Why are American Black People so sensitive about their race?

Question

as soon as black people think in terms of "CONSIDER THE SOURCE"....they will NOT be sensitive anymore and all those "so called racial remarks" will stop......When Japan used that monkey on the podium....why should the American Black People think that it was aimed at them?.......do they really think THAT BAD about themselves?....after all...no other people seem to be offended.....

Answer 1

Because they do not know how to overcome the situation

Answer 2

When you become the target of racism throughout your life, then come back and ask that question! Of course, those who aren't singled out either subtly or directly will feel offended. Considering the source is not enough...and it is not acceptable to "excuse" someone's behavior so that  someone else doesn't consider you "oversensitive."  Whenever someone is being rude or offensive, the person has that right, indeed, the DUTY of calling the other person on it. Otherwise, the offender thinks it's acceptable behavior and will continue.

Answer 3

They think we (whites) owe them something from slavery, but we don't none of use were alive or involved in that and same goes for them, they should be grateful there in a country with such better econ... well everything,  kinda like indentured servants, and because of immigration may white peoples relatives weren't even in the country during slavery, reperations... gimme a break!

Answer 4

I've always found this subject comical. The reasoning behind their 'sensitivity' is simple; they feel as if they were personally victimized by the treatment of a generation nearly 200 years ago.

They utilize their race as a scapegoat when they find situations that are seemingly unfavorable to them.

Sometimes it would seem that they'd prefer to be different. For instance, BET(Black Entertainment Television), calling each other "******" in public forums such as music, which is just a play on the racial slur "******", and wearing distinct, raggedy clothes to suggest their economic status as destitute. But, as you well know, it's the White Man's fault, the White Collar 'Cracka'.

They have it made. The inequality within the educational system favors them(higher education, i.e. college). They have an equal opportunity to achieve wealth and success.  

I think they're so sensitive for the simple reason that they can be. That's it.

Answer 5

#1 - 200 years of slavery and then another 200 years of social, political, and economic depression.  just as a starter.  

#2 - skin color is the first attribute to be brought up in any conversation no matter if we're talking to a white, black, red or green person.

Answer 6

Think about it, if your ancestors and relatives came from generations of slavery, oppression, hate, dehumanization, then it would be hard NOT to sever away from those emotions, especially when issues of racism/prejudice still slaps them around in their face.

After all, racism DOES still exist. It's just more covert these days. That's fact. The Apartheid in South Africa wasn't abolished until 1994. De-segregation laws in the U.S. occurred what about.. 54 years ago? We still have people like Don Imus who gets support when he freely expresses his racist remarks. Why wouldn't there be a sensitivity on the African American people's part?

Think about it. Imagine being in their shoes. The best way to understand anyone is to put ourselves into their shoes and look at issues from multiple perspectives.

Answer 7

Because it draws attention. I don't see how its fair that racism can be such a sore subject, when a large majority of African Americans are racist themselves.  It "ok" for them to mock and insult Caucasians publicly and on TV, but the moment they perceive anything directed at them, its a huge deal.  I'll never understand that.  Seems like a double standard.

Answer 8

No one can be equal if they can not accept jokes.

Answer 9

It's a really touchy topic. I'd be careful about asking questions and then again answering them.

So what's the answer from me? Again it's hard. I don't mean to offend anyone but, I assume the offense is taken because it CAN be taken. It's available to them, so they become offended. It's too bad too. There is just no call for it.

Answer 10

I have noticed in conversations about every subject, but especially about race in America, that there is a huge lack of empathy or understanding.  Some of the responses to these questions make me feel that blacks and whites (for starters) are complete strangers.

I can only respond to the posts that I've seen so far.  "Offense is taken because it can be taken"?  Where did that come from?  People just sit around all day and wait to hear something offensive, so that they can retaliate? I don't understand your justification for such a statement.

On the same vein: "I think they're so sensitive for the simple reason that they can be."  Are you saying that Black people have nothing better to do all day than sit there and hurt?  Where do you come up with these thoughts? Once again, where is the justification for such statements?

"The reasoning behind their 'sensitivity' is simple; they feel as if they were personally victimized by the treatment of a generation nearly 200 years ago."    I think that your knowledge of history is incomplete. This is a Rush Limbaugh, David Duke, Newt Gingrich, Ronald Reagan view of history - short-sighted, myopic.  First of all, it is factually inaccurate - slavery only ended 143 years ago. That means that there are living people who's great great grandparents were slaves.  Second, the formal ending of slavery did not end political, economic, or social oppression for African-Americans. 100 years passed between the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil Rights Act of 1965. The idea that all of the oppression took place in the South is historically inaccurate.  Blacks were denied entry into white schools well into the 1970s in many areas, hence the phrase "FORCED busing." The Baby Boom Generation witnessed fire hoses being turned on civil rights marchers. Every black New Yorker can tell you that they still had a hard time getting taxis to stop for them as late as 1989. So, the victimization did not end 200 years ago, as you claim. These are all things that have happened in living memory. Not to mention that, on every economic indicator - poverty, unemployment, political representation, percentage of millionaires, etc. - black America lags behind white America.  Wouldn't you be a little upset?

How does black people calling themselves a "n****" affect you?  Why do you want to use that word so bad yourself? To stray outside the race discussion for a minute - think about this: among our nuclear families, we discuss matters that we would not discuss with outsiders (and we use language that we would not use with outsiders). Among our coworkers, we act a certain way that we do not act around others. Among people who we feel we have a understanding, we do and say certain things. Black people using the word "n****" with themselves is no different - they have an understanding amongst each other that an outsider would not have. I don't lose any sleep worrying about what lingo people use.

Psychological studies have shown that people will use ANY CRITERION to form in-groups and out-groups - if you divide a group of two people of whatever mixed race, gender, etc into "black flags in their shirts" and "red flags in their shirts," they will form alliances, lingo, and hostility toward the other group.

"they should be grateful there in a country with such better econ... well everything" - wow! This is the worst argument of them all. It sounds like you are saying: "They should be grateful for kidnapping, slavery, and forced repatriation, because now they have the good fortune to live in the greatest country on earth. Thank God the Spanish slaveships dropped this batch off in Miami instead of Havana. They could have ended up like those poor b******s who were dropped off in Communist Cuba."

Once again, your view of history is myopic. Europe and America would not be the economic powerhouses they are today without slavery and the theft that went along with colonialism - I have read books that argue to the contrary, and have found their arguments wanting. Africa, Europe and America all would have developed along completely different lines in the absence of slavery and conquest. Slavery was a major factor in world history - not a minor side note.

One last statement I read - I have to end this post some time: "Because it draws attention." Do you really think that's it?  I know that we are all ego-centric beings, but give me a break. I think it's more likely that oversensitivity is due to historic injustices and present inequalities.

Note: I am not saying "feel guilty" or any of that BS. I'm just saying that, vis a vis racism, there is a great lack of empathy and historical understanding going on in this chat.

Answer 11

246 years of slavery

100 years of second class citizenship legal segregation and public lynchings

42 years of the law recognizing black people as humans but still not everyone and to this day there are still racists.

so out of the 388 years black people have been in America they only have 42 years of actually being seen as people with rights by the government of course black Americans should be sensitive and should be for at least another 100 years or two

Answer 12

400 plus years of racial oppression and discrimination.

Answer 13

we are not sensitve...more like CONSCIOUS of wat goes on....black ppl dont really expect other to understand....white privelage vs black consequence...no comparison....however, just bc black ppl are aware of REALITY that does not mean we ignore that other races have their own struggle too....its 2008 why is this stil a question?