there are of course two ways to take 'respect ourselves'. there's the individual respecting themselves as an individual, and the individual respecting the broader community.

now most often when this respectability game is played its about the latter - individuals having respect for the broader black community. selling drugs in your own hood as a sign of having no respect for that community. but the assumption there is that the individual considers their community as a reflection of their broader social values. in that example most view their community as a trap in which they are trying to escape using drugs as a possible escape plan. in which case they probably don't respect the community. but not for the values people are putting on it, but rather for the trap that itrepresents in their lives. so in that case is their lack of respect extend beyond their trap to the broader black community? if their ambitions are to escape the trap to become a contributing member to the broader black community, is their disrespect of the trap a sign of disrespect to the community too.

of course i'm reaching, but it's saturday and i'm not that far off from something am i?

Poll question: What percentage of black folk don't respect themselves?

Poll result (16 votes) 0-9% (3 votes) Vote 10-24% (1 votes) Vote 25-49% (4 votes) Vote 50-75% (5 votes) Vote I'm white and mad that you didn't continue with the percentage breakdown... (3 votes) Vote