten the playing field by being so offensive that you can’t help but laugh. And that someone this time is Eretz Nehederet, the irreverent Channel 2 comedy/satire series poking fun at current events, national leaders, and in this case of the premiere of its ninth season last week, the Birthright/Taglit program. As Haaretz put it, “In a rare jab at visiting Diaspora Jews, Israel’s premier satirical television show, Eretz Nehederet (A Wonderful Country), took on Taglit-Birthright Israel during its Monday night season premier.” The skit in question follows a Birthright group as they travel by bus through the country accompanied by an Israeli guide. You’ve got all the Diaspora Jewish stereotypes, as seen through Israeli eyes – the Jewish American Princesses, the partying, vulgar frat boys and the drug and the sex-addled South American participants. Cynical to the nth degree, the skit – conducted in a mixture of Hebrew and English -manages to make fun of American Jewish allegiance to Israel, Birthright’s use of Holocaust guilt to encourage the participants to hit up their parents for contributions, and the cocky Israeli mentality as portrayed by the tour guide whose bravado gets him blown up by a land mine. The skit (available here at least temporarily) loses steam half way through, but it’s still worth searching for in Hebrew on YouTube for its first few minutes for the setup, which provides some of the sharpest parody the show has created. If American Jewish-Israeli ties were tenuous before this, I shudder to think where they’ll go after the sensitive American Jewish community views this.
There's nothing wrong with respecting your ancestors and knowing their history and allowing it to inform you and your identity. Agreed Where it becomes a problem is when you identify as "African" when you aren't African I disagree but your opinion has been duly noted. You're African American, and your family narrative is extremely informed by that. Incorrect. While I don't follow the social constructs made by this European-American society...I've already stated which of these social constructs I fall into. "African-American" doesn't even begin to describe my family's history or new identities in this "new world". If you wish to refer to me by these "social constructs" at least have to decency to do so correctly. My Ivorian drummer is African. He cooks fufu and yams and grew up listening to Fela Kuti and avoiding gangs with Kalishnikovs. He speaks French and three tribal langauges and speaks fluent English with Nigerian slang. His favorite thing to talk about is Didier Drogba and he only watches French TV shows and doesn't like monogomy. He's African! Ahhhh....the "your not a real african, this is a real african" argument. I have to admit, I don't hear this one too much from Europeans. Your "Ivorian drummer" (assuming this person does exist) is not the authority on all things african. Listening to Fela Kuti isn't a requirement for being an african ( btw.......Fela Kuti was an PAN-AFRICANIST as is his son Femi Kuti......just so you know) Whether or not this person sees descendants of the Maafa as "true africans" or not doesn't change who we are. For three years, I worked in financial journalism and my beat was Sub-Saharan Africa. I regularly dealt with heads of state and African politicians and industrialists...including high ranking officials working for Robert Mugabe. Irrelevant fluff Their identity as Africans is something they take very seriously and are very proud of, especially considering that the post-colonial phase of Africa's history is within their lifetimes, but they bristle when they deal with well-meaning Americans, Latin Americans and Europeans of African descent who claim common cause and identify with Africans. It's a source of jokes for them. Don't generalize all of us based on your experiences with "real africans" (as you call them). Just like some Africans buy into the European social constructs, there are those who share my Pan-Africanist POV. Once again, we are a global, diverse people. Just about every possible viewpoint can be found within the global african community. Don't assume that the opinions of a few are representative of the whole. My great-grandfather fought in the revolution in Ireland and was deported by the British to Florida in the early 20s. He supposedly knew Michael Collins. But that doesn't make me Irish. I can appreciate the history of it, and know where I came from, and I feel free to sing "Back Home in Derry" but if I tell an Irish person I'm Irish (and when I was younger I did just that, so I don't say this to insult you) they will laugh or even be insulted. Irrelevant fluff I have grandparents and great grandparents from Mexico, Germany, and Italy as well. I like all those places. I've been to all those places, and can speak the languages to some degree, and I know the personal histories and have memories of relatives passing on family traditions (like giving kids wine at the table) that I loved, but I was born in the US, like my parents, and I grew up in the United States. Like everyone else on this planet, we have no say where we are born, Irrelevant fluff and we both happen to be Americans, Amaru You may share ancestry with some First Nation people....but I don't share any ancestry, to speak of, with any of those groups. Therefore I do not call myself an American. Sidenote: I have heard from many residents from other American countries (meaning other countries on the American continents) that they find it somewhat offensive that U.S citizens feel they have some monopoly on the term "American" even though they are just one of many countries on the land masses..........another topic. By all means, visit West Africa, learn local languages, eat the food, study the culture, and expect people to be interested in your interest in them. Tell those that are inclined to listen the narrative of your family's history, but don't expect to identify as African and be taken seriously. Once again, you generalize possibly the most diverse group of people on the planet. Some "real africans" see "diaspora africans" as africans like themselves and others see them as a completely different people. It depends on the person and their personal views. There is no general consensus within the global african community despite what you wish to believe. If you want to read stories about popular "African-Americans" being accepted by "true Africans", a good person to start with is Isaiah Washington's " A Man from Another Land". While the book is a tad bit romantic at time, it is overall a good read. I experience it nearly every day in Israel as well. Whether it's wealthy businessmen, religious enthusiasts, or wide eyed Jewish teens on their first trip abroad come to Israel from the US, they tell everyone that this is "their" country (it isn't -- they don't pay the high taxes or have to be drafted or deal with years of constant war) and then complain about it because the culture is more secular than they expected, less developed, more expensive, very Arab and Russian in many ways and a lot ruder than American sensibilities would tolerate. And then they don't understand why everyone makes jokes about Americans. Irrelevant fluff So for your sake, don't be that guy!
Yeah, but that's the thing, to an African, the slave trade takes back seat to poverty, colonialism, post-colonialism, war, and exploitation of resources. I also didn't know what to think when people like Danny Glover and Oprah invested so much time and money in South Africa (who aren't eactly descended from the Zulu, Sotho, Xhosha, and Nbdele), when they could have gone to Liberia or other West African countries were their ancestors actually were from and need the assistance and attention to their plight much more direly.
I'm not going to do research for you, but here's one article I found with a quick 2 minute google search: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...sCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false
You are generalizing African people. There are those who see "Colonialism" as something separate and unrelated to the "Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade" and there are those who view them as parts of a whole......The Maafa As for Oprah going to South Africa...she was well intentioned but misinformed. She eventually traced part of her lineage to (I believe) the Kru people of present day Liberia. I may be wrong when it comes to the specific ethnic group, but I know for a fact that part of her lineage was traced back to an ethnic group in present day Liberia. You could probably find her story on Youtube via African Ancestry...but I'm too lazy to go back and look at this present time tbh.
Fixed.....African American lives not African Ancestry. African Ancestry was the company that conducted the testings.......and still conducts such testing on people who request it. My apologized for the mix up.
I'm not going to bother addressing 30 year old data nor am I going to look for research backing up YOUR arguments. If you have something more relevant please feel free to post.
No; you're just too stupid to differentiate between continents and racial groups, to lazy to learn basic facts about the continent you claim to adopt and just enough of a dick to invalidate another people's culture, more than likely because you resent their race.
I apologize for calling you a "fignewton". I should have taken more time to think of a more appropriate response. As for the rest of this post, your opinion has been duly noted. I assure you my name is not Richard and I can also assure you that I am not a penis.
