"How To Be Black" by Baratunde Thurston. Harper Paperback. 2012. Kindle Edition. $3
I first ran across Baratunde on Twitter (@baratunde). I use Twitter for personal & professional development. When I declared Facebook bankruptcy years ago, I decided I could not abandon social media altogether. I decided to use Twitter to learn, and to follow only people who I felt I could learn from. Baratunde is one personality among many I follow to learn something. I'm pretty ignorant of black people even though I have black friends. Living in rural Kentucky makes things even more isolating simply due to the lack of diversity. Living and working near a university does improve exposure a little bit but not like the days of living in Kansas City, Missouri. Two decades ago I had black friends I partied and hung-out with, went clubbing with. Today, life and times are different.
I look for people of all types of backgrounds to follow on Twitter, scientists, authors, civil rights activists, journalists, comic book artists and writers, programmers, whoever I think I can learn from.
When I heard Baratunde on NPR (
transcript) his comments pushed me off the fence and I bought his book. Amazon ran a good deal, $3 for the Kindle edition.
With my blog, I try to stick with a singular theme - what is the geographic theme of the topic or subject? With "How To Be Black" a number of questions crossed my mind.
- How do I write a review of a book which deals with a subject with which I have zero experience?
- Can I white dude write about being black? That question is easy: no.
- Can I bring something to the conversation on race, at least within the context of Baratunde's thoughts expressed in his book? Answer: Maybe. Probably. Anybody can have an opinion, right?
- Do I feel awkward writing about "How To Be Black?" Absolutely. But, feeling awkward hasn't stopped me from doing stuff.
Baratunde evokes many thoughts about race wrapped in his humorous story-telling. His "scientific" panel of experts on 'blackness' which includes one white Canadian, self-described as more of a "hard-boiled egg" than Caucasian, provide substantive, poignant vignettes of their experiences within black culture. His Panel of Experts are sound like groovy people who I could see myself being friends with, going to Blues clubs, book readings, comedy clubs, talking politics or current events with over beer and pizza, or sushi, or Pad Thai, and generall just hanging-out. Each Panel of Experts member is a stand-out in their own right, bring published authors, comedians, musicians, having achieved some personal goals and recognition for their efforts to move society and US culture forward. "Hard-boiled egg" by the way, refers to being Caucasian on the outside and Asian on the inside.
Baratunde's wryness and sarcasm might be lost on those who are unable work against the current of their own personal struggle or animosity or grievances. Barantunde never comes across as "angry" or "belligerent" or "just another black man trying to bring the white man down." He is a man of observation, of diligence, and of eloquence who has a depth of experience which surpasses the majority of white people. Not many white people have been shouted down for not being "white enought" by other white people. Not many white people I know who've traveled to Europe get accosted by Europeans for being named "Paul" or "Michael" or "Seamus." When Baratunde traveled to Nigeria as a teenager he was shouted at by an elderly Nigerian man for having a Nigerian name. "YOU ARE NOT NIGERIAN! What gives you the right to such a name?!" Thus, his comments are worth exploring.
I never realized being black was so complicated. Blacks have to constantly struggle not only to maintain their "roots" but also interact in several different realms, and act in many different capacities.
- Blacks have to be experts in all black culture.
- Blacks have to be experts in all black politics.
- Blacks must know every other black person.
- Blacks must know what President Obama is thinking at all times.
- Blacks must represent their race within Business and Industry.
- All blacks are experts in Welfare and Poverty.
- All blacks must understand and identify with Blues, R&B, and Rap.
- All blacks are related to Robert Johnson, Rosa Parks, MLK, and Malcolm X.
- All blacks must regularly attend Black Culture Training, which includes dance classes.
- All blacks must be ready to assume the role of The Black Friend and be ready to respond to well-meaning but ignorant and possibly insensitive questions.
- All blacks must be fluent in drug culture, terminology, and use.
- All blacks must have either killed someone, been shot, know a shooter, or know a victim.
- All blacks must belong to a gang, or if older than 40, must have belonged to one.
- All educated blacks must work to prevent exposing their education to other blacks. Otherwise, they may be "outed" as a white person.
Being black is far more complicated than I ever would have dreamed. While some of the above list is tongue-in-cheek, my guess is some of these stereotypes have been held/are currently held by whites, Asians, and Hispanics.
It's not easy being black.
The milieu of Blackness does raise many interesting geographic questions. Being a professional geographer, Baratunde's prose has embedded within many geographic questions.
- Does "blackness" vary by geography? I mean, do blacks treat other blacks differently based on geographic bias? If blacks in Madison, Wisconsin, run across a black person from Birmingham, Alabama or Detroit, Michigan, is automatic black 'cache' awarded?
- Does cache vary by skin tone? That is, you can't be very black because you are too light-skinned?
- Do white people own the roots of racism? Are white people solely responsible for curing racism?
- Do educated blacks suffer bias from less educated blacks?
- Do we live in a "post-racial society?"
- Why the "N" word? Why do white people use the "N" word referencing other whites?
The N-Word
I want to address the last point first. I hate the "N" word. When I hear or read one black person use the word against another black person - and it is
against the other person - this is how I translate:
"No matter how good, smart, rich, kind, thoughtful, successful you are, you will never be anything more than a slave."
I see the N-word as nothing more than black peers trying to prevent black progress. People need to surround themselves with positiveness, positive comments, helpful supportive energy, not negativity. No, I say, to black people, you are not a slave and you do not have to accept the mentality of your peers who want to hold you back from who you want to be. I wish black people would work to abolish the use of the word in every day conversation. I don't hear Hispanics, or Jews, or Asians using racial epithets. Asians, in particular, are very good about using positive reinforcement on each other.
For white people to use the word in any sense is simply moronic. Seriously, using the word does not make you cool, hip, urban, trendy, dope, in touch with your roots. No rational reason exists for a white person to use the N-word in any capacity. White people who use the word have a mental disease or defect, I suspect.
The N-word among whites seems to be popular among young urban white kids, impressionable and thinking they achieve some form of credibility by using the N-word. In rural areas, whites continue to use the N-word due to cultural inertia. Grandparents and parents both used the word and transfer the acceptability of the word to their children. Kids in rural countries perpetuate N-word use as a means of seeming more "urban" or "hip." Just stop being ridiculous, please.
Being an Educated Black Person
Being an educated black person in the United States is probably one of the most challenging racial roles I can imagine. Whites don't expect an educated black person, nor an educated Hispanic, for that matter. If we run across an educated black or Hispanic, whites either don't believe it, or we go through this internal argument that the black person's education must amount to about 3/5ths of a white person's education, regardless if we were in the same school and class together.
As Baratunde discusses in detail, black people have to work 2xs as hard just to be black and educated, and play a role. If another black person works in the same office, the complexity does not double but is squared.
Blacks are no longer the largest racial minority. Hispanics are the largest racial minority. Hispanics are not the fastest growing minority. Asians are the fastest growing minority group in the U.S. (
National Review, 2012).
Black females tend to do better in higher education than their male counterparts. While black males attend college in rates which mirror their proportion in the population, they do not finish college at the same rate as males in general, and are suspended and expelled at higher rates than white males (CBC Foundation).
That research is being conducted to examine educational disparities is a step in the right direction; research, analyze, and interpret. Then, figure out approaches to change behavior or policy. However, blacks need to be supportive of each other in their educational and business pursuits, not derogatory, nor be a hindrance towards progress. Thug or "gangsta" life is a false life, a facade, a false cultural meme which will ultimately fail and prevents social progress, working to restrain black culture, not promote.
I love basketball, college basketball. I can't play, can't shoot. Have never been able to. But, college basketball is the ultimate team and individual sport, in my opinion. Watching an ESPN broadcast of a high school game, I was struck by the way the commentators were talking about the players. All of the high school players were being watched because several had verbally committed to Kentucky, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh.
I thought, wow, this is 21st century slavery; listen to these commentators.
"He is strong and powerfully built."
"He is very fast and quick on his feet."
"He will be very productive for the right team and the right coach."
I thought, man, if slavery of the 18th and 19th century existed today, this is exactly what it would sound like.
"He is strong and has a great back. He could pull a plow and work all day."
"He is smart and he could carry bushels of cotton and make strong children.
"He would be a very good asset to any plantation owner."
And, I was like, damn. That's messed-up. These ESPN guys are the 21st century equivalent of a 17th century hawker for a slave auction.
This realization led me to this notion.
To the black man who is given a scholarship to play basketball, I say, "make sure you take advantage of this opportunity. If you do, you win, you win for the rest of your life. If you do not use this opportunity towards investing in yourself, to make yourself better, and to graduate, then you have been complicit in your own 21st century slavery, of working for people who only want to exploit your skills for their own ends, not yours. Once they have used up your eligibility, watch how fast they dump you. Take charge of your future.
The White Roots of Racism
In terms of black and white culture, whites certainly have run the table on racial discrimination, of that there is no doubt. Also, racism was also promulgated by white people for about 400 years. You might be compelled to argue, but only my timeline is mootable, not my comment. The British, French, Germans, Spanish, and Dutch all at some time period or another believed Caucasians were racially superior to races of other skin tones. All one needs is read the journals of their diplomats, explorers, and politicians. Or, simply read their early textbooks. No less than shocking in these days. Also, one must also recognize Christianity is also responsible for racism to some degree. After all, the non-European world was full of differently-colored heathens, pagans, and atheists who must be treated as children and shown the error of their lives.
Racism is discrimination (different treatment) based upon race. Bigotry is discrimination based upon some other trait, intelligence, religious adherence, politics, etc. I know some blacks have been discriminated against by other blacks based on skin tone. I call this "bigotry" as I'm not sure if a black person can be racist against someone of their own race. Anyone can be bigoted, though.
Jews throughout time have suffered racism by people of all races.
Jews were subjected to atrocities in Russia, in Europe, in the United State. Of all places, Jews in the Middle East were tolerated and appreciated, at times. Jews can handle money and charge interest, something upon which Islam places many restrictions and some Christian sects. Hence, Jews became known for being monetarily successful not through any great skill on their part, but due to religious restrictions found in other religions.
Asians, especially Japanese continue to exhibit subtle bigotry towards other Asians, especially Chinese, and to some extent Koreans. But, I call this "bigotry" and not "racism" because Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans are essentially the same race, and by my definition a person cannot racially discriminate against another person of the same race. But, they can be bigoted. Japanese can be racist against blacks and whites, though, as they have a sense of cultural superiority. If one looks at Japanese immigration law and societal mores on marriage, one can see direct evidence of bias.
Discrimination based on race and skin color is not unique to white people, that is my point. White people may be responsible for discrimination in the Western World. However, we cannot re-write history to pin the global distribution of discrimination, bias, and bigotry upon one group. We cannot even say, "we'll white people started it." No; if you are Christian, read your Bible. Those were not white people, Europeans. Those were Central Asians, Africans, and Arabs.
Whites are also resistant to their own hypocrasy. Whites will point figures are urban blacks and say, "they use welfare. Black people do nothing except use welfare and return nothing. I hate 'em. They have all these kids and my money goes to support these kids."
First, black people sort of their own worst enemy in this regard. Black people tend to congregate in urban areas and thus are easily noticed. In other words, they cluster, or group themselves, and in doing some make themselves into easy targets.
However, white people are wrong. All one has to do is look at some Census and Center for Disease Control data. Three times as many white people are on welfare. In fact, if you were to add all minorities on welfare they would not add to the number of white people on welfare. White people also abuse prescription drugs more than minorities. White people also abuse illicit drugs more than minorities. Examine the geography of Appalachia sometime. The greatest poverty in the United States, outside of Native American territories (talk about whites and racism), is found in predominantly white Appalachia ... and prescription drug abuse, and illicit drug abuse. But, whites don't acknowledge this. We hear about helping urban poor, rarely Appalachian poverty.
The Spatial Distribution of Blackness
I found Baratunde's comments about 'blackness' and its geographic overtones interesting. I have many black acquaintances. My favorite is April, who lives in Atlanta. She is a beautiful, light-skinned black woman and when she was in school, she told me once if she couldn't find a suitable black man she would marry me and we would have beautiful children. I found this highly complimentary.
When I was in junior high school (7-8th grade), I was passed a note through friends a black girl wanted to be my girlfriend. She was very pretty and dark-skinned. My 'friends' were freaking-out, though, especially the white girls. I was a little unnerved, honesty, more because I was terribly shy and the thumbs of my parents pressed hard. Neither thought dating was suitable for me, only my education. "Plenty of time for dating when your in college. Or, even better, wait until after college." And, my dad did, and does, favor the N-word, and I could only imagine bring my black girlfriend home and dealing with all the above. So, yeah, not only did I not have a black girlfriend in junior high, I had no girlfriend until I got to college. But, blame me, not her.
Baratunde's comments, though, helped me expose my ignorance of how blacks see each other. Do Southern blacks get more respect from other black in more "progressive" or "liberal" regions of the U.S.? Is a black person from Birmingham, Alabama seen in a different respect by a black person living in Chicago? Do black people harbor biases for or against other black people based on perceived regional differences?
I suspect the answer is "yes," not because that is a trait of black people but because that is a trait of people, in general. We are all familiar with the notion of "living on the other side of the tracks" or "being from the "wrong side" of the tracks." We all carry mental, or cognitive, maps in our heads of where wealth people live, nice or gated neighborhoods, good schools, good shopping, as well as places where life is more visceral. When we have this knowledge thrust upon us in the form of a person, we then make internal value judgments, which we then might have to work to overcome if these judgments result in negative biases against the person. We want to work against the perpetuation of stereotypes but challenging our own personal biases.
Our Post-Racial Society
Do we live in a post-racial society? In short, are you freaking kidding? No. No...no.
We are getting better but we are several generations from a post-racial societal. Simply because President Barack Obama, our first mixed-race President, does not make U.S. society "post-racial." Our President is half-black, and as Baratunde points out, even among blacks President Obama's election could simply be a historical fluke, an aberration. The next black president will be the U.S.'s first black president. It's easy to dismiss the first as an accident. A second black president would have to be a deliberate act.
Now, put a Native American in the Oval Office, and we might be able to talk post-race society. Or, a black woman in office. Or, a Hispanic woman. Then, we can talk about post-racial society.
As long as we continue to elect old, white, Christian people into Congress, or as Presidents, or governors, we cannot discuss the "post-racial" nature of U.S. society.
As long as we have hiring, scholarship, grants or other benefits based on race we cannot have a conversation about a "post-racial" society.
Keeping track of statistics is necessary. Statistics are information, data, and knowledge is always necessary. Every organization should keep statistics on race, religion, creed, ethnicity, etc., but public policies which provide race-based benefits stand in the way of "post-racial"society conversations.
Essentially, all people need to be treated the same way under the law, regardless of who they are. However, that is an ideal. As long as we have a legal system which discriminates against women, gays, blacks and minorities we cannot call ourselves "post-racial." Simply nonsense.
Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day. I honestly did not plan my essay around MLK observation. I merely finished reading How To Be Black and as I normally do, try to bring some geographic context to Baratunde's themes and ideas. Living in the south, many whites see MLK day as "stupid." Someone on Twitter posted a Facebook conversation among his 'friends:'
"Black people just need to get over being slaves. They aren't slaves now."
"Black people would probably sue if we made them do anything on MLK day."
"We [white people] have to constantly walk on pins and needles just to make other feel like they are worth something."
Thank you, Southern white kids, or kids, in general, and our decrepit U.S. educational system. You might as well tell Jews, "you need to get over the Holocaust. It was 70 years ago. Old news, move on. You have your own country now. You should be happy."
I am not a White Apologist. Being a student of history, and human nature, the above comments expose ignorance, immaturity, and hypocrisy among children and young adults. I am sure if we plumbed the depths of the lives of these people we would find them clinging to cultural traits passed along by parents and grandparent which are barriers to self-improvement, racism, denigrating smart people, drug or alcohol abuse, or a cycle of poverty. Hypocrisy is a shadow which follows everyone everywhere.
Cultural history is important to remember. Cultural history cannot be worn like a cloak, though, or used an excuse not to be better or to improve one's self and one's position or status in life. MLK day helps everyone remember where we were in time, to help us not forget how all people are damaged by racism. MLK day is not a day strictly for black people but for everyone to experience as a societal landmark of where we were, for us to realize where we are, and to think about where we need to be. And, those ignorant comments above illuminate how poorly understood are the overarching messages of MLK and those people active against racism.
Individually, we have to work to overcome our own personal concerns. We cannot allow our individual or cultural histories to psychologically wear us down. Whether we are children of divorce, or abandonment, or tragedy, or abusive parents, we do not have follow in the same path. We have choice, we can make choices about who we are and how we act. We can challenge the traits passed to us by our local culture and we can make a choice to act and behave in ways which are in our own best interest. Racism and bigotry are never good choices and represent the worst of false memes. When we cross the threshold from being children to adults, which I submit is more into one's 20s, based on intellectual and emotional maturity than the de jure age of 18, it is incumbent we leave behind our juvenile thoughts, feeling, and false memes about people and aspire to higher level thinking.
Thank you for reading this far, if you managed to do so. If you leave a comment, or RT/MT on Twitter I'll give you a shout-out (s/o) in return.
PAX
