Black college students at predominantly white campuses feel internal cultural tension

The Oklahoman ^ | 7/21/13 | Silas Allen

[dfwgator]

The others weren't bad people, but just seemed well below average in ability, as if they were hired for the wrong reason.

Unfortunately those types are the ones who run most HR Departments.

[mjp]

He felt like he was being asked to trade part of his “blackness” for the values and characteristics of the dominant white culture on campus.

Blacks need to discard the anti-success mentality of the black culture, and learn from the white culture,the values and characteristics of how to succeed.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Do you think a big part of the problem might be that some blacks resent the fact they are no longer Priority #1?"

I think that is a HUGE part of the problem with the NAACP types. They spent the first half of their lives striving for racial equality when doing so could be hazardous to your health. It was probably an exhilarating time, something like combat, with a special "rush." I think they became addicted to that rush, and now that their efforts have largely been successful, they don't know what to do with themselves. So every little racially-tinged incident becomes magnified and blown out of proportion, so they can puff themselves up again and pretend that nothing has changed, and that they are still needed.

[dfwgator]

Blacks need to read more Booker T Washington, and stop listening to the Jesse’s and Al’s of the world.

[FrdmLvr]

“Why you actin’ so white?!”

[Albion Wilde]

I felt a lot of pressure the other day while filling out an application for classes, to state what race I am.

This sort of thing annoys me as well, since "white" is not a race. It is a conglomeration of people in America who were Angles, Saxons, Celts, Gauls, Frisians, Basques, Teutons, Nordics, Franks, Flemish, Etruscans, Romans, Greeks, Lapps, Caucasians, Slavs, Turks, Semites, Baltids, etc etc etc... Many of us whose ancestors have been here for a long time are also mixed with various kinds of Native Americans.

This racist crap has to stop. People are stereotyped by their behavior much more than their skin color.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Unfortunately those types are the ones who run most HR Departments."

The ones I'm thinking of were in IT, but it's true that HR has a reputation just about everywhere as a dumping ground for marginally capable minorities.

[T-Bird45]

Yup, as did multiple other FReepers. The article writer missed an opportunity to add value to the piece by asking what his career goal might be.

[OldPossum]

There are either two options if you discuss this in philosophy. The man claiming to be the Son of God was either a fullblown nutcase or he actually was/is the Son of God. There is no in between, no middle ground. What that had to teach me was useless.

C. S. Lewis, one of the greatest writers on Christianity wrote that there were three options: Jesus was either a liar, an insane man, or the Son of God. He chose Son of God. And so do I.

[dforest]

Black folks need to grow up and stop the whining.

[Albion Wilde]

You used to hear “perambulator” in America around the middle of the last century, as well. Now, the Brits are calling it a “push-chair.” Hate that.

[popdonnelly]

Black seperatism has failed. I’ve seen that through the course of my life. It just reinforces hostility.

[ladyL]

I remember feeling aghast at my daughter’s University when I walked past three black college students on the sidewalk and they were saying MF this, MF that and barely moving over on the sidewalk as they passed me. I was appalled at their rude behavior. If this is the culture we want to endorse then something is twisted about our thinking. It is time to call this culture for what it is...debased.

[Chaguito]

“...64 percent of OU’s undergraduates in the fall 2011 semester were white. Just 5 percent of undergraduates in 2011 were black.”

So, 31% is something else. Where’s the writeup on those poor babies’ sad plight?

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

What worse could they do?

African-American Women's Studies major? That ought'a cover just about all the grievances out there.

Prerequisite: AAWS100 Pi$$ing & Moaning
Prerequisite: AAWS101 Bitching & Whining
Prerequisite: AAWS102 Ignoring Personal Hygiene

Regards,
GtG

[Albion Wilde]

Blacks need to read more Booker T Washington, and stop listening to the Jesse’s and Al’s of the world.

I read his autobiography as a young woman starting out, and I can honestly say his book inspired me deeply to persevere and deliver quality results at work, regardless of the prejudice directed at me almost constantly in the 70s and 80s. His book should be required reading in every high school.

[bgill]

Lee, an African American Studies major

Now, who's the racist? Hmm, low income black Texas kid somehow decided on an out of state college with out of state tuition. He could have gone to any of the 5 predominately black colleges in Texas so he wouldn't have felt out of place and been able to go home every weekend so he wouldn't have to experience much of life outside his 'hood. I'd really like to know how many African American Studies major ever bother to visit Africa. I'd also like to know what the heck he's going to do with such a lame major.

[dfwgator]

I read his autobiography as a young woman starting out, and I can honestly say his book inspired me deeply to persevere and deliver quality results at work, regardless of the prejudice directed at me almost constantly in the 70s and 80s. His book should be required reading in every high school.

But that wouldn't be "keepin' it real."

[alexander_busek]

Family and friends treat him with greater privilege, he said.

How does one treat someone else "with greater privilege"? Or does the author mean that his family and friends "accorded" him greater privileges? Or that they treated him as though he were "more privileged"? Or that they treated him with "greater courtesy"?

Is English the first language of the author of this article?

Regards,

[alexander_busek]

When Davis was in high school, it was obvious that he was in the minority, he said. He felt the internal conflict between his heritage and his surroundings then, he said, but he adopted the speech patterns and culture of the people around him.

I experienced the same sort of conflict when I went to college, where my fellow students made regular use of profanity, smoked marijuana, drank booze, listened to contemporary rock music and protested the Vietnam War.

I, too, felt something akin to that "tension" when I transferred to a university where the students and faculty had totally different speech patterns (in fact, they didn't speak English) and practiced a different culture (didn't celebrate the Fourth of July or Thanksgiving, were constantly explaining how ashamed they were because of "The War," etc.).

I was in the minority - a tiny minority - but didn't expect anyone to adjust to me.

Regards,