“The notion that there’s some authentic way of being black, that if you’re going to be black you have to act a certain way and wear a certain kind of clothes, that has to go...You don’t have to act a certain way to be authentic. You just have to be who you are – and to go back to the values that you care about.” ~ President Obama That brings me back to the central question; can a black person speak Standard American English, present a polished, businesslike demeanor, win the praise of whites for his or her poise, and still be authentically black in the eyes of other blacks? I’d like to believe there is room for all manner of styles in the black community, just as there is in other racial and ethnic communities. I don’t know if other ethnic groups struggle like we do with diversity in our own ranks, but our uniqueness as individuals should be a cause for celebration, not condemnation. All our battles for liberty and acceptance as equal heirs to the American Dream are in vain if we aren’t free to be whoever God made us to be. ~ Ron Miller, Chapter 10, Authentically Black, from Sellout: Musings from Uncle Toms Porch. See, President Obama and I agree on something! :)
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 06:58:06 +0000
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