Africans, African Americans, West Indians & Afro-Latinos Vol: Why is there a rift between us?

[shoefreakbaby]

3rd world countries have it easier, lol.
They have to pay for school and most cant afford it.
Maybe you meant other countries have a better teaching systems.

Jamaica isnt a 3rd world country

Yea, you read it wrong.

guess I did




Why would you spew vulgar words if someone ask you if you are Jamaican.
A simple "Im not" will do.

 

[numbah1grimey]

I hate, HATE, HATE being called black! Although I was born and raised within the united states (Florida) I EMBACE being called African-American. I understand the cultural differences, based upon the area you inhabited but, to totally bypass your African roots baffles me. I swear, if another individual asks me "Oh, I thought you were Jamaican!" I may spew a few vulgar words or two. Secondly, I am all for the "Human Being" moniker when it all boils down to it. We all breathe the same oxygen, are exposed to the same climate issues, genders, etcetera. But, living by that same creed seems to make most people toot their nose up as if they just sniffed cow feces.

 

[8pm at msg]

Props to ya'll who dropped some gems in here, on both sides of the argument. I can't 100% agree with some of you that say Black Americans and Africans are viewed differently, that's more of a case by case basis. Amadou Diallo definitely wasn't treated differently by cops when he unfortunately lost his life.

 

[kix4kix]

3rd world countries have it easier, lol.
They have to pay for school and most cant afford it.
Maybe you meant other countries have a better teaching systems.
Jamaica isnt a 3rd world country
guess I did

Did I say that ja was a third world country? Argue against what I said, not what I didn't. I said ja had a better education system. Not 3rd world countries.

And to add context to the third world having it easier. It was in reference to after coming to america.

 

[kix4kix]

I hate, HATE, HATE being called black! Although I was born and raised within the united states (Florida) I EMBACE being called African-American. I understand the cultural differences, based upon the area you inhabited but, to totally bypass your African roots baffles me. I swear, if another individual asks me "Oh, I thought you were Jamaican!" I may spew a few vulgar words or two. Secondly, I am all for the "Human Being" moniker when it all boils down to it. We all breathe the same oxygen, are exposed to the same climate issues, genders, etcetera. But, living by that same creed seems to make most people toot their nose up as if they just sniffed cow feces.

Are you African? Are your parents from africa? What about YOU is African?

 

[spottieottie305]

Why is there a rift between "black" people from other countries?

Short answer: Ignorance


Africans think "black" Americans are mindless sex crazed thugs whose only purpose in life is to play sports.

"Black" Americans think Africans are poor disease infested people who live in huts; Or at the very least Nigerian scam artists who only look out for self.

Media propaganda and lack of self knowledge plays a huge part in this problem. We look at each other through a lens of Europe Imperialism and white supremacy.

At the end of the day we're more alike than we are different. The bigger problem is that most people would rather focus on the differences as a means to keep us separated. This way of thinking has kept black people as a economic underclass for years. Until we find a way to unify, despite our differences, things will never change.

 

[numbah1grimey]

Are you African? Are your parents from africa? What about YOU is African?

So, based upon this notion, being that my ancestors were displaced from their original place of origin, I cannot be deemed African-American? If that's the case, any method of tracing your heritage or the primitive beginnings of your family is pointless, correct?

 

[shoefreakbaby]

Who is arguing?


Excuse me for thinking you thought JA was a third world country, because in the same line you were talking about third world countries schooling you mention JA schooling. Forgive me

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

So, based upon this notion, being that my ancestors were displaced from their original place of origin, I cannot be deemed African-American? If that's the case, any method of tracing your heritage or the primitive beginnings of your family is pointless, correct?

I agree with kix though.. The term "African American" is dumb because nothing about most so called African Americans are African.. Me myself like to be called American, I don't have any family in Africa and can't trace any of my ancestors to Africa

 

[wavy bone]

It is extremely disturbing and sad to me when African-Americans want to distance themselves from their African background. I don't know how any of you with any sort of self sense of pride for your history and what you come from can actually sit up and ask "what's african about me".

Despicable.

How often do you see Italian Americans deny their heritage as often as African Americans do it? We truly are a divided people and I see no hope for the future.

 

[cj863]

Yep. Our ancestors were shipped over here and somewhere along the way we magically lost our heritage, where we originated doesn't matter at all

 

[kix4kix]

So, based upon this notion, being that my ancestors were displaced from their original place of origin, I cannot be deemed African-American? If that's the case, any method of tracing your heritage or the primitive beginnings of your family is pointless, correct?

I ask you a simple question, directed at you and you can't even answer. What about you is African?
Africa itself is a European invention. "Africa" as it is called is a place with literally thousands of languages, cultures, and tribes. So I ask again, what about YOU is African?

 

[numbah1grimey]

I agree with kix though.. The term "African American" is dumb because nothing about most so called African Americans are African.. Me myself like to be called American, I don't have any family in Africa and can't trace any of my ancestors to Africa

Where would your ancestors be from, originally, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[knowledgebones72]

I agree with kix though.. The term "African American" is dumb because nothing about most so called African Americans are African.. Me myself like to be called American, I don't have any family in Africa and can't trace any of my ancestors to Africa

that's the thing, though. In the grand scheme of things, when you look at world history, a couple hundred years is not a long time. And a couple hundred years ago your family lived in Africa. We don't know where in africa, so we just leave it as "Africa". This is why we're African-American. Just like an Asian-American who is more specifically a Korean-American. Just like an Arab-American who is more specifically an Iraqi-American. Since the only real ethnic "Americans" in this country are far and few in between, we add the cultural/nationalist "American" to the end of our ethnic description in order to fully describe what it means to be American.

 

[kix4kix]

It is extremely disturbing and sad to me when African-Americans want to distance themselves from their African background. I don't know how any of you with any sort of self sense of pride for your history and what you come from can actually sit up and ask "what's african about me".
Despicable.
How often do you see Italian Americans deny their heritage as often as African Americans do it? We truly are a divided people and I see no hope for the future.

Italy is a country, Africa is not, I'll ask you now, what about you is African?

 

[kix4kix]

that's the thing, though. In the grand scheme of things, when you look at world history, a couple hundred years is not a long time. And a couple hundred years ago your family lived in Africa. We don't know where in africa, so we just leave it as "Africa". This is why we're African-American. Just like an Asian-American who is more specifically a Korean-American. Just like an Arab-American who is more specifically an Iraqi-American. Since the only real ethnic "Americans" in this country are far and few in between, we add the cultural/nationalist "American" to the end of our ethnic description in order to fully describe what it means to be American.

200 years ago, "africa" didn't exist.

 

[numbah1grimey]

I ask you a simple question, directed at you and you can't even answer. What about you is African?
Africa itself is a European invention. "Africa" as it is called is a place with literally thousands of languages, cultures, and tribes. So I ask again, what about YOU is African?

OK, What about me is so "American'? It is also a "European"-based invention, correct? If I were to go by that ideology, then I'd be "European". Right?

 

[knowledgebones72]

Italy is a country, Africa is not, I'll ask you now, what about you is African?

I've never seen the guy, but I'm going to go on a limb and say hair texture, skin color, facial structure, lineage tracing back to some sort of European slavery which would have been the result of a trip to the Americas/Carribbean from Africa...

 

[oidreez]

i blame the media and stereotypes

 

[kix4kix]

OK, What about me is so "American'? It is also a "European"-based invention, correct? If I were to go by that ideology, then I'd be "European". Right?

?? Not sure I understand the correlation. And I'll answer YOUR question even though you have yet to answer mine. America is a unique country with its own distinct culture. What about America is a European invention?......

 

[wavy bone]

Italy is a country, Africa is not, I'll ask you now, what about you is African?

WHAT POINT AT ALL DID YOU JUST MAKE?

You keep saying that nothing about isn't African based on what? That you...your parents...grandparents...and so weren't PHYSICALLY born in Africa so therefore you have nothing to do with Africa?

There a ton of Italian Americans in this country whose parents...grandparents....and so on weren't PHYSICALLY born in Italy...but I have never ONCE heard them say something like "I'm not Italian-American...I'm American".

I'm not sure what Italy being a country and Africa being a continent means. That's nitpicking at it's finest. How about we replace that with ASIAN-AMERICAN and my same point applies.

 

[kix4kix]

I've never seen the guy, but I'm going to go on a limb and say hair texture, skin color, facial structure, lineage tracing back to some sort of European slavery which would have been the result of a trip to the Americas/Carribbean from Africa...

So the only qualification for being African is being black? How short sighted......

 

[goldenchild9]

Why is there a rift between "black" people from other countries?
Short answer: Ignorance
Africans think "black" Americans are mindless sex crazed thugs whose only purpose in life is to play sports.
"Black" Americans think Africans are poor disease infested people who live in huts; Or at the very least Nigerian scam artists who only look out for self.
Media propaganda and lack of self knowledge plays a huge part in this problem. We look at each other through a lens of Europe Imperialism and white supremacy.
At the end of the day we're more alike than we are different. The bigger problem is that most people would rather focus on the differences as a means to keep us separated. This way of thinking has kept black people as a economic underclass for years. Until we find a way to unify, despite our differences, things will never change.

Bingo.

Conquer and divide. Works like a charm.

 

[knowledgebones72]

200 years ago, "africa" didn't exist.

Yes, 200 years ago a continent that contained thousands of different cultures and languages which we now call "Africa" did exist. 200 years ago none of the countries in the Middle East or Eastern Europe existed. Hell, 200 years ago Italy didn't exist, but that somehow alludes your argument.

 

[kix4kix]

WHAT POINT AT ALL DID YOU JUST MAKE?
You keep saying that nothing about isn't African based on what? That you...your parents...grandparents...and so weren't PHYSICALLY born in Africa so therefore you have nothing to do with Africa?
There a ton of Italian Americans in this country whose parents...grandparents....and so on weren't PHYSICALLY born in Italy...but I have never ONCE heard them say something like "I'm not Italian-American...I'm American".
I'm not sure what Italy being a country and Africa being a continent means. That's nitpicking at it's finest. How about we replace that with ASIAN-AMERICAN and my same point applies.

I think you are picking and choosing which of my points to listen to. I'll repeat it AGAIN. Italy is a distinct country dating back hundreds of years, with it's own cultural holidays, history, music, art, literature, and language, among other things. Correct? .......Africa in and of itself is a 20th century INVENTION!!! Meaning what? That before the 20th century it didn't exist. Imperialism and colonialism ripped the continent apart. As sited earlier in this thread, the Igbo and Yoruba hated each other long before Europeans came, would igbo and Yoruba consider themselves african? Of course not, they have distinct culutural differences, their own respective languages, history, heroes, among other things that make the distinct. So why on earth would black Americans adopt something that they share no identity with except for the very traits that were used to oppress them such as hair, facial structure, and skin tone????!!