"He talk like a white boy..."

[Blow_Pop]

Bravo to you good sir for being educated. Honestly I find nothing wrong with being educated and I want to know why being educated and using a better vocabulary instead of being a statistic is considered being white. Unfortunately out here most of the black men I know fall into that statistic of "talking like they're gangster" and not being able to enunciate correctly. Tis why I don't give most of them the time of day any more to even attempt having conversations with them. However, I find nothing wrong with it nor do I see how someone speaks/types as a race issue(since half the white people out here think they are black and talk as such leading me to believe that my state is breeding a good portion of the world's retards). I see it as an education issue.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I saw a literally black person once, in the gym.
I wonder why there's so few of them.

 

[fulano]

Duuude! You look just like my brother! Your overall garb, I mean...and both your posture and your expression too...actually it's quite creepy.

As for the other stuff, what can I say? It's a cultural thing. I'm not experienced with what people refer to as "race relations" (I'd use a different term, but whatever) between black folk in the U.S; but since we are all the same anyway, I can extrapolate and say is that it has a lot to do with the particular cultural habits and customs of specific socioeconomic statuses (stati?) of a given society. Those in less advantaged backgrounds tend to be more culturally insular--in large part as a continuation of a preexisting societal state, but there can be cases that, even if infrequent, where a member of said background works towards broadening his/her cultural horizons and, in a way, annexes bits and pieces of a foreign culture to that of his/her particular environment which is the internalized into a process that manifests in a personal culture, so to speak. That, in turn would cause issues of comprehension among the other members who may then react in a variety of different ways, but mostly negatively in the beginning.

It's the same everywhere. Only stereotypes vary, I think.

 

[Giest4life]

I'm a 24-year-old black male [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/Ruffin316/DSCN1449.jpg] from the "mean" streets of Baltimore, Maryland, USA, and am a proud(-ish) member of the United States Air Force [http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/Ruffin316/CeremonialSage-1.jpg].

Funnily, I live in the D.C. area and I've never actually have had the pleasure of visiting Maryland before.

OT: The pressure to conform to an ethnic or racial norm is not unique. As someone who immigrated to the USA from one of those scary countries [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan] in the East, I can tell you that I've just as much--if not publicized as much--pressure to act like my countrymen. But I don't, and I've been labeled a traitor by some longtime [ex]friends of mine. Point is people are stupid--and they want you to act stupid with them.

 

[Hazzaslagga]

As a white person, I've been called posh on occasion and been accused of using big words. We people who talk properly should be proud regardless of race, death to all who do not use correct English and...

Sorry, it appears I got a bit carried away. Unfortunately in a case like yours people will always make assumptions based on stereotypes, which some will have to deal with more than others.

 

[Brandon237]

That is just sad, I am in the nerdy class, no inverted commas needed there. It is. And I fit in well. And this class, in this country that has a huge mix of many races, there are people of all races who excel. The top English student is black and she can write circles around most people. My girlfriend, an Indian girl is the top student in the grade at the moment. Stereotypes are meant to be broken, and if someone criticises you for doing so, you know that they are a bit of an ass already. Score! 1 down and 7 billion more to check is still something.

My best friend, a coloured guy, is very mellow, my other very good friend, who is as big a nerd as I am, has had plenty of girlfriends, and I have a black friend who is doing damn well at both science and IT... stereotypes mean jack-squat, let them die.

And if it means anything: you expressed your opinion, with which I concur, very eloquently and utilising a style I would expect of a respectable, renowned author.

 

[hotsauceman]

I just read an essay about this. I can recount the exact wording but the writer theorised that minorities(excluding Asians i beleive) tend to ostracize because they fear of losing the gifted members of their group.
Basically i don't get it either. I knew a few people who where smart but didnt care because they would loose popularity. Why are people race traitors if they become rish and act a way that is different.

 

[emeraldrafael]

...

snip

You are a handsome man.

um... dont read into that too much.

Well... shit.

Oh, I just didnt want you thinking anythign weird by another guy telling you you were handsome.

OT: anyway, I was always white (ITS NOT MY FAULT ALRIGHT! I WAS BORN THIS WAY, I WISH I COULD CHANGE IT EVERYDAY SO I DIDNT HAVE THIS HORRIFYING DISABILITY! :`( ) so I never had that whole talking like Im different thing in me. Now I hve been a dick from time to time and I'll talk above someone, but usually thats only using much larger words unnecessarily.

I dont know where Im really going with this, so I'll just go with what my grandfather told me.

"theres nothing wrong with sounding educated."

yeah, just... take what you will from that I suppose.

Your grandfather sounds like a wise man. It makes me wish I had someone like that in my life.

Ah well.

...

Hes alright. hes ex military, and he always tells me he got to be a ranger because they liked the ones dumb enough to go first. And that was apparently him (something he tells me he sees in me alot, for better or worse).

Hes just... really old school I guess. Like I am.

 

[kouriichi]

You know, i get the same thing. Im black ,and i live in Detroit, Michigan.
And every black person i walk into asks why i talk so weird.

:/ i dont talk weird. I talk normal. Your the one calling me a "Dawg" and spouting racial slurs every 10 seconds.

Which also makes me laugh, because people think Deus Ex:HR is racist, because black people from Detroit speak like..... black people from Detroit.

 

[Low Key]

I always shake my head at people who say shit like "acting/talking black/white". Does acting black mean a person commits crimes? I guess talking white means you enunciate words properly? Hardly something to look down upon.

I have several black friends, and one in particular will up and down swear he is Chinese. He also grew up in Gary, Indiana during the 80s so I'm guessing he's seen more dumb shit than I could even fathom, which is why he says he is what he is now.

It doesn't matter what color you are as long as you are comfortable with yourself. Fuck what other people think. That's high school clique mentality.

 

[The Diabolical Biz]

See, I get something completely different (and far less aggravating, and probably quite unrelated). Because I'm a middle class white guy from London who loves 90s Hip-Hop, I often get the accusation levelled at me that I think I'm/wish I were black. Which I find rather an odd way of criticising someone's musical taste.

Is it so wrong that I think Lil' Wayne and Drake are two of the most overrated rappers today and will happily explain - coherently to boot - why I think that?

Also this made me laugh out loud.

I think you sound like a charming gentleman, and don't let others dictate who you should be!

 

[EHKOS]

I totally agree, Weezy done fell off a long time ago, right about before C3 dropped. C4 was a fucking joke....but I digress. It doesn't matter how you talk, it matters what you're sayin'.

 

[Enslave_All_Elves]

You know, i get the same thing. Im black ,and i live in Detroit, Michigan.
And every black person i walk into asks why i talk so weird.

:/ i dont talk weird. I talk normal. Your the one calling me a "Dawg" and spouting racial slurs every 10 seconds.

Which also makes me laugh, because people think Deus Ex:HR is racist, because black people from Detroit speak like..... black people from Detroit.

"talking black?"

Yeeeeah... no offense but I least I have a clue what you're saying. Sometimes at work I have no idea what some black dudes are saying. Its the same with southerners sometimes I've noticed. I just hear some gibberish and a few English words and it sends me into a WTF?!? panic because of course you get looked at like you're the weird one. Hey, I speak plain old American English of the Ohio River Valley variety. We're the gold standard for how Americans sound, you're all aliens to us!

Hey OP, how do I know you don't have that Bawlmer accent? My brother works in Fells Point.

 

[5mj7R7yf4Dwr3gdZyyu9PeGNwYjlNrjzuh3iTXQG]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned MaximusBlack and Novawar on LAG-TV. I was surprised which was the white guy, as were many of their listeners. It also made me realize that despite by best efforts, I am not entirely prejudice-free.

I think the short answer to why the hate is because we freak out, even if only a little bit, when someone doesn't match our initial expectations. But this is not a bad thing, as such a freak out happens, it expands our comfort threshold, and makes us less inclined to freak out next time.

We are still, at heart, a small-tribe centric hunter-gatherer species, and much of becoming civilized and cosmopolitan is adapting attitudes and behaviors beyond those instincts.

238U.

 

[astrav1]

Respect good sir, have you seen captain ignant?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I invite one and all to attempt to answer these questions, or even just comment on your own experiences of being hit with bizarre and untrue accusations just because you happen to be able to "articulately elaborate your argument".

Not just a black thing, or thang.

I'm quite loquacious in my speech, but also utilise netspk 2 B UNDRSTUD LOL.

People often only have limited time to make an opinion on you, so - unfortunately - image is the first clue they get. Your black skin or my pasty white skin will give people instant images of how we're supposed to speak - and if we break those boundaries, then it's usually for laughs. And often people instantly think you're laughing at them. Possibly why your friends recoil at your more cultured language - because they think you're patronising them.

Equally, if I'm trying to be my own stereotype, I'll talk in wicked gansta talk innit (Which is done terribly on purpose)

The thing to do is to find a middle-ground. Or better yet, emulate great heroes like Martin Luther King, Malcom X etc. Then you can have big words and respect.

And yeah, assholes - like great people - come in all colours and creeds. We've got guys that talk in faux ebonics despite being whiter than chalk.

 

[kouriichi]

You know, i get the same thing. Im black ,and i live in Detroit, Michigan.
And every black person i walk into asks why i talk so weird.

:/ i dont talk weird. I talk normal. Your the one calling me a "Dawg" and spouting racial slurs every 10 seconds.

Which also makes me laugh, because people think Deus Ex:HR is racist, because black people from Detroit speak like..... black people from Detroit.

"talking black?"

Yeeeeah... no offense but I least I have a clue what you're saying. Sometimes at work I have no idea what some black dudes are saying. Its the same with southerners sometimes I've noticed. I just hear some gibberish and a few English words and it sends me into a WTF?!? panic because of course you get looked at like you're the weird one. Hey, I speak plain old American English of the Ohio River Valley variety. We're the gold standard for how Americans sound, you're all aliens to us!

Hey OP, how do I know you don't have that Bawlmer accent? My brother works in Fells Point.

No no no, dont worry. No offence taken. These people are aliens to even me. :/ and im related to some of them. And it makes me kinda wish i wasnt. While id hate to say it, most of the black stereotypes are true. I guarantee you, if you went to my Grandma Diana's house, youd spend the entire day on the couch, drinking beer, smoking menthol's, and eating fried chicken.

And its not racist, because she owns a 300$ deep fryer, and uses it every other day.

While these people arnt bad or anything.... Its just annoying.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

You know, i get the same thing. Im black ,and i live in Detroit, Michigan.
And every black person i walk into asks why i talk so weird.

:/ i dont talk weird. I talk normal. Your the one calling me a "Dawg" and spouting racial slurs every 10 seconds.

Which also makes me laugh, because people think Deus Ex:HR is racist, because black people from Detroit speak like..... black people from Detroit.

"talking black?"

Yeeeeah... no offense but I least I have a clue what you're saying. Sometimes at work I have no idea what some black dudes are saying. Its the same with southerners sometimes I've noticed. I just hear some gibberish and a few English words and it sends me into a WTF?!? panic because of course you get looked at like you're the weird one. Hey, I speak plain old American English of the Ohio River Valley variety. We're the gold standard for how Americans sound, you're all aliens to us!

Hey OP, how do I know you don't have that Bawlmer accent? My brother works in Fells Point.

No no no, dont worry. No offence taken. These people are aliens to even me. :/ and im related to some of them. And it makes me kinda wish i wasnt. While id hate to say it, most of the black stereotypes are true. I guarantee you, if you went to my Grandma Diana's house, youd spend the entire day on the couch, drinking beer, smoking menthol's, and eating fried chicken.

And its not racist, because she owns a 300$ deep fryer, and uses it every other day.

While these people arnt bad or anything.... Its just annoying.

Can I go to your Grandma's house? I don't smoke, but that sounds like heaven to me XD

(No, I'm not black, but I am Southern, so Fried Chicken is at least as much a part of my personal stereotype as it is for black people. If it weren't so terribly bad for you, I'd probably be making it on a weekly basis too.)

 

[mornal]

That is a badass Mace Windu picture. That's all I really came here to say. I'll be going now.

 

[SillyBear]

I invite one and all to attempt to answer these questions, or even just comment on your own experiences of being hit with bizarre and untrue accusations just because you happen to be able to "articulately elaborate your argument".

Think differently.

The people you were hanging out with were jerks, plain and simple - although they probably see Ebonics as something that is integral to their identity, so when they see you talking eloquently (in the white person's sense of the word) they feel like you are denying your identity. Which is stupid, but I would wager that's how they think.

I'm black too, hurrah! We don't have many black people on the forums. I'm a few years younger than you and I'm in England so the culture difference would be huge.