America Is Racist?... Duh (part 2)

In re-reading my previous post (and comments) about America and its perceptions, I realized that I might not have gotten my point across. The following post initially started as a comment, responding to YouLoveMikeyDig but I feel like there might be other people who feel the same, but didn't take the time to express themselves as he did. Please don't take this in the wrong way, it's only meant to clear up some things.

Thank you for your comment @youlovemikeydig, but I feel you didn't quite understand where I was coming from. My post wasn't intended to point a finger at any group and call them racist - for WHATEVER reason. The main reason for this post was for self-evaluation.

The biggest issue I have is the way some people carry themselves. We all understand - yourself included - that we are ALL judged by the way we look. In the sensitive subject of race, our skin color is the SINGLE aspect that we cannot change. But, we CAN change, our language, our style, our habits, our morals, and our goals. When we have our youth aspiring to become rappers or basketball players and "get money and get rich" we have to question ourselves and ask each other "Where are they getting this from?" When I walk into work and see my kids sagging their jeans, I have to question them, "What makes THIS the thing to do?" Where has self-respect gone?

I was just thinking about this in a class today, "Every single action causes an equal or greater reaction. But in the same respect, every reaction is its own action." Getting on television, coon-ing out, and tap dancing for watermelon seeds only perpetuated the stereotypes that our ancestors had to live with in 1830. And the same goes for television today. (The rapper with the bulletproof vest who was shot 18 times, the star basketball player who can barely read with the kid on the way, and the angry black woman who can't express her feelings without yelling and attacking everyone around her). I'm not saying these images have ruined our culture, but I want to implore our community to digress from these images and produce better ones to live by. Celebrate the teen who is first in his family to go away to college, the girl who decides her future is too important and retains her virginity, the young man who wears his pants around his waist and is able to speak proper English.

So, forgive me for using the word "racist" in my title, but it was to serve as a base for where I wanted this to go. My point is, that as African-Americans, we have to understand what we support ON television, and imitate FROM it. But in the same respect (and an even greater message), as a PEOPLE - black, white, asian, latino, native american, etc. we have to show each other WHAT it is that we represent - and carry ourselves as such. Change starts on the inside and works its way outwards. We need to rely on ourselves - above all - and understand that the same image we perpetuate will be the same image that we will die by.

I hope this clears up some things.
Thanks again for reading. Your comments mean everything to me.

Joseph