Racism in America…. Caribbean Nationals just don’t get it?

[Jangle]

Caribbean immigrants who arrive to the United States are often shell-shocked by the palpable presence of racism. What is all the more surprising is that these tensions are more so perpetuated by African-Americans. Before an immigrant can experience the strife and joys of the States, they are frequently discouraged, or should I say, warned. Warned that success will most certainly be harder for them. Warned that things are different ‘here’ and that the color of your skin has in more ways that one already set them up for failure.

Living in the United States as a person of color immediately affiliates you as African-American. You’re on the black team now, and as such, may find yourself in situations where you are scrutinized by other black Americans for your racial ignorance. The whole world has been touched by the angst of inequality and prejudice (including the Caribbean) but African-Americans appear to have the hardest time moving forward. Other nationalities, while heavily conscious of their ugly pasts are not nearly as tainted. It appears that Black Americans have been so grossly affected by racism that they almost lay-wait offensive behavior.



http://aidanneal.com/2014/06/29/raci...t-dont-get-it/

[Sir X]

Went to work once and a nurse called another nurse from the carribbean cool(ie), she bawled down the place ...Trini or Guyanese..these racial terms we laugh about in Ja are offensive in the states, its a cultural view, funny thing is dem nuh know ow dem love cool(ie) hair, fi dem baby or girlfriend.

[Hortical]

Mutabaruka - Blacks In Amerika

Mutabaruka - Blacks In Amerika


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwiCbwEa_6Y

[Historian]

Nice Post, Jangle

Interesting article, boss.

I have always felt, though, that for many Caribbean immigrants who read widely and on a variety of issues, the shell-shock might be less.

Caribbean immigrants who arrive to the United States are often shell-shocked by the palpable presence of racism. What is all the more surprising is that these tensions are more so perpetuated by African-Americans. Before an immigrant can experience the strife and joys of the States, they are frequently discouraged, or should I say, warned. Warned that success will most certainly be harder for them. Warned that things are different ‘here’ and that the color of your skin has in more ways that one already set them up for failure.

Living in the United States as a person of color immediately affiliates you as African-American. You’re on the black team now, and as such, may find yourself in situations where you are scrutinized by other black Americans for your racial ignorance. The whole world has been touched by the angst of inequality and prejudice (including the Caribbean) but African-Americans appear to have the hardest time moving forward. Other nationalities, while heavily conscious of their ugly pasts are not nearly as tainted. It appears that Black Americans have been so grossly affected by racism that they almost lay-wait offensive behavior.



http://aidanneal.com/2014/06/29/raci...t-dont-get-it/

[TDowl]

What does he say about Blacks in Kingston/Jamaica?

[TDowl]

Some people feel they need to promote them ego by putting others down, what is their gain at the end of the day?

[Jawge]

I beg to differ. You cannot cite an opinion piece then make broad sweeping statements. What is a fact that you and some others ignore is that prior to
the civil rights bill of 1964 none of the ethnic groups that are "making it"
now, weren't making then (A point I was supposed to bring to Iman in another post). Who marched, got beaten, hosed, bitten by dogs and other monstrosities to force the civil rights bill?

I think people should read up on the civil rights act to see how it changed the land scape of the US.

but African-Americans appear to have the hardest time moving forward. Other nationalities, while heavily conscious of their ugly pasts are not nearly as tainted. It appears that Black Americans have been so grossly affected by racism that they almost lay-wait offensive behavior.

I want supporting evidence for the argument above. Thanks

[myYout]

Is not get dem doan get it, Dem nah jus "drink some ah di milk", dem ah count all ah di cow dem to. Ah dat!!

[Sir X]

I agree with you Jawge , there is a rising black middle class,the hood stereotype is forever perpetuated to justify the nonsense above.Hood life is one aspect of black america, it plays a huge role in their cultural programming and thats the issue in black america, should and how to change it,to accentuate the positive aspects of black american culture.

The problem is most black immigrants land in the hood or close to it , quickly elevating out of it, sadly some stay and get caught up in the self pity blame game.Incidentally not all in the hood are into that blame game and not all middle class blacks disregard it.

[Don1]

I beg to differ. You cannot cite an opinion piece then make broad sweeping statements. What is a fact that you and some others ignore is that prior to
the civil rights bill of 1964 none of the ethnic groups that are "making it"
now, weren't making then (A point I was supposed to bring to Iman in another post). Who marched, got beaten, hosed, bitten by dogs and other monstrosities to force the civil rights bill?

I think people should read up on the civil rights act to see how it changed the land scape of the US.

Be careful of confusing causation with correlation re civil rights and ethnic progress

If you're claiming that so called ethnic groups progressed subsequent to 1964 because of civil rights bills... there is no research I know of which indicates that relationship having a huge impact. If you have such research kindly post it

There is much research that points to the economic and social strategies of ethnic groups being responsible for their progress...or lack of it.

Successful groups trade among themselves first, control their local economy, save & invest wisely... and stress education. Basically an Ethnic Nationalism/self-help focus

Unsuccessful groups give away their money easily to other groups in their buying habits, have low savings and investment rates, don't focus on education sufficiently.. and engage in too many non-productive or negative social practices.

It's not hard to figure out which groups are successful and why...

Black Americans who supposedly benefited the most from "civil rights" are still the least successful group by far (except for Native Americans) in most social indices.... annual income, wealth stock, poverty, business ownership, home ownership, education rates, health outcomes and involvement in Babylon's criminal injustice shitstem.

Those outcomes have little to do with the laws Babylon promulgated in the 1960s... but everything to do with poor individual choices and poor group strategy decided in the 1920s by Blacks.

Instead of the NAACP and their myopic integration strategy promoted & favored by the US Govt and White America.... Black people would probably have been much better off following Garvey's Black Nationalist, self-help platform...

That's the same formula that ensured the steady progress of many other ethnic groups

[Sir X]

Good point.

[Hortical]

Yes, the shell shock is significantly less. Our Black American friends play up the victimization syndrome way too much. Many problems in the hood are self-orchestrated and based on personal actions.

I am tired of us crying over the Whiteman's shoulder every day! Go to school, get an education, don't be loser, stop blaming everyone for your lack of success in life!! Straighten out your damn families, stop having babies at 15 and dropping out of school, learn to speak standard English, pull up your pants, have some pride & self- respect.

No, my name is not n-$$-a & don’t call me dawg!

[Gamma]

a peron's experience is theirs and theirs alone. i had been visiting the states from i was on mi faada passport and yet it was when i went to college that the issue of race became real to me. in fact, i may have missed several instances of it prior to that moment, simply because i was not looking for it.

once i became aware of it, it was everywhere yet, my response to it had everything to do with growing up in jamaica where i NEVER felt inferior because i was black, so i did not have that mentality. in fact my early responses were, "but look at this fool who is not even my equal" ...

as time went by i noted some of the more cynical elements of racism but my self esteem was well and truly established ..... the one time it got to me was during a football game when a latin guy said to me "f u n****!" when i said something to him about fouling my teammate, who was argentinian.

the american experience of being black was very different from mine and that affects outlook and how thngs were processed.

[Islandman]

This is EXACTLY my experience Gamma.

I have also found that when I look at the business and society pages in the Jamaican newspapers I am more aware of things that I did not really take much notice of when I was younger and only visiting the USA.

All of that is not to say that the knee jerk reaction to race issues is not causing the black American community serious damage. I think it is. However I will not be like many immigrant blacks who fall for the "You are not of them" line that many non-blacks will try to push on us. YES actually, I AM one of them, don't try that sh!t with me.

[MdmeX]

Me still trying to read Twelve Years A Slave -- a nuff yeye wata mi shed already, and mi nuh dun read the book!!