A Taste of Blackness Part 2: Reverse racism or elitist alienation



I have already talked about what it means to be socially isolated based on one’s ethnicity. The problematic part is when the isolation comes from the very same group of people to which you should belong. A question that should be answered is whether the isolation is warranted. Do “oreos” isolate themselves or is the prejudice come from a different source? I will use myself as a prime example, because I only know my own frame of reference. I will admit that my relationships with my fellow African-Americans have been strained at best. Why has this awkwardness occurred? I think part of it comes from my background. I never conformed to any of the stereotypes of the disenfranchised poor African-American. I did not grow up in the ghetto. I always had two parental figures in the home. My parents are both college educated. I never aspired to be “hood”. Slang was not permitted in my home. I never thought it was cool to reproduce without consequences. Playing Russian roulette with my penis is not what’s up. In fact, I have made it my life mission to prove that such stereotypes are totally ignorant and void of any real validity.

The part that becomes complicated is that the fact that I want to disprove such stereotypes makes me come off as “white”. Popular culture has labeled such behavior as nerdy and unhip. “Carlton Banks” from The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was the quintessential “oreo”. His lack of a “blackcent”, hüber preppy clothing, and adoration of Tom Jones made him an easy target, but I never likened myself to him. Basically anything that does not fit with BETesque stereotypes is the antithesis of blackness. I never understood how wanting to be an intelligent, responsible, and successful person was leaning towards a being Caucasian. Moreover, the fact that these characteristics are solely associated with Caucasians says a lot about the state of both blacks and whites. I am sure there are some African-Americans who are reading this and saying that it is a bullshit statement and that all people want to be successful. I will agree with that but let me counter that supposed retort by asking another question. If I asked you to draw a prototypical black person how would you draw him/her? What would they look like? How would they talk? What kind of job would they have? Now draw a prototypical white person. What does he/she look like? How does he/she communicate? What kind of job does this person? If you REALLY want to raise some eyebrows try drawing the families and homes of the prototypical white and black families.

There are exceptions to the rule, but why does the rule exist in the first place? Who made such rules? Is pop culture to blame for reinforcing such stereotypes? Is it human nature to just be presumptuous? Has my environment created a social divide that I am destined to be on the other side of? Or am I part of the problem? I will admit that I have an anger in me against those people, particularly those of my same ethnicity, who have dismissed me as a black man because of the tone of my voice and mannerisms. Who gives such people a right to label who is “down” and who is unworthy? As I have gotten older and more comfortable in my own skin I am ok just to be labeled as a man. My skin pigmentation is just a fraction of what defines me. I still get upset though when I see and hear the dismissive snickers when I talk. The same people whom I have dedicated my life to validating and proving that we are sentient human beings are resentful of my ambition.

As a result of the social divide between myself and my “people”, most of my friends are Caucasian. I do have some friends of color, but about half as many. Naturally, most of my romantic relationships have followed the same pattern. I always thought it was funny that the same black women who never gave me the time of day got upset when I date someone who actually did. I don’t have time to judge someone based on color. I always figured why limit my potential mates because of their skin color? Besides, there are plenty of “real” black men who date Caucasian women and I don’t think they are judged because of it. Maybe the problem isn’t the black men at all. We will save that can of worms for another day though.

Let’s examine this social divide a little further. W.E.B. DuBois acknowledged and encouraged the intellectual uplift of African-Americans. His “talented 10th” campaign foretold that only the elite should lead and go to the best schools and have the best professional careers. Of course, Mr. DuBois was part of the elite, being the first African-American to earn a degree from Harvard University. DuBois made his argument because Booker T. Washington had been publicly deemed the “black messiah” and his Atlanta Compromise would have a majority of African-Americans leading a subservient existence in which their chief occupation would be agriculture. There is nothing wrong with choosing a career in agriculture, but being thrust into a profession because of a supposed lack of opportunity is another story altogether. I am sure Mr. Washington felt he was doing the right thing, but such a public outcry in such a venue was creating a philosophical and sociological divide among African-Americans.

The height of African-American intellectual growth was demonstrated during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s. Based on the efforts of intellectuals like W.E.B. DuBois, individuals like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, and Richard Wright were able to establish themselves as credible artists and broaden the perspective of literature to enlighten the general public and allow people to realize that African-Americans were no longer required to be seen as obtuse caricatures. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and the Harlem Renaissance did as well. But the idea of intellectual uplift is something that I would hope would not disintegrate. I don’t know the moment in history that intelligence became a burden but I can comfortably say that my intellectual capacity is something that was opened my eyes to many different ideas but the more I learned the worse I have felt. Maybe that is why people say ignorance is bliss.

The root of the root is this, why has intellectual uplift gone from an asset to a hindrance? Moreover, is the pursuit of intellectual prowess seen as snobbish elitist behavior? All my life, I have been told that I should try to be the very best I can be. I fully admit that I am a perfectionist and want to be superior in every endeavor in my life, but is it wrong to want to be better? Is the disdain thrown my warranted? I just don’t want to be a stereotype. I always wanted to have options with my life. The fact that every sacrifice I have made and everything I have done to reach the level I have attained in terms of my education and my mental acumen is brought into scrutiny infuriates me. It would just be nice to get some credit. Why is it that African-Americans who persistently disrespect women, engage in psychotropic substances, and have criminal records are idolized? Yet those who succeed through moral fiber and academic distinction are passed over like they are part of the Old Testament.

I know there is some accountability on my part in regards to my station in life and the friction between myself and some of my fellow African-Americans. I always knew I was different from a lot of other African-Americans but I always hoped that maybe I would at least have the respect of my fellow African-Americans. Not only have I been disrespected, I have been publicly ostracized and seemingly blacklisted. Is it my fault for loathing those people who associate ignorance with a particular ethnicity? Have the promises of Dr. King and DuBois passed into memory? I do not think either man would be proud of the state of the nature of things with the people who they hoped to enlighten and inspire. Those same principles that fortified their philosophies are now seen as both passé and counter-productive. I fear that there is a silent war raging within the minds and hearts of African-Americans. More dangerous that gang violence or the war on drugs is the war with ourselves for our own minds. Both sides have a fervent belief that their contingency is fundamentally correct, but the fact that the conflict still rages on pushes back the possible evolution of all blacks.

A Taste of Blackness: Part 1
The ode to the Oreo


I start the next blog with a fair degree of hesitation. I say this because this blog is extremely personal. I know most blogs come with a fair degree of editorializing but this one is near and dear to my heart. In my twenty-eight years on this planet I have always felt like I did not fit in. Moreover, I didn’t fit in with my own “people”. I don’t say race because there is only one “race” but I have always felt that my ethnicity was a burden. What I mean by a burden is that by being an African-American I am supposed to “act black”. I have yet to totally deduce what this means but I will try to get to the root of this code of conduct that I was born into yet someone seem to fail to conform to.

For those of you who do not know, an “oreo” is a negative reference to someone of color who has “Caucasian” characteristics. In essence, someone who is black on the outside, in reference to their skin color but someone does not “act” the way a black person should therefore they are white on the inside. There is a similar derogatory remark for Asians. Instead of “oreoes” they are called “twinkies”. I do not know how Asians regard this racial slur but I do not think it goes over too well.

The big question is why people think that there is an overwhelming desire to be a Caucasian? I mean, don’t get me wrong. I have lots of white friends and work with white people at my job but I feel quite comfortable in my own skin. That is part of the problem. It seems like my skin has defined me to the general public. Does the amount of melanin in one’s skin do more than just produce color? Is there a sociological effect as well?

Let’s think about my plight. As a black man, there are certain expectations/presumptions that occur. The first presumption that I have faced is that just because a man are large he must have played football and that his ultimate goal is to play in the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, I love football. I did play football………….in high school and I had a great time playing it, but my collegiate experience and acceptance into said college had nothing to do with my athletic prowess. I find it to be slightly asinine that people never ask, “Did you get an academic scholarship? Did you maintain an “A” average? Did you win writing competitions?” I find the whole situation to be a catch 22. If I say, I did play sports I feed into the problem. If I express any anger, I am accused of being hyper-sensitive.

The next presumption, and that one that infuriates me to no end, is that my speech patterns must reflect whatever is on 106th and Park on BET. I will probably upset a lot of my fellow African-Americans by saying this but…….FUCK BET! BET is fucking horrible! Because of stations like BET and ridiculous programs like 106th and Park that idiotic belief that people of color cannot speak standardized English has been given validity. Moreover, the creation of a subset of language, targeted specifically for African-Americans has been created and has been given academic validity. If you don’t believe me, check out this website (http://www.ebonics-translator.com/ebonics_definitions.php).

The thing about BET that really grinds my gears is that the very same minds that BET wants to enlighten and entertain have been poisoned and manipulated by its programming. BET has the opportunity to decimate the myth that the African-American intellectual is a contradiction in terms. I know there must be more people out there, like myself who feel enraged by the station that supposedly represents them to the public. Maybe I am being too critical, but I believe that BET has a higher responsibility when it is synonymous with an entire ethnicity of people and the best programming it can muster is Hell Date, Baldwin Hills, and College Hill. I am sorry but I do not feel fairly represented by those programs.

I will end this first part by just expressing my lifelong sadness that has come by being classified as an “oreo”. I have been insulted my fair share, and it’s a part of life, but to be exiled from your own people because you chose to think rationally is a pain I would not wish on my worst enemy. I just do not believe that my intellect has nothing to do with the color of my skin. Both are mutually exclusive the last time I checked. Moreover, I do not believe that the popular philosophy portrayed in the media that African-Americans must dive into a self-fulfilling prophecy of blissful ignorance is necessary.

I find myself worse than a man without a country. I find myself a man without a people. I know I like who I am, for the most part. But I also know that is because I am myself that I find myself at odds with a large contingency of African-Americans. And that is my struggle. Where do I fit in? The answer should be simple but the older I get and the firmer my beliefs and values become the wider I see the divide between myself and a large contingency of African-Americans. My hope is that through this series of blogs a peaceable coexistence may be forged, or at least a mutual respect.