My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I was answering another Q the other day, (http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

and it showed this website that a sister created saying that we don't need to relax our hair. that we are brainwashed by our white counterparts into thinking that our own hair is 'bad, nappy, and unmanageable'. Now don't get me wrong I am sure, even positive, that this happened in the past. I have seen too many studies showing how we used to think black was ugly, but this day(2007) is post the 'black is beautiful' and 'I'm black and I'm Proud' days...Why am I only a good black if i have natural hair, or my fist up in the air, etc...When our lighter brothers (Caucasians) do the same thing, 'I'm white and proud', or hold their hands in the air (this time not in a fist), we call it HATRED, RACISM. Just food for thought,

What do you think? Do you feel it is STILL necessary to prove how black you are?

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I don't understand why anybody feels compelled to "prove" their blackness or whiteness. Yeah, I can just see me now, walking thru the middle of my little town, with my white hand up in the air, shouting "I'm white and I'm proud". How long do you think it would take for me to be beaten to the ground?

I don't know why anybody needs to prove how (insert color here) they are. Unless you walk around in a burkha, people can see the color of your skin.

I'm human and I'm proud.......

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

No, honestly for me, somtimes I forget that i'm black. The vast majority of my friends are white and they don't treat me any diffrent. As for our hair.. I like mine to be straight only because I can do more with it, my husband can run his fingers through it, who cares what the few racist people left think? Not me, this is my life, I don't live to please the world.

I hope I answered your question

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

i,m not black, but i was wondering how your fellow blacks can be "your people"?

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

It's called reverse discrimination. Here are some examples:

There is a BET channel on cable. If there was a WET channel it would be canceled and labled as "racist".

There is a "black caucus". There is no "white caucus" because that would be racist.

There is a "state of the black union" meeting. There is no "state of the white union" meeting because that would be racist.

Not to my knowledge has any black been charged with a hate crime against a white but the reverse happens frequently.

It is ok to be "black and proud" but no white could say they were "white and proud" without being called a racist.

Unfair??

Response to Sunny846 who responded below to my original message:

Our government is a white caucus?? Obviously there are many different races that take part in our government. In the black caucus there are no whites or any other race whatsoever.

If wouldn't be offensive to the black community if a group of whites went around declaring their "white pride"?? Untrue.

What about the hate crime thing?

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I don't think that anyone feels the need to prove their "blackness" as it's obvious. People are quite presumptuous when it comes to black women and the hairstyles that they choose. My friends with weaves have weaves not because they are trying to be something that they are not or because their hair is unmanageable; they get them because they don't want to subject their own hair to heat and toxic chemicals but don't like dreads and don't have 8 hours to spend getting their hair braided (not to mention the eternity you spend taking them out). They want their own hair natural and healthy and also want to be ready to go in the morning without too much hassle and cap sew-in is the way that they choose to go. Most of the people that I know don't think about their skin color until someone forces them to.

For the person spewing all the tripe about double standards:

BET is WET didn't you get the memo?

You do have a white caucus - it's called "the government" and encompasses local, state and federal jurisdictions.

You can say that you're white and proud without being called racist. No one ever said you couldn't. I've noticed that whites presume a great deal and those presumptions are rarely accurate. Just as the few mindless idiots on the boob tube are not representative of all of you, they're also not representative of all of us. If you're not being disrespectful or hateful, you can do or say whatever you like and no one will give a tinkers darn. I've watched people from very extreme factions (think super close haircuts) carry on perfectly reasonable conversations with blacks and no one got beat down. It's all about respect - if you give respect, you will get respect. Additionally, there is no such thing as "reverse racism" or "reverse discrimination." Discrimination is discrimination and racism is racism. Do we need to carve out our own race specific ignorance as well?

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I think you can wear you hair however you think it makes you feel the most comfortable. Making you hair straight doesn't mean that you are trying to be white or even to make you hair look white. After all Asians and Hispanics have straight hair too. Why are they saying that straightening you hair is trying to be white? Why not Asian or Hispanic or even Indian or Arab. just about every race of people has straighter hair than people from African heritage. When white people try to get a tan they are not trying to appear African. They just feel like they look better with a tan. It doesn't mean they are selling out their race. My personal opinion is that African Americans are super race conscious and equate all behavior and characteristics to race. I am in college and I have seen some black students ridicule other blacks for studying too hard or participating in class discussion. It's like trying your best to learn and succeed is selling out and acting white. Speaking intelligently is not acceptable because you are talking white. It's just not fair. I think African Americans have enough to worry about without their own people harassing them for their hair style or their choice of words.

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I get confused when one starts saying how hair defines my Blackness. I don't understand it. When did hair define my blackness and how does it define my blackness?

Then, it puzzles me even more because when someone starts telling* me, not asking me but *telling* me, the underlying reason to why I straighten my hair...they then turn around and say, "Oh I don't have a problem with sisters straightening their hair, but it is the reason behind it." How would they know the reason I straighten my hair? They immediately exclude, "manageability" and they never accept the idea that maybe, just maybe, it is what I prefer. It's like...it's their way or the highway. My reasons could be nothing else but, "I must hate myself". I always use the analogy that we all have natural body odors, so am I hating myself for putting on deodorant? I think it is really *shallow*.

Somewhere %26amp; sometime suddenly I'm less Black or I'm hating myself because I prefer to wear my hair straight when I've never said I hated or disliked "natural" styles.

In my personal opinion I think this issue is another way to divide Blacks. I don't want to be around a group of people who are trying to convince me that I hate myself. I don't want to convert to another hair style to appease Black people and I'm certainly not straightening my hair to appease Whites.

Is this the new identity crises for Black women now? Either you're in or you're out? - Go natural or you're not black? F!ck you (not you of course).

Honestly...I don't dwell on it much for if I do I'll go crazy. It's a waste of time, I think there are more bigger issues. My hair did not get me this job, my hair did not pull a Black man, my hair does not determine my intelligence, self-esteem, nor my Blackness. I, Lacey, define who I am and if someone chooses to judge me based off my hair....that's shallow and they're missing out. Not my problem...

No, I don't think it is still necessary to prove 'blackness'. To me proving 'blackness' has absolutely nothing to do with my hair, but moreso my actions and intellect...

If a sister doesn't want to communicate with me or befriend me because of my hair...not my problem.

If a brother doesn't want to communicate or befriend me because of my hair...not my problem.

If brother's and sisters are ashamed of me because of what I do with my hair...not my problem.

The next person will do the exact opposite...who may even be a White man who looks at me for what's in the inside. Oh, but of course "I'm making them more comfortable" - bch please!

I'd rather deal...

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

nope, love being black, and if others can't except me, that's their problem

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I've never felt the need to proove my so called "blackness"....

PS: You're so not black. Nice try though

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

In the words of Gil Scott-Heron:

We deal in too many externals, brother.

always afros handshakes and dashikis.

Never can a man build a working structure for black capitalism.

always does a man read Mao or Fanon.

I think I know you would-be black revolutionaries too well

standing on a box on a corner, talking about blowing the white boy away.

That's not where it's at, yet, brotha.

Calling this man an uncle tom

and telling this woman to get an afro, but you wont speak to her if she looks like hell will you, brotha?

Some of us been checking you act out kinda close

and by now its looking kinda shaky

the way you been rushing people with your super-black bag.

jumping down on brothers with both feet because they are after their B.A.

but your never around when you B.A. is in danger. I mean your black @SS

I think it was a little too easy to forget that you were a ***** before malcom

you drove your white girl through the village every friday night.

while the grass roots stared in envy and drank wine.

do you remember?

You need get your memory banksorganized, brotha.

Show that man you call an uncle tom just where he is wrong.

show that woman that you are a sincere black man

all we need you to do is SHUT UP AND BE BLACK

help that woman. help that man.

that's what brothers are for, brotha.

**************************************...

Like I said on the other question. I love to see sisters rockin naturals, braids, dreads, and even boycuts. But I dont knock straight hair sisters, it looks good. The only thing I dont tolerate much is weaves and especially wigs. Weaves just aren't sexy. I like to run my fingers through dreads; even a soft fro is nice to run through, but sisters with weaves are scared you are gonna pull that shjt out.

Although, I dont buy the manageabilty argument. Because I know girls that have to go through a great time and especially expense to keep their hair straight and purty. I hardly call that manageable.

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I don't feel a need to prove my blackness, It's all over my face. Of course there were times growing up when I wished I were white, because its seemed it was hell it is a whole lot easier for them. When you are being made fun of because you are darker than most of the little girls you are in school with, or your hair is a bit "nappier" than most you become uncomfortable with who you are and you hide from it. It doesn't matter if my hair is straight, if I "talk white" (why is it talking white? its proper english) when you look at me you still see a sistah...I am so glad that I have come to accept and love who I am. If my processed hair bothers you...that's your problem

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

no

but honestly, there are so many Oreos about (i mean people who really hate and don't want to be black or around or date black people at all, not those pursuing non tradtional careers or lifestyles) that I am surprised the need is even there anymore

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

I weave my hair and you know why? because i perfer it and like it. I don't do it for anyone. If people have a problem so be it.

My Black people, do you feel it is necessary to still prove your 'blackness' in 2007?

No. I do not owe anything to anyone...I look at myself in the mirror everyday, I support my people when they need me the most...Why should I have to prove it to them or any other race? People say that I act 'white' (whatever that is) because, I have a proper voice, I happen to see an occasional cute white/hispanic etc. guy and I dont look like a hiphop girl...I wear vintage, and gap clothes...and listen to techno, hip hop and r%26amp;b. I really dont care, if someone call me out my name: they will be very 'humbled' by my intelligence, and the fact that I'm not embarassed by my race AT ALL.