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Does it make sense to label an entire class of people because of something you read about someone in one book
Ok. True. If that was what I was saying. When I say Black bourgeoisie I mean those wealthy blacks that think they are better then those less fortunate but I understand how you could misunderstand my statement
But it is odd to have you accuse me of labeling people but then label poor blacks.
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if poorer blacks didn't tear shit up, wouldn't break into your crib, didn't do drugs on the corner, and didn't destroy their schools. When poor black folks show some commitment to their neighborhoods maybe wealthier blacks would feel more able to contribute and stay.
I didn't say "crime was more prevalent..." I said STATISTICS might show crime is more prevalent. People love to show how some crimes are the domain of some like black male's i.e. violent crime. HOWEVER, certain crimes are NOT the domain of certain classes of people
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How and by whom?
By those that DO perpetuate an exclusionary belief about J&J. Contrary to you do not believe it they do exits. It not only comes from reading the books but speaking with people who grew up in that environment and who will admit that people that think like this are a part of the J&J crowd
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To suggest that classism is a new phenomenon is uninformed.
I never suggested this. I said that when we were FORCED to be together and there was no WHITE SUBURB for the achieving blacks to move to they were in the black community – rich, poor, and in between. I didn't say that we didn't have snobbish people or classism back then. The point is that achieving blacks were available and a source of inspiration for the poorer blacks. They had wealth, property, churches, nice clothing, etc and being around the poor didn't stop them or mean they had "sacrficed"
The black poor have their responsibility in these issues. I never denied that. And contrary to some people's assessments, the poor are trying to achieve and do better.
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but are you going to keep your kids in the hood and prevent them from going to better schools and deny your family the opportunity to benefit from a higher growth in property values?
That's the point. I would venture that any parent – rich or poor/black or white – wants what will help them and their children to achieve and to do better. And not many people will want to "sacrifice" their children's future but I don't' see why we keep insisting that running from the issues in our community AND seemingly abandoning them can't at a minimum be considered an issue to speak about.
And once again just because someone doesn't find a particular black organization to be perfect doesn't mean they are "not feeling good about your level of achievement against theirs?"
I do not measure my success on achieving what everyone else has achieved or has deemed the measure of a successful person. There are materially wealthy but spiritually poor people all around us.
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