Your comment that it is easier and more advantageous to be a white person, in my opinion, condones racism. You sound like one of those white people who goes around making sure people know you have a 'black friend'. I wonder what Will Smith would say if he read that he doesn't really qualify as a black character. He's a black man and an actor....hello? It never ceases to amaze me what certain (thankfully, not all) white Americans really think when it comes to all manner of being black. Ask yourself: Would you rather be a rich black person or a poor white person?
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, I remember you as the girl who hates being mistaken for being a black person. Now you are encouraging a black woman for wanting to date outside her race! I see you have listed yourself as 28 years old at this posting, but 27 at your Anti-Black posting. You've grown up a bit, but it seems only physically.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, I wonder how long you have lived in Tennessee. Do you know the history of Africans in America? Particularly the history of blacks in America's Deep South? Obviously there is still a lot of hate and ignorance in people's hearts in that part of the country, and with all due respect, in terms of the oneness of the person and their environment, you are in the right place. It sounds to me like you really HATE being identified as a black person. Why does it bother you so much? Why don't you just walk around with a big sign on your back saying 'I'm WHITE', or whatever race you consider yourself to be? Really, the idea of race is all in our heads. Do some homework and you will see for yourself that it is nationality that, figuratively, separates us, not skin color. I am a black woman living in Australia. I am surrounded by Polynesian people who I think are beautiful both physically and in spirit. Here, I am a serious minority but I love the idea that I am contributing to Australia's multi-culturalism. Why do you care so much what people think you are? How do YOU feel about who and what you are? In my opinion, people who turn away from you because of your perceived 'race' are not people I'd want as friends, anyway. You are only 27 but you obviously have much to learn. You ask what can you do to change this. My answer: Once you change your mindset, you will find your environment will change to reflect what is in your heart. Until then....well, let's just say that you reap what you sow.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, With all due respect Daniel, it's a relief to finally have negative focus off us for a change. Seriously, though, I think some people just love to hate. You and I both know that we are all human beings with the same potential to manifest both good and evil. It's all about what comes from the heart.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, Earlier this year I went back to the US to visit my family. There I saw a white kid sporting his 'grill'. He looked just as ridiculous as everyone else who wears them.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, It is best that someone set you straight while you are still very young. Money is NOT everything in the black culture!! That may be the case with the younger set, when you are judged by your peers for just about everything you do, wear, think, who you hang out with, etc, but then even that is not exclusive to African American culture. Just like the majority of the questions asked by white Americans in YForum who believe that because they see one or a few black people do this or that and think that we are all the same! The answer you gave indicates that you have a lot to learn.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, Jerry. I am a black woman and have loved NPR since I discovered it years ago while dial-surfing. Now that I live abroad, I occasionally listen to it thru the internet. I love the stories and international news and perspectives. If there are some items on their show that I can't or don't relate to then so what?! If someone said the same thing about one of the hiphop stations or a station that catered primarily to black Americans (which I suspect you are -- especially since you didn't say one way or the other), or a certain youth culture, you'd probably be the first in line to defend it! Lighten up Jerry! There's something out there for everyone and as long as there is no negative or hateful (or racist) espousal coming from the station, then 'don't hate!'. Like one of the responders to your rant said, if you don't like what you hear, don't listen!!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, You've made it all sound so horrible, like she's going in for surgery instead of having sex for the first time!!! Some women don't bleed as profusely as you've led this poor girl to believe! And it just may not 'hurt like hell'! Gosh! If her man is understanding and gentle, it will be a very beautiful experience for them both. The first 'sting' of lost virginity could be wonderfully exquisite for some!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, Black people absolutely do need to use sun block! Thinking that black people don't tan is a dangerous misconception that could lead to sun damaged skin that makes us look older than our years or worse you could get SKIN CANCER!!! Some people think that because we have a high level of melanin in our skin that it doesn't need protection from the sun's ultra-violent rays! WRONG!! As far as your white team mates go, who can deny the beauty of a golden brown complexion? Exotic skintones the colour of pitch, and every hue in between? Using a sunblock allows one to tan 'safely'. Would you believe that at one time in American history, to be pale and white as alabastar was a sign of one's wealth? Those with suntans meant that they worked out in the sun doing physically labouring work. Nowadays the opposite is true; usually meaning that those with suntans can afford leisure time and playing outdoors. Be smart and get yourself some sun block!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, You quote yourself as saying 'It's been my experience that some lower-class black people (and some lower-class white people, especially those co-opting black culture)' AND I'm relatively well traveled and have yet to see this type of behavior with black Africans or European whites. When you say lower classed, I trust you mean economically deprived. I grew up 'economically deprived' but my parents taught me and my siblings to always act in a self respecting manner and people will treat you with respect. Co-opting black culture?? Have you never seen non-black teenagers acting loud and drawing negative attention to themselves when in a group? I'm also well travelled and have seen this within other cultures (more with whites than with blacks as a matter of fact). This is in NO WAY strictly an American trait!!! It is about the individual and most usually when they are in a group. If any of my friends began acting 'loudly' in public, I'd be very quick to call them on it or have second thoughts about being out in public with them if I can't trust them to act in a dignified manner. And guess what? I'm Black AND American! Free your mind!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, I see that kind of behavior in teenagers mostly, and it is exclusive to neither black people nor Americans. Having lived in America and in Australia, I have noticed that teenagers, when in a group, often are loud in public; sometimes they are obnoxious and rude as well. I cannot say I have ever seen either black or white adults act this way. Teenagers like drawing attention to themselves, usually to fit in with their peers or to display their indifference to what others think of them, or just as a display or their bravado.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, Ron! You took the words right out of my mouth. With some people you just can't win. I wonder how many of HIS idiosyncracies piss other people off and whether or not he'd want them pointed out to him?!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, I am American too -- although living in another country for just under year. I take no offense at being identified by my race; If I am the only black person in the room it would be easier and quicker to say 'see that black woman over there...blah blah'. For purposes of identification what's the big deal? HOWEVER -- When people say to me 'I was talking to this black woman (or man) today and blah blah blah...' or 'this black woman (or man) said blah blah...' I usually expect the statement to include why it was necessary to point out a person's skin color -- what is being black relevant to in this cases? 99.9% of the time it is relevant to absolutely nothing. Its like we're of a different species or something. I am highly offended by this. I once asked a white friend why she does this and she couldn't give me an answer. Try this: Show a picture of a white man to a friend and ask them what they see -- Chances are they will simply say 'A man'. Show a picture of a black man to a friend and chances are they will say 'A black man'.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, Jay, who are you to say how black women feel? Are you a female? What is your race? The fact that you only say you are from New York City is very telling. Just because you don't agree that Chinese or Japanese women have plain faces, does that mean that all people named Jay feel that way? Of course not, but you feel you have the authority to tell readers of this site how black women feel on this subject and that we don't like white women at all. That is absolutely absurd and if you are an adult (my guess is you are), you should be ashamed of your ignorance.
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, It really cracks me up how some people who have asked their 'Y' question on this site assume that because they see (or hear, or experience) something done by a person of a given race that they can safely assume that ALL people of that race MUST be or do or act the same way. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!! While there is no shame in just simply now knowing the truth about something, I find it astounding that someone old enough to know, or who has x-amount of years of college (for example) or practices a religion can honestly believe some of the things that they believe!!! Unless you know for a fact that EVERY Hispanic American finds it important to acquire an American accent, you should be asking yourself.....is it really all of them or just this or that person that I know!!! Come on!!!
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Name : Marie, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Buddhist, Age : 47, City : Sydney, State : NA Country : Australia, Education level : 2 Years of College, 
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