Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences 
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This is one black man who loves black women – and all women of color for that matter. I love the full lips, curved hips, round voluptous butts, those beautiful shades of hue, the intelligence, the humor and the sensitivity of women of color. I don’t know what kind of black males you’ve encountered, but it’s not representative of the whole. I don’t thinks it’s as much a ‘hate’ thing as it is a preference. If a man or woman can find someone he or she loves and wants to spend time with, then the color of their skin is secondary.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I’ve read all the responses to date, and I, too, find it ironic that the majority of them were mainly harsh in tone, and from white people. I’m not ‘thin-skinned’ or ‘too sensitive,’ but I am fed up with hateful, ignorant questions disguised as questions to gain enlightenment. It’s one thing to question why someone acts the way they act, but to question why someone looks a certain way is taking it too far. The following is a post of mine that never got posted, which was in response to a particular individual who happened to e-mail me personally. I believe it still is applicable:
As I stated in my post, questions of this nature are not to gain enlightenment, but to poke fun, and demean a race’s physical characteristics. I haven’t run across any question in this forum asking why white people are so pale, why their hair is generally straight, why they have thin lips, why they smell funny after they get wet, etc. — that is because we don’t feel it necessary to make ourselves seem superior, by make others seem inferior. I wouldn’t ask such silly questions because there is an underlying hate embedded in them. Such questions aimed at non-whites are designed to make them feel a self-hate about who they are and what they look like, because our society, for so long, pushed a blonde, blue-eyed Barbie-and-Ken stereotype that was considered the ideal American. I find it more times than not that Afro-Americans are called upon to explain or justify themselves in Y Forum, as if we’ve been placed under some microscope to be dissected. I find that European-Americans have such an arrogance about themselves that they feel they can do and say whatever, and that it is justified. Not so.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,As a bald Black man, I don’t think being bald alone is what gives the vibes, but its the attitude or demeanor that goes with it. For instance, if I saw a bald White man, I would either think he is suffering from Male Pattern Baldness, like myself, or that he’s a real cool dude. Now, if he was bald and sporting sadistic tatoos, swastikas, wearing black make-up, cursing profusely, or harassing folk, then I might think he was a thug/skinhead/punk. It has more to do with how you carry yourself, than just having a bald head. By the way, not all of our forefathers sported the Bald look, even if we did come from hot climates —- we did as we do now (Afros, Locks, Braids). Another thing (laughing), Montell Williams is the bald talk show host, and Montell Jordan is the singer.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Bob, First of all, Rev. Jackson is not ‘the’ spokesperson for the Afro-American race, he is one of many visible and vocal leaders/spokesperson of our day. So, you can include General Colin Powell, Cornell West, Kwiesi Mfume, Oprah Winfrey, Min. Louis Farakhan, as well as others in the ranks of those who embody the voices and thoughts of our race. Rev. Jackson’s contribution to our race, as well as our society as a whole can’t be overlooked or diminished in any way. Rev. Jackson is gifted in the area of mediation, and has a special knack for drawing the media’s attention to vital issue of the day, one of which happens to be racial inequalities. Now, to answer your question directly, I don’t think we as Afro-Americans blame the ‘White Man’ for our every woe. We blame the ‘System’ set in place by the majority (Whites), that does not allow for equal treatment for all races. We can not deny we live in a society that systematically discriminates in housing, education, media, products & services, and employment. There have been countless stories done on 20/20 , 60 Minutes, and other news programs, that document the disparate treatment toward people of color. It has been imbedded in the psyche of our nation, whether it be on a conscious or subconscious level. Inspite of popular opinion, we aren’t asking for hand-outs or a free ride, but all we seek is an equal opportunity to create better lives for ourselves in every facet of our society. If I don’t diligantly seek after those things, then I am to blame.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Don’t sweat it, it’s not offensive. I get somewhat irritated when a person states that when they look at a person of another race, they don’t see color. Well, thats the problem with our society, we try to overlook those things that make us different, not saying we should make fun or demean a person’s physical appearance, but instead acknowledge the fact that we do have physical characteristics inherit to our race.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Why are white people so pale? Why do Jewish people have large angular noses? Why are Asian people’s hair so straight? Why are Arabic people so hairy?
I didn’t pose these questions to go tit for tat, or to offend, but to make the point that each race has its own qualities and physical features. I want to know what your intent was in asking this question. I believe it was malicious. I believe it was asked to poke fun at a person’s physical features – something we have no control over nor would want to change because it defines who we are. Does diversity and difference frighten you that much?
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I want to preface this by saying that I noticed all of the responses (negative) were from Caucasians, which is no real surprise to me, because I offended your way of thinking. This following response is to Murray’s response, but it can apply to the lot of you. > Murray, I beg to differ. First off, as I stated in my post, questions of this nature are not to gain enlightenment, but to poke fun, and demean a race’s physical characteristics. I haven’t run accross any question in this forum asking why are White people so pale, why is their hair generally straight, why they have thin lips, why do they smell funny after they get wet, etc. — that is because we don’t feel it necessary to make ourselves seem superior, by make others seem inferior. I wouldn’t ask such silly questions, because there is an underlying hate imbedded within them to make non-whites feel a self-hatred for who they are and what they look like,because our society, for so long, pushed a blonde blue-eyed Barbie and Ken stereotype that was considered the ‘norm’. I find it more times than not, Afro-Americans are called upon to explain or justify themselves in this category/forum, as if we’ve been placed under some microscope to be dissected. I find that European-Americans have such an arrogance about themselves, that they feel they can do and say whatever, and it be justified, NOT SO. You may say I need to lightened up, but I say you need to wake up, especially if you say these types of question are informative for you. Oh, and by the way, I pray no white person ever comes up to me an ask such a question, because just like posting these types of question in the Y Forum, nothing positive would come of it.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I believe there is a Miss Black America Pageant because prior to the ’90s, the Miss America Pageant was the “Miss White America Pageant.” Let’s be honest: Before Vanessa Williams won the pageant, tell me what other black woman held that honor, or any other woman of color, for that matter. I think people of color stopped trying to fit in where we weren’t wanted, and created our own contests, organizations, clubs, etc. This was done not to be “anti-white” but to celebrate our own – because if we didn’t, nobody else would. Lest we forget the not-too-distant past, white was all you saw; there wasn’t any diversity or tolerance of anything that was different or outside of white mainstream. So, to answer your question in a nutshell, the different minority organizations were formed to instill self-pride and acceptance of ones’ self, something we couldn’t get from this vast Melting Pot we call the United States of America.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,Jay, I think your friend may have gotten upset because when white folks used that termed to describe black folks it was, and still is to some extent, done in a derogatory manner. When white folks use that term,its to say that we’ve gotten above ourselves or ‘stepped out of our place’, meaning we dare challenge a white man’s opinion, we dare think for ourselves, we dare not be intimidated, and not shrug off racist comments and jokes with a smile. So, instead of calling your friend ‘uppity’, how about calling him ‘confident’ in who he is.
User Detail :
Name : Shawn, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Baptist, Age : 31, City : Baltimore, State : MD, Country : United States, Occupation : MIS Programmer/PC Specialist, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
