What's Wrong with African Americans?

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Karen Hatter, this is great, and very, very angering. It ties in, at least to me, with pertinent chapters of Howard Zinn's The People's History of the United States.

You mention the term "inner-city boys"; amongst other such code-words are "urban" and "disadvantaged". I heard someone once use the term "exotic", but it sounded so weird that I didn't know what she meant at first-- being rather young at the time, I thought, "Cool! That person's from, like, Iceland or New Zealand or somethin'?" Language is a tool, and can therefore be used as a weapon.

every race at one time was abused or enslaved but maybe its the fact that African Blacks sold their own people out that has done so much damage, and the fact that some blacks refuse to move on. The Black leadership in this country uses race as a weapon everyday, hip hop denegrates Black women everyday. Thug life abuses

 Black society everyday. Blacks are killing each other everyday. You can do a politicaly correct study to prove anything but if you want an honest conversation you are labled a racist. White scholars and studies can be used to find out whats wrong with African Americans but the answer lies deep inside themslves.

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Amazing piece Karen. "The book isn't talking about conditions when there was no anesthesia.
It speaks of when there was some form of anesthetic available for use,
it was not used on African Americans." -especially irked me.

In response to gmony714, "The Black leadership in this country uses race as a weapon everyday, hip hop denegrates Black women everyday. Thug life abuses"

HipHop culture hasn't been around THAT long, and much of what Karen is speaking of goes far beyond pop-culture of the past 15 years.

The Black Family started to break up as soon as  liberal whites started demanding Black fathers abandon the home before a woman could collect assistance. The Black Leadership sat by and let that happen. Now 65% of the Black Family is on the womans shoulders as Black men didn't need to be around. so the Black woman had to be Mother and Father carrying the whole burden. Hip Hop comes in the late 1970's thats almost 40 yrs. and how do they honor their mothers and sisters, by caling them bitches and ho's on almost every track. this is beyond some notion of feeling pain. this is the complete breakdown of a race. check to see how the Black intact families are doing and the women who waited till after school to start a family. Black women deserve better than that. they are strong and have endured hundreds of years of abuse, rape, slavery and now on mtv daily humiliation.

There is a lot here to doubt. There were no "psychiatrists" prior to the 20th century nor were esoteric Latinate "diagnoses" in vogue. The "Alienists" of the 1890's were as bigoted as everyone else. So what? There was lots that happened a century ago of which today's political correct world disapproves.

No one today, repeat, no one  today would defend slavery. But in its heyday, say, pre-1850, it had been virtually universal since the beginning of history (places where there was no slavery, such as medieval Europe or pre-1865 Russia, had serfdom, which was the same thing). Slavery  exists today in many parts of the world. It was English and American abolitionists (White for the most part but including  some very able ex-slaves such as Frederic Douglass) who finally put an end to European slavery.

Blacks were involved in all aspects of New World slavery. The original enslavement was done by African chiefs  who raided other villages and sometimes sold their own people. The captives were taken to slave pens on the African coast run by mulatto descendants of the early Portugese traders and African women. The crews of the slave ships had many Black seamen, typically one-half the crew.  Some slave dealers were Black, others had Black managers and slave drivers on the plantations were often Black. In cities such as New Orleans, which had middle-class and even wealthy Black communities, Blacks owned Black slaves. I think that is worth repeating: Blacks owned Black slaves. As did Indians. One of the difficult problems faced by Congress after passing the 13 th Amendment was what to do with the newly-freed slaves of the Indians, especially in the Indian Territory. Congress finally decided to make them members of  their former masters'  tribes.

A standard one-volume hisory is:  Thomas, Hugh. The Slave Trade. Simon & Schuster.

Dr. Samuel A Cartwright, of Louisiana, by 1848, had gained fame by publishing articles on the so called Negro. By 1851, he had 'discovered' and described numerous conditions, including the two 'maladies' I named above.

Mention of his work is noted in Ms. Washington's book. The paper was entitled Report on the Diseases and Physical Peculiarities of the Negro Race, appearing in DeBow's Review Southern and Western States 7, no. 11. (1851) 692-696.  

I stand corrected for identifying him as a psychiatrist. He was known to be a psychologist. 

    Karen, I like your writing very much, and fundamentally I am agreement with the direction this piece is going. Yet, the material here is somewhat archaic in its approach, therefore I think to propogate it is very much counteractive to your goals of cultural progression. The reason that I brand the approach as archaic is that it is an initiative based on the premise of victimhood. The same victimhood mentality was embraced by radical, antisemitic, groups such as the Black Panthers in the 1960's, and babtized into the mainstream by cultural leaders such like Jesse Jackson, and Al Sharpton who have subsequently profited millions, and have a vested interest in maintaining the "Victimhood" status quo. Moreover, hip hop culture has also embraced victimhood and has projected its selfserving message directly to the streets where it has fostered an entire generation of money makers for the industry. The problem with the victimhood approach is that it is only effective at the initial onset of a social movement. In Sun Tzu's Art of War Sun Tzu points out that the best way to achieve victory in a fight is to take your troops to a point where they feel that the situation is dire (Desperate ground) then they will fight harder and victory is far more likely. Hence the victimhood approach to social change is effective when applied only at the onset of a movement when progress is projected directly thereafter. Sun Tzu always ushered in a battle on "Desperate Ground" because what happens when people are left in a desperate situations for too long? Hopelessness and desparity set in and victory is long lost. The curtural achievement of the 1960's was a landmark in world history and a high point for black culture. Desperate ground was achieved and victimhood was a catalyst for mustering drive to succeed within african american communities. They all knew the cards were stacked against them, but for the first time in American history the law of the lans was behind them and all of America was ready for the tough slog. But it was a victory that was not long lasting, money, power, and dependence, slowly rotted away the progress, and here we are today. Don't get me wrong there have been some spectacular achievements by black citizens since, and they are proof that equality exists (Colin Powell, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, Barbara Jordan, Sydney Poitier, ETC.. The root of the problem today it seems though is that victimhood has been sold so much that people not only embrace it they wallow in it. Hip Hop Culture has created a world where academically achieving black children are derided as not black enough, black leaders who speak out against black caucuses have oreo's thrown at them, and the black family is socially discouraged resulting in 70% single parent families, which sociologists have directly linked to poverty. Recent demographic studies have shown that families which are represented by two parental figures in America are income equal across all ethnic lines. The problems are clear and we all understand the inherent barriers to African American social progression. Whithout any concievable doubt, the vast majority of white America has embraced integration and equality while for a couple of generations now which is a wonderful thing. Meanwhile black America has been sold victim hood which has increased hatred and mistrust and lead to widening divisions. I guess the question is, how do we move on, I truly do not know, individuals like me can not lead the charge because we are quickly branded, and besides far too much mistrust exists. All I truly do know is that propogating victim hood is as effective as me blaming the Irish for my ancestors coming to the nation that would one day be known at "The great satan" in some factions of the world. Blaming the Irish will never change the "Great Satan" brand, only hard work and honest diplomacy by my generation can change that. Slavery sucked and segregation was immoral we all most definately agree. We can now find comfort in the fact that there are so many of us, like those in this forum, who have true passions for social progression. We can all work together for (excuse the cliche) a better tomorrow. Thank you Karen for your work and I look forward to more thought provoking discussion in the future. Good Stuff!         

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Very thought provoking on a subject of great interest to many!

Karen then it is the people who keep passing it down that are to blame. my father was Cuban and one day i invited my black girlfriend to dinner, he pulled me aside

and said george she is black, i said dad i lilke her and i don't care if she is Black. it made me sad to think my father was saying that but you know when he got to know her he loved her and would always ask me to invite her over. before he passed away he apologized to me for that night and said his father  did not like Blacks and was 

ashamed that those feelings were passed on to him, i told him i loved him and thanked him for not passing them on to me which he never did. 

Good Stuff Karen, its a shame a race has to be identified by a Hyphenated name, hyphantes build bridges we certainly do not need bridges like those in modern society, I think it best instead to be of one name either "American" "Indian", "Syrian", "Canadian" "Asian" or for that matter "African" regardless of your race, you are who you are as a citizen of the country you live, with all the rights and benefits for all.  It is non sensical to call every race a Isreali American, British Belgian, or a Chinese Icelander, the same as an Indo Canadian or Congolese Hawaiian.  I take exception when the media when identifying someone in the news whether it be a Crime by race, but a Nobel Prize winner by accomplishment and country of citizenship even if they happen to be non white.  For instance Ben Johnson when he won the Gold Medal, the media portrayed him as "Great Canadian" and "Canada's Son", not a "West Indies" Canadian or Black Canadian.  But Holy Crap once the Media found out he was taking Steroids, On came the Media's "White Pointy Cap and Robes" and all of a sudden Ben Johson is identified as a "Cheater" "a Black Man" a "Trinidadian Transplant" to Canada, not a word of him being "Canadian" was ever associated with Ben Johnson again without stating he came from the West Indies.  Where as Arnold  Schwarzenegger commented in the media supporting Ben Johnson that he too in the 1970's took steroids as well in competition when Doctors openly gave it to athletes.  The Media gave it a cursory mention in the papers and as we all know Arnold is the Governor,Statesmen and called by all even the US President a Great American.  So Media in all their hypocrisy are in part a lot to blame in all this.  Hence why I enjoy the opportunity to write for Now Public, my thoughts and my feelings on any topic on issues Main Stream Media dare not ask questions to.

One thing that bothers me is the self depreciating self hate and humour Hip Hop, Rappers, Gangsta's of all races use, such as Bitch, N'ga and Ho. What the hell is up with that? Certainly not a colour issue but a derogatory issue against women. For some reason I don't hear anyone up in arms over this one? As Bill Cosby said our people "Americans are the Inventors of their own Demise period! "   

Some may not agree with me, but many people are quite close-minded to pigeonhole a race into one group and to instantly label where they originally came from, will African Americans call themselves this in 500 years or will they just known as Americans.  When will this stereotypical name labelling stop?  Will it end when someone decides to call themselves "Disabled Porteguese Equestrian Lesbian" , will this ultimately make people sit up and say "Enough is Enough".  As they say when in Rome you are Roman period, and this included the African Race where Romans had no distinction of colour.  A great American Bill Cosby is one I am most certain who would most likely agree with my assessment and I would hope most would too.

Your most welcome Karen, we are all part of one race and one race period "The Human Race" and we should start acting the part.

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 yes we are all just humans and show respect no matter what island we are from be it big or small.

I enjoyed this 'blog' - nice to see it reached a friendly outcome.

I live in Australia, where Aboriginal people were counted with the fauna up until 1967.

Enlightened, eh?

But, right now, after Aboriginal people have fought hard and won rights to their indigenous lands, the PM John Howard gov. (think friend of Bush.Co political strategies –to the point where his son apprenticed with Rove during the last US election.) This government has pulled a real fast one on the Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory (NT is equivalent to a state) whereby the NT government forfeits rights to manage Aboriginal lands within the Territory, because the Federal government demands they sign a Treaty bestowing a 5 year lease of Aboriginal Tribal lands, in the Northern Territory, to the Federal gov.

Suggestion: read "The Corruptiion of Economiics" by Professor Mason Gaffney and Fred Harrison. Then you'll see what the real agendas is - that causes good people everywhere to stoop to blaming each other for their disenfranchisement. 

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and American economic philosopher Henry George, who was a champion of social justice and economic efficiency, was a great proponent of the "Law of Rent" based on the fact that the global commons belonged to everyone, and those who use the land or the resources of the land pay a "rent" that is distributed equally to all citizens.

It is a long story, but worth looking up, because it is a genuine solution that would mean free education and health care for all,  no unemployment, no personal or business income taxes, and a basic wage for those who do not want to work –and the real kicker is that it has been shown that revenues from land and resource "rent" sources would be greater than personal or business taxes. There are examples where this method of tax collection is applied. Alaska does it to a limited degree, by distributing annual royalties from oil to all citizens. And, the wealthiest economies in the world- Singapore and Hong Kong do it.

Professor Gaffney is a lyrical writer too.

Another one for your rapidly-expanding reading list: The People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn: infuriatingly fascinating.

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Karen Hatter, I like this story. It's good stuff.

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Karen Hatter - good stuff.

is a second generation black person in America an African American or an American?

How long do you put a tag of a person's origin on them?

So much segregation still in America, much of it self imposed by second generation arrivals wanting to have an additional point of differentiation