(To anyone who is new to my blog I would suggest that you read my first post so that you are not confused about what is going on here. I can not have you folks thinking I am crazy.)
So I have decided to take a break from working on my research to get a few ideas out of my head. After reading -1-'s latest post it reminded me of conversation I had recently.
"Who were you talking to?"
That is what I can not remember. I do not know whether I was talking to someone on the phone, or if I was just having a conversation with myself.
"I'm pretty sure you and I had this conversation."
Alright then....I was having this conversation with myself.
"Exactly."
Anyhow, we were discussing who/what the "average black man" was. So I decided to do a Google search. I typed in "average black man" and got nothing useful. In most cases I am a cynic, but when it comes to the state of black people I am more of an optimist.
I would like to say that the average black man...
-is educated with a decent job
-does not have much more than a few unpaid parking tickets on his rap sheet
-knows how to conduct himself in public
-knows how to treat women
-is able to take care of his responsibilities (whatever they may be)
-is not the ANIMAL the media portrays them to be
I would like to say those things, but experience is telling me that these things are not true.
"But can you assume that all of these things are their fault? What happened to the 'product of their environment' speech that you used to give? I told you then that that was some nonsense. We know of too many success stories that negate that argument. Hell, just look under your roof. There go two success stories right there. Then look at it from the other side. We also know plenty of people that don't have the excuse of 'I grew up in the hood' that still ended up on a bad path. If you ask me it all comes down to the decisions that you make."
Sometimes it can not be helped, but is that a valid excuse for an entire sub-group of people? How long are we going allow ourselves to continue this decent into nothingness? It is obvious what the rest of the world thinks about us. We see it everyday in the media, and on the streets. The entire world is scared of us. Not because of anything positive that we do, but because of the negativity that is cast upon us. Although I could go on and on about this, I will not. The point I am trying to get across is obvious.
I am not trying to get on my "soapbox" and talk down on anyone, I do not want you folks thinking that. I am simply posing a question.
What is the average black man?
~sTeW~
7 comments:
I think the average black man is a brother who has identified what he wants and is making a conscious effort to go get it. We all have our dreams and goals in life, but unless we act on making them happen, they just sit there. I do think that it's up to us who are doing right to make more of an effort to stand out in the crowd so that black men don't continue this poor rap that we are getting in the media (I oughtta know, I work in it around people who feel that way about us).
the average black man is (probably) a sexist, racist, homophobic, uneducated, ignorant, drug-dealin', fast-talkin', city-slickin', skanktastic, 40-sippin', joint smokin', shuck and jive, livin-wit-his-momma-@-35 coon who talks a lot, but doesn't really say much.
you said average...right? these are the black men i've been exposed to growing up in brooklyn. forgive me.
-KB
@chris - i feel you 100%.
@karrie - do folks still drink 40's? and how do you shuck and jive?
@stew --> i still drink 40s!!! hahahaha
no seriously, i think the average Black man is wounded and disenfranchised to some degree. Although I've been exposed many Black men (including yourself) that are grindin' to have a better life later, and many hardworking good Black men (like my dad) I see that there is a greater number that are not doing either. I know too many Black men who are either lost, or just barely getting by with no long term plans.
First off, Stew. I still think you crazy and I also think you are the adverage black man. I think I am the adverage black man. I like the qualities that you posted about the adverage black man. I fit those, minus the unpaid parking tickets (I've gotten two and paid them in full).
The adverage black man is a byproduct of his society, but only when they rise above whatever negative traits that society has held over him. The adverage black man does not make excuses about his up bringing, he knows that his upbringing is what it is, he deals with it as the truth and is still able to get past it and go on to something better. It might not be great, but it gets him by and keeps him strong.
The adverage black man makes mistakes, because he his human, but not those big mistakes that will get him tossed in jail or marked for death.
The adverage black man understands that knowledge is power and he might choose to get a degree or he might choose to just get enough knowledge to be one step ahead of the next guy.
The adverage black man knows what it means to be a black man in the work a day world of our. He knows that there is hatred and misunderstanding of his race and yet he moves past that. He realizes that no one but he and God has power over his destiny in life. Furthermore he does not see his sex or his color as being "two strikes against him" because he considers it an honor to be a black man in this world and even more of an honor to be a black man who can succeed in this world.
The adverage black man does not let the weight of the world hold him down long, because he knows that he is strong and that no matter how hard it gets, someone else has it harder and he knows that he is blessed to still be granted the opportunity to live one more day.
The adverage black man loves his people to the point that he can critize them for the stupid and deadly things they do and say and know that he does so out of love and not out of hate or self loathing.
I believe the adverage to black man to be all of this and so much more. And from one adverage black man to another, I think you for writing this post.
Sincerely, my brother.
The average black man is the same as the average white man, the average black woman, the average white woman...
Average meaning usual or normal. Period. The average black man is a usual or normal brother living to the standardes of society just as anyone else.
Obama- Above average brother.
fitty- below average brother with above average paper.
Lil Wayne- below average brother with above average paper.
Any brother in college (actually going to get deegree'd is above average. Since the average is median...job...income...education.
The Karrie B described below average brothers.
Maybe you weren't looking for scientific Stew, but that's all a sister has... :-)
I think the average black man is:
- a high school graduate
- trade worker
- single (meaning not married)
- has a car
- listens to gospel, rap and r&b
- has a kid by the age of 30
- maybe a prior, but nothing serious
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