the GREAT diivider-STILL?

1. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

   
   It was thought and believed that colorism has disappeared.  After all, Black people come in various shades.   Black people, no matter what color, is still considered to be Black in American society.   Yes, colorism has existed to one degree or another throughout American history. 
   
   No, colorism has NOT completely disappeared.  It exists covertly and overtly.  There is still lesser representation of darker skinned Blacks in positions of influence and power in comparison to their lighter skinned counterparts.   Lighter skinned Blacks in American society are viewed as more assimilable and less threatening than their more ethnic appearing counterparts.  In contrast, darker skinned Blacks are viewed more negatively.    Darker skinned Blacks are seen as more threatening and menacing.   
   
   There was a sociological study done in which lighter skinned Blacks were viewed as more intelligent, educated and affluent than darker skinned Blacks.  Another study showed that lighter skinned Black males were more likely to be hired over darker skinned Blacks although the latter may possess better qualifications and/or experience.   Yes, colorism is alive and well   Let's discuss this.

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2. 61

   SpanStarposted 10 years ago

   Your summation of this issue was/is on target and valid. The problem is we want to pretend like these atrocities never existed. Perhaps the reason some want to make us all the same color is an attempt to bury the idea that differences means we cannot be equal. In some respects I guess that was/is true because we do tend to focus on differences as being negative and positive.
   
   Years ago a White man decided to step into the shoes of a Black man by changing his skin color to appear to be black. His experience resulted in him writing a book titled "Black Like Me" here is a description relating to that book
   "In the Deep South of the 1950s, journalist John Howard Griffin decided to cross the color line. Using medication that darkened his skin to deep brown, he exchanged his privileged life as a Southern white man for the disenfranchised world of an unemployed black man. His audacious, still chillingly relevant eyewitness history is a work about race and humanity-that in this new millennium still has something important to say to every American."
   
   http://www.hotbooksale.com/store/produc … %20griffin
   
   Recognizing when something is wrong, Recognizing when we are doing something wrong takes maturity and past events as well as recent events clearly indicates too many of us have not reached that level of maturity. It would appear so many people can see how immature we are and about the only ones that can't see it is ourselves.

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   1. 84

      gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, I am quite familiar with the book.  I read a similar descriptive book regarding this; the title of the book was SOUL SISTER by Grace  Halsell, it described how a Caucasian woman journalist changed her skin color going undercover as a maid in the Deep South.  Her details were as harrowing as Mr. Griffin's narrative was.

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      1. 78

         Credence2posted 10 years agoin reply to this

         Soul Sister, huh, this is a book that should make interesting reading, thanks for the tip. Let see how much things have really changed?

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         1. 84

            gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

            It is an interesting book, I read it in high school.

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