This post is inspired by Christian Cooper, the Central park bird watcher, as well as one of my old PoliSci professors.

Here's the quote (and a link to the full article) that sparked this:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/27/nyregion/amy-cooper-christian-central-park-video.html

"As he has pursued his passion, he has been keenly aware of the fact that there appear to be few other African-American men invested in the hobby, excluded by the same subtle messaging he gets when he is followed around in shops, he said.

And he is aware that the image he cuts — as a man often shuffling the undergrowth after a rare bird, with a metal object, the binoculars, in his hand — can read differently for a black person than for a white person.

It doesn’t stop him.

'We should be out here. The birds belong to all of us,” he said. “The birds don’t care what color you are.'"

I had a professor way back in undergrad (this is roughly 96-97) who explained that if black folks want freedom & equality, we have to be prepared for other black folks to have ideas & beliefs that span the ideological spectrum.

I agree, to an extent. I love seeing black folks excel in things where we have traditionally been underrepresented (not that I'm familiar with these areas). Opera, ballet, fencing, swimming, hockey, etc. You get the idea.

Moving into politics, it starts to get dicey for me. There's nothing wrong with a black person holding traditionally conservative views. In fact, we all probably know a number of us who would fit the bill.

My issue is with black folks who lean conservative but aren't willing to call out the racism in today's conservative movement. A chick I went to college with is a Republican and I roll my eyes at some of her Facebook posts. But she stands up for things like George Floyd and other issues affecting black folks.

I don't want to be one of those people who is telling other folks how black they are based on who they believe or who they support. But I will admit that I have my limits, specifically when their positions place the blame or the onus on black people to fix things that were broken by the white power structure.

This is a very half-baked post because my thoughts on this subject probably need a lot of work. But I'm throwing it out there for any other ideas, suggestions & criticisms.

* In an odd twist since the quarantine started in March, me & the little lady spend a lot of time on our front porch sipping drinks. We've watched the neighborhood cats fight over territory and started noticing lots of different types of birds. We've even gotten to the point where we've looked up some bird info.

>if black folks want freedom &
>equality, we have to be prepared for other black folks to have
>ideas & beliefs that span the ideological spectrum.
>

It seems like everything ties into everything nowadays, but Biden's "you ain't black" comment comes to mind when I read that. If black folks are implicitly obligated to believe one thing or support something, then there isn't freedom there. It's like do *this* or else (else in this case, being Trump). In the grand scheme of things right now, we aren't free.

The reason why is that the Republican party has tried to rig the game against most black people. After anti civil rights act Goldwater got molly whopped by Lyndon Johnson, the GOP had to choose either to expand their reach to all races or to try to cater to and win with white voters. They went all in on the the white voters path. To the point that the GOP with Trump now overtly appeals largely to white grievance.


Black folks should have diverse political ideologies. Rural blacks and urban blacks, for example, may have entirely different beliefs and values. There should be black people skeptical of a big/powerful federal govt and some who desire it. Some blacks who are socially conservative and some who aren't. It's only natural.

But in my opinion, at this time we aren't *free* to act like that. Because the Republican party forces all blacks to try to form a coalition.

_______________________________________

>Black folks should have diverse political ideologies. Rural
>blacks and urban blacks, for example, may have entirely
>different beliefs and values. There should be black people
>skeptical of a big/powerful federal govt and some who desire
>it. Some blacks who are socially conservative and some who
>aren't. It's only natural.
>
>But in my opinion, at this time we aren't *free* to act like
>that. Because the Republican party forces all blacks to try to
>form a coalition.

There are still forces pushing us in directions that keep us from being what or who we can be.

Especially things that involve an interest in and respect for nature such as bird watching, hiking or even veganism.
Now if you're talking about invading a continent and killing off the natives, that should most definitely be filed under "white things."

Now when you're talking about who people support... If a person's views are things that lead to the killing or oppression of black people, I'm fine with that being called "white things" too. No black person is gonna tell me they rock with Richard Spencer while I just think "Oh, well there's no one way to be black!" You mentioned folks being conservative but not speaking out against racism in the party. At the same time tho, you that happening on the liberal side too, especially now. *shrugs*

As it pertains to stuff like bird watching tho, the idea of it being a "white" activity is just beyond ridiculous imo.

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Days like this I miss Sha Mecca

>Now when you're talking about who people support... If a
>person's views are things that lead to the killing or
>oppression of black people, I'm fine with that being called
>"white things" too. No black person is gonna tell me they rock
>with Richard Spencer while I just think "Oh, well there's no
>one way to be black!"

I literally LOLed at this. But I feel you 100%.

cuz ultimately, it simply refers to things that they successfully excluded us from....doesn't make it theirs..saying we're just "underrepresented" in those areas implies that we had access and just chose not to do them.

it also purports to assert whiteness as elite...it puts those things on a pedestal where they aren't better or worse than other "things"

for example, i don't feel the least bit uncomfortable in fancy restaurants where everyone around me is white. I belong there because I belong everywhere, and I carry myself as such. fuck them

d

>cuz ultimately, it simply refers to things that they
>successfully excluded us from....doesn't make it
>theirs..saying we're just "underrepresented" in those areas
>implies that we had access and just chose not to do them.

I think it's OK for us to have access to something and choose not to do it. But I certainly have a problem with us being excluded.

>it also purports to assert whiteness as elite...it puts those
>things on a pedestal where they aren't better or worse than
>other "things"

I'm with you. I certainly don't believe that "white things" are elite or better. But I do think that there activities or hobbies that we're excluded from because white people think we're not good enough or smart enough or whatever. So I love seeing black folks kick the doors down and make their way into those things.

>for example, i don't feel the least bit uncomfortable in fancy
>restaurants where everyone around me is white. I belong there
>because I belong everywhere, and I carry myself as such. fuck
>them

Co-sign this.

> I think it's OK for us to have access to something and
>choose not to do it. But I certainly have a problem with us
>being excluded.

same

> I'm with you. I certainly don't believe that "white things"
>are elite or better. But I do think that there activities or
>hobbies that we're excluded from because white people think
>we're not good enough or smart enough or whatever.

actually its the opposite. they exclude us for fear that we will show we're better at it than them and then dominate the thing. for reference see tennis (serena williams) and golf (tiger woods)

i want to add that i do not believe in black exceptionalism...we aren't inherently better at anything than any other race

but white people believe we are, ironically lol...so that's hella threatening to them, hence the exclusion.

they know we are just as capable at being excellent at anything so they seek to prevent that at any turn, in hopes to further the opposite narrative that we ain't shit.

So I love
>seeing black folks kick the doors down and make their way into
>those things.

me too.

But the convo completely stalls out at "white things" for some.
Even though you put the phrase in quotes.

As if they don't personally know Black people that are constantly judging Blackness based on

vocal tone
diction
the way you walk
economic status
style of dress
choice of hobbies
who you date
the places you vacation
the people you work with
the people you socialize with
the things you eat
political affiliation

etc etc

I think Black Americans do more than enough work to keep ourselves in boxes, but somehow when I log onto OKP ignorant & closed-minded Black folks cease to exist.

>But the convo completely stalls out at "white things" for
>some.
>Even though you put the phrase in quotes.

And how is TWO replies "everybody"?
why you so butthurt cuz we didn't reply how you think we should?


>As if they don't personally know Black people that are
>constantly judging Blackness based on

and now how is your reply any different? you didn't engage with the original topic either and instead focused on how WE replied.

boy, BYE.

YOU show us how we was supposed to reply to the original post then LOL

typical hatin ass negroes..MIND YOUR BUSINESS

d

Hence...

"This is a very half-baked post because my thoughts on this subject probably need a lot of work. But I'm throwing it out there for any other ideas, suggestions & criticisms."

Of course we know black people who judge blackness based on certain things, and we're sharing our ideas, suggestions, and criticisms of that reality as requested by the OP.

I'm not understanding your reply.

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Days like this I miss Sha Mecca

<--- Big Baller World Order

Do you hold your tongue about things that bother you?

Why? Nothing I say on here has an immediate impact on your life & vice versa.

communication is obviously not a strong point of yours

>communication is obviously not a strong point of yours

night. I'm able to get a lot more done, I can shop for groceries during the quarantine and not have to deal with too much drama.
I love hip-hop, used to do open mics and go to shows all the time. But the night doesn't love me like I loved it. I love to walk around but the night is when all the worst of the worst are out and about.

What does that have to do with this post?

Well when I'm up and out at sunrise, who do I see? White people lol

last year. He is much deeper into it than I am, but it's interesting to see how the different species have different personalities. Overall I find the experience calming but we tend to stay away from strangers because I'm not comfortable with what might happen in front of my child if I confront someone for being selfish or obnoxious.

It's silly but I take it personal when I see big able bodied house sparrows chasing after their mothers, begging to be fed. Sometimes the mother will just fly off, and I can't help but humanize that frustration as a parent.

That whole incident at the Bramble was disgusting. But on a selfish level telling my son about Christian Cooper will reinforce the idea that he needs to be himself. Worrying about peer validation in non academic arenas won't lead him any closer to happiness.

>That whole incident at the Bramble was disgusting. But on a
>selfish level telling my son about Christian Cooper will
>reinforce the idea that he needs to be himself. Worrying
>about peer validation in non academic arenas won't lead him
>any closer to happiness.

Word up.

http://www.centraltrains.co.uk/a-guide-to-trainspotting/

Have to say I've never seen a black person doing it.

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my daughters will take it too as long as my wife works for Charlotte Ballet and the classes are free.

There are a few of us in it.

However, my wife works for the outreach program which specifically introduced it to Black and Latino kids.

Not sure if that’s what this post is about but I thought I would add on.

I’m also a visual designer and it’s rare to see and meet Black designers but I know we exist... especially on here.

Is going to the beach and actually getting in the water and zip lining white things? We do those too. More so the first one but we aren’t afraid to zip line or parasail.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

>However, my wife works for the outreach program which
>specifically introduced it to Black and Latino kids.
>
>Not sure if that’s what this post is about but I thought I
>would add on.

The fact that your wife is introducing something to kids who might not be exposed to it is so important.

>Is going to the beach and actually getting in the water and
>zip lining white things? We do those too. More so the first
>one but we aren’t afraid to zip line or parasail.

Never done a zipline or parasail but I'd try both. I'd say that black folks definitely enjoy the beach. Shoot, we hit it pretty regularly.

The flip side is....
Do WE want there to be a day when "Black things" are no longer things??

>The flip side is....
>Do WE want there to be a day when "Black things" are no longer
>things??

that haven't been commercialized, bastardized or middle manned to death?

And do these traditions that have African roots, or are they traditions that come from enslavement?

but it’s going to be hard to keep Black Things with the way the internet is these days.

You are extremely vocal about protecting Black recipes.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

>but it’s going to be hard to keep Black Things with the way
>the internet is these days.

Yeah definitely.

>You are extremely vocal about protecting Black recipes.

My biggest frustration is probably the whole notion that we HAVE to share share share share every.finite.detail and nuance under the guise that we need to be "heard" and "understood"... (it's deeper than that of course...but...)

"Get ready....for your blessing....."
"Bury me by my Grand-Grand and when you can come follow me"

<--- Big Baller World Order

Unless it’s a dude who grew up in the PJ’s they don’t know anything about those card games.

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

that day comes.....

****************
TBH the fact that you're even a mod here fits squarely within Jag's narrative of OK-sanctioned aggression, bullying, and toxicity. *shrug*

Since then I've only ever played on my phone.

I was in no way implying that I didn't agree it was a black game, it clearly is, I just didn't find that out until after I learned/came to enjoy the game and it surprised me.

<--- Big Baller World Order

of the military that played spades.

...I'm from the era when A.I. was the answer, now they think ai is the answer - Marlon Craft

We would teach white dudes in the dorm how to play Spades and they would teach us how to play Euchre (which I could never really pick up).

reading
writing
arithmetic
opinions
whatever the fk they want

"black things"
work for white people
survive
stay out the way
get in where you fit
adapt
hold on to whatever customs you came with because you are no longer 'home' and you likely won't make it back.
whatever white people tell you to do

Everything in our American existence has pretty much eveolved from there. It's like Damali spoke on 'having access'; a lotta shxt just wasn't a choice.

So when you have these discussions about access and representation it's easy to overlook the fact that historically freedom has come with CONSEQUENCES even in the pursuit of 'recreation' or 'luxury'. Freedom comes with questions like 'why are you here' 'can I see some ID'. A lot of that sentiment still remains and it's saddening and frustrating that these archaic mechanisms are still in place.

As a nerd a$$ nxgga I've often been the only black person skateboarding, surfing, my parents tried to get me to play accordion once (the FUCK?!), I was in G.A.T.E. programs a lot as a kid, which typically had me bussing to a white(r) school. Hooping and running track were the only 'black things' I had.

increased Representation in the terms you speak of means a lotta black folk gotta go out there and subject themselves to the scrutiny, ostracism, loneliness and other shxt along with bearing the burden of building a bridge to a destination that you may not be welcomed....for the sake of those who may or may not come behind you. It has the potential to be a thankless job and everyone aint built to carry that. Kinda lends credence to Dave Chappelle's line about never being 'the first black person to do anything'.


But whatever man, I'm just typing off the kush.

IG: amadu_me

"...Whateva, man..." (c) Redman

> This is a very half-baked post because my thoughts on this
>subject probably need a lot of work. But I'm throwing it out
>there for any other ideas, suggestions & criticisms.

he just wanted to see some damn birds lol.

As for the political part of your post. I have one family friend that is like an uncle. He is a dark skin Muslim that lives in a rural part of Georgia and is in his 80s. I was shocked when he started parroting Fox News talking points, talking about Hilary and Benghazi and blah blah blah. I literally could not fathom what was happening.

At least my other family who were conservative (for "tax reasons") were smart enough to know Trump is not their friend and jumped ship.

favorite books was Atlas Shrugged. I'm still disappointed.

Tired of seeing our youth join unsuccessful gangs, NYPD is where it's at.