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In reply to the discussion: Charles Barkley Goes Off on "Unintelligent" Black People [View all]kwassa
(23,340 posts)30. This is not unique to black kids. White kids who excel academically can get pressured to ...
dumb it down, not stick out too much. Social pressures among adolescents can be amazing. Yes, it is bad in the black community, and it is called something different to the same effect in the white community.
Those that excel are described as nerds, or some other pejorative. I was one of those kids, and felt those pressures.
Only about a third of white kids graduate from college, so maybe the bulk of white kids are not role models to emulate.
edit to add: Barkley is not remotely new in making this critique, and is not particularly insightful about it. This isn't a "dirty dark secret" this has been discussed publicly for years. This is just Barkley being Barkley.
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Do you really mean to imply that the cultural social structure of blacks is to avoid education?
mythology
Oct 2014
#2
I live in Connecticut and my username reflects my support for health care reform in the US,
Nye Bevan
Oct 2014
#29
This is not unique to black kids. White kids who excel academically can get pressured to ...
kwassa
Oct 2014
#30
President Obama and Michelle have given that same speech directed at black youth
madville
Oct 2014
#10
As a black women and mother of three who are all college grads I agree with what Charles said here.
politicaljunkie41910
Oct 2014
#12
That's encouraging, but I think that speaking that way does the Black community a disservice.
badtoworse
Oct 2014
#45
I'm sure there are white kids who are doing the same stupid shit now
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
Oct 2014
#82
Thanks for your perspective...hopefully in another 100 years none of this will matter
snooper2
Oct 2014
#90
I think there will be a common tongue. We will speak Internet or version of it.
bravenak
Oct 2014
#92
While I lean toward disagreeing with you, like in a 75/25 sort of way, I do wonder
TheKentuckian
Oct 2014
#111
You are just in time to apply for financial aid if you need it and plenty of time
Kalidurga
Oct 2014
#69
how did Bush's speaking reflect on the white community ? at least black people didn't
JI7
Oct 2014
#54
That is a ridiculous comparison. Bush mispronounced some words like "nucular" for nuclear.
badtoworse
Oct 2014
#78
What difference does that make? Bad English is bad English regardless of who's speaking.
badtoworse
Oct 2014
#93
so why doesn't the way Bush speak do the same for white people ? white people voted for someone
JI7
Oct 2014
#101
His grammar skills were consistently bad, hence, the term 'Bushism' made popular during his reign of
LanternWaste
Oct 2014
#95
This is the same message President Obama delivers when he speaks to African Americans.
DemocraticWing
Oct 2014
#18
I think folks who are co-signing with Barkley's oversimplistic assumptions about us
Liberal_Stalwart71
Oct 2014
#119