I have been around, and yet I am still surprised at the internal friction within the 'races.' On Kristina's note that there's 'a shortage of available black men,' and that 'darker-skinned women are least desired' ouch! I hope not everyone believes that! If so, why is it so difficult, then, for a white guy attracted to a black woman to get a chance at dating and romance? Not every white dude is a hillbilly redneck and a bigot. Although we may be cautious and fearful of a serious ass-whoopin (personal experience here), and not ignorant of the additional stresses for inter-racial couples, some of US are available and include black women in our dreams - please tell me why we don't seem to be allowed close as 'men'? I guess I know of Swede's who would NEVER date an Italian or... well, what is UP, people?!
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Name : Tommy Shaw, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 55, City : Huxley, State : IA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Why would you post something like this, especially when 1) no one asked and 2) you understand it to be a 'dirty little secret' what is your obligation to air it? It's not unifying for black people and creates fodder for further streotyping by whites (cause you know they're just going to assume all blacks suffer from a color complex). Think; then post.
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Name : Dominique, Gender : F, Age : 25, City : Newport News, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : Law Student, In my experience as a white jazz musician formerly working in the square world of auditing during the day, racist whites tend to prefer light-skinned blacks with straightened hair who speak the 'Queen's English,' in other words: Oreos or Uncle Toms. The phenomenon does date back to slavery and creoles or 'high yellows' but is pervasive today. However, I think dark black is very beautiful.
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Name : David, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 46, City : San Francisco, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : musician, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, The short answer is, 'Skin colour distinguishes 'blacks' from one another'. Here's an approximate conversation that a (white) friend had with the locals while spending a year in East Africa: LOCAL: She's the black one over there FRIEND: But you're all black! LOCAL (laughing): No we're not. She's black, I'm brown, she's light brown. Can't you tell the difference? FRIEND Well, maybe LOCAL: But we can't tell you white people apart at all FRIEND: Even though I have blond hair and blue eyes and my colleague has brown hair and brown eyes? LOCAL (peering into Friend's eyes) Well, so you do! ... I also remember, but can't locate, an article about eyewitnesses to crimes; apparently 'blacks' remember skin tone better while 'whites' remember hair and eye colour better.
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Name : John, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, City : Edinburgh, State : NA Country : United Kingdom, I found it interesting while in Botswana and Zimbabwe to hear the local blacks say that American African-Americans were not black. They think of them as 'colored' as in the old apartheid system.
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Name : Bob23102, City : Door county, State : WI Country : United States, There was a bit from a very old Saturday Night Live (so old, it was Garrett Morris), a segment called 'Black Talk.' In it, Garrett Morris, who is very dark, asked the guest, I forget who, I want to say Andrew Young, but anyway, a lighter-skinned black, about intelligence testing of different racial groups could have started the idea that blacks are not as smart as whites, since the tests had been around only a few years, but people had said that for a long time. The guest responded rather matter-of-factly that it stemmed from the fact that light-skinned blacks are smarter than dark-skinned blacks. The double take that Garrett Morris gave... and the 'say what?' was the punchline, and the fade out arguing over the point...
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Name : Alex29030, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 41, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, because black women are very jelous... i have studied this for years and find black women to be very aggresive, very untrusting. i think because of years of thinking they look bad cause of there skin color they try to fill the void by judging others.
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Name : wrg, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : non dem, Age : 40, City : va bch, State : VA Country : United States, Occupation : business owner, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Upper class, Hello, I would like to first point out I am neither black, nor white. Actually eurasian, and that has nothing to do with the topic at hand. I am, however, somewhat well travelled and multi-cultural. While this discussion is centered on america, slaves and black americans, in my experience, and those of the many cultural backgrounds I've encountered, the 'black pecking order' is not american-african centric and has been around for a long time, and not 'started by whites'. Unfortunatly, in many cultures, generally, the darker you are, the lower your social order. This is not just a black-african issue, but for apparently all creeds of people except whites, such as Indians and Indonesians. Why? Sorry, I don't know.
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Name : Tilo, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 30, City : Hässleholm, State : NA Country : Sweden, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, All my life I have heard black people refer to eachother as bright, redbone, high yellow, etc. I have understood this to be mostly intended to be descriptive. I have also noticed that lighter skinned blacks seem to prefer lighter skinned mates. I have noticed the analysis along the lines of 'house slaves' and 'field slaves'. I generally find this analysis to be tiring. In this case there may be some probity in it. I am currently reading 'Sweet Hell Inside'. This is a narrative history of a black family in Charleston. It is noted there that they were light skinned and shunned association with darker skinned blacks.
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Name : Tom, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 54, City : Boston, State : MA Country : United States, Occupation : Developer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Thank you for your question. First of all, the names you heard are probably akin to names your 'group' has for those it thinks are better and/or worse. These names have recently come into vogue: redneck, white trash, etc. Redneck 'could' apply to most people but I think stems from the fact that white/lighter people in the sun get red necks. WASPs looked (look?) down on Catholics. Blue states look down on red states and vice versa. Think of it that way, because the verbiage may differ but the actions are the same... Truly boils down to 'class'...and further, insecurity that makes people try to build themselves up by putting others down. One of the reasons why black women are 'so quick to label other blacks by color', is because the powers that be did it to themselves and then to everyone who didn't look like them. Case in point: a Black Irish is an Irish person with dark hair vs. the stereotypical redhead with freckles and extremely fair skin. It exists across all color lines, all classes, all geographical regions, countries, etc. Again thanks for your question...I wonder though, why it struck you so much that you had to ask. There is an adage (truth I think) that when something bugs you or you really pay attention to it, it's because you're looking in the mirror. I've done it, among all races and classes, so I know too.
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Name : TWilkins, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : African Methodist Episcopalian, City : Venice, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, The staff of this website edit material they dont agree with, even if it is within the terms for posting. This is no open forum. Its an opinion page run by a liberal newspaper guy
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Name : Kenneth26450, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : mixed, Religion : Taoist, Age : 37, City : Philly, State : PA Country : United States, Occupation : CEO, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Gee--Let's see---Because they wish that they were born white?
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Name : NorthernDisclosures, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 40, City : Out in the Hills, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Getting There, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Oh my Dear! I am so sorry to hear this! Now, I realize just how ridiculous we all have been! White AND black!
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Name : NorthernDisclosures, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 40, City : Out in the Hills, State : MI Country : United States, Occupation : Getting There, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I just wanted to respond in defense of Howard University. Having straight hair is not a requirement to be a part of anything at the University. Howard is the Mecca of HBCUs. Just stroll the campus and recognize the rich culture of that school. There may be sub-groups of people who continue to walk around existing in such an ignorant state of mind, but the University does not promote such a thing. With Regards, Howard University Alumni
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Name : Deborah25784, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 38, City : Charlotte, State : NC Country : United States, Occupation : School Social Worker, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 'A lot of black people, unlike other cultures, believe in a very Euro-centric standard of beauty. Light-skinned blacks are seen as being closer to white' Not just black people. Here in Japan, a lighter shade of skin is associated with being beautiful. However, it is not due to being closer to white, but rather because historically, working people were out in the fields and where very dark, while the elite could stay inside and enjoy the sun, and so had a lighter complexion.
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Name : Jay31320, City : Tokyo, State : NA Country : Japan, 
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