I know what it's like to try to relate to different types of people. Sometimes, we may feel as if we need to change the way we talk or conform to what we assume to be their social norms. Heck, some of us even have a tendency to automatically, unknowingly adopt the accents of others.
I get that. I understand that. Sometimes I do it myself.
That said, some folks just take it too far. If you're fond of Black people or if you'd like to reach out to some Black folks, for whatever reason, feel free to do just that. Please, do me a favor, though, and resist the urge to pull out your fake "hood" lingo.
I've had multiple encounters, over the past several months, where non-Black people have gone to one extreme or the other.
Nann Nigga.
In some cases, I've had non-Blacks greet and carry on coversations with me in a very different way than I've seen them speaking to others. Not everything has to end in "yo." I don't need you calling me "pimp" every time you see me. And it's certainly not acceptable for you to call me "nigga" - under ANY circumstances.
Some people reach comfort-zones where they decide to call each other all kinds of things that might offend a stranger. That's their business. How I allow people to treat me is MINE and it doesn't include the n-word.
Don't put on that False Hood act to relate to me. Be you and I'll either dig you or I won't. If I don't, maybe that's my loss. But all that False Hood shit is just trying too damned hard.
"I don't listen to Hip Hop."
In another situation, someone said a big reason he doesn't talk to many Black people was the fact that he doesn't like Hip Hop. I can't sugar-coat this one. That's plain ol' ignorant.
Newsflash: Not every Black person likes Hip Hop music, but even if that weren't the case, it IS possible to carry on a conversation with an African-American on topics other than music.
No, really.
Between these two extremes and articles like this one from CNN, I'm not feeling terribly optimistic about minimizing the racial divide in this country.
It's amazing how people think they're so racially and culturally enlightened, then are convinced that they ought to have the right to call me "nigga." (And, somehow, I'm the bad guy for objecting.)
3 comments:
Fortunately, I haven't had that happen to me in awhile. And I am afraid you are right about the racial divide as well.
Why do people bother denying that they are racist?? I often times wonder about that. White people really come up to you and say nigga like you guys are pals?? Wow.
To be fair (and maybe I didn't phrase this properly in my post), it's not like this has happened a ton of times, but one time was really recent.
Others have to do with similar incidents - some of which happened to me and some happened to others.
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