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My Life As A Black Man; He must be an "Uncle Tom"!
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Topic Started: Mar 12 2012, 11:11 PM (378 Views)
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UTB
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Mar 12 2012, 11:11 PM
Post #1
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http://voices.clarionledger.com/dspann/2012/03/11/my-life-as-a-black-man/
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On March 11, 2012, in Uncategorized, by Darein Spann
Unfortunately, I was born a statistic-a black male whose mother was a teenage, single parent. According to statistics, my life should be filled with crime, turmoil, drugs, and jail. But by the grace of God, I am living the total opposite. I am gainfully employed, and the only one in my immediate family to graduate high school and college. I have my bachelor's degree, and master's and specialist degrees. I am currently finishing up a doctorate. Now, those are significant accomplishments for a black male born to a teenage, single mother who society cast off way before I had the opportunity to say my first word.
And, my life as a black male hasn't been filled with the negative experiences many say are thrust upon that demographic. I was born and raised in Clinton, and attended the Clinton Public School District, which was predominately white. I was a student there from first through sixth grade. I can't recall one time in which I have been cast out or put down because I was a black male. I do recall an incident in the fourth grade in which my best friend and I were scheduled to fight four white classmates on the playground. To this day, I don't remember why. The funny conclusion was that my best friend had to stay inside and write sentences for breaking a rule, and I had to face the dragons alone. There was a two-minute shoving match and it was over. Not much happened after that. I recall in third grade being made to sit outside while my home room had a party because my teacher, Mrs. Browning, told us not to tell any other students, and I did. She didn't make me sit out there because I was a black male; she did it because I disobeyed. And, if memory serves me correctly, she brought me some chips outside.
I have lived a comfortable life as a black male. I have stood with the best of them not because I am black, but because I am a human being who proved myself worthy. The Bible says, paraphrasing, that your gifts will find you out. I didn't grow up trying to be someone I wasn’t to fit in. I didn't grow up trying to beat society's statistics. I lived a normal life and decided to pursue the American dream of graduating with honors and attending college to become a professional. I do not live my life wondering if I am qualified for a job or whether or not I would get a job based on my skin color. My experiences have shown me that I don't have to. During my last semester as an undergraduate, I was interviewed and offered a job that took me from working evenings to working days. When I told the lady that I couldn't accept the position because I was in my last semester of college, she told me to hold on. She came back with word from her supervisor - a white man - that they would work it out so I may be able to attend class and work. According to some, that's a gesture that shouldn't have been afforded a black male. And this was after I had been told by my black supervisor at the time that this department would never hire me because I was a black male.
What I am saying is I have never being ostracized because of my skin color or because I am a male, at least not to my face. Truth be told, many blacks encounter mistreatment within their own race. I always told myself and I tell others now to work hard, to be persistent, and obtain all you can, especially knowledge because no one can take that away from you.
Living as a black male has been a joy for me. Nothing I have wanted to do has been a hindrance because I am a black male. My three college degrees all came from predominately-white universities and colleges, and my fourth will follow suit. I have overcome any outcomes preset by statistics. And nothing I have accomplished was attributed to my skin color, but rather to faith in God and His love for me.
Just damn! He's not blaming racism and white folks!
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Negrodamus
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Mar 12 2012, 11:27 PM
Post #2
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- UTB
- Mar 12 2012, 11:11 PM
http://voices.clarionledger.com/dspann/2012/03/11/my-life-as-a-black-man/- Quote:
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On March 11, 2012, in Uncategorized, by Darein Spann
Unfortunately, I was born a statistic-a black male whose mother was a teenage, single parent. According to statistics, my life should be filled with crime, turmoil, drugs, and jail. But by the grace of God, I am living the total opposite. I am gainfully employed, and the only one in my immediate family to graduate high school and college. I have my bachelor's degree, and master's and specialist degrees. I am currently finishing up a doctorate. Now, those are significant accomplishments for a black male born to a teenage, single mother who society cast off way before I had the opportunity to say my first word.
And, my life as a black male hasn't been filled with the negative experiences many say are thrust upon that demographic. I was born and raised in Clinton, and attended the Clinton Public School District, which was predominately white. I was a student there from first through sixth grade. I can't recall one time in which I have been cast out or put down because I was a black male. I do recall an incident in the fourth grade in which my best friend and I were scheduled to fight four white classmates on the playground. To this day, I don't remember why. The funny conclusion was that my best friend had to stay inside and write sentences for breaking a rule, and I had to face the dragons alone. There was a two-minute shoving match and it was over. Not much happened after that. I recall in third grade being made to sit outside while my home room had a party because my teacher, Mrs. Browning, told us not to tell any other students, and I did. She didn't make me sit out there because I was a black male; she did it because I disobeyed. And, if memory serves me correctly, she brought me some chips outside.
I have lived a comfortable life as a black male. I have stood with the best of them not because I am black, but because I am a human being who proved myself worthy. The Bible says, paraphrasing, that your gifts will find you out. I didn't grow up trying to be someone I wasn’t to fit in. I didn't grow up trying to beat society's statistics. I lived a normal life and decided to pursue the American dream of graduating with honors and attending college to become a professional. I do not live my life wondering if I am qualified for a job or whether or not I would get a job based on my skin color. My experiences have shown me that I don't have to. During my last semester as an undergraduate, I was interviewed and offered a job that took me from working evenings to working days. When I told the lady that I couldn't accept the position because I was in my last semester of college, she told me to hold on. She came back with word from her supervisor - a white man - that they would work it out so I may be able to attend class and work. According to some, that's a gesture that shouldn't have been afforded a black male. And this was after I had been told by my black supervisor at the time that this department would never hire me because I was a black male.
What I am saying is I have never being ostracized because of my skin color or because I am a male, at least not to my face. Truth be told, many blacks encounter mistreatment within their own race. I always told myself and I tell others now to work hard, to be persistent, and obtain all you can, especially knowledge because no one can take that away from you.
Living as a black male has been a joy for me. Nothing I have wanted to do has been a hindrance because I am a black male. My three college degrees all came from predominately-white universities and colleges, and my fourth will follow suit. I have overcome any outcomes preset by statistics. And nothing I have accomplished was attributed to my skin color, but rather to faith in God and His love for me.
Just damn! He's not blaming racism and white folks! So are you telling me racism doesn't exist?
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catdaddy25
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Mar 13 2012, 12:57 AM
Post #3
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Tell me this UTB,Why come a black neighborhood is aways look at as a bad neighborhood ?
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UTB
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Mar 13 2012, 07:12 AM
Post #4
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- catdaddy25
- Mar 13 2012, 12:57 AM
Tell me this UTB,Why come a black neighborhood is aways look at as a bad neighborhood ? That's just a figment of people imagination.
Just as whites homes range from mansions to trailers, so does Black homes range from mansion to the projects.
There has always been a class divide.
And people in both races in the lower social economic scale has always had more crime, and other attendant problems.If this was not the case, people would remain in the neighborhoods regardless of education and wealth acquired, instead of moving.
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cisslybee2012
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Mar 13 2012, 01:28 PM
Post #5
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The REBEL
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- UTB
- Mar 12 2012, 11:11 PM
http://voices.clarionledger.com/dspann/2012/03/11/my-life-as-a-black-man/- Quote:
-
On March 11, 2012, in Uncategorized, by Darein Spann
Unfortunately, I was born a statistic-a black male whose mother was a teenage, single parent. According to statistics, my life should be filled with crime, turmoil, drugs, and jail. But by the grace of God, I am living the total opposite. I am gainfully employed, and the only one in my immediate family to graduate high school and college. I have my bachelor's degree, and master's and specialist degrees. I am currently finishing up a doctorate. Now, those are significant accomplishments for a black male born to a teenage, single mother who society cast off way before I had the opportunity to say my first word.
And, my life as a black male hasn't been filled with the negative experiences many say are thrust upon that demographic. I was born and raised in Clinton, and attended the Clinton Public School District, which was predominately white. I was a student there from first through sixth grade. I can't recall one time in which I have been cast out or put down because I was a black male. I do recall an incident in the fourth grade in which my best friend and I were scheduled to fight four white classmates on the playground. To this day, I don't remember why. The funny conclusion was that my best friend had to stay inside and write sentences for breaking a rule, and I had to face the dragons alone. There was a two-minute shoving match and it was over. Not much happened after that. I recall in third grade being made to sit outside while my home room had a party because my teacher, Mrs. Browning, told us not to tell any other students, and I did. She didn't make me sit out there because I was a black male; she did it because I disobeyed. And, if memory serves me correctly, she brought me some chips outside.
I have lived a comfortable life as a black male. I have stood with the best of them not because I am black, but because I am a human being who proved myself worthy. The Bible says, paraphrasing, that your gifts will find you out. I didn't grow up trying to be someone I wasn’t to fit in. I didn't grow up trying to beat society's statistics. I lived a normal life and decided to pursue the American dream of graduating with honors and attending college to become a professional. I do not live my life wondering if I am qualified for a job or whether or not I would get a job based on my skin color. My experiences have shown me that I don't have to. During my last semester as an undergraduate, I was interviewed and offered a job that took me from working evenings to working days. When I told the lady that I couldn't accept the position because I was in my last semester of college, she told me to hold on. She came back with word from her supervisor - a white man - that they would work it out so I may be able to attend class and work. According to some, that's a gesture that shouldn't have been afforded a black male. And this was after I had been told by my black supervisor at the time that this department would never hire me because I was a black male.
What I am saying is I have never being ostracized because of my skin color or because I am a male, at least not to my face. Truth be told, many blacks encounter mistreatment within their own race. I always told myself and I tell others now to work hard, to be persistent, and obtain all you can, especially knowledge because no one can take that away from you.
Living as a black male has been a joy for me. Nothing I have wanted to do has been a hindrance because I am a black male. My three college degrees all came from predominately-white universities and colleges, and my fourth will follow suit. I have overcome any outcomes preset by statistics. And nothing I have accomplished was attributed to my skin color, but rather to faith in God and His love for me.
Just damn! He's not blaming racism and white folks! Yeah,
But he describes himself as being unfortunate to be born to a teenage and unwed girl.
Though his life would likely have been no more fortunate or possibly less fortunate if his mother was 40 or 50 and married.
These are real life circumstances people are not looking at.
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Doctor Magnus Warlock
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Mar 13 2012, 01:38 PM
Post #6
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If a person has a plan to succeed, and the determination & discipline needed to see that plan come to fruition, it will become a reality.
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Veritas
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Mar 14 2012, 12:53 PM
Post #7
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- sam_wilson
- Mar 13 2012, 01:38 PM
If a person has a plan to succeed, and the determination & discipline needed to see that plan come to fruition, it will become a reality. A lot of truth to that Sam!
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G. A. W.
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Mar 14 2012, 12:59 PM
Post #8
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- sam_wilson
- Mar 13 2012, 01:38 PM
If a person has a plan to succeed, and the determination & discipline needed to see that plan come to fruition, it will become a reality. True.
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