[Poplife]

Originally posted by prettygyrl:
I do not know what world you live in that you can do whatever you want to when you want.

Well, you have you thought about the fact that I don't want a plethora of things? I eat where I want to eat, I shop where I want to shop, I wear what I want to wear, I date who I want to date, I go to the school that I want to go to, and I'm friends with the people I want to be friends with.

Girl please come this way and i would like to see you walk through a number of cities and make it out alive.

What's that supposed to mean? I was born in Southeast D.C. and if anyone is from the area they know how it is. Luckily my parents prioritized and got out before it could have any real effect. And I'm proud that I live in a nice area. Why should I be ashamed I don't live in the ghetto anymore?????

I said those were things that never should have been off limits to us in the first place.

True. But there is nothing we can do about it now. Our feet are in the doorway so let's open the door.

HELL NO I AM NOT GREATFUL OR HAPPY ABOUT THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF MY PEOPLE HAD TO DIE JUST SO I COULD BE TREATED HUMAN!

I'm not HAPPY about it either. But I have to say I'm grateful that somewhere people had the courage to stand up for what they knew was right. That's where I get a lot of my strength and positivity from.

You said there are so many other things you have to worry about than things of this nature or that you do not see yourself as Black first......I say this just because you do not talk about these issues do not mean they will go away. If you do not see BLACK first then let me tell you that everyone else does.

See, that's where you're wrong. Why do you think I'm so interested in *** sorority??? It's not because I want to step and stroll. I feel that some changes need to be made within the black community and being in a BGLO gives me more networking ability and support to accomplish these goals. There is a difference between thinking about these issues/trying to make a change and getting caught up in them. How do you know what I talk about?? You don't know me. How can I not think about it when I work in a white area and when my first college was all white?!

I've heard people in the bathroom in my floor talking about the N!gger in 403 (me). I've heard people say that so-and-so must like black people because he likes rap. I've heard the white girl next door talk about how she thinks I'm in a gang because I wear a scarf at night. I've had people come into my store and boss me around like my name is Butterfly McQueen.

You think that doesn't make me angry???

Poplife doesn't give a flip what people see first. People will see what they want to see anyway. It doesn't bother me, so why should I care???

My thing is this: I could tell you about many one on one racist incidents I have encountered face to face, but why? I refuse to become the stereotypical angry black person. You think you're the only one who hurts by this? Girl, I'm not all "let's hold hands and heal the world" but when I look back on all that has happened I feel that we have already been hurt too much. By allowing ourselves to constantly feel angry and upset we are simply allowing ourselves to continue to feel hurt even though our grounds still shake with the echo's of the past. It takes more strength to stay positive and to be happy with what you have than it does to let anger get the best of you. My father said that the best thing we can do is concentrate on bettering ourselves and that's what I'm doing.

Even though I "grew up well" (not my term) I still get mad when I go to my old neighborhood and see people that used to be my neighbors still there. I wonder "why me and not them too?" I hurt as well, and not only that, but sometimes I feel guilty even though I didn't have anything to do with it.

I just wondered why you seemed so focused on whites when they're not the only other non-black race in this country. Maybe it's me, but I didn't think whites were the only people that have a problem with me being black. It come come from anyone...sometimes even your own (you should know what I mean.)

We all suffer from the same ills in one way or another....it's all about how you take it.



[This message has been edited by Poplife (edited June 04, 2000).]