2.22.2010

to say or not to say

recently I had a series of conversations that made me think-" Oh my dear [insert race here] friend, please be happy Im the Black person you're saying this too so I can warn you not to say it to anyone else."

some of which are listed below and I ask that you add as you think of any things to say or not to say to Black people in attempt to help non-minorities and really anyone communicate with Black people, I have a strong feeling these will work for any race for any other race but we will see how it unfolds.

Dont
  • talk about your other Black friend(s)
  • talk about how the Tyler Perry Movie really opened your eyes.
  • how hard your boss is on you
  • how much you like hip hop- unless you can actually have a legit      
conversation...actually unless I bring it up dont do it at all. dont assume I listen to hip hop
  • how close you were to your caretaker-or someone who was paid to be your friend
  • academic culture courses you took in college, for example african drumming, history of the slave south, etc. unless we went to the same school
  • your ludacris cd
  • that you voted for Obama
  • a post racial society
  • a trip to Africa you want to take someday, unless you are somehow prompted and know what country you want to go to
  • how you grew up on the cosby show
  • how you say the n-word around your white friends and you dont mean it in a deragatory way
Do
  • Talk about angela bassets arms in "whats love got to do with it"
  • Five Heart Beats, Temptations, Micheal Jackson, etc
  • American Dream
  • Any of the donts that you are knowlegable in, truely knowlegable in, after being prompted by the person youre talking to...except for the last one. thats never okay.

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