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Black People

Posted February 7th @ 2:37 am by Jeff Riles

My dad is black. My mom is white. I’m mixed.

The other day at school, we were doing a morals and values workshop, and you were asked to step into the middle of the circle, if you identified yourself as African American.

Do I step in? Do I not? After all, I am African American. Black.

Here is what me, and my black friends recently talked about:

- Black people are incredibly racist.
- Struggles in Black America stem from a lack of education.
- Black people who are educated are not considered black by many black people.
- Black people who are angry, get that anger from their parents.
- My black dad always told me to work hard, and never worry about racism, just work harder.
- Black people who can act white are more successful.
- Poverty in America attributes to the majority of race and class problems.
- Why do people ignore these things and act like they don’t exist.
- Being black is a lot about tradition.
- A black person will never try to go above another black person.
- Education equally is perhaps the greatest key to opportunity.
- Racism is actually something all races have in common.
- Yes we can.

4 Comments

  1. Gravatar Najah
    February 13, 2008 at 18:34

    Hmm. Wonderful. I didn’t think I’d ever see you talk about the race issue. That could be an uber-interesting conversation for us someday when there’s time…maybe this summer. Lol.

    Love your Obama vid. Glad you’ve seen the light!

  2. Gravatar Scott Williams
    February 14, 2008 at 01:23

    -Black people are incredibly racist. (Some may be)
    - Struggles in Black America stem from a lack of education. (Education is only a piece of the puzzle)
    - Black people who are educated are not considered black by many black people. (Not so much)
    - Black people who are angry, get that anger from their parents. (Anger stems from within, family… no matter the race)
    - My black dad always told me to work hard, and never worry about racism, just work harder. (Totally agree)
    - Black people who can act white are more successful. (Not so much)
    - Poverty in America attributes to the majority of race and class problems. (Yes)
    - Why do people ignore these things and act like they don’t exist. (Race & Politics will always be uncimfortable)
    - Being black is a lot about tradition. (Some aspects tradition, most aspects just the reality of the situation)
    - A black person will never try to go above another black person. (?)
    - Education equally is perhaps the greatest key to opportunity. (Agree)
    - Racism is actually something all races have in common.
    - Yes we can.

  3. Gravatar Jeff Riles
    February 20, 2008 at 20:26

    Najah: I have seen no light, I just like this video.

    Scott: thanks for commenting. this is just what a bunch of my friends were saying, and I think sometimes people can forget that perspective.

  4. Gravatar TinaMay
    February 22, 2008 at 23:56

    Jeff, I really like this video, and what you have to say has always intrested me. I am so happy to see someone like him running because of 2 things.
    1.All Clintons are evil(they are related to my step dad, no really!)
    2.He has some really great views that I am glad that someone has gotten up and stated.(bout damn time)

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