[Tola24659]

I've noticed when I've gone to almost all-white college bars that I am THE MAN. It's almost like I'm a celebrity, as in, "Hey! It's THE Black Guy!" What's that about?

User Detail :  

Name : Tola24659, Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Catholic, Age : 23, City : Silver Spring, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Diana-E]

I do not have the answer. Working as an ortho tech at a Dayton hospital, I know when white men enter certain black bars, they are at risk. The story is usually the same: A young white male in the 'wrong' bar. It happens too often. They come to our ER by ambulance beaten to a pulp, wallet gone, nobody saw a THING. I counter your question by asking, why isn't the WHITE patron 'the man' instead of 'the target'? I have seen enough cracked skulls.

User Detail :  

Name : Diana-E, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 28, City : Dayton, State : OH Country : United States, Occupation : Ortho Tech, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Gail-L21761]

Well, Diana, to keep the white males you speak of from being victims, obviously they shouldn't go where they are not wanted. Too many times I've been in bars frequented by a majority black clientele, where some obnoxious white guys showed up to harass a group of people together minding their own business. If you don't want trouble, don't go looking for it, or start it.

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Name : Gail-L21761, Gender : F, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States, 

[ED25490]

I agree, Gail. I've seen white frat boys come into a black establishment (as if on a dare or something) and stand at the bar smirking all night, but nobody has bothered them. I've also seen white men and women in black bars just to enjoy themselves with dancing and drinking, and nobody has bothered them, either. Tola, I think all that 'you da man' stuff is because the people you are with probably grew up in some all-white suburb and don't understand that they should just relate to you as a person, not as a 'black person.'

User Detail :  

Name : ED25490, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 46, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, 

[Dan27178]

I would agree with the above poster that they are probably from a predominantly white suburban or rural environment, where contact with black folks is few and far between. However, they would certainly have had access to black music, movies, clothes, etc. And since you seem to be the 'lone black guy' that comes along every so often, you are subjected to this idealization and 'novelty fascination' almost by default. Subliminal images of Ludakris, Isaac Hayes, Russel Simmons, John Shaft, TLC, Curtis Mayfield, Samuel L. Jackson and Halle Berry (and perhaps even Cornel West and Langston Hughes) flash before their subconsciouses all at once, and they inadvertantly respond and act accordingly.

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Name : Dan27178, Gender : M, Race : Hispanic/Latino (may be any race), Religion : Pentecostal, Age : 23, City : Los Angeles, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : Soon-to-be grad student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[B. Johnson]

ARE YOU STUPID OR SOMETHING? IF IT DIDN'T WORK THEN, WHY WOULD IT WORK NOW? AND THE CLAIM THAT WHITES WOULD BE SAFER IS STUPID. HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A SOCIOLOGY COURSE? DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE COLLAR CRIME AND BLUE COLLAR CRIME? THE BOTTOM LINE OF IT IS SKIN COLOR. WHITE PEOPLE DO NOT GO TO JAIL FOR THE SAME CRIMES. AND FYI, THERE ARE MORE WHITE CRACKHEADS, SERIAL KILLERS, CHILD MOLESTERS, SERIAL RAPISTS, ALCOHOLICS, HEROINE ADDICTS, METH ADDICTS, BANK ROBBERS, LIERS, CHEATERS, AND ALL AROUND PRICKS IN THE WORLD THAN ALL OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS. YOU ARE THE MOST IGNORANT, UNEDUCATED, CULTURELESS, LETS BITE OFF OF THE BLACKS, HISPANICS, ASIANS, ETC. BECAUSE WE HAVE NO SENSE OF SELF, STEALING, MURDERING WANT TO BE PERFECT GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE WORLD. THE ONLY CULTURE YOU HAVE IS TO STEP ON PEOPLE TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER ABOUT ALL OF THE WRONG YOU HAVE DONE TO EVERY SINGLE ETHNIC GROUP IN THE WORLD. WE WILL SEE IF YOU ARE STILL TALKING THAT CRAP IN 20 YRS WHEN YOU ARE THE MINORITY!! GOD BLESS YOU

User Detail :  

Name : B. Johnson, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Religion : African Methodist Episcopalian, Age : 27, City : Corpus Christi, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : HEALCARE, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Aaron B.]

Gail, your response to Diana is absurd. Saying that someone is looking for or starting trouble just because they go to a bar where they are a minority color is racist. It seems to me that a white person has as much a priviledge to be in that bar as anyone else. Diana didn't say that her friends were causing any problems so you can't make the assumption that they were. Who cares if the black folks don't want them there? They want to be there and have the right to be there without being a target.

User Detail :  

Name : Aaron B., Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Milwaukee, State : WI Country : United States, Occupation : ministry, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, 

[Christine32083]

This same phenomena occured whenever a black person was around the town where I grew up, too. Quite simply, he was a like a novelty. I grew up in an all-white area, with only whites for miles around. We saw blacks only on television and in the movies, or on rare trips to the city (where we would stand and stare in silent awe). Whenever a black guy was around, we thought he was the coolest thing to ever walk this earth, because he was so different, and -- I imagine this is especially true nowadays with the further rise in rap music -- his color represented the whole 'glamorous' rapper lifestyle that the kids would see on MTV. Basically, we didn't know any better because of our lack of exposure. I imagine that these guys in the bar you visit are feeling something similar, if they also grew up in predominately white areas.

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Name : Christine32083, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 25, City : Spring Park, State : MN Country : United States, Occupation : Teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[jason31281]

Well its very simple actually. Sounds like your someone thats just very well liked and there is the fact that your different. So in an effort to treat you the same they are probibally overcompensating. You know that blacks interact differently than wites interact when there together. But it sounds like they genuinely like you but dont know you well enough to just be themselves. Ive had many black friends and was always told i was 'the coolest white boy they knew'. Same situation really, I took it as an compliment.

User Detail :  

Name : jason31281, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 29, City : KC, State : KS Country : United States, Social class : Middle class, 

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