[Rev-J-ODaily]

Does it hurt that much to be an African American?

User Detail :  

Name : Rev-J-ODaily, Age : 38, City : Tallahassee, State : FL Country : United States, 

[Ebony]

I don't find it painful, but maybe my grandparents did. I don't because I do not run into as much outright hate as my grandparents and parents did. I think of them being told they were lower than whites - having it pushed in their faces would make it painful. Being put down based on something you cannot change: your skin color. It would also hurt to see that no matter how well you raise your child, they will never do as well in life as a white child raised the same way.

User Detail :  

Name : Ebony, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 23, City : Utrecht, State : NA Country : The Netherlands, Occupation : Student, Social class : Middle class, 

[Rochelle29600]

It depends on where you live. I grew up in Boston, Mass. - probably one of the most segregated/racist cities in the United States. Life was hard - fighting for a decent education, job, place to live - life seemed unbearable.

User Detail :  

Name : Rochelle29600, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Unaffiliated, Age : 33, City : Albuquerque, State : NM Country : United States, Occupation : Self employed, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Gary]

It hurts a lot, and unless you are an African American, you can't know what it's like. I mean like, you walk into a store, and they already know you want to steal something so they got their eyes on you all the time. That is not fair, that's discrimination. Just walking down the street , well, you know what I'm sayin', everyone I meet could be the former owner of something I stole, so they don't even want to look at me. But maybe I didn't steal from them. Then the cops want to haul me in for just about anything because I look like somebody else. Unfair again. It's everywhere, and I can't get away from it.

User Detail :  

Name : Gary, Gender : M, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, 

[Truly24923]

I think the simple fact you have to ask that question is an example of it. As a member of a majority, (assuming you are white) you would never be accused of being a robber or thief simply because of your skin. Minorities are continuously put into categories based on on color. Even when we exceed this stereotypes, it seems to be an exception to the rule or a surprise. I once had a woman compliment me on how well I spoke English, as if it weren't my native language. Even though it was definitely more painful for my ancestors than it is for me, I still experience racism. I once went with some friends to a place where a guy had up a poster that said 'If we knew it was gonna be like this, we would've picked our own cotton.' JUst think about how painful it is to be made fun of because of something you can't change like being crossed-eyed or having big ears. The difference is, the pain of this lessens with time. The pain of racism (Or sexism,ageism,ableism, heterosexism,etc.) takes much longer, if it ever does.

User Detail :  

Name : Truly24923, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 22, City : Richmond, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

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