[Salience]

Originally posted by cleopatrajones
I use the term White Black people basically to mean Black people that "act" like White people. This term basically applies to middle class Black people who's lifestyles mimic the White upper and middle class. Or like lovelyivy84 says "upwardly mobile" Black people who basically emulate White structure (two parent family, house in the subabrbs...)(I grew up in this environment, suburbs and all so I'm not really attacking that lifestyle but I do criticize it). I know the media tends to show only one kind of Black person and does not reflect the diversity that is found among Black people. That is changing though. However, we as a people must value Black people who sing in the kitchen with a plate of food, want to say "hi mom" into the camera or whatever have you. If we don't value it who will, certainly not White people who deem this to be pathological. I hope that answers the question about the White Black people.

This is why group self-hatred will continue, because we love to feed into stereotypes. All sides of a stereotype.

Cleo: I don't know why you would criticize being BLESSED enough to have two parents living with you, clothing you, making sure you had what you NEEDED to SUCCEED in life, recognizing that they were ELEVATING YOU, as perhaps they had to do for themselves. So, you criticize them (and other upwardly mobile parents and families) by calling them White Blacks. But, Cleo, I'm not attacking you. I just really want to know why middle class life is so negative.

This is for Everyone to Comment Upon: I just get irritated by the "keepin it real" syndrome. Fine, you are happy to see "ghetto fabulous" people on t.v., that is your prerogative. Okay, WTH is fabulous abut living in poverty,as the comedian said? But, just as fine, watching the Huxtables, or the family from "Family Matters," or whomever. No one will love any show about Black folks, because no one show can EVER keep it real! It's television: fiction, people! even the reality shows are dramatized to some extent. We are too diverse for one group to show us keepin it real. Heck, people state that "sadiddy" fraternity and sorority members aren't keepin it real, or else they're glorified gang members, acting a little too real.

Question: Why is it "White Black" to live in the burbs, and possibly send your child to private secular school, but it's not "White Black" to get blond weave down to your booty, blue contacts, send your kids to church schools (still private) and/or still rock the Prada/Armani and roll in the Navigators? Um, didn't white people have all that before we did? We weren't allowed to shop at Sax Fifth etc. until a hot minute ago. Is it me?

I used to joke with my friends that I would get a "Proud Bourgeois Diva" shirt, because folks act like calling someone "Boozhy" (howeva you spell it) is an insult.

It's my world, it's what I know, it's keeping it real.