Here's a great Washington Post article by Roxanne Roberts and Krissah Thompson on black integration in the "A list" world of Washington, DC.
D.C.'s High-Level Social Scene Now Mingles Black and White
Here's what stands out to me. There is a national assumption that black Americans are, as a collective group, on average, poorer than white people. Not that every black American is poor--but when people think "black" they'd be much more inclined to connect it to the word "poor" rather than the words "middle class" or "rich." This is damaging to our collective psyche in general and race relations in particular because it means that other groups, especially white people, don't naturally feel as though they have something in common with large blocks of black Americans. But the truth of the matters is that half of all black Americans are middle class -- which means that those in the other half are either rich or poor. And as middle class Americans, fifty percent of blacks have all of the same struggles as all other members of the middle class--including all of the mundane and often boring concerns such as whether using the coupon to purchase a toaster at Wal*Mart is a smarter option than sending in the rebate that Target offers.
Granted, a disproportionately larger number of black Americans are poor when compared with white and Asian Americans, and racism continues to affect the life chances of people with dark skin who live in America, but the focus of this article is wealthy black Americans. That is to say, RRRRRRICH black people whose powerful and privileged lives would be so alien to most white Americans that the latter would not even have a longing to be like them. This has absolutely nothing to do with affirmative action, by the way, and everything to do with using connections to make more connections and cashing in privilege to gain more privilege. And while these black men and women might feel some unease walking the halls of power given the history of "their people," one likely would not know it by listening in on their conversations. Moreover, these black A-listers probably care about black people in need just about as much as white A-listers care about white people in need. You can decide for yourself if you think that both groups care "a great deal" or "not much at all."
And keep in mind that this article could well have been written about the privileged strata of Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans because the elites of each of these groups have also carved out lives that by and large remain mysteries to many tens of millions of white people.
So how does this article stack up against how you think of black Americans and, if you have time to listen to his shtick, what might you say to Chris Rock? When you think about "white privilege," how do you integrate these African American (and Latino, Asian, American Indian) "A-Listers" in to your thinking?
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«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 229 of 229For all economic classes of any race, there will always be those that are very well off and those that are not, but stereotypes constantly skew these images in the minds of the public. Through many various sources of media, the poorer levels of society will always get more coverage with crime levels and their poverty rates causing the middle class to be often left out of the picture. The very rich African American rappers like Lil Wayne and Jay Z are very often shown with massive amounts of money, wearing a great deal of jewelry to show off their immense wealth and media power. This is an image that they uphold while those who are very rich Caucasians who get a great deal of media coverage are people like Donald Trump or Brad Pitt who don’t show off their wealth in what they wear as much. These stereotypes about African Americans and Caucasians run rampant in society because of the few individuals who portray themselves in that manner. It is very often that the African American lower class is stereotyped as creating their demise through their own means while white people who are out of work and living on a very minimal income are sometimes seen as victims in the struggle to find work in an economy where many jobs are out sourced to other countries and the economy is continually going down.
The black middle class who live their normal lives the same as white people are unheard of in the portrayal of society. The stereotypical white family is that of a family who lives in the suburbs in a nice house and a good education system, while it is true that the portrayal of African Americans has a deep rift between the poor and rich with little in between. It completely revolves around what kids, families, and parents see everyday on the news, magazines, movies, and any sort of reality show. It stems from following age old stereotypes that still exist and even though they may be very morally skewed, all stereotypes have had some form of truth at one point in time that have lead to their rampant spread through our American culture. The world will always consist of stereotypes because people constantly judge others by what they are wearing, the kind of music they listen to, the kind of car they drive, house they own, and even the kind of job they hold. Judgment is a necessary yet sometimes impertinent quality of human behavior that can do just as much good as it can do harm. Some African Americans who occupy these middle class lives must be outraged at these stereotypes that plague our minds and also the people that continue these stereotypes within our society.
What really stands out to me in this article is on the first page when Roxanne Roberts and Krissah Thompson wrote, "Certain hosts are suddenly grappling with a new reality: They need some black friends." I'm not exactly sure why, but this does not sit very well with me. Although from the facts that the article presents, it seems to be relatively accurate seeing that all of the sudden "black politicians, lawyers and journalists are hot properties, receiving engraved invitations from people they never got invitations from before." I had never known that there was such a racist ideology coming from those who represent our country. However I am glad to see that our leaders, politicians, and many others are straying away from this idea, and are becoming more diverse. This instance actually makes me think back to something discussed in class. I remember one day hearing a comment from a student about how they had a white friend who would say something racist about blacks, but because afterwards he said that it was "ok" to say since he had black friends, it suddenly made it alright for him to have said it. I actually laughed after hearing this. It just makes no sense to me at all seeing that if you have friends that are black you most likely wouldn't be saying racist comments in the first place. Although I guess and can tell that this is not always true. Getting back on topic, growing up near New York City and commuting to and from there, I had always seen "bums" on certain streets. They were just as many white bums as there were blacks so I never felt that blacks were poorer than whites. However, I remember being on the train with a friend one day when I was very young, when suddenly we had stopped at Harlem 125th street. My friend began explaining to me that this was an area where poor black people lived, even though I now know that this is not entirely true. At that age, I had no idea why there would be a designated area for poor blacks and not poor whites, so at the time I had thought that there must have been an abundance of poor black people in the city. Seeing how this affected me, I can understand why some people may think that there are a larger number of black Americans than there are white Americans. They just need to be hit with some facts and knowledge. On the other hand, getting into the topic of the wealthy black Americans, I feel that they definitely have the same ideology as whites when it comes to those in need of the same race. There is no reason why it would make a difference. All in all, I feel that this article is making more people aware of the equality that is much deserved in our nation.
The quote that really jumped out at me while reading this article happened to be in one of the last paragraphs. ‘“Most whites don't like to talk about race when I'm there," she said. "But it always comes up at mostly black dinner parties." In their own home, the Cohens and their guests talk more freely about race. "They feel that they are among equals and are really willing to discuss and engage," he said. "They are not afraid to say what they think."’ This really jumped out at me because I feel it represents one of the most important obstacles to race relations in our country, not to mention the world as a whole. I know this is a major problem because I can honestly say that when I’m in a room with black people, or most minorities for that matter, I don’t feel fully comfortable to be 100% truthful about race. I’m always trying hard to be politically correct because I was brought up to believe that solves the problem. In fact, being politically correct all the time and not being truthful is what prevents myself and everyone else from moving forward with regards to race relations. When I’m with my friends, mostly white with a few Asians and Indians mixed in, I have no problem talking about race. In the first few discussion groups in this class I had trouble expressing myself without over-filtering my thoughts because I wasn’t used to having discussions about race in general, let alone with blacks and other minorities. But as I’ve progressed through this class I’ve come to realize that the only way we move forward is by being as truthful as we can. Because once you are truthful with someone else and open up about yourself, then that person will be more truthful with you and open him or herself up to you. I just got back tonight from listening to Scott Fried speak to a group of people at Hillel. Scott is a motivational speaker who talks about his experience with HIV and the many lessons he’s learned throughout his life. He told us a story about how talked to a soldier at bus stop in Israel he never met before about his illness and how he came about contracting it simply because this soldier started a conversation with him and it eventually came up that he was in Israel teaching people about HIV. Because he opened up to this person and was honest, this soldier in return opened up to him and told him something that was very important in his life. By sharing something very personal with this soldier, Scott in turn learned something about the soldier as well. Imagine how much progress we could make if we were as honest with each other about race as Scott was with this soldier about his own life. And we don’t even have to be strangers with one another to accomplish this. We can start by being honest with the people we know. If we are honest about how we view race, others in turn will be honest with how they feel. Although some of what people say may be hurtful, in the end it will heal more than it hurts. Because once we know how the other side thinks, we can then learn why they think that way and thus learn what we can do to show them why they’re right or wrong. By knowing all the misconceptions people have about race, we’ll finally be able to address the roots of those misconceptions head on. Honesty is the first step to true race relations.
When i think about white priveledge it goes beyond physical wealth. To me white priveldge is something endowed to all white people from birth. wheter or not you use this to get ahead to become more powerful ios up to you. i am not intwined with the wealthy black community nor do i know anyone who is. However from my own experiances and understandings of this country it would strike me as impossible that those wealthy black people still expeirance some sort of discrimination in there community as we do in ours. My first thought would b ethat they would experiance more because the ratio of wealthy black people to wealthy white people is significantly lower then that of middle class black people to middle class white people. So I am sure they have less contact and connections with people of the African American race. I disagree with chris rock in that there are no wealthy black people , iam sure there are there are just very few. As far as wealthy people influenceing our country, money may equal power but power dosnt always equal money for example Obama. He has possibly the most power in the country , however iam sure there are people of both the African American and white race that are more fiscally endowed. wealthy africans americans have welth privledge. As far the comment that being "black" is whats in, I cant help but completely disagree with that statement. Being black or having black skin in not a fad. Nor should people accept it only because we have a black president and everyone is jumping on the band wagon. It is not his skin color that defines his politics, but his mind. Acceptance shouldent come and go like a new look or the lastest fashions in paris. Skin color can never be the new craze! Skin color is not a frivolous hobby, that can be forgotten within the next decade. we will not be looking back at this era saying "remember when being black was cool". It took years for people who were different then us to see our different skin color as human and not an abomination, It took longer for them to realize that we arent that different intellecutally. For someone to call our black skin, something we are blessed and dammed with, The new thing only degrades us even more. It isnt cool to be black, it isnt a commodity , its a race , its history and its far more then the"new thing". Id like to think that ive gotten where iam because of my intellegence and determination , rather than my skin color being cool. Because when Obama is no longer president and being black is no longer the thing thats in, I'd like to know that i can still achieve the highest of my goals. So for those of you who think that "being black is in"...........shut up and think first!
After reading this article a bunch of mixed emotions ran through me. First and foremost I think of society as always changing which makes the rise of the black upper class in the Washington elites not a huge surprise to me. At one point individuals would never see a women of power and now look at all the women that hold high paying, important jobs. This is know different for the rise of any racial or ethnic class. I think the rise of the African American wealth and power is probably not something new it is just actually coming out onto the surface now with the election of President Obama. With time changes occur and it is great to see the rise of a class that most people in society generally associate with as poor. Therefore, although I did not expect the change to come so soon I am happy that our nation is finally more integrated and people are starting to recognize this much needed change.
Another thought that came to my mind is about the stereotypes especially surrounding wealth. It is a shame that so many people in this ever-changing society have not come to realize that there are people of high status in all races and ethnicities. I think however, with Barack Obama being elected as president of the United States, this is causing a decrease in this engraved stereotype. People like this article presents are noticing that white people are not the only people that are ahead of the pack and wealthy which is a much-needed change. Society needs to realize that there are poor and rich people of all classes. I feel like it is surprising that many more people do not realize that there are wealthy people of all races and ethnicities because of the expanding entertainment industry. If you look at the music industry of today there are so many successful musicians who are not white. Therefore, I find it surprising that people are just now recognizing that there are African American individuals in the elite class as well. I think we are taking a step in the right direction however our nation still has ways to go to destroy this stereotype.
A third thought that came to my mind occurred after watching the Chris Rock video. I know he was trying to be funny, however, when he talks about rich and wealthy he talks only about African Americans frugally spending their money, which is obviously not the case. Look at all the stars like Paris Hilton who aimlessly spend their money on jewels; therefore although his comments were comedic I think it is important to realize that white rich Americans are doing the same as rich black Americans in today’s society. I think once society can get on the same page and realize that people of all races and ethnicities are poor and rich and save and spend then we can really begin to move forward as a nation.
I am not naive, I know we are discussing political power, but power can be interpreted in many ways; it holds many positions. Chris Rock, makes a good point, mentioning that there are more Caucasians that are wealthy then African Americans. However, I do not think that money necessarily dictates political power. Take for instances Condelesa Rice, here is a women who Chris Rock would not say has monetary wealth, but regardless the women is definitely politically wealthy. Here is a women who defeated all odds, she came from a very low-income family, with no voice and has managed to become a black women, with an opinion who many governmental officials hold in high regard. Although, I know that condolesa before Obama was rare, that is to see a black person let alone a women in a high government position. Regardless, my point is that money does not necessarily dictate power, all of the time. Also, I agree that whites receive preferential treatment most of the time over other races, however not all whites benefit. Just like the film we viewed in class about the white women who worked at burger king and who was a mom who could only provide to her family a trailer. More times than none these people are forgotten about because people always preconceive that whites hold all the cards in a deck and thus can’t possibly be poor. But just like non-white races being in government is a rarity, it still occurs and just like whites being poor is not always though off it is still there and it should not be looked over, but instead she would be addressed.
Also, with power come great responsibility; take for instance the person, who published this article, they have great power. Unfortunately, I feel he/she is irresponsibly governing their power that comes with their occupation. Journalists are public voices, and this particular voice mainly sees, and or writes about black and white races in office. However, this is a problem in itself. People need to stop ignoring the other races, and realize that there is more than just black and white skin, but an array of many colors who are not seen in the political light. People need to stop focusing on color and being to focus more on people and who the right person is for the right job. While this journalist is trying to be an advocate for this exact position, she is unconsciously hurting it by writing mainly about only black and white. Take for instance when the author mentions that there were only so many blacks at a political function, and the rest were white. I was wondering if he/she knew new the number of Asians, Indians, and other races who attend that function. I understand the journalist was probably referring to black and white because of the historic significance of a black family being in the white house.
Different races bring different customs to the table, making for a better comprehensive government that would be stronger and more intelligent. I say lets embrace change but let’s not exert change for the complete opposite. I agree it is a nice change for blacks to be finally heard in Washington, after so many years of whites being the main voice. However, I hope that this great change does not lead to a drastic turn of events, where the government is primarily black. My reason for saying this is because, there are so many great ideas and unique attributes that different cultures and races can bring to the table. This is what makes America so great, us being a “melting pot.” So what I would really love to see is an equal mixture of all races and genders in government, I think this will make for great things to come, especially now with the economy being so up-rooted. Also, it would set a great example for other countries, which may struggle with racial political issues.
In all honesty, I picked this blog to respond to this week because the Chris Rock video was funny and caught my eye. After reading the post, I realized that I never really held the assumption that black Americans are usually poorer than white people. But this is only because I grew up in a town with a very small percentage of black Americans and I never was really around black media, movies, or shows. The few black American students I went to school with grew up in the same households as all of my white friends. Therefore, on average most students in the school were of the same middle class state, with a few exceptionally wealthier and few a little lower middle class. Because of this I never realized that most people assume Black Americans are poorer than white and I still don’t believe that statement because I have never met very poor people. Penn State is a pretty pricey state school, so unless someone is here on scholarship they are likely to be as wealthy or wealthier than me. The only poor black people I have ever met are native people in Honduras and Caribbean countries when I’ve gone on vacation. Yet none of these people were very poor, they all had decent jobs at hotels and restaurants, and lived a decently comfortable lifestyle. I mean I wouldn’t mind being a bartender at a small hotel ten feet from the gorgeous water.
The part of the blog about affirmative action was a little confusing but the article about president Barack Obama was an insightful thought. It is silly to think that less black Americans were a part of the president’s cabinet and advisors before president Obama. But I think it is really great that they are becoming more a part of this scene. I think it is important that society changes and allows all races, colors, and religions to participate in government and every other part of society.
The part about how an all white dinner party would be weird is very true. In fact it should always have been weird, but obviously now with a black American as president there will be plenty more racial diversity at all the parties, gatherings and events.
The article also mentioned a brief paragraph about a multimillionaire African American man. Usually this is not the norm except for actors, actresses, and musicians. This paragraph reminded me of my Uncle’s niece’s husband who came to America from Mexico when he was a teenager to help make money for his family. Today he owns an authentic Mexican restaurant in Northeast Philly and lives in a home that is worth over five hundred thousand dollars. This man did all this without even going to college and now he has a happy and comfortable life and is also able to continue to send money back home to his family who still resides in Mexico.
Overall this article reminded me of the income differences that exist throughout society and across race. However, it made me also remember how there are a lot of minorities that are doing quite well in America.
Chris Rock’s performance was pretty funny. I understand what he is saying about the rims and the jewelry even though he is making it humorous. It would be racist to say that all black people “flaunt” their money and take it for granted. I am sure there are plenty of white people that do the same thing. However, as he talks about the white family that owns the color blue, or the white family that invests in making a Wal-mart, it is true white people know how to invest and they know how to become wealthy. Blacks do too but because of the general class division issue, when the A-listers receive money it is more of merchandise. This is a touchy topic and is most likely seen as being racist to some. It is also hard for any minority to argue that white people are being racist with the assumption that they do not know how to spend their money when an African American like Chris Rock is saying the same thing about his own race. He used examples like Shaquille O’Neal and Oprah not being wealthy but being rich. We have also seen a few comedians in class that are minorities making fun of their own ethnicity or other ones as well. They make it humorous and I am sure some people are offended by it but many enjoy it, which makes it hard to get upset about a standard stereotype.
When I think about poor people, a black person does not necessarily come to mind. When I go into Philadelphia the people I see that are homeless are not primarily black, if anything they are primarily white. Sam stated that half of the black population is middle class, which means the other half is either rich or poor. When compared to whites and Asians there is a disproportionally a larger number of blacks that are considered poor. The key word is disproportionally. Maybe all of these statistics and facts that show blacks are less educated and have less money are because there simply are not as many blacks in the United States. It is hard to use that as an excuse because there has to be the issues of free will and determinism that come into part as well. Although Sam said this has nothing to do with Affirmative Action, there are many reasons that make it hard for some people to get to the top. This could go either way in favor or whites or minorities because sometimes racism helps the white people to get on top and vise versa. Either way, I believe there will always be obstacles in the way of people to get on top and class division. Granted, things will definitely change because of Obama being our new President, especially with his big concern with the middle class, but racism and class division will always stay in effect.
What made this article stand out to me originally was how comparable it was to our recent class discussions. Recently we watched a video that portrayed a lower class woman and her two sons who lived in a trailer home in Ohio. The family lived a very simple life with the mom having to walk ten and a half miles every day to work at a Burger King. The catch: she was white. Students of color were asked for their opinion on what they thought of this woman and several of them responded that they had never seen a poor white person before. This to me came as a bit of a shock. Yes, in America we quite often link the stereotype of being poor with black people, but there are a good majority of U.S. citizens that have a hard time making ends meet. This article talks about how America as a whole is taking a turn within the way the socially elite mingle with each other and are finally allowing those of minority groups to come to the table. It may have taken something as dramatic as a “black” president taking office to do it, but at least it is happening. But what does this mean for the rest of the black community who are not worth millions or in the lime light? Does it mean that maybe the wealthier and more affluent part of society will begin to give back even more to help people of their race because they now have the power to do so? Probably not. In the video with Chris Rock, he makes a pretty good point about how being rich and being wealthy really do separate white Americans from the black and brown population. There are rich black and brown people in this country, but an upper middle class of black and brown people is scarce. Any money they do have is more so considered new money and not the old money of the white race and as a result can lead to radical spending habits instead of investing (from what Chris Rock is saying) and not to pursue the betterment of their people. Now that we have Obama in the white house a change is upon us in the way our country is run. However this is not the change that Obama is promising concerning the war or the economy, it is a change is race relations. This change is going to hopefully dramatically decrease the unfair numbers where 1% of Americans own 33% of the wealth in this country and will lead to more equality not only within your designated race but across the board and create more wealth for all in this country compared to the few ungodly rich citizens.
It’s very interesting to read this blog, because I think I can personally relate to the ideas that it speaks about. To me, the idea of “white privilege” definitely is something that is in effect and allows for white people to get ahead or do certain things that they want to do. However, this can’t be said without acknowledging that there are black Americans that have the same advantages and some on the wealthier side have even more advantages than white Americans in the middle or lower classes. When I personally think of a black American I don’t think of poor, or middle class or rich. To be honest, I feel the same way when I think about white people or Asians. There are some class types for each race, that for me, I really don’t associate a specific class with each race. While, I am white, I am sure for a lot of people of color that immediately put the white race on the top of the class scale. And this I think is very common, so I think more articles of this type need to be put out there, because people of color don’t realize the status of many of their own is either equal or even above those in the white race. Even for myself, being white I can use “the white privilege” to my advantage. And as Sam has asked in class, how many white people have been able to gain a job or something because of a connection that they have. And for me I thought that the one person that I am thinking of going to for a connection once I graduate would be my boyfriend’s father, who is black. And for him to be the most connected of all the people I know, it just shows that people of race need to recognize that white people aren’t the only ones that have connections or can get to higher places because of their race. In Sam’s opinion that black A-listers probably care about black people in need just about as much as white A-listers care about white people in need- I agree. I think when it comes to having money and being in a different class you are more likely to associate yourselves with those in your class over those of your race but in a lower class. Therefore, I believe that white upper class people are more likely to be accepting and friendly with black upper class people over poor white people. This is not saying that people of wealth are mixed groups with black and white and brown people, but I think that when it comes to relating with and being closer with people, class sometimes is more significant than race. I still believe that the upper-class blacks will form their own tight-knit group as the upper-class whites will form a group. I think what I am saying is that for upper class people when it comes to relating to people of their race in classes below them, they are more often to relate with people of OTHER races in their SAME class. I think that class plays a big part in separating people in our country and its often overlooked by the focus placed on race.
I just don’t understand what the big deal is. Why does the news have to report that more African American people are being invited to A-list parties? To me it’s a little silly that is being done. It is a good thing to be “inclusive.” However, I feel as if this inclusion is fake because it is the popular thing to do now. As the article stated, when Bush was in office it was cool to be Texan and when Clinton was in office it was cool to be from Arkansas. So now that Obama is the president, it is cool to be African American. So I wonder, when the day comes for Obama to leave office, will it still be cool to be African American? Will these African American A-listers receive all the invitations they receive now and as much media coverage as they do now?
On another note, A-list African American people have been around a while. There are many politicians, actors/actresses, athletes and businesspeople that have had the privilege that for so long was considered a part of “white privilege.” Obama himself would have been considered A-list himself prior to all the election coverage because of his role in politics. For all the hype now about them is giving one man all the credit for their new found popularity, which I don’t believe gives them the respect they have earned over the years to reach where they are now. On the flip side, it is finally good that they are receiving the recognition they deserve. I guess it is take any way possible to make this happen.
I have a feeling that many people thinking about white privilege would consider African American A-listers as exceptions, as just people who got lucky in life and can now get a taste of what it’s like to hold that privilege. Then there are others that would most likely think these people are people who worked hard to get to where they are and probably overcame obstacles to get there. So good for them. When I think of a minority person becoming A-list I congratulate their efforts and only hope there will be ten more following that path and attaining success in their own way and by their own merit. It was interesting in class when we discussed nepotism and how that is closely related to affirmative action. Either way, something is helping you get the job. A white person got the job because of nepotism and a black person got the job because of affirmative action. To me, a successful person does it on their own. There is no harm in receiving some help along the way but for the most part the success is largely due to the fact that he or she did it.
Yes, I do think that there are a disproportionate number of black Americans who are poor, but that is because they are. On the other hand, I also before reading this article did not think that there still were not a large number of middle class blacks; this is not new or alarming to me in any way. It is also not surprising to me that there are some blacks who are just as rich or richer as the wealthy whites. I disagree with Chris Rock’s statement that there are rich blacks, but not “wealthy” ones in comparison to whites. Oprah Winfrey is number 215 in Forbes 400 richest Americans and I am sure there are also other blacks on that list. There probably are a lot more whites on the list by a large margin, but when one thinks how the black population in the U.S. is at about 15% this makes sense, though it is fair to say that the wealth might be unevenly distributed. The A-listers that are discussed in the article I think of as exceptions, just as I think of rich whites as being exceptions, but maybe with the former to a higher degree. What I think is more of an issue than believing there are rich black people or not is that certain white hosts are “needing black friends”. These hosts are inviting people to these exclusive parties just because they are black when they never have invited them before. I do think it is good for different races and ethnic groups to be mixed, but it should not be just to fit in and because being black is “in” because of Obama. These people feel pressure to incorporate black Americans in their parties and so they are inviting them more by force than choice. It just seems strange and wrong to me. Though, if this is the only way that the white A-listers will mix with other races is that better than nothing? In the long run it could lead to acceptance and improvements in ethnic relations, so it could be a positive thing. It is just another difficult race topic where there is not a perfect solution. Going back to the Chris Rock’s video regarding wealth, he talks about how black people just spend all of their money and do not save it, which I really cannot say how true this is or not. But, to possibly support this statement to a degree, I do know that a black American’s home is their greatest source of wealth and that they do not invest in stocks and other things like that nearly as much as whites do. So, there could possibly be some cultural differences regarding spending versus saving and investing.
I have to agree with Chris Rock and I hate saying that I do but it’s true. Many minorities in this country don’t have wealth, they are rich like he said, but that money isn’t passed down generations. Why this happens is a mystery to me but it probably has something to do with there aren’t many black people with power in this country and now there is one, the man with the most power, the President. Wealth seems to come from an investment that provides for many generations, whereas being rich only comes from a talent or money that is limited in some way. The article posted on the blog entry made an interesting point: now that Barack Obama is president, it’s cool to have black friends in power. Now suddenly, black people in the Senate and the House and the Supreme Court are being invited to things by people they’ve never talked to, just so white people can have black friends and say they have people of color at their party. I don’t know what to think of this. Should these black people be offended or should they be happy since things are sort of changing, people of different races are mixing. The article also mentioned how the capital hasn’t really integrated, mainly because of how much power people have and color. It’s going slowly and hopefully our new president will keep it rolling.
The stereotype most people have in this country that black people are poorer is also something that needs to get changed also. As said in the blog, half of all black people are in the middle class, which means they’re pretty similar to most other races in the country. I know in my neighborhood, a black family would get noticed as different while a white family would just be new neighbors. Maybe it is because of the stereotype that black people couldn’t afford to live in my neighborhood. I think that Obama becoming president and being black will help to decrease this stereotype. He’s black and has a black family with class and money. Maybe this will help show this generation and future generations that not everyone is the same and just because a small amount of a race is poor doesn’t mean you can generalize everyone. This money problem goes along with class, people who are poor are generally seen as having less class. Most people also see black people as having less class because they have less money, even when they are middle class. This idea is changing slowly, with the suburbs becoming more integrated, and hopefully the idea of black people being poor will change.
I think the socialization of A-list blacks and other A-listers from other racial groups is a good thing to see. The idea behind it makes a lot of sense. There are white people across the country who look up to other A-list white folks and because they are so widely publicized white people have people to look up to and to strive to be like. I think because we don’t see too many cases other than actors, athletes, and musicians who non-white a-listers that the other members of their racial community don’t feel as inspired or included at times to want to go out and make something of themselves. However times have changed, with a black President in the White house, suddenly being black is in. But in a way, isn’t it time that we saw this sort of thing? I mean for as long as this country has been around we have never had anything other than a white President, and a white President who looked out for his white friends. So now isn’t it only natural that Obama looks out for his black friends? Or Asian friends? Or whoever his friends are? I recently saw an advertisement for a show that I really wanted to watch. It was scheduled to come on MSNBC and it was a program that highlighted young black entertainers and said that they are the fastest growing rich population in the country. Meaning they are quickly becoming more and more wealthy and are doing so in great numbers, more so then any other racial group in the country. My point here is that before Obama even came into office the younger generations of African Americans were already on the come up into the A-list group. So to answer the question of how it stacks up to how I think of African Americans, the answer is I don’t really know. Never did I associate the word poor to African Americans; I knew that just like many whites, many blacks suffer from poverty as well. Like I just stated I think that the fastest growing rich population is blacks. The sports stars, the singers, the rappers, the actors who have flooded main stream society and made a name for themselves. There is no doubt that one of Obama’s main goals was to transcend the racial barrier in the White House, and judging by the Washington Post’s article it seems that he is well on his way. Being black is “in” and I think its about time blacks take advantage of this opportunity. I think that by the time Obama’s run is up as President many people will be more comfortable with people from of other racial and ethnic backgrounds. This could in turn also lead to a more balanced distribution of wealth throughout our countries racial and ethnic groups.
Race aside, it was a cool article to read and it was interesting to learn about the goings-on inside the lives of the Washington D.C. elite. I do not know if things will change in the long run because Obama is president, but I think that it would be really cool if it does. I believe that interracial interaction between prominent people in this country can only have a positive effect on the people they represent and inspire.
When I read this article, I have to say that I did not have the same idea in my head of African Americans that I usually have. I feel like I was not thinking about black people at all. This is going to probably come across differently than I mean it, but hey, we are supposed to be honest, right? The article was about high society in Washington D.C. Yes, it featured prominent African Americans, but when I pictured the people in the article, I do not think I really associated them with a color. When I think of prominent Americans, I tend to picture Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, even Paris Hilton. It’s not that I associate black people with being poor; I just don’t associate them with being rich.
If I were Chris Rock, I would change that last sentence to say, “It’s not that I associate black people with being poor; I just don’t associate them with being wealthy.” If I could say anything to Chris Rock about his shtick, I would tell him that he is perpetuating stereotypes of black people. He is saying that black people can have a ton of money, but they will only be rich and never wealthy. When he says that, he is lowering expectations for himself and his peers. He is rich himself; does that mean that he will never be wealthy? I think Chris Rock is a terrific comedian, and he talks about things that need to be talked about. However, I also feel like he might be creating false stereotypes about black people.
Race aside, it was a cool article to read and it was interesting to learn about the goings-on inside the lives of the Washington D.C. elite. I do not know if things will change on the dinner party circuit in the long run because Obama is president, but I think that it would be really cool if it does. I believe that interracial interaction between prominent people in this country can only have a positive effect on the people they represent and inspire. Wealth and power influences others.
On the topic of “white privilege,” I feel that privileged African Americans, Latinos, Asians, American Indians, etc. are treated similarly to their white counterparts, but probably not to the extent. Racism is alive and well in our country, even I admitted that most often than not I will associate wealth with white. Because of that thought process, I am sure that the wealthiest African Americans are treated less than whites as a whole. This is a time of change, and I feel that the more Americans get accustomed to having a black man in power, things will keep on changing.
While reading the article in the Washington Post, I was not really surprised that African Americans are now making up a large portion of the guests at Washington D.C.’s most elite parties. While there have always been several wealthy and prominent African Americans who have had much power and influence in the government and business world, it should come to no surprise that having now having an African American president is empowering more and more African Americans. So, I don’t see anything wrong with a newspaper article that is highlighting the newfound influence and privilege of African American politicians and businesspeople. One of Obama’s greatest platforms in his presidential campaign was that he wanted to leave nobody out, and to include and equalize everybody, and the growing presence of black people in this “A-List” world is a reflection of change in our country.
However, Sam makes a good point that the article is indirectly agreeing with the assumption that all or most African Americans are poor. I do agree with this conclusion because the article is in a way praising these few African Americans who have become wealthy and now landed themselves at these “A-List” parties, and you can almost sense a tone of surprise in this. The fact that it is so newsworthy that African Americans are now becoming rich and invited to elite parties in Washington D.C. may actually be offensive because half of black people are just like most white people, middle class. So it is unfair that people associate African Americans with being poor. I think that something that white people need to work on is dropping judgments and gaining awareness to the fact that African Americans are not all poor and living in urban areas. I think the media has a great deal to do with why most Americans perceive black people this way in the first place. If we as white people, (and Latinos and Asians and Native Americans), work on not passing judgment and being more open about black people today, and the media starts to portray them fairly and accurately, then we can come to a place where their success and wealth does not come as such a shock to us.
As far as Chris Rock’s sketch about very few black people being rich but never wealthy, I would have to agree that most people believe this is true, and it may be partly true because African Americans have a higher poverty rate than white people and Asians. However, we cannot stereotype an entire race because of that, and the fact that we have been doing this is leading us to false assumptions about their race. Also, with Obama as president and his goal of inclusion, I believe that the future for more equality between black and white people is looking promising.
I have to agree with Chris Rock on this; rich and wealthy are two different things. When we say someone is rich, it does not mean that they are wealthy. People can become rich from selling drugs but we rarely say someone became wealthy selling drugs. Being rich, poor, or middle class have been complicated topics to discuss in the U.S. People stereotype and assume that most black people are poor. The rate of poor blacks is higher than poor whites and Asians in the U.S. There are poor people in every community and based on what was said in the article 50 percent of blacks are middle class. Black middle class struggles through the same things as a white middle class would go through.
I believe there is always going to be some discrimination toward blacks, unless they are very wealthy and in power. Being rich is one thing and staying rich is another? Chris Rock said, money is new to black people and they would rather spend their money on “22s” than inheriting it to the next generation. He also said white people are wealthy and have had more money which made them able to inherit it to the next generation. I have to disagree with Chris Rock on this and say its stereotype. Not every rich black American spends their money on rims and not every white person inherits their money to the next generation. I mean it happens but we cannot generalize it. I know many white people that spend so much money without saving any of it which means they will not have much left to inherit. I believe a poor black and a poor white struggle the same amount for the most part. When you are poor, the color of your skin does not matter anymore and it would not make that much of a difference.
The sad part of this society is that it always rules in the hands of the one in power. If the person in power is white, then the people around him are majority white. An example could be the white house. Since now we have a black president in office, we will be seeing more black people in power compared to when we had a white president. I am not saying it’s wrong or right, it is just how this world works. The wealthiest person is always the one in power regardless of the color and race. I would want to see this change, but I really don’t see it happen anytime soon.
There is a black family in the White House. That simple image contrasts so vividly in our minds. It is a coincidence that the home of the President of the United States (whoever he may be) is called the White House (it is white after all). However, the symbolism carried with that message can apply to our image of Washington as a whole. Politicians are white by an overwhelming majority, and a black president seems to contrast with the general Washington image. Granted there are black officials at the highest levels of our government, including Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, who have had as much effect on administrations as any other advisors, but for “the man” to be black has never been seen before.
So the article basically investigates the fact that more a black people are being invited to high end parties in Washington. Of course this coincides with Obama becoming president, but what does it say, and about whom? I believe the article insinuates that white people, being removed from the nation’s highest elected office, are making an effort to include the black upper class more in their exploits so that they may find their way back into the limelight. The structure and style of the article brings me, along with many others I’m sure, to this conclusion. But I feel that the article could be presented in a more productive way.
Perhaps the article could have been written to praise the triumph of black politicians in establishing themselves in a society in which they are natural outcasts. That phrase seems harsh, but it is extremely accurate. As we have explored in SOC119, “racism” is loosely defined and can appear anywhere. Perhaps a white politician chooses the son of a white friend to be an intern over an applicant of dark skin with no family connections to the politician. No one can clearly determine how much racism played a role in his decision, if at all. This is why Washington has stayed “white” for so long. The highest echelons of government are bred, not found. The same families or friends produce many of the political powerhouses present in Washington, and rarely does an “outsider”, as President Obama so elegantly donned himself, manage to leave a mark. The confusion lies in the fact that once an outsider manages to permeate Washington, he or she becomes an insider, and there is no turning back.
In most cases someone “bred” for politics will be a better candidate for a position, but when an outsider takes control he or she brings outsiders with them, and in the most recent case President Obama has brought many black people with him. This has happened with every revolutionary president, but it is only being noticed now because it is not only breaking political barriers, but race barriers as well.
When Obama was elected President, I guessed that there would be some major changes to the status of race relations in America. However, I didn’t really know enough about the inside of Washington, D.C. to understand how these changes would be taking place. Fortunately, this article from the Washington Post shed some light on the subject, and showed how the nation’s elite politicians and rich meet to form relationships. The private parties that take place behind the scenes allow the powerful people in the media industry to meet the politicians, and together they can team up to distribute the government’s power to the media. While unseen to nearly all Americans, these relationships that form shape the future of our nation. As the article pointed out, Obama met his nominee for attorney general, Eric Holder, nearly four years ago at a party, introduced by Ann Marchant, a communication firm owner. These relationships are not only formed for social purposes, but to secure future leaders in the government.
Previously, nearly all the people present at these gatherings in Washington were white. However, with the head at the top now taking on a different color, being black has suddenly become the hot ticket among the Washington elite. Debra Lee, CEO of BET, was invited to parties by people she barely knew, and even felt used. This major change in the social scene will allow black people to finally be represented at these gatherings, and allow many to get their foot in the door and receive their share of the presidential power.
Dr. Richards made an interesting point on this article. He assumes that the elite, whether black or white, don’t truthfully care about helping their poor counterparts at the bottom of society. While I agree with this point, as I’m sure people with such unimaginable amounts of money and power probably can think of better ways to spend their time than assisting those at the bottom rung, I think that there is a unique connection between the black race that may cause them to empathize with their brothers in poverty. Most of these elites are naturally older, so they have probably experienced some part of the civil rights movement and watched their people suffer in some way throughout their life. The real question is whether or not they have forgotten about those who are still struggling. Hopefully they haven’t, as the national perception of the black race is still mostly of those who are in poverty. With Obama now on the inside, he can hold the door open for the other elite black members of society to come in and take their share of the power, and hopefully, in turn, change this perception of the black race in America.
I think that Chris Rock brought up some good points and I think it’s amazing that he was able to get up on stage and turn it into comedy.
I do think that it’s interesting how he brought up some good points and made some really legit comments about certain issues that have been brought up by white people and yet white people would be considered rude and racist if they [white people] had brought the same exact subject and examples up to black people.
His example on rims was hilarious, but he also said that black people spend their money on useless crap, like rims. I’m sure not all black people are spending their money on useless crap, but there are things that are bought more-so by black people than white people that are not needed in every day life, they are just a luxury. And if anyone, whether they are black OR white, are buying things that they really don’t need, then they shouldn’t be complaining about not having things that they need to survive, and they also shouldn’t be blaming the other race saying that it is all their fault.
Another point mentioned was that wealth/richness is passed down from generation to generation and I just have to say that, yes that is true, but each generation has a different outlook on the money. For example: the generation that is the one to work from nothing to wealth, to work from zero dollars to millions of dollars, knows what it is like to have to work their ass off and earn what they ended up getting. The next generation is going to probably work hard too, but in a different way. This generation is going to have connections and be able to get a good job that pays a lot of money because of the connections that they have. But they are never going to know what it is like to work from the ground up with something because they will never have a rough start. What I don’t understand is, why are people not wanting to work hard get educated and make some good money. I understand that not everyone has the same opportunity and some children may not be able to go to a prestigious boarding school, but they still have public school, they can still get an education. Why are kids in high school, black or white, dropping out? Is it to sell drugs? Is it to get a part-time job? Whatever it is, they are throwing away something that nobody could ever take away from them if they had it –their education. Knowledge is power, knowledge can be wealth! We can all be knowledgeable and we can all be powerful in our own way.
This article was very interesting to me because I like many people was ignorant and unaware that half of the black population was middle class. It is very true, as a society when we think or visualize an image of black or brown people we always associate them with a poor environment and violence. We immediately configure this perception that they come from broken homes, involved in drugs, and are violent. But I don’t think that this is our fault, as a society we are constantly bombarded with images in the media that depict minorities in this negative light. We see it and are exposed to it so much it almost becomes second nature and we take these things to be true. Not just in the news but it is perpetuated into TV shows that are filled with stereotypes and negative portrayals. The black or brown people that are well off in America are never show on TV or acknowledged by the media. It is always the struggling minority fighting against the oppressive white man. But I believe that the media only uses this as a ploy for shock value and just a way to get ratings. No one really cares about people’s feelings; it is all about the dollar sign. I guess that these well off black or brown people fell about the same about these issues as rich white people do. Sense it doesn’t involve them they are not too concerned with it. Out of sight, out of mind. I am just curious as to why these well off black people, even if these harsh realities of inner city life does not concern them, why do they not get offended with this blatant portrayal in the media. They are still who they are and should stand up for what is right. Just because you are well off in this country there goes with it this stereotype that they are not allowed to voice their opinion on such matters, but as long as you have the fortitude to make change I don’t think it matters how you grow up. But I agree with Chris Rock with what he said about how to spend money. A lot of the blame could go to black and brown people for the use of the money they have. And if the well off would support the poor more and offer help this world would be a better society; to see each other not as statistics or numbers but as the human beings that we are. We need to put the egos aside and have some moral obligation to assist the quality of life for our fellow man. Until then we will see the same old routine.
I thought this article was an eye opener and Chris Rock had some really good points. He is a very good comedian and his jokes are really funny. Is it true though? You have to consider the fact that every joke usually has some underlying truth to it, which makes it so funny. I believe they were true. The white man was wealthy because it was passed down to him from another white man. The generations keep passing it down, but how does the black man jump in. Black people have to work harder or just have better connections. However, they have made a big leap on the totem pole and as Chris Rock says, they are rich. It has been happening for a while now. All the rich black people did not become rich after Obama got president. No way! I think it made all of the white people of America open their eyes though. They look around now and see the black man in the upper class. Would they have realized it if Obama didn’t win the election? Probably not. The white population has this way of looking at people. They look at black people and think poor. They look at white people and think rich and poor. Why is this so? Why don’t the black people look like they can be rich? It doesn’t make sense.
I for one am still learning about how white people think different than black people so I can admit that I don’t know the truth. I can say that it doesn’t surprise me. In my eyes, I only saw white people as being the wealthy ones , and not necessarily just rich. I can’t name more than five black people that I can GUESS is wealthy. I have no idea. But then we have to think about what being wealthy actually means. Does it mean you have your own three hundred-person company? What if it’s just a local company? Are you still wealthy? Or do you need to be famous? I don’t think anyone can draw the line. It’s too vague of a word. After all someone can be filthy rich but not be at the top of his or her company. I never would have thought or rich and wealthy meaning two different things either.
When it comes to budgeting your money, people need to start saving. Yes, its cool to drive around a convertible or own a house that has four extra bedrooms than you need. But we buy things that aren’t necessary. We want and buy more and more everyday. I am obviously a conservative. I think we keep giving people what they want and that puts us in a bad economy. We don’t just settle for the simple things. We like to be attractive and better than the other people.
Wealth is something that can be a subject almost as touchy as race, and that can be integrated into the race dialogue based upon statistics like those that Sam puts up in class. For example the average family income based on race. That being said, when we see trends in numbers, there are usually outliers that we do not see because they are removed from the data sets. There are plenty of wealthy people of color in the world, but when viewing the general trends, we tend to forget about them for the sake of the argument. And of course in Hollywood, there are plenty of wealthy, successful people of color. They are no different than anyone else; they worked hard to get where they are and will continue to do so for further success. This being said, Chris Rock’s comedy act is hardly doing any justice for people of color who have money. Plenty of A-list African Americans make just as much money as their white counterparts, making them both rich or both wealthy. How they spend their hard earned money is up to them, and in no way plays into whether or not someone should be considered rich or wealthy. It is hard to laugh at his act when you are really thinking about it in terms of race relations because it just infuriates me. Imagine if a white person were saying the same thing, it would be deemed wildly inappropriate. If people of color are trying to make a point that there is not equality, and it needs to be achieved, this is certainly an ineffective way of saying that. Sure there is white privilege, and some of the actors who are of color that have reached the level of fame and wealth that they have have had to work much harder than some white people, and that is something that I take into consideration. As Sam says in class, if it is a race, white people get that extra head start, but in this situation, the people of color that push and try their hardest end up on top, sometimes even more so than white people. So I acknowledge their struggle and admire their persistence, but it does not supply a reason to say once you are there that you are still different; that your costar that is being paid the same as you is wealthy and you are just rich. It does not make sense. If people of color want things to be equal across the board, then comments like those that Chris Rock is making is just making them take five steps back instead of five steps forward. When you are equal, do not try to change it and say it’s not equal.
The idea the article presents about how the new ‘in’ thing in Washington, DC, is to be black is very interesting to me. As it says, this was never the case in the past. Although white and black people work side along side all day long, they normally participate in individual, separate social scenes at night. However, now that our current President is black, the tides of these social scenes may be changing entirely. Debra Lee’s account on how she is suddenly being invited to many social events that are hosted by people she doesn’t even know shows that white A-listers do indeed want to befriend fellow black A-listers. They feel the pressure to be included in the “inclusion” movement that was created by President Obama. What better way to do that than to befriend black people themselves?
As for the ‘rich vs. wealthy’ idea; I agree with the fact that black people are unfortunately collectively seen as less wealthy than white people, as a whole. Does this date all the way back to the fact that they were once white people’s slaves and measured to count as only 3/5 of one person? It’s possible. Although many black people have moved past this and become very successful people, others have remained in the ‘I’ll never get a break because I’m black’ mind frame. This is perhaps why others see them as unsuccessful, because many of them do not attempt to achieve the same success as white people are thought to attempt to achieve. As Chris Rock says, white people have wealth and black people don’t. I don’t agree entirely with that, seeing as there are tons of black people and families who have way more money and success than a majority of white people and families that I know. However, I do understand the point he makes about how having wealth is different than being rich. He says that having wealth indicates that money has been passed down from generation to generation, and there is so much of it that it is impossible to run out. He then jokes about how Oprah (who is richer than anyone I personally know) is merely rich, as compared to Bill Gates, who is in fact wealthy. Regardless of whether these successful black people are considered rich or wealthy, the fact is that they are all the sudden being thrown into the limelight of the A-list social scene in Washington, DC and around the world. Obama’s “inclusion” plan encourages the mixing of the two colors in more than merely work-related interactions. This, however, brings about the question of whether or not the sudden inclusion of these black people is genuine or merely done to fit in with the ever-changing acceptable standards of the A-list members.
I think that a lot of what Chris Rock said in his stand up comedy was true. I mean there are some Black A-listers but they are paid usually by some rich white guy behind the scenes. I never looked at it like that before but he has a great point. Wealth is something that you can’t base off of how many things you have or cars you have it is just having the money to do things other can’t even dream of. I think it is sad that so many white people also just assume that black equals poor. There are a lot of rich and wealthy black men and women all over the world but why do we still just commonly associate the word black with poor? I think it has to do with the fact that the media still makes being black such a big deal. The news paper article is all about how for the first time ever the presidential cabinet and the party after the election had minorities in it. I do understand that it is a big deal but it is articles like this that make white people read them and then people think wow where were they before they went to these types of places. Now is it all the media? Of course not but it is the biggest reason I believe. When you go on CNN or FOX news and see how many shooting, robberies, and other crimes were committed and by a large part they only show minorities doing the crimes what do you expect people to think! In class we already talked about how little we see white Americans in the news for crimes and such things, so it really should not be such a shock that people see black Americans, and all minorities for that matter, in a poorer sense than white people. I heard in class some girl say that the video we watched of a poor white woman would have made sense if she was a Mexican. That comment stuck with me, why should it make sense if it was a Mexican woman? Is it because they are supposed to be poor? I do not get why she said that but I would love to ask her. What I also found interesting is that the girl who said it was black, so that made me wonder does everyone just look down the ladder and think bad of others? Or was it just that one girl saying her personal feelings? I really do not know nor will I most likely ever but it was just very interesting to think about. The one thing this blog does show us is we have a long way to go when it comes to at least thinking of everyone as equal.
I could say that I was very so thrilled to an article like the “D.C.'s High-Level Social Scene Now Mingles Black and White” mentioned in the “Say "Hello" to My New Black and Brown Friends” blog because it shows such progress for African Americans, but the article really did not affect my mindset for a reason that Sam mentioned in the blog. That reason would be that these African Americans are in such a higher social and socioeconomic class than myself that their actions and whatever friends and associates they keep in contact with does not affect my daily life in any drastic way. Sure, it could be taken as a very ignorant comment to say that what one group of people in my own racial community does will not affect me. I will admit that this is a good step to see that races are intermingling in the upper elite classes of America, but I’m just looking at the situation in another way that does not make look as great as it is being brought out to be. Meaning that I see that there is only reason this has happened and one reason only. If Barack Obama had never been elected President, it is my opinion that this integration would never have happened and the white and Black elite groups would have stayed the same way they were prior to the monumental election. The fact that African Americans are now the “hot ticket” in a culture where extravagant soirees are the norm and donating a measly $500,000 at a fundraiser is subject to ridicule just shows to me that such a society will do whatever it can to stay on the top. I bet if the next President were a gay man, all the gay elites would be the ones who are sought out to be hosts of parties or to be on the guest list of parties. (However, I doubt such a thing were possible. Not the gay man being a President part, but the part of there being so many gay elites. I do believe there are many, but for those who have as much money as these elites do, being gay would not be acceptable so I feel there would just be a lot of closeted gay men and women, such as Jim McGreevey was.)
This leads me back to my original point in that what these African Americans do really does not affect my daily life in any drastic way. That is to say these are the typical rich friend with a nice 6 bedroom house most of us. These are ones who are just as wealthy as Chris Rock was talking about in his video. Some of the paychecks that we make in a month, this group can make in a day. So what is to lead me to believe that they are going to help out the lower classes, whether of their own race or not? Unless, they come from a background where money was a problem and they worked there way up to the top, I highly doubt they care that much about what the common man has to struggle with.
The stereotypes of colored people are very unfortunate and usually untrue, but however, they do exist today. In the past when one says, "rich" black person, I typically have thought of Will Smith or a professional athlete. The majority of athletes are black and many are many millions of dollars playing sports. Many people do think money gives people, but I think some of the athletes, as rich as they are, still deal with racism often. After moving on from slavery in the united states, money in the black community is, as mentioned, more like "new" money. There are still many more wealthy white Americans than black. With Obama in office now, the country is moving in the right direction and now being black is in style. Obama and his wife have been all over the media and have constantly been promoting a positive image for the black community. I personally think that Obama will have more power than other past presidents in his position. People view him as new and hip. And the media promotes that everyone should love that image. Although the majority of African Americans are not in the upper class, a majority of them are not in the lowest class either. And although many people may think that blacks make up the lower class, President Obama is working on moving that image in another direction. Many people also believe that African Americans are viewed at as being less educated, when one of the smartest people in Hollywood is Will Smith. However, even with that people still have that prejudice and stereotype. It is frustrating and annoying to so many people. I think that all groups of people care an immense amount of their status in society and how much money they have, however different people go about different ways of flashing their money around. All different types of people no matter how much they deny it still in some way, care about status. I do believe that many wealthy African Americans can feel intimadated around other wealthy white Americans because of the racism that exists in our country. It is horrible to think that two people of the same status and same privelages have to deal with that. At some country clubs still today, they do not allow people of color. This is absurd that someone of the same background and same income could be turned away for such a stupid reason. I hope that someday we are able, as a country, to overcome these sterotypes on people of color. I know that the stereotypes will be able to evolve into something of a more positive view. Maybe even someday they as a whole will more the majority of the upper class.
I find that many of the issues raised in this article are prevalent at Penn State. Because of the way the Greek system is run at Penn State, there are white and black fraternities and sororities. There might be some overlap but it is very rare. In order to raise money for their frats or sororities, black houses hold dance parties at the HUB. These parties have been dubbed “black parties” because the majority of the people attending are part or friends with people involved in the black Greek system. Despite being one of the only white girls at the party, I have such a fun time. When I ask my white friends if they want to join me, they usually don’t want to because they don’t want to feel like the minority. I don’t care however; I’m usually so caught up in the energy of the place that I forget entirely about race or color. I would love to see more integrated parties at Penn State. No one should feel uncomfortable because everybody is (should feel) welcomed.
I was pretty shocked when I read this statement, “Scott Bolden, managing partner of law firm Reed Smith's Washington office and a longtime politico in a city where professionals work side by side by day, but socialize separately at night.
"You see those 'What's In and Out' columns every year?" he asked with a laugh. "With Obama and the first family in town, arguably being black is 'in.' “ I don’t go to these parties because I think being cool with black people is the next big thing, I do it because these people are genuinely my friends even though we have different skin color. Bolden’s comment really makes me squirm.
To respond now to Sam’s comments, I think its true that most people think of blacks as having lower income. Thanks to television shows like Real Housewives of Atlanta, Down Home with the Neely’s, and Kimora Lee: Life in the Fast Lane, the public is realizing how a population of blacks have very thick wallets. Not all black people grow up in cities, like Sam said; most are middle to upper class citizens. I had an experience with my best friend from the fifth grade who was black regarding money and race that I will never forget. My friend Jazmine came from a lower middle class family. One day we were going to the mall together and before I left my house my mom gave me some coupons for Sears for me to use. I hate Sears so I offered them to Jazmine thinking that this was a nice gesture and I didn’t want to waste a good bargain. Jazmine however took it the wrong way and was offended, saying she didn’t need to take money from anybody. I was embarrassed, I didn’t mean to look down on her, I was just being friendly. I think Jazz might have been aware of the stereotype that white people think all blacks are poor even though I had no idea that such a notion existed.
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