Newyorkerkidd
Jan 20, 2011
Writing Feedback / "Skin already determines a life style" - Race essay [2]
There are various types of shades of "black". Some are light skinned, caramel, mil chocolate, or even a very dark brown. These are all beautiful shades that many seem to forget to appreciate as diversity. It seems that being "black" goes beyond your beautiful shade or "races" to the stereotypical American culture. As if being black "determines" your background, your personality, your capability to succeed in life. Given that "race" is an idea created to separate and label one another by skin, it is as if being "black" is comprised of more than skin. In the following I will suggest that episodes from the Tyra Banks Show on "race" and skin color and a descriptive analogy from a few scenes of the movie Crash (Film 2004) produce that ideas being black is not your skin. It's no longer the term "race" to separate us. It is the act that "acting" "black" in the new "race".
Black skinned, is it fear or is it shame? For one individual named Jenna, it's both. Jenna is a biracial young woman who only claims her white side even though she is both half white and half black. She discussed her whole situation with Tyra Banks on the Tyra show. Jenna tells Tyra that she is in fear of people that have dark skin like her own. Jenna explains that she only refers to her white side because "black" people are crazy. She refers to "black" people as people who are uneducated. People who "do their own thing", and have no standards. Every time Jenna uses the word "they" she seems to be excluding herself making her the dominate race as she sees white people. It's as if she cannot separate personality from skin color. As if she does not understand that she does not have to choose between being black or white for people to accept her. What if we removed skin color for Jenna? She tells Tyra that she doesn't see a color when she looks in the mirror. She claims "I just see myself". If that is true for Jenna how come it is so hard for people like Jenna to realize that people of any skin tone are just being themselves as well? That maybe they just act the same because people gravitate to people who are like them. It's not that they are black that they are associated with each other. It's that they share the same common interests in one another and understand each other so well that it is if "all black people are ghetto".
The fact that skin already determines a life style Tyra decides a test is needed to prove that theory. She had a group of people judge a black man named Ramar on first appearance. Ramar's style consisted of tennis shoes, a hoodie, and jeans. Normal every day wear but now today if your skin is this way you must dress that way and act like "them" You must act "black". The group used words like: "thug", "uneducated", "killer", "drug dealer", and "unfaithful father". You'd think these people spent time talking to Ramar received his whole life story and summarized it in a few words. Though that is not the case and of course this group of people is wrong. Ramar not only has three degrees he is working on getting his PH.D in psychology. He has no kids is not married and has never killed anyone in his life. So is working hard not being "black". Having three degrees isn't "black" enough. If his skin was lighter than it wouldn't matter how he dressed. All that would matter is what he knows and what he likes.
According to Tyra this crazy judgment f "acting" or "being" black it has gone as far as making children as young as ten hate their own skin. A girl named Pearl, ten years old, beautiful and precious as can be looks as hurt and as depressed as a thirty year old woman who has gone through trauma. Her eyes weakened skin dark but frail as if she herself is worn out from breathing all because of the skin she is in. Pearl believes that if your skin is lighter you can be whoever you want to be. You can be beautiful. When did it become ok to determine a child's dream by their skin color? When did it become ok to tell someone you're "black" so you must always "act" ghetto, be ghetto, live ghetto. Pearl claims that if her skin was lighter she would be beautiful. But there was nothing wrong with Pearl. Her smile was flawless, her hair as cute as a ten year olds hair should be but she can't see that. She can't separate her personality from her skin. She'll never be the person with in. It's as if feeling ashamed of a name.
Speaking of shameful names did you notice that many people think a "black" name must or usually is a ghetto name Shaniqua or Ranisha, basically anything that is not your everyday Bob or Bill? Take the movie Crash (Film 2004) an angry white officer Srgt. Jack Ryan, played by Matt Dillan is not surprised when the person over the phone giving him a hard time with attitude states her name. Ms. Shaniqua Johnson, played by, Lauretta Divine. To me her name is irrelevant to the problematic issues discussed over the phone but to him it proves that the conversation isn't going as planned because she is Shaniqua, "black". She is too ignorant to help him in his situation. She is incompetent because her name is a "black" name. Therefore her she must be "black" beyond her skin. Being black means you are uneducated and ghetto with a name like Shaniqua.
All of these problematic issues and assumptions are coming up and cheating the stereotype for the "black" society. Cheating ourselves to thinking personalities determine our "race". Being black is having a skin color. Having a similar personality with someone of your skin tone is a coincidence. To me Americans have lost it with stereotyping. We have taken it to a completely different level. Sometimes people need to sit back and let my skin, her skin, his skin, our skin, just be our skin.
There are various types of shades of "black". Some are light skinned, caramel, mil chocolate, or even a very dark brown. These are all beautiful shades that many seem to forget to appreciate as diversity. It seems that being "black" goes beyond your beautiful shade or "races" to the stereotypical American culture. As if being black "determines" your background, your personality, your capability to succeed in life. Given that "race" is an idea created to separate and label one another by skin, it is as if being "black" is comprised of more than skin. In the following I will suggest that episodes from the Tyra Banks Show on "race" and skin color and a descriptive analogy from a few scenes of the movie Crash (Film 2004) produce that ideas being black is not your skin. It's no longer the term "race" to separate us. It is the act that "acting" "black" in the new "race".
Black skinned, is it fear or is it shame? For one individual named Jenna, it's both. Jenna is a biracial young woman who only claims her white side even though she is both half white and half black. She discussed her whole situation with Tyra Banks on the Tyra show. Jenna tells Tyra that she is in fear of people that have dark skin like her own. Jenna explains that she only refers to her white side because "black" people are crazy. She refers to "black" people as people who are uneducated. People who "do their own thing", and have no standards. Every time Jenna uses the word "they" she seems to be excluding herself making her the dominate race as she sees white people. It's as if she cannot separate personality from skin color. As if she does not understand that she does not have to choose between being black or white for people to accept her. What if we removed skin color for Jenna? She tells Tyra that she doesn't see a color when she looks in the mirror. She claims "I just see myself". If that is true for Jenna how come it is so hard for people like Jenna to realize that people of any skin tone are just being themselves as well? That maybe they just act the same because people gravitate to people who are like them. It's not that they are black that they are associated with each other. It's that they share the same common interests in one another and understand each other so well that it is if "all black people are ghetto".
The fact that skin already determines a life style Tyra decides a test is needed to prove that theory. She had a group of people judge a black man named Ramar on first appearance. Ramar's style consisted of tennis shoes, a hoodie, and jeans. Normal every day wear but now today if your skin is this way you must dress that way and act like "them" You must act "black". The group used words like: "thug", "uneducated", "killer", "drug dealer", and "unfaithful father". You'd think these people spent time talking to Ramar received his whole life story and summarized it in a few words. Though that is not the case and of course this group of people is wrong. Ramar not only has three degrees he is working on getting his PH.D in psychology. He has no kids is not married and has never killed anyone in his life. So is working hard not being "black". Having three degrees isn't "black" enough. If his skin was lighter than it wouldn't matter how he dressed. All that would matter is what he knows and what he likes.
According to Tyra this crazy judgment f "acting" or "being" black it has gone as far as making children as young as ten hate their own skin. A girl named Pearl, ten years old, beautiful and precious as can be looks as hurt and as depressed as a thirty year old woman who has gone through trauma. Her eyes weakened skin dark but frail as if she herself is worn out from breathing all because of the skin she is in. Pearl believes that if your skin is lighter you can be whoever you want to be. You can be beautiful. When did it become ok to determine a child's dream by their skin color? When did it become ok to tell someone you're "black" so you must always "act" ghetto, be ghetto, live ghetto. Pearl claims that if her skin was lighter she would be beautiful. But there was nothing wrong with Pearl. Her smile was flawless, her hair as cute as a ten year olds hair should be but she can't see that. She can't separate her personality from her skin. She'll never be the person with in. It's as if feeling ashamed of a name.
Speaking of shameful names did you notice that many people think a "black" name must or usually is a ghetto name Shaniqua or Ranisha, basically anything that is not your everyday Bob or Bill? Take the movie Crash (Film 2004) an angry white officer Srgt. Jack Ryan, played by Matt Dillan is not surprised when the person over the phone giving him a hard time with attitude states her name. Ms. Shaniqua Johnson, played by, Lauretta Divine. To me her name is irrelevant to the problematic issues discussed over the phone but to him it proves that the conversation isn't going as planned because she is Shaniqua, "black". She is too ignorant to help him in his situation. She is incompetent because her name is a "black" name. Therefore her she must be "black" beyond her skin. Being black means you are uneducated and ghetto with a name like Shaniqua.
All of these problematic issues and assumptions are coming up and cheating the stereotype for the "black" society. Cheating ourselves to thinking personalities determine our "race". Being black is having a skin color. Having a similar personality with someone of your skin tone is a coincidence. To me Americans have lost it with stereotyping. We have taken it to a completely different level. Sometimes people need to sit back and let my skin, her skin, his skin, our skin, just be our skin.