Current Events > Know what's weird about understanding black struggle being white/Hispanic?

(+) Yeah! (+)

It's that when I'm thinking something someone black is saying about struggle is off and it's like, how can I say I know the struggle more than an actual black person. But I'm also using information I got from other black people who seem to know more. I feel you just gotta get comfortable with listening more than talking as an outsider, then try to use what you know when speaking to other outsiders about it. But would it ever be my place to try to correct a black person as well, if what I feel they're saying isn't completely up to date with what I heard others in the community say?

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Flip the roles. Is there ever a situation where a black person could justifiably correct you on some assumption of yours that was wrong even if it was based in your own experiences? If so, then it's reasonable to think your scenario is possible too.

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s0nicfan posted...

Flip the roles. Is there ever a situation where a black person could justifiably correct you on some assumption of yours that was wrong even if it was based in your own experiences? If so, then it's reasonable to think your scenario is possible too.

I see what you're getting at. But touching on my race issues is a lot less touchy of a subject. The history isn't the same. Good response tho. Wouldn't mind seeing you come back to dig into it deeper

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Do you have to experience something to be able to talk about it?

I think it depends on the subject and in this case it's something you can't really.

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

But would it ever be my place to try to correct a black person as well, if what I feel they're saying isn't completely up to date with what I heard others in the community say?

I don't see why not. I feel uncomfortable saying that people should feel scared to correct or respond differently to others because they're black. Especially if it's done in good faith. Just not really an area I want things to move towards.
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You should never be afraid to speak on any subject. If you have little experience with something don't try and head the room, but everyone is just speaking from personal experience and no one's voice should be considered less valid. If someone completely disregards you because "you just don't know" they arent worth listening to.

I understand what you're saying. I think it is important to know that all black people in the country don't experience the same struggles and issues, so their idea of what the current issues are and the biggest obstacles my differ. I think that's true for every ethnic group as well. My experiences with racism and prejudice living in a bigger city in the midwest may be a lot different than my brothers in the smaller cities in the south for example.

As long as you can have a healthy discussion and are willing to listen and learn from each other, there really isn't much problem from asking questions.

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Lost_All_Senses posted...

I see what you're getting at. But touching on my race issues is a lot less touchy of a subject. The history isn't the same. Good response tho. Wouldn't mind seeing you come back to dig into it deeper

I think you're trying too hard to make being black "special" here. Everyone has their own history and your personal experiences aren't any less valid because of your skin color. What you're proposing, that one person's personal experiences don't line up with the groups, is something that can happen to anyone, regardless of race.

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Ilishe posted...

Do you have to experience something to be able to talk about it?

I think it depends on the subject and in this case it's something you can't really.

I don't understand the second half of this. Dunno if it's worded weird or if Im just not getting it.

emblem boy posted...

I don't see why not. I feel uncomfortable saying that people should feel scared to correct or respond differently to others because they're black. Especially if it's done in good faith. Just not really an area I want things to move towards.

specialkid8 posted...

You should never be afraid to speak on any subject. If you have little experience with something don't try and head the room, but everyone is just speaking from personal experience and no one's voice should be considered less valid. If someone completely disregards you because "you just don't know" they arent worth listening to.

Fair enough. For the record, Im not scared to touch on these subjects with friends or friends of friends. I just feel like I might be more of an observer if it was someone I didn't know.

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KStateKing17 posted...

I understand what you're saying. I think it is important to know that all black people in the country don't experience the same struggles and issues, so their idea of what the current issues are and the biggest obstacles my differ. I think that's true for every ethnic group as well. My experiences with racism and prejudice living in a bigger city in the midwest may be a lot different than my brothers in the smaller cities in the south for example.

As long as you can have a healthy discussion and are willing to listen and learn from each other, there really isn't much problem from asking questions.

Hell, my experience as being Nigerian and having immigrant parents probably causes me to have a slightly different perspective than others.
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emblem boy posted...

Hell, my experience as being Nigerian and having immigrant parents probably causes me to have a slightly different perspective than others.

It absolutely would. We might experience similar issues depending on where we live, but I wouldn't have much of an idea of what your life is like. We can be aware of the most common fears and troubles of the black community and understand that there are some that don't quite fit in those categories.

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KStateKing17 posted...

I understand what you're saying. I think it is important to know that all black people in the country don't experience the same struggles and issues, so their idea of what the current issues are and the biggest obstacles my differ. I think that's true for every ethnic group as well. My experiences with racism and prejudice living in a bigger city in the midwest may be a lot different than my brothers in the smaller cities in the south for example.

As long as you can have a healthy discussion and are willing to listen and learn from each other, there really isn't much problem from asking questions.

I overlooked this post at first somehow. Know what's also interesting? Is me not being black makes my experience different in that more people might be open about talking racist shit against black people because they're the type that are cowardly about it. In Michigan, racism is so damn common and the N word is thrown around so loosely in all white groups (not "all" as in every white group). I've even had friends that I liked outside of their ignorance and just had to express my disappointment everytime it came up. Of course, they were the types to not say it around black people.

And people can call me what they want for not completely shutting someone out for it, but Id rather stick around, gain their respect and maybe open their mind to the possibility Im talking sense. Plus, not being black kind of gives me the advantage there. Because if they do see blacks as lesser, someone not black would be less automatically shut out of the conversation. With the added privilege of me, though still feeling a certain type of way, not feeling all the depth of the pain of being part of that community. Hearing the N word might make me feel a certain way, but it doesn't hit me like it would someone who lives through it.

I also really respect the group of people who've came in this topic. Im already glad I decided to actually hit "create" on this one

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