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Discussion: White smudging runs deep
Member Since: 1/1/2014
Posts: 3,677
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Quote:
Originally posted by cloudinthesky
Best post in this thread tbh. 
Sadly, the ATRL members that need to see this, will not read it and probably are not even checking for this great thread.  |
I'm white, and until this thread I thought black people were just overreacting but everything said here has opened my eyes
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 40,803
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Quote:
Originally posted by its_britney_bitch
I'm white, and until this thread I thought black people were just overreacting but everything said here has opened my eyes |
Yes baby, open your eyes
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Member Since: 4/30/2012
Posts: 16,573
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Quote:
Originally posted by Nonchalant
Also, with regards to African history, it is absolutely true that Africa had a rich and diverse culture, along with many cities destroyed in European conquest or left deserted. It is absolutely true that in Europe's dark and medieval ages, the coastal regions of Africa thrived in trade, as did Swahili cultures.
However, there's no denying that Africa fell behind very quickly. Europe, The Middle-East and East Asia developed thriving academia, and secular thought finally began to re-emerge. Virtually all of the major technological advances we know well came from these regions. Ultimately, Europe became the master of military technology and logistics and you know they used it. I don't know that you can blame white people for this, as I feel if other races had developed military superiority we'd have seen similar things; Europe would probably be Islamic, for instance.
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But how can you say that when there is only ONE country in Africa (Ethiopia) that wasn't at some point a European colony and under white subjugation? Countries in Africa weren't able to achieve independence until the 1950's, and were left with unstable governments, a severe lack of resources, and little fiscal power. Eventually many of these countries fell into political unrest or civil war and that's the image of Africa that is portrayed today.
But what was the catalyst of Africa's troubles? Oh yeah, colonialism.
And I KNOW you're not justifying the savage rape of Africa by European forces just because they developed better weaponry, right? No one should have to explain to you what is problematic about that. 
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 40,803
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Quote:
Originally posted by GrandMomCookies
It will never stop tbh it goes beyond music ( the most place it's happeing right now )
Take Africa they want us to think it's disgusting and what us to be greatful for them putting us on them ships  |
I think the music thing is debatable, but the Africa comment is so true. Ice never thought about it that way 
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Member Since: 9/2/2012
Posts: 7,210
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There's a masterpost floating around on tumblr somewhere of all the accomplishments and inventions that have come from africa (and another master post regarding inventions from the middle east) It's a great read as it has sources and everything.
I'm a huge history nut and I find it so disgusting and degrading that most if not all the history taught in americas education system is whitewashed.
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Banned
Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 11,844
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Quote:
Originally posted by Mezter
I think the music thing is debatable, but the Africa comment is so true. Ice never thought about it that way |
It's really sad
They mad Africa look so bad with that EBLOA mess
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Banned
Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 11,844
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rihhyonce
But how can you say that when there is only ONE country in Africa (Ethiopia) that wasn't at some point a European colony and under white subjugation? Countries in Africa weren't able to achieve independence until the 1950's, and were left with unstable governments, a severe lack of resources, and little fiscal power. Eventually many of these countries fell into political unrest or civil war and that's the image of Africa that is portrayed today.
But what was the catalyst of Africa's troubles? Oh yeah, colonialism.
And I KNOW you're not justifying the savage rape of Africa by European forces just because they developed better weaponry, right? No one should have to explain to you what is problematic about that. |
I think it's time to GO there cause he then did it
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Member Since: 9/2/2012
Posts: 7,210
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Also I encourage everyone who hasn't to watch 'White King, Red Rubber, Black Death.' Which, in short is about the hell that happened when Belgium colonized the Congos. However watch at your own risk, I had to watch it for my mid-semester essay and its honestly sickening.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUZLtkLA0VE
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Banned
Member Since: 3/15/2013
Posts: 11,844
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I remember reading a slave memoir where the enslaved woman was sold to another owner but she learned how to read and write the English language before she was sold. Anyway she was separated from her children which were the "masters" children and long story short she wrote a letter to the "mistress" of the house to ask how she was doing and how were the children. The mistress wrote back telling her to never write her again. She then writes ANOTHER letter to the mistress which only said "I am full of sympathy for you yet your heart is cold towards me. For I was FORCED to lay with your husband yet you CHOOSE to."
I don't get why white people feel the ENTITLEMENT of everything yet don't want to GIVE anything.
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Member Since: 5/28/2010
Posts: 29,225
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Quote:
Originally posted by its_britney_bitch
I'm white, and until this thread I thought black people were just overreacting but everything said here has opened my eyes |
And honestly I can't blame you for thinking that. White people don't have to deal with these issues. So I can see why one would think "they are just overreacting". But it's important that people realize we aren't and other minorities aren't either. We have reasons and at the end of the day, we just want to be seen as who we are...people. Thank you for exposing yourself to a different issue you'll never deal with because that's hard for many people to do, myself included. 
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Member Since: 8/19/2013
Posts: 121
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You also have to blame this on black people themselves and their lack of desire to learn about their own culture. In high school we had the option whether to learn about African History or not in my AP World History class - everyone in the class (black people included - the 4 of us in there) opted out. Not only that, I go to a predominately white college and I took an African History class as an elective - not a single other POC. The problem of whitewashing (if that is even the case) will continue as long as blacks stay docile and apathetic towards their own history.
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Member Since: 4/30/2012
Posts: 16,573
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Quote:
Originally posted by its_britney_bitch
I'm white, and until this thread I thought black people were just overreacting but everything said here has opened my eyes |
Loves it.
Quote:
Originally posted by Deuces
And honestly I can't blame you for thinking that. White people don't have to deal with these issues. So I can see why one would think "they are just overreacting". But it's important that people realize we aren't and other minorities aren't either. We have reasons and at the end of the day, we just want to be seen as who we are...people. Thank you for exposing yourself to a different issue you'll never deal with because that's hard for many people to do, myself included. |
!!!!
It's easy to get frustrated and caught up in emotion, but we do have to realize that no one is born #WOKE and that we're all unlearning generations of toxic systemic ideology. Especially white people who don't have to experience life as a person of color. And not everyone is gonna get it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and foster understanding.
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Member Since: 5/28/2010
Posts: 29,225
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rihhyonce
It's easy to get frustrated and caught up in emotion, but we do have to realize that no one is born #WOKE and that we're all unlearning generations of toxic systemic ideology. Especially white people who don't have to experience life as a person of color. And not everyone is gonna get it, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and foster understanding.
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Basically. That's why I love talking to white people about race. If they are receptive, it usually fosters a great dialogue and we both leave the conversation with a new perspective and understanding.
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Member Since: 9/18/2010
Posts: 18,082
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Quote:
Originally posted by tomorrowforgotten
You also have to blame this on black people themselves and their lack of desire to learn about their own culture. In high school we had the option whether to learn about African History or not in my AP World History class - everyone in the class (black people included - the 4 of us in there) opted out. Not only that, I go to a predominately white college and I took an African History class as an elective - not a single other POC. The problem of whitewashing (if that is even the case) will continue as long as blacks stay docile and apathetic towards their own history.
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Lol no.
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Member Since: 8/17/2013
Posts: 7,248
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Quote:
Originally posted by Rihhyonce
But how can you say that when there is only ONE country in Africa (Ethiopia) that wasn't at some point a European colony and under white subjugation? Countries in Africa weren't able to achieve independence until the 1950's, and were left with unstable governments, a severe lack of resources, and little fiscal power. Eventually many of these countries fell into political unrest or civil war and that's the image of Africa that is portrayed today.
But what was the catalyst of Africa's troubles? Oh yeah, colonialism.
And I KNOW you're not justifying the savage rape of Africa by European forces just because they developed better weaponry, right? No one should have to explain to you what is problematic about that. |
I'm not justifying the absolutely inhumane, disgusting part of it, you missed my point. The catalyst of Africa's present day troubles is absolutely colonialism.
I'm saying that it is inaccurate to characterise history in the way that some people are dong here; as if all cultures were equally advanced but Europeans were racist and therefore decided to conquer the world. Everyone was trying to conquer everyone. There are truckloads of examples of non-European empire building before the colonial period.
Anyway, its not a particularly useful dialogue for the present day situation, which y'all in this thread are absolutely right about. Thankfully, the white man power block is dying.
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Member Since: 3/25/2012
Posts: 10,673
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Quote:
Originally posted by its_britney_bitch
I'm white, and until this thread I thought black people were just overreacting but everything said here has opened my eyes |
I applaud your openness to learning and understanding the struggles of a culture that is not your own. Really wish more people were as open-minded and eager to educate themselves as you are. 
Quote:
Originally posted by tomorrowforgotten
You also have to blame this on black people themselves and their lack of desire to learn about their own culture. In high school we had the option whether to learn about African History or not in my AP World History class - everyone in the class (black people included - the 4 of us in there) opted out. Not only that, I go to a predominately white college and I took an African History class as an elective - not a single other POC. The problem of whitewashing (if that is even the case) will continue as long as blacks stay docile and apathetic towards their own history.
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nnn I don't know. Sure, it's easy to say that, but can you really blame little black kids for not wanting to learn about black history when they've been told all their lives that black history/culture is insignificant, irrelevant, unimportant? I mean just a couple pages back someone said their teacher told them they were skipping over African history because it didn't matter. 
Why waste your time learning something that's insignificant in the grand scheme of things, when you can use your time to learn about important things like Columbus conquering the evil Indians and turning them into a civil culture, all the while discovering America?
This kind of thing runs deep within the psyche of many young blacks in America. I remember watching a segment on the news a long time ago where (and I'm paraphrasing here because I don't remember it perfectly) a teacher held up two dolls, one black and one white. She asked a classroom full of black boys and girls which one they thought was prettier and the kids unanimously agreed on the white one. When asked why, some of them said "because the black one is ugly", or something to that effect.  When you're told over and over that your skin color is ugly and insignificant from such an early age, that's what you will begin to believe, whether you're conscious of it or not.
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Member Since: 2/2/2014
Posts: 6,765
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All of history is Eurocentric. World history for me and probably most schools focus 90% on Europeans. Why not talk about African empires or Asian civilizations? Even American history hardly mentions the contribution of black people. Meanwhile black slaves broke their backs building this country. Everything in the education system needs to be revised. We live our whole childhood only hearing about how great white people are so of course everyone will think they're superior when POC of done a lot of great things to contribute to art, inventions, etc.
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Member Since: 8/18/2013
Posts: 40,566
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Quote:
Originally posted by Deuces
The media highlights many issues in the black community. And yes they are issues we are going through but every community has its issues. But can we get into how resilient and amazing black Americans are? Literally being stripped of EVERYTHING. Culture gone, stories gone, language gone, lifestyle gone. Forced to be servant to white people, forced to be below white people, forced into an area that is not meant for them. However, black Americans were able to create lemons out of lemonade. Fast forward today, black Americans have a history of struggle and fight (that still continues) but along with that came a culture. Black humor originated from slaves finding ways to talk about their masters without explicitly talking about them...essentially the earliest version of what we know as "shade". Black American food "soul food" originates from the scraps given to them. Our music originates from the need of a way to express our struggle; it is our commonality. We literally created a culture out of nothing. A culture with a large global influence. You have Koreans rapping. You have Europeans throwing shade and essentially signifying. Hell even the N-word and it's global presence exemplifies that. Richard Pryor's usage of it got people all over saying it. Our influence, our culture, our lifestyle, our determination, our ambition. Truly amazing and severely under-looked and under-appreciated.
Black Americans need to realize that being black is not about who can be the best representation of what the media says being black is. It's about being who we really are. Pioneers...decedents from royalty who can make something of their life and contribute to the overall well being of the world. Yes we have issues now with stuff like profiling and brutality, but once we realize what we have overcome and created, we can strive forward past the white systematic ********.
tl;dr: black americans slay, have been for years and we need to realize that.
Also this is the mindset I like to view myself from because I know nothing about Africa and while I can educate myself (and have been), I honestly will never feel that connection. My culture is black American culture and it will be the culture I raise my children with and continue to live my life with.
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/endthread
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Member Since: 4/30/2012
Posts: 16,573
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