The Study of Racialism

mymulatto · Experienced User Joined: 06 Jul 2005 {Posts: 137 }

http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/columnists/jenee_osterheldt/story/220395.html

People keep trying to push me onto either side of the fence.

My whole life, it has been an issue.

It’s the fence that divides the black from the white, the poor from the rich, the ghetto from the suburbs, light skin from dark skin, or when it comes to hip-hop, 50 Cent from Nas.

I grew up in a single-parent home. We had our good years, when we lived in a house and had a fairy-tale life, but it was rare and often ended with eviction notices. Throughout my childhood and teen years, we often lived in lower-middle-class neighborhoods. We had hardworking neighbors, but we also had drug dealers across the street. So I guess, in some circles, that makes me a girl from the hood.

But what does that mean? For some people, being from the hood means you’re uneducated, rude and ready to fight at all times. Rapper 50 Cent has built an empire capitalizing on such ignorance. His success started with the glorification of him being a crack dealer who was shot nine times, and he has become the poster boy for “hood.”

In fact, recently the bulletproof vest-wearing superstar declared that books are causing Nas, one of hip-hop’s most cherished rappers, to lose his fan base. He says Nas shouldn’t push his knowledge.

“He’s feeding you too much information in the music, and they don’t actually want it,” 50 says of Nas in a recent XXL magazine interview. “He’s like a teacher.”

Somehow, having knowledge and sharing it costs you street credibility. It’s not “hood” enough.

I’ve never been “hood” enough, either. As a child, I was always teased for speaking and acting “white” because I did well in school.

They called me “white girl” because of my light skin and curly hair. On the flip side, a lot of white kids in my gifted classes made fun of my first name, my lips and my hair. And I had one friend who couldn’t sleep over at my house.

Why? Because to 50 Cent and many people, being from the hood means you’re exposed to or involved in sex, violence and drugs.

I refuse to be lumped into a limited, narrow-minded box.

Not everyone feels that way, so the fence stands strong, separating people, but it especially creates division among blacks. Many black, educated professionals are dealing with the neighborhood divide. When you are from the suburbs, some people will tell you you’re not black enough. When you are from the ghetto, they expect you to fail, are in shock that you haven’t yet failed or call you a sellout when you succeed.

And the more knowledge you share and the more respect you carry yourself with, the more ridicule you will get from people who cling to the “hood” status like it’s a badge of honor.

The sad part is it never seems to end. I’m nearly 28 years old, and I still find myself being targeted one way or the other.

Recently, while I was talking to a group of acquaintances, one of them said suburban girls don’t understand the way girls from the hood communicate. And on her tongue, suburban sounded like a four-letter word.

I rolled my eyes and told her I disagreed. I’ve never had a problem communicating with anyone because they grew up with more or less than me. She had already placed me in the suburban box and couldn’t believe that I grew up anywhere near a hood. Just like that, my opinion was questioned and discounted.

But I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about where I’m from. The neighborhood I grew up in doesn’t define who I am.

What does concern me is that people cling to these stereotypes and allow them to dictate their lives. There is very little truth in the stereotypes behind the words “hood” and “ghetto.”

Just look at the baggy pants-wearing suburban kids trying to be thugs. Or the kids in the worst neighborhoods making honor rolls. Turn on your television. If you listen to 50 Cent, watch BET or subscribe to these upper-crust elitists and self-proclaimed ghetto superstars, it feels like we’ll never escape the neighborhoods we grow up in.

Who you become in life is up to you.

kalima · Posted: Thu 16 Aug 2007 21:23 Post subject:

I agree with this so much.

I grew up with two parents, but one was an alcoholic and both were notorious spendthrifts who lost two homes to foreclosure while I was growing up. For four years we lived in public housing with people smoking and dealing drugs under our window.

I got an education and made something of myself. Yes, being white helped, but there are tons of whites who sit around and whine about how the 'minorities get it easy in life'.

/shakes head

I don't think it's a race thing -- I think it's a maturity thing, being mature enough to see that what you do with your life truly is up to you.

pianoplayer111 · Wizard Joined: 16 May 2007 {Posts: 429 }

"Who you become in life is up to you".

*nods* Absolutely! I feel it is safe to say that most of us here have shared your experiences and can relate. In a sense I do see mixed people as being a little bit special because of what we deal with in society and sometimes our own families. Who wants to be "hood"? I don't. Not that I would judge anyone because of where they live or grew up, but simply because I've never been of that world. It doesn't have positive connotations in my mind. All I picture is violence, addiction, decadence, no desire to learn or be a better person. Deviation from this is viewed as "acting white".

I'm not perfect and I don't look down on others, but this is one reason that I've never been able to relate to most black folks. Kalima is like myself in that we both identify as white. I identify as a white woman culturally and in some ways, racially. Kalima...my hat is off to you because you made it in an unstable environment.

kalima · Posted: Mon 27 Aug 2007 01:28 Post subject:

The thing is that most black folks are not poor. According to the US Census Bureau, 22.7% of Black Americans fell below the poverty level in 2002, down from 26.1% in 1998. That means that over 75% of Blacks are not poor at all.

So where do the stereotypes of the 'ghetto Black' come from? It doesn't correlate with reality. Most blacks might not be rich, but then most other ethnic groups aren't rich either.

pianoplayer111 · Wizard Joined: 16 May 2007 {Posts: 429 }

I agree with that. I know many black Americans who are either middle-class (live well), or very wealthy.

What I'm saying is this...being "hood" isn't always about where a person lives or how much money they have. It's who they are and the behaviors that they display. This is, I believe, where the stereotype comes from. I know people who live in lower-income neighborhoods who might barely have a high school education but they're still decent individuals with class. On the other hand, I know people living in upscale communities who drive Mercedes and Lexus cars, wearing expensive clothes and "bling", but they're completely lacking in class.

The stereotype sort of does correlate with reality, IMO. I live in a town filled with black Americans who are "hood", whether or not they actually live in the ghetto. Most of them are young, but many are older people too. They might not be wealthy but most of them are middle-class...there is no excuse for the behavior that I witness daily. A lot of the Hispanic folks here share the same behaviors/attitudes. It is quite depressing, because there is a decline in morals and plain decency.

Monica · Mentor Joined: 02 Oct 2007 {Posts: 345 }

I actually take pride in being a Ghetto girl. I'm glad that my son's have that "edge". I've had a zillion experiences that many have not had and I am proud of my life and choices at age 43.

I grew up in a wonderful middle class Black community, West Philly. from the 60's to the 80's. Everyone had a nice row home, and there was alot of keeping up with the Jones. Your mom got a metal screen door, your neighbor got a metal screen door...I remember sectional couches, and floor model color TV's. Drugs were dealt by older folks from their homes, speak-easy's were in peoples basements. Being a drunk or an addict has no specific class it afflicks.

All our merchants were jewish and they were always freindly and their children grew up hood.

We had cousins in North Philly, the alledged lower class area...and visted others in Wynnfeild, the higher class hood.

As an adult I live in the worst ghetto in Philly, and it's multi-racial...EVERY white girl around here has black or hispanic children. On my street of over 70 homes are blacks, whites, asians and hispanics. Again their is very little difference between the hoods except alot more people spend time at home, on disability or drug dealing.

In the 80's and 90's I lived in the same area where a little girl named Megan Kanka was killed by her long time neighbor who lived in a house full of pedophiles. My best girlfr, an Italian girl lived hand to mouth, trying to keep her daughter in private school and maintain her toney address in Hamilton Twp, NJ, while once a month we went on search and rescue trips to "needle-park" off of Delaware Ave in Philly to find her herion addicted husband. (who was white and hispanic).

Being black has affected me, being 6ft tall and skinny affected me as being 6ft tall and over 200lbs has affected me. Having 5 kids and being in and out of wedlock has affected me, having three babies daddies has affected me. If my only issues were those of having identity issues about what I should call myself, I'd consider myself a lucky girl.

Cinnamongirl · New User Joined: 10 Jul 2006 {Posts: 35 }

I too sometimes refer to myself as "hood" or "around the way" with pride. I've lived in the hood, the burbs, downtown, uptown... but I find myself most comfortable in an urban environment. But people who are real "hood hood" will tell me I'm not all that hood! Laughing

jagirl32 · Experienced User Joined: 17 Jul 2007 {Posts: 125 }

i live in what people would concider a hood but are not hood by any standards. my neighborhood does not define me Smile

and yes there are many decent people who live in the hood as well. remember good times?

OTHER · Posted: Tue 23 Oct 2007 01:56 Post subject:

Monica · Mentor Joined: 02 Oct 2007 {Posts: 345 }

pianoplayer111 · Wizard Joined: 16 May 2007 {Posts: 429 }

"Good Times" was one of my favorite shows. Florida Evans was the bomb! Smile

Willona Woods was gorgeous and I loved all of them. It was sad when Janet Jackson played Penny, the abused child.