Courage to Know [the third]

This is gonna be good...
Almost as good as 'Livin' in Perfect Harmony' ALMOST
Today... is thursday [don't know what that means? Click Here]. Today.my class didn't take a field trip.. we discussed one of our readings.. which i didn't read but the discussion ended up REALLY good.
Let's set this one up with a video...

When I tell you, "A Doctor is coming to speak to our class today" what do you picture?
I don't know about you, but I picture a Caucasian male. Why when speaking of a doctor of any other race, we have to specify it? Why is Caucasian male the norm? Maybe doctor isn't the example for you but you get the point.

Today we talked about the underprivileged vs the over-privileged. The computer is telling me that's a typo.. Which brings me to one of my points... Everyone feels underprivileged. No one thinks they're over-privileged. In the workplace. It turns to an argument about Affirmative Action and things like that. But the point is... there have to be over-privileged people in order for those that are underprivileged to exist. Am I right?

This conversation got thick into the muck of race relations and i LOVED it. This was SO my topic to speak on. Boston College is, in essence, a predominantly white school. Many people may think that this is the reason that blacks tend to associate with blacks and that whites do the same but the truth is, it's a matter of class.
I realized a few weeks ago, the reason I only hang out with black people is not only because we are of the same cultural background but it's also because white people have never heard of a Dollar Store. And the only black people that do hang out with the white people have something in common with them: money.
Walking onto this campus, you're surrounded by a plethora of name brands. Everywhere you turn. Name brands I've never even heard of! or Seen! It's quite intimidating for someone like me who could care less about the name on my jeans, to try to approach females with their coach rainboots.

What I didn't realize is I'm not the only victim in this situation. One of my classmates, who is African American, is the daughter of the man who started Black Enterprise. If you didn't know, Black Enterprise is a magazine, website, that is quote: "The ultimate source of wealth creation". It strives to better African Americans state of wealth, and help them start businesses and things like that. You can imagine, she has money. She described to me how she felt coming to BC. She wanted to make African American friends but she feels just as intimidated as we do. Because she is afraid as being categorized as stuck up or boogie or sahditty [thats for you b.coles].

How do we bridge the gap?
I feel like in order to find things you have in common with people and things like that.. you have to get past the fear and intimidation and just do it. What's the worse that can happen? And if something drastic happens... you can blog about it!!
I challenge all BC students reading this to like.. introduce yourself to someone new.. Like a stuck up white girl friend.. And comment about your experience.

Rich Black Girl also talked about how she was intimidated by the fact that it looked like we all already knew each other and had our own groups of friends and things like that. It's very true but there's a reason for it.
Boston College feels the need to tend to minorities by creating programs and retreats and activities for them. There are so many events for black ppl, and spanish ppl, events that happen before you even accept to the school. If you are placing us in all of these programs with each other, how do you expect us to branch out? The black people are going to be the only people we know! It's alread bad enough that the poorer are generally intimidated by the rich. But to worsen it, BC makes us feel handicapped, 'special' compared to everyone else. How are we supposed to feel good enough?

I also think that the white people at this school get a really bad representation of african americans.. I'm not saying we're dead beats but.. what i am saying is... every african american here is either an athlete, on a dance team, or a singing troup. It just fits the stereotype that we can jump, dance and sing. I mean its crazy. Sometimes I feel like a little dancing monkey in a cage. I feel like all of the white people I know and talk to, ask me to dance for them or teach them my moves and it's like.. I'm so much more than that.. not just your exhibit A.
Thing is they fit their stereotypes too!!... But if we are all just going to have presumptions about people than why shouldn't we act the way people expect? If BC is going to take 200 dollars out of everyones meal plan, assuming that much will be stolen, than why shouldn't we steal.. 200 dollars worth of goods??

I really wanted to put up the scene from crash with Ludacris and Larenz Tate but I couldnt find a good version... it's the first scene in this montage.. it's low quality but you'll get the idea

There are some really good quotes and good scenes in this movie.. if you have never seen it please watch it within the next 24 hrs... Click Here to see some quotes...

Anthony: You see any white people in there waiting an hour and thirty two minutes for a plate of spaghetti? Huh? And how many cups of coffee did we get?
Peter: You don't drink coffee and I didn't want any.
Anthony: That woman poured cup after cup to every single white person around us. Did she even ask you if you wanted any?
Peter: We didn't get any coffee that you didn't want and I didn't order, and this is evidence of racial discrimination? Did you happen to notice our waitress was black?
Anthony: And black women don't think in stereo types? You tell me something man. When was the lat time you met one who didn't think she knew everything about your lazy ass? Before you even open your mouth, huh?
Anthony: Look around! You couldn't find a whiter, safer or better lit part of this city. But this white woman sees two black guys, who look like UCLA students, strolling down the sidewalk and her reaction is blind fear. I mean, look at us! Are we dressed like gang-bangers? Huh? No. Do we look threatening? No. Fact, if anybody should be scared around here, it's us: We're the only two black faces surrounded by a sea of over-caffeinated white people, patrolled by the triggerhappy LAPD. So you tell me, why aren't we scared?
Peter: Because we have guns?
Anthony: You could be right.

The only think i dislike is Ludacris... who plays Anthony ALWAYS has to be the victim.. especially in that Bus scene...

Anyway, its kind of like what I said in Livin' In Perfect Harmony [didn't read it? click it!] about the athletes. And how if we are going to automaticall assume that all athletes are going to be assholes that screw you over, why shouldn't they all act like ass holes that screw you over..
When people make assumptions doesn't it just make you want to do whatever they assume you're going to do? Like how the guy on the elevator in the first video wanted to snatch her purse?
BUT NO...
We shouldn't. Because we are only making it worse. We should strive to be different. Not typical black people. Most of these white people at BC have never been at a place so diverse [diverse here means 6percent minorities].. We have to prove the stereotypes wrong for their sake. All they can see is that black people can jump, sing and dance.
It's really sad.

Any other suggestions to change the presumptions?

Let's end it with a little clean fun... Katt



I love his effin dance baseball bowling and basketball paaahahah

LIFE IS SHORT!

oh and if you have time give my brother blog a hit..
theres a really good series about shy guys happening...
Here's the link.