The narrative is based on being resolute and full of stoic pride in the face of slavery, prejudice and racism.
The community puts its faith in religion where the Baptist preaches of equality before God and rewards waiting in heaven for those who suffer on earth. It is a religion that gives vent to their culture and flamboyance.
Black Americans take pride in their hard work, their Sunday best clothes, their music, sense of fashion, ability to dance, sing and enjoy themselves despite their deprivation.
They might not have freedom now but will achieve it in heaven. Until then they though they have to make the best of a bad deal, to put up with the deprivation and let their hair down when they can.
One day they will be vindicated.
It’s a myth that keeps youthful anger under control and prevents rebellion that always results in bloodshed. One day they will be vindicated.
I take it this view of yours applies to all. Well you should be more honest in what you say, Black Americans are shooting Dead Black Policemen and they don’t care, take a look at the recent BBC2 (which by the way is so biased and infiltrated with left wing agitators like Momentum) programme where it showed a Black community and every single one of them including women were armed not with small handguns, but machine guns. Guns one would find being used in Wars against ISIS. It was frightening absolutely frightening. The hatred is not the Whites hatred for the Blacks but the Blacks hatred for the Whites and if you deny this you are very dishonest. I am sickened by people who blame everything that goes wrong in the lives on someone else, you are continually saying to me we make our own lives. Slavery, this has now become a fashionable word to use, there are decent Black people who live their lives the best way they can, they work hard they care for their children, then you have the others who blame everything that goes wrong with them on the Whites. Add to this the massive drug problem over there. The poor Blacks those that really cared did not vote Obama in on those two terms, he did nothing for these people, now he is everywhere and an absolute disgrace undermining the present President of the US. Obama looked first after himself and then the very rich Blacks, get your facts right. Obama is now the most expensive retired President they have ever had, the money he is demanding is obscene. Reading the above is one reason why I am not bothering with the internet so much. No one is honest its all hatred for this or that. Don’t blame the Tories, you have the most extreme Left wing Labour Pinkos, with that very dangerous group Momentum, the Labour Party are anti Semitic and don’t deny that, your will have the Unions running the country if Labour get in because its the Unions and the students who voted in that joke Corbyn, how much credibility can he have when he is going on some trashy tv programme called “Gogglebox”.
The hatred in America is the same hatred thats going around this country its like a poison, and why simply people refuse to accept legitimate Votes in an Election, and seeing all this trouble in America those extremist Blacks that stir things up have done so. This Country is not the Country I once knew , too many depend on others to look after them, you have girls rich and poor, drunk on the streets, girls with not one child but four or five and all different fathers if in fact they even know who “f….d” them,their language not mine. Why should I as a Widow and all other Taxpayers have to pay for such scum, we have as much white trash here as black. The decent Whites and Blacks who work hard are forgotten, no help to them if they get into trouble, it all goes to the scum.
Enough enough, I have too many other serious problems to worry about.
Anna – it was a stereotype of a particular type. I am aware that there are many other black narratives that I could have brought to bear – particularly with the ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign and the fury that has unleashed (rightly or wrongly).
It is also true that racism works all ways – white to black and vice versa. But it is always wrong.
I was not trying to be dishonest in my limited portrayal. I was focusing on one particular narrative out of the many.
Trump doesn’t need Obama, Clinton, Bush and Carter to speak out against him and his divisive policies. They are voicing great concern for the mess he is making, the aggression and violence he has unleashed, his terrible policies on the environment, lewd and crude speech in general, his support of right-wing groups, war-like attitudes and language and the way he has brought the nation into disrepute. Never have past Presidents of all hues, and senators from his own party, spoken up in such a manner. The man is an incompetent embarrassment who’s thoughtless actions and language could result in World War Three.
The poor blacks did vote Obama in. He also had the popular vote each time – unlike Trump.
I do blame the Tories Anna. Their policies have destroyed the public services while doubling the income of the rich. They disgust me. It is only the lies of the media and the disgusting campaign against Corbyn that has kept them in power. Their control of the country has been lamentable. 9 years of austerity and they are borrowing more and more and still have a huge deficit bigger than when they took over. They lie. They take from the poor, disabled and needy and give huge tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy. The media pour our the narrative about tax scroungers, benefit fraud and chavs with kids. They exist – of course they exist – but the biggest cheats are the wealthy and corporations who use all the loopholes to escape paying tax. Rooney earns hundreds of thousands a week and pays less tax than me or you. There’s the real problem.
Good grief! What a rant! Obama-haters can all go to Hades. I get the sense from most anti-Obama rants is that he disappointed people because he wasn’t the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Now we have a true scumbag without a shred of decency in the Oval Office.
I do agree that not all American Blacks fit the narrative presented here, Opher. Both American narratives you write about are better suited to the South – with some exceptions.
I agree. You can’t lump everyone into the same pickle barrel. Every country is far more diverse than that.
Cheryl – that is true. To stereotype is wrong – but when there are interlacing narratives at play it is interesting. People do buy into them. We all do. Maybe there are as many narratives as people?
John – again – that was what I had in mind. My stereotype was dated and mainly focussed on the Sothern States, but I believe still carries a grain of truth.
As you pointed out earlier there are now a multitude of narratives that work on separate groups. But to understand any one of them IMO reveals the way in which all of them operate..
I think that’s true, Opher. To a great extent I think we pick and choose our own narratives. Every one is unique to every person — though there are a great many generalizations that can be made.
Though when I was writing these I could see the truth that was in them. They are stereotypes but those narratives do bind people in and captivate us.