Thank you DoggyStyle for confirming my suspicions that my favorite hair products has an Omega connection. I truly love Motions and was kind of disappointed to see it is "Non-African American. I agree with one of the ladies earlier who said that she buys what works and I too love the carrot oil. It has truly rejuvenated my scalp.
My hair dresser uses Mizani and I have been a customer to Vitale, Gentille and I love my Kemi Oyl to death.

I think what is important is WHEN YOU CAN please by all means support Black businesses but remember that WHITE BUSINESSES have BLACK PEOPLE who work for them.

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Well first off, I'm not going to even try and talk about perms or who owns them because I no longer use them and have lost touch with what's hot. The last time I had a perm was 3 years ago and I remember it was Dudley's.

Black is still black whether they are Brazilian, Cuban, Jamaican or Hatian.

And about me being small minded. *lol* Well you can say what you will. I have a good friend who is half Korean and half Black. She went to the store with me and "translated" and if you knew what they were saying about YOU then I highly doubt you'd keep shopping there. Why shouldn't I dislike people that call us "monkey people" and "animals" when we walk into their stores, but smile at me when I hand them my money?

Is that all Koreans? Every Korean? Do you know them all? Should we treat Koreans like whote folks treat us? I have heard a few Black store owners say the same thing about some of their drunk, rowdy, shoplifting patrons also. I have seen the well-respected Korean shopowners of my favorite steak and shrimp place robbed repeatedly, shot, killed, and finally abandon any attempts at providing a reliable service to the community. But your bias is obvious. You must not know many Jamaicans because they are very appalled by how lazy american born Blacks appear to them. The point is, that a native to the neighborhood or indigenous African American passed on the opportunity to open a store. Again, prejudice and bias are for small-minded people.

you can still tell which hair care and beauty products are Black owned. The Proud Lady symbol is still displayed on products that are members of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI) http://www.ahbai.org.

Nope it isn't every Korean. It's the ones in my neighborhood. The ONLY ones I concern myself with.

And FYI, I know alot of Jamacians. Hell, my bestfriend is half Jamaican. Black Americans ARE lazier than some other folks. Anyone that has been to a black school can attest to that. I know that wrong to some people but hey, I only speak from experience.

I might have a biased, who knows? Say what ever you wish, I will always want to see black faces behing the counter. If that makes me small minded, then so be it. But please don't act like you don't have ANY.



[This message has been edited by Poplife (edited January 14, 2001).]

I think that Poplife and DoggyStyle82 can (or I hope they can) AGREE to disagree. If the two of you want to continue to discuss this, please do so privately...

THANKS! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

I think the issue at hand is more important than "buying a black teen a Lexus rather than a white one". For me, the black and white issue doesn't even come into play. If I'm going to support black businesses, I'm going to support the ones that aren't as established as the corporate companies-for instance just like your father's movie store in the get go. These are the businesses that need more support and this is where I will be concious about spending my money.

For instance if Black Magic starts to experience losses. They will either discontinue the company or sell it to another competitor, either black or white. Either way, they will still get some type of residual from their company and will be living comfortably until they find another business venture. However, if the small restaurant owner's business fails, he gets no significant residual or none at all, has nothing to live off of, and has no money to start another business.

Just like you had stated in your post. Yes, there aren't many choices where people live. I have the same dilema. But you know what, that doesn't and hasn't stopped my parents from traveling 35 minutes to go to that bakery that they have been going to since they lived in the apt above it 20 years ago.

Just remember these big corps had to start somewhere. I'm the one supporting the somewhere.

Moreover, just because I'm supporting a white corp-PM for example- doesn't mean that I'm not supporting that black people that work for his company and get paid from the company's profits. Either way I do it, someone black is getting paid.

WOOOO, when did this turn catty????????
I think some people ARE BEING very small minded, just speaking the truth here. I am sorry, but like I stated I use what works but how did you (poplife) pull from what I said to be I won't try something else??? Huh? I DID SAY I switch up a lot, so obviously I am out there trying DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, I try white and black and then I use WHATEVER WORKS this is for hair, soap, videos the kitchen sink!!!!!!!!!

I think you are HATING for the wrong reasons, your father's business did not almost go under because Blacks did not shop there it almost went under because he did not market well, and after he did that, as you stated yourself things got better, MUCH BETTER!! Who needs to make excuses about where and why they shop at a certain place - Puleeeeze!

You know what is funny, or maybe weird … the way some people justify liking or knowing about a race by saying, I have a neighbor, best friend, close friend, or even makeshift friend that is SUCH and SUCH … please realize this does not give you in the inside scoop to the race as a whole.

And again I agree with sunnydays96, just because I am supporting the white person's XYZ, doesn't mean that I am not supporting the Black persons ABC. I think the gist of most of these post is that everything does not have to be black owned, you have to do what works for you ... what if supporting Blacks ABC, makes me BROKE. I do what works Sorry.

P.S. DoggyStyle82 and CrimsonTide4 I also agree with the views that you both presented!!

Um. F.Y.I, my dad marketed VERY well with the small amount of money we had. Since my father a BLACK video store %95 of the people that it appeals to are BLACK PEOPLE. If BLACK PEOPLE do not come and shop we will make no money.

We didn't have the $$$ to do as much as we wanted with advertising so we did the best we could. In fact we didn't even pay to have that add on the air. My uncle did (another black business owner).

Even if every person that reads this think differently I will stick by my guns.

Like I said before, and like I will say in the future: We as a people make too many excuses. That's one of the reasons other races are leaving us behind in the dust. In the black community everyone is trying to "get theirs" and we don't care where it comes from. We don't think in terms of "us"...we think in terms of "me" and it's doing US no good.

I'm tired of going to my Internship and seeing all the Hispanics, Asians, Indians, Africans, and Latins working as a team and then looking over my shoulder and watching the Black Americans BS each other. It's embarrassing and pointless.


LadyAKA:

I was not talking about just you. There are alot more people reading this than you and me. I said I never see anyone saying that they will look for and try an AHABAI product and that's the TRUTH. Not be mean, but I can't remember "LadyAKA said she tries everything".


I have no reason to hate on anyone because I have everything I could ever want. If anything I'm hating on MY OWN people for not using the potential I know we have.

Sometimes I wonder if we will ever get out of the bucket.

What's the problem? Stop being so defensive. If you begin a thread or post a comment, expect replies. Some may not be what you were hoping for, but nonetheless it is an opinion.

For the record, this topic already has a thread from a while ago where we discussed this issue about black-owned hair care products.

From reading the list, it looks like I support both equally. My hair is really "stubborn" so I too use what works.

Wow! Lots of interesting comments!

I only buy what works, at a price point I'm comfortable with, from people who are happy to do business with me. I always look first for the brothas and sistas, but I've learned the hard way that quality knows no color, and neither does triflingness (not a word, I know). If you can't be polite, on time and offer an excellent product, I'm not doing business with you. Period. The 'white man's ice' ain't colder to me, but my people aren't getting infinite passes from me either.

Poplife: you can beat people over the head and call them blind, ignorant and crazy, but in the end, you need those very people you're belittling. Sometimes honey really does work better than vinegar.

IMO, our goal should be to start and grow $100 million+ companies. We will only reach true power by being able to make and contribute REAL MONEY to our children's education, our community institutions and to our country's political structure. The ballot can only do so much, especially if we are not the kingmakers behind the scenes, deciding who will be on the ballot in the first place. Quibbling about where we buy some grease to further burn our hair ain't gonna get us there.

*whew* it is hot in here! I must admit, I don't use any of these products...my family is really "natural/vegetarian" so i make my own hair products...but i do support Black businesses whenever I can (that means more than hair: things like black doctors, black dentists, black stores, black farmers at the farmer's market, etc...).

but I will say that after having lived outside the US for most of my life, it is truly amazing to see how a lot of Black Americans rationalize not coming together. I have never seen another group of people do it more "successfully". http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/frown.gif

While trying to let the fire burn out I noticed another comment on here that I had a question about and I think it was mentioned twice by 2 different people but I will address 1 Woman of Virtue since hers was posted last, can you please explain to me what you mean by excuses (rationalize) for not coming together, who is making and excuses and who is refusing to come together, haven't we all said we support black xxx (where xxx can be anything under the sun). I just wanted clarification ...please respond either here on the board or to me personally ...thanks

ADDED: Just FYI - In my first post I did mention supporting Blacks in other ways then hair care products ...

[This message has been edited by LadyAKA (edited January 20, 2001).]

I can see that this topic has expanded to include more than just hair care products..whew!

Well, to echo a couple of other posters, I use whatever works from someone who wants my business period. If I buy a product and it doesn't work I don't buy it again. If I receive less than cordial treatment in an establishment, I don't go back, even if the food, product, etc. was outstanding. I will either get it somewhere else or do without. I have even walked out in the middle of a service and sometimes request my money back (I have a million of those stories!). Our most powerful voice is the dollar and we should use it wisely (I beleive that was the original point?)

That said, I must agree with some of what Poplife says. We do need to support our own, however we must not do it blindly.

I must also agree that immigrant Blacks are fed the same stereotype as other immigrants about American Blacks -- lazy, trifling, shiftless, Welfare-dependent, etc. Unfortunately, we have too many folx trying their d&*ndest to live down to that image.


As far as supporting white-owned businesses w/ Black employees, I will do so IF it appears that the Black employees are benefitting from the transaction (ie commission, appraisal, being observed, etc.). However, I WILL NOT compromise my require service standards for anyone, period.

My 2 Cents


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MCCOYRED

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