Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - What is holding Black America back, if not Hip Hop?

phoenix1002 · 08-20-2003, 09:29 PM

I agree with Mael about the changes in family values, and I also think that what Mael says goes along with what I said earlier about education.

Many parents in middle-class suburban settings (generally white-not always, but in most places, usually) are less likely to be single parents, or if they are, they have better-paying jobs than their inner-city counterparts. These parents usually recognize the importance of education for their children, and will try and suggest that importance to their children, as well. So the kids go to school with more of a sense that they need their education to succeed. From my work in Bridgeport, and from what I've seen in other places, this is not the case in many city settings, usually in the Black populations. Often there is much less stress on the importance of education from the parents, not because they don't care about their children, but rather because they have other things that they consider more important. It seems to be much more common for a white person to go against the mainstream to improve his or her education than it seems to be for a black person. It seems that for a black person, the reinforcement of their ethnicity plays a prominent role in their decisions.

However, contrary to what it may seem I'm saying, education is by no means all it will take for Black America to come to stand on truly equal footing. Their society, from whatever influences they obtain it from-hip hop could be a part of it, seems not to prize intelligence as much as white society generally does. As always, there are exceptions to this. However, I'll use a family I've worked with as an example. Two girls, I believe they are about 13 or 14, attend some of the programs I help with. I know for a fact that their parents have taught them proper english grammar, and have them speak that way at home. However, when they are at the programs, the lapse into the stereotypical black speech patterns, such as "No she don't". These girls are bright, know how to speak correctly, yet they fall back to the speech patterns that seem to be promoted by their society, which white society interprets as "unintelligent". I think attitudes have to change in Black America before the real work to attain equality can get in motion.

08-20-2003, 09:29 PM	#35 (permalink)
phoenix1002 Psycho Location: lost	I agree with Mael about the changes in family values, and I also think that what Mael says goes along with what I said earlier about education. Many parents in middle-class suburban settings (generally white-not always, but in most places, usually) are less likely to be single parents, or if they are, they have better-paying jobs than their inner-city counterparts. These parents usually recognize the importance of education for their children, and will try and suggest that importance to their children, as well. So the kids go to school with more of a sense that they need their education to succeed. From my work in Bridgeport, and from what I've seen in other places, this is not the case in many city settings, usually in the Black populations. Often there is much less stress on the importance of education from the parents, not because they don't care about their children, but rather because they have other things that they consider more important. It seems to be much more common for a white person to go against the mainstream to improve his or her education than it seems to be for a black person. It seems that for a black person, the reinforcement of their ethnicity plays a prominent role in their decisions. However, contrary to what it may seem I'm saying, education is by no means all it will take for Black America to come to stand on truly equal footing. Their society, from whatever influences they obtain it from-hip hop could be a part of it, seems not to prize intelligence as much as white society generally does. As always, there are exceptions to this. However, I'll use a family I've worked with as an example. Two girls, I believe they are about 13 or 14, attend some of the programs I help with. I know for a fact that their parents have taught them proper english grammar, and have them speak that way at home. However, when they are at the programs, the lapse into the stereotypical black speech patterns, such as "No she don't". These girls are bright, know how to speak correctly, yet they fall back to the speech patterns that seem to be promoted by their society, which white society interprets as "unintelligent". I think attitudes have to change in Black America before the real work to attain equality can get in motion. __________________ I'd rather be climbing... I approach college much like a recovering alcoholic--one day at a time... Last edited by phoenix1002; 08-20-2003 at 09:34 PM..