Slavery and Segregation vs. Holocaust

JessiBeLevitt:

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They straighten their hair, because it's in. I don't think if you asked someone who has straightened their hair why they do it they'd say "Because I want to look white, because my ancestors were slaves."

While I think this hair comparison is just a really bad example of what she was getting back, obviously it's more subconscious. People aren't going to say 'i want to look white because my ancestors were slaves'. People will shrug and say 'it's fashionable' or 'it looks good'. What she's saying though, is in an underlying way it'll have been the influence of being oppressed by white people, and therefore in their culture, straightened hair is what people want.

That being said, I do think it's more the cultural influence of being around white people rather than being made slaves in the past and therefore openly wanting to be 'white'.

JessiBeLevitt:

I don't understand why you keep using that term for hair.
If its an offensive term, don't use it.
Quotes dont make it any better.

Were you around when hair relaxers were invented? I'm curious.
They straighten their hair, because it's in. I don't think if you asked someone who has straightened their hair why they do it they'd say "Because I want to look white, because my ancestors were slaves."
It's not ONLY blacks who straighten their hair is what I'm getting at.
And straight hair is not a strictly 'white' trait. Like I said, I have wavy-ish hair. I am also white. I straighten my hair. I think it looks better. I think it looks better on everyone, regardless of skin color.

Why does hair have to do anything with race? You're the one who brought it up in the first place, weren't you?
It's a style of hair. A lot of people want straight hair, and I'm sure it doesn't have anything to do with white people or slavery. I'm sure in the recent past all races were curling their hair or putting up in bee hives. It's a style thing, I'm pretty sure there are no racial tensions behind it.

You're right, they won't say its because they want to look white. They'll most likely say "Because I have nigger hair, that's why I relax it." Now.... like I asked before, where else has the term nigger been used anywhere else?

And how can hair be an offensive thing? I'm just saying what other people have said.

And the whole straight hair trend thing is BS to me. I know many races (including Hispanic, white, Indian and every damn race) that wear their hair curly and some people prefer their hair natural. Some people look terrible with straight hair and some people like other peoples hair when it's natural. So I don't know about how it is where YOU live but WHERE I LIVE straight hair is not what's "in". That's where the nigger hair comes in as being bad in the eyes of black people. Not even white people look at it as being as bad as said.

And hair is a perfect example of what I'm talking about because it's one of the more distinctive traits that only (9 times out of 10) Africans or African Americans have, very course, thick curly hair.

And I have another question, why is it that fairer skin is "in"? Have you ever thought about that?

There's a lot of racial aspects behind fashion today otherwise everyone would be getting strong perms to make their hair look super curly like black hair and not "Straight hair being in" over a time period of around 400 to 500 years.

Again I'll say, I understand the denial a lot of you are having for taking defense for your own kind but sometimes it better to see the bigger picture and stop feeling offended.

I could tell you a million things that I think is bad about African Americans right off the bat. No race is perfect, get out of denial.

ayanasioux:

YAnd I have another question, why is it that fairer skin is "in"? Have you ever thought about that?

Well that's debatable. For coloured people it's in, but for white people, it's way more 'in' to be tanned.

sunflowers.:

Well that's debatable. For coloured people it's in, but for white people, it's way more 'in' to be tanned.

Well I think the whole fashion industry is insanity.

ayanasioux:

Well I think the whole fashion industry is insanity.

...what does fashion have to do with it?
You're saying it's not fashion, it's the effect of people's ancestors being slaves, i thought?


There's someone who'd clearly rather be black (it gets irrelevant after a point, but it's amusing to watch and makes my point quite clearly so i thought i'd post it). So obviously, it's not slavery etc. that's made him want to be darker? It must be a mix of fashion, an urge to be different and the influence of tanned/black people around him, right? So why can't that rule apply for black people wanting to be whiter?

Yeah but how often do you see white people like that? My point.

ayanasioux:

Yeah but how often do you see white people like that? My point.

One of my friends is actually like that. Her family is Irish, but she chooses to tan constantly, so her skin tone has changed drastically. She looks as if she's a very dark Puerto Rican, and just about every girl in my school is jealous of how tan she is. So I actually see it pretty often...

ayanasioux:

Yeah but how often do you see white people like that? My point.

That's an extreme, I'll admit but almost ALL the white girls I know purposely tan on holiday and quite a few use fake spray on tan and a few use sunbeds or bronzer and stuff. That is white people giving themselves darker features.

sunflowers.:

That's an extreme, I'll admit but almost ALL the white girls I know purposely tan on holiday and quite a few use fake spray on tan and a few use sunbeds or bronzer and stuff. That is white people giving themselves darker features.

Yeah but I highly doubt their goal is to get dark enough to look like they're black.

ayanasioux:

Yeah but I highly doubt their goal is to get dark enough to look like they're black.

Would the black girls you know if asked why they straighten their hair or wear contacts etc. say 'i'm trying to look like a white girl' or 'i want to be white' if you asked them?

sunflowers.:

Would the black girls you know if asked why they straighten their hair or wear contacts etc. say 'i'm trying to look like a white girl' or 'i want to be white' if you asked them?

Hahaha, no but they'll probably say "Because I have nigger hair," or "I hate my black ass eyes." (And AGAIN, I don't know where else the term nigger has been used.) Hell, I've even heard a girl say "I wish I was mixed with white." And I just felt degraded after that comment although it wasn't said to me it just made me feel ashamed of how much my people hate their blackness.

^And I wish I was half Asian.

So?

And I don't know your friends, but I doubt they would say that. When I ask people why they tan they don't say "I hate that I'm have cracker skin" (most offensive term I could think of at the time.

JessiBeLevitt:

And I don't know your friends, but I doubt they would say that. When I ask people why they tan they don't say "I hate that I'm have cracker skin" (most offensive term I could think of at the time.

But in a way, that proves her point.
White people wanting to tan = because it's in.
Black people wanting to be whiter = because they've been subconsciously influenced to think white skin is good and black skin is bad.

While I don't necessarily agree with this being because of slavery, I think what she's trying to say is that with black people wanting to be whiter goes a lot deeper than just a want because it's fashionable or in. It's not the same as when white people want to be darker, I do agree with that.
What I don't agree with is, is that it's a result of slavery.

^I'd say that it's not really a result of slavery, but of segregation and also the way many slaves were treated. More importantly, it is because of the racism that existed almosty universally back then and is still present in some places now.

Being forced to work for someone doesn't really have that much of an influence on how you think you should look... being told that you're inferior because of the color of your skin, however, can make a big difference.

^ Well, all of that happened during slavery though. So you got another alibi?

ayanasioux:

^ Well, all of that happened during slavery though. So you got another alibi?

So...? A lot of things happened during slavery. Just because slavery was there too doesn't make every other point invalid. And what's this about an alibi? Are you accusing me of something?

Racism is also the ONLY reason Segregation existed, and it was also the reason why Slavery was possible. Europeans weren't okay with enslaving themselves but it was okay to enslave Africans because they were believed to be inferior due to racism.

What I'm saying is that it happened quite a while ago, right? It was horrible and everything, but what about all those groups like the panthers? Or those shirts with the fist on them that say "Black Power"..?

I'm just saying, it could be personal preference, or have something to do with the media. It just seems weird to think that after so many of those groups came to be, generations now are going to feel like they have to be white.

And I wish I could talk to her friends and find out what this is all about, because I talked to all MY friends, one of them actually being from Africa, the others all born and raised in the USA (one being from 'the South' (one of the most 'racist' places around apparently..) and none of them said anything about wanting to be whiter. One even said she wished she was darker.

JessiBeLevitt:

And I wish I could talk to her friends and find out what this is all about, because I talked to all MY friends, one of them actually being from Africa, the others all born and raised in the USA (one being from 'the South' (one of the most 'racist' places around apparently..) and none of them said anything about wanting to be whiter. One even said she wished she was darker.

I hope this doesn't come across as rude, but I personally wouldn't feel, and don't feel too comfortable discussing how I feel about my race/skin colour with white people.
In fact, it makes me feel quite uncomfortable. If anybody I knew who was white brought up this subject with me, unless it was a very close friend, I don't think I'd want to tell them anything about preferring to be whiter.

JessiBeLevitt:

What I'm saying is that it happened quite a while ago, right? It was horrible and everything, but what about all those groups like the panthers? Or those shirts with the fist on them that say "Black Power"..?

I'm just saying, it could be personal preference, or have something to do with the media. It just seems weird to think that after so many of those groups came to be, generations now are going to feel like they have to be white.

And I wish I could talk to her friends and find out what this is all about, because I talked to all MY friends, one of them actually being from Africa, the others all born and raised in the USA (one being from 'the South' (one of the most 'racist' places around apparently..) and none of them said anything about wanting to be whiter. One even said she wished she was darker.

sunflowers. makes a valid point. And your friends are not the majority of the black population. They barely even scratch it so... don't just use your friends as a preference. I'm sure I've been around and observed much more black people than you have and I know what the majority of them think and/or feel.

Have you even thought of to why those black panther groups and black power shirts are worn and or used? Because of the whole racial thing and the brainwashing of black people.

LEAF.:

So...? A lot of things happened during slavery. Just because slavery was there too doesn't make every other point invalid. And what's this about an alibi? Are you accusing me of something?

Racism is also the ONLY reason Segregation existed, and it was also the reason why Slavery was possible. Europeans weren't okay with enslaving themselves but it was okay to enslave Africans because they were believed to be inferior due to racism.

Yes and that still proves me point. Tell me something, do you think that if there wasn't even slavery and segregation in the first place black people would feel bad about their race as much as they do? I want to know what YOU think the feelings are coming from now. I've shared where I think they come from.