Great article from a terrific guy. We love you at FR!
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There was a brief vogue 10 years ago or so, led by a few film buffs like Siskel and Ebert, for "revival" of the old "black films" of the 1940's. They started in the 30's and gradually died out in the 50's, like the old Negro Leagues in baseball and for the same reason: Hattie McDaniel, Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier got called up to the majors in film, in much the same way as baseball players did.
But before the era faded away, what the black filmmakers recorded -- they made a record, not just films -- was the state of the "colored" community at the time. The films were eye-opening for anyone who lived through the 70's and the "blaxploitation" films: Shaft, Blacula, Sweet Sweetback's Badass Song. They featured fully-functional neighborhoods in Upper South and Midwestern cities, men with trades, businesses, and professional practices making ends meet for intact families, men and women who spoke conversational English, not "Ebonic" or some other "street" dialect.
The English used in those days was close enough to standard usage, that neologisms, turns of phrase, and humor migrated quickly across into the wider community: I remember an Encyclopedia Britannica entry, I think it was, about humor, in the 1954 edition that we had at home. The writer commented on American humor in particular and its difference from British and other Old World humor. The example given was a street scene: two black workers were talking one day (example from the 1930's, I suppose), one of them commenting on a rent collector walking down the other side of the street: "There goes vulture boy, pickin' his teeth." The point of the article was, it would never in God's world have occurred to an Englishman, to make those same easily-understood words come out of his own mouth, never mind that rent collectors were just as common in England.* They just didn't talk like that. But we did. Nowadays, the situation is different, and commented on when street slang comes up for discussion.
* I suppose it's also worth commenting on, that someone would remember that expression -- purely from memory -- more than 40 years after reading it.
I’ll take your word that this is the case. But, to me it’s something of a surprise since my experience in the military - which took place during the unsettled times right after passage of the civil rights legislation in the mid-60’s - was that there was less racial strife in the military than anywhere else on earth.
The military was at that time, and it must be more the case today than then, virtually “color blind.” It could have been that we were at war and one is never closer to anyone than those with whom he goes to war — but, it was more than that I think, it was a true camaraderie born of mutual respect without regard to race, for no other reason than your comrades had earned your respect by mere virtue of their selfless presence in a challenging situation.
Ping to a great article by Trueblackman.
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Thanks for your service and positive attitude.
Great story.
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Good vanity and very realistic!
I also remember your T.V interview in 2005!
I think America is the best country in the world for people of African decent. However, because of liberal white America and black America, I tend to think Europe is a better environment to raise a family.
It might be a good idea to post a link to the AP article that you refer to so that we may understand the reason for your vanity post.
Well said. I’ve always wondered why high schools in poorer districts don’t encourage military recruiters in order to give their students another life option, something other than drugs or welfare. Although your situation was different (sounds like you had other choices for your life), the military can be a way for someone who is hardworking and ambitious to get at the least a chance for higher education and/or a skill, and at the most an honorable and respected career. Thank you for your servie, and for your insight.
Ironically, this was true in the white community when I was growing up. Going into the military was considered a “foolish idea” until Reagan got in office. One goy in my social group coming out of HS went into the Navy and his parents had to make excuses for him.
Thank you for this well written piece, if you do not mind I would like to send it on to my USMC son in Quantico.
Thank you for your service and thank you for standing tall and doing the right thing....
Thank you for your service to our country, Trueblackman, and for sharing these insights with us.
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Ping for an interesting read.
Trueblackman,
You and others like you are the new pioneers for the future.
Thank you for your service, from a fellow Navy veteran.
Great post.
I totally agree that black liberals and white liberals are some of the worst types of racist I have ever seen.
The black community needs to wake up think and think for it self.
My grandfather proudly served in the Navy and was in the Korean War.
We as black people need to appreciate the military and thank God we have these men and women serving and rid ourselves of this thug hip hop culture.