Tuesday, June 14, 2011

African vs. African American

My friend an I were having a discussion about the differences between Africans and African Americans. Now at a certain point in the conversation I made the comment that many Africans have very little respect for African Americans. My friend is African American and she was a bit offended and didn't understand why I say that and she had heard it from her other African friends as well and she just didn't get it.  Over the years many Africans have passed through America and lived with and around many African Americans. It's not that we don't have respect for ALL African Americans, it's just the majority of African Americans. One of the main reasons (in my opinion and that of my parents) is the behavior exhibited by a majority of African Americans. Many of them have authority issues, which means they don't like anyone telling them what to do and how to act, especially adults and people in positions of authority. This to many Africans shows a lack of respect for elders and adults and that is something that is an important value in African cultures, which is respecting your elders and adults. Another reason is the way some African Americans speak and carry themselves. They are viewed to behave without class or manners and speak in an uneducated manner. As a Ghanaian, my country has adopted the British way of etiquette and I am expected to behave like a lady and speak "proper" english and carry myself in way that would impress the Queen of England herself.  Another main reason is the environment in which many African Americans live in and the way they live there. People who live in ghettos, sell drugs, wear baggy clothes, join gangs, get pregnant in high school, many don't go to college, many don't even finish high school and very few make something of themselves.
Africans always want what is best for themselves and their children. They work hard and strive to make a better life for their families and to give their children the opportunities they didn't have so that they can become better people. The behaviors of African Americans are the things Africans have seen on tv and experienced first hand and heard through friends or family members. It is a fate that they would give their own lives to avoid their children meeting. Because they don't see any positivity coming from the reasons I mentioned above, they strongly advise their children to keep away from having African American friends.
We all know that not all African Americans behave in those ways. We realize that there are a number of successful, respectful, classy African Americans, who have achieved many great accomplishments. The problem is that, the number of these people is very small and the presence of African Americans who can not and/or will not achieve something better for themselves over shadows the ones who have.
Many of us Africans don't have respect because from our perspective, the majority of African Americans haven't accomplished anything positive and by the way they see it, that is not going to change any time soon. And sadly to say, that is the way it looks.
DISCLAIMER: Not all Africans may feel this way. This is based on what i have heard from many African parents and their children as well as various members of my own family and my own experiences.

4 comments:

  1. Judging from this post I would say that Africans are extremely narrow minded and judgmental. Or I could just go based off of what I've seen on TV and what I've experienced and say that all Africans are starving, poor, and uneducated. But we all know that the media isn't always the truth right? the bottomline is Africans and African Americans are extremely diverse people. Africans send the best from their country to come to America so it's only natural you think so highly of yourselves. What about the people you left behind in Africa? Just take a look at African Americans who are abroad, and you will get a very different and more nuanced picture of who we are. I cannot deny that there are African Americans who exhibit some of the traits described above, but there are people of all races that do as well. If african americans were just lazy,pregnant, ghetto whores do you think your black ass would have all the opportunities in this country? NO we are a strong resillient people who have paved the way and stood as an example for people of color ALL over the world seeking equal rights. Lastly, if you dislike us so much take your ass back to Africa.

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  2. Hmmmm .. This is a very controversial post, which make it very enticing and great to read! However, just for the sake of setting things straight ... This is your blog and you have the right to express yourself however you please, regardless of what others think. I do understand the argument of both sides but whats important is that we step in each others shoes and look at the big picture ... Does it really matter how different we are ?.. NO! Knowledge of both cultures and unity is the solution to this "disagreement". To be completely honestly I could care less about which culture is predominant ... Wondering where Im going with this ?.. Well it's simple .. I don't agree with this post or the person that posted a comment prior to mine ... You both dont have enough knowledge about each others culture to make valid points about them so the debate is pretty much pointless .. #Justsaying ...

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  3. So this comment is going to be in two posts....

    I found this post to be extremely interesting. Let me firstly start by saying that I am an African American who has spent both time in Africa and a significant amount of time around Africans in the United States. I therefore feel that I have a bit of insight on both African American culture as well as African culture. It is true that many of the African students in the U.S. are extremely focused, diligent, disciplined and motivated. The majority with whom I associate that attribute it to their upbringing and the strictness of their parents while they were being raised. What many of them do not realize, however, is the huge contrast that a large majority in Africa presents to their hard work ethic. I must say when I was in Africa I had never seen so many lazy people in my life. I was shocked by the amount of people literally just walking around with nothing to do, or just going out to drink beer and dance. It was funny how much it reminded me of the ghettos and projects here in the U.S. So I asked myself what is the difference between the first generation Africans in the U.S. who were either born there or immigrated and the rest still back in Africa? You must first consider that for the majority of your families to even be able to leave and come here whether to live, or study, or both, that it was because they were the most hardworking, the most educated, and quite frankly they were wealthier than the rest. To even immigrate to the United States (unless as a refugee) you have to demonstrate that you can afford to sustain yourself while here. Thus we find the answer to the puzzle. Similarly if you were to only consider the most educated, financially stable and motivated African Americans you would not have a holistic picture. Since you were so kind to point out the shortcomings of African Americans, however, I’d like to point out a few that you missed about Africans. In Africa the majority of people are unemployed and have very little education. Consequently they do not speak the “Queen’s English” at all. You mentioned that you were from Ghana. That country, although not as developed as much as the U.S. or Europe is one of the MOST developed African countries. So I stand to wager that perhaps you are not as knowledgeable about all Africans as you may think. What about Equatorial Guinea, Malawi, Uganda, Angola or Gabon? Countries that when compared to Ghana make Ghana seem like the United States, that’s how bad it is in those countries. Furthermore in most African nations, Ghana included, beyond the capital city and perhaps one other big city the remainder of the country typically has little to no access to clean water, quality education, job opportunities, developed roads or even electricity. I think you mentioned the violence of African Americans but what about the genocide in Rwanda? What about all the ethnic conflicts between tribes and ethnic groups in Northern Uganda or Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo? There’s violence in Nigeria and Kenya every time there is an election. What about the recent conflict in Cote d’Ivoire over the elections? Eritrea and Ethiopia still have conflict with each other the last time I checked. Or what about the abuse that many people experience from their own government that is black and African just like they are? My point is that Africans have their shortcomings as well.

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  4. (part 2)

    To point out some of our positive aspects that you seem to have forgotten or are possibly unaware of, we were taken from our homeland, brought to a place with a foreign climate, different vegetation, unknown diseases and a whole new way of living yet look at what progress we have made. Our language, our traditions, our whole culture was eradicated in an attempt to further oppress us. In a country where we constitute the minority we have demanded respect and forced the rest of the country to acknowledge us as talented, competent, intelligent human beings. We have struggled and fought for an equality that cost blood, sweat and tears, an equality that as someone above me commented is the very reason for which you and your family can come here and have the opportunities that you have, eat in the restaurants you want, sit in whichever seats you want on public transportation, use whichever water fountains and restrooms you want, and get the education that you want at the schools that you want sitting right next to the people whose ancestors suppressed US. I say “us” to remind you that ultimately we are in this struggle together. Your history is intertwined with my history and vice versa.
    While I certainly appreciate you expressing such a bold opinion I must ask you why is it that you choose to look down on these people that you describe as having no class, no respect and no education? When I see my African brothers and sisters struggling it hurts my heart because it means I too am struggling. I see their suffering and I want to help. Until we overcome these divisions that were imposed upon as a method of total subjugation and domination we will continue to fall victim to its deadly consequences. The day that black people around the world wake up and realize our common identity and decide to do something together the world will feel our power and might. But it doesn’t come from looking down one’s nose at the others; it comes from stretching out a hand to help someone. If you English is so good why don’t you volunteer at an elementary school and share some of your knowledge? God did not bless you so that you could look at his other children and frown but so that you could help them. Don’t forget the reason why we are called “African” Americans. We are all black. We are all one people. We are all Africans.

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