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"BEING BLACK IN THE WORK PLACE" (404 hits)

*This email was sent my way and I know/have testimony of the facts presented here. Not all people believe this about Black People but enough do. Of course the MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT does not help, if not positive for world views, the world majority is against us as a people. Ever been overseas or have You been to a convenience store and certain foreign people exhibit a certain view of You?
I plan to blog on a fight I had years ago at the age of 19 or 20 with a Turkish guy while in Germany... Most view our music, entertainment etc. and formulate since they don't hang with us personally. Only the dumb, naive, narrow-minded, uncle toms'/tomettes, etc. believe this not*

Email:
They take my kindness for weakness.
They take my silence for speechlessness.
They consider my uniqueness strange
They call my language slang.

They see my confidence as conceit.
They see my mistakes as defeat.
They! consider my success accidental.
They minimize my intelligence to "potential".

My questions mean "I'm unaware".
My advancement is somehow unfair.
Any praise is preferential treatment.
To voice concern is discontentment.

If I stand up for myself, I'm too defensive.
If I don't trust them, I'm too apprehensive. I'm defiant if I separate.
I'm fake if I assimilate!.

Yet I'm constantly faced with workplace hate.
My character is constantly under attack.
Pride for my race makes me, "TOO BLACK".

Yet, I can only be me. And who am I you might ask?
I am that Strong Black Person.
Who stands on the backs of my ancestor's achievements with erect spine
Pointing to the stars with pride, dignity and respect...who lets
The workplace in America know
That I not only possess the ability to play by the rules, but I can
Make them as well! Black History 365

Author Unknown.

*4 the 2cents worth, I hated the "MARTIN" show. Let me see Pam was over s*xed, Gina had to settle for a Man with no job, Tommy had no job, the other guy can't remember his name played the dumb fool, the guy that only ate food well.... America loved this as they did those Black face Minstrel Shows..............
I could not see anyone here that are striving, seeking, aspiring, fighting and endeavoring here for knowledge and wisdom for the better as aspects of that show, think about it and there are a lot of people at this site.
Maybe some Men fit into that show, maybe some women, but I have met too many white folk that felt that show represented us as a people. Maybe I will blog on a conversation I had with a white female from Idaho and how she felt about us as a Black people i.e. overs*xed etc. She was not being mean by the way, she really felt and thought that way. She married a black male from Africa by the way and majored in Religion (Bachelors). As a matter of fact, she was a major encourager of the book I write during that conversation.*

Posted By: WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III
Wednesday, April 12th 2006 at 12:42PM
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Good post, as a front line supervisor where the floor level operators are mostly black and management/tech jobs are held by white people, I find myself in the middle on alot of issues. PS I hated Martin when it first came out for the same reasons. I must admit I did like the Brian McKnight Ep.
Thursday, April 13th 2006 at 9:58PM
Isaac A. Artis, III

Hey Ike, great insight from Your personal life You add to better enable people to relate.
I like Brian McKnight as well.
I find myself in a lot of issues as well.
I recall one time being at the Georgia Department of Labor. I had stopped by real qucik to check email and run off some copies(Something I picked up from other writers and authors to save paper and it counts as a job! Lol!) and a white employee was peeping over my shoulder asking me if I was job hunting. he did not know that I was real cool with many of the staff there and had been encouraged to use their resources. He was exuding racism...
Anyway, he had a consumer who was white asking for jobs in the Psychology area. The white employee said "No" and I said there were plenty of jobs in that market and that I had my Bachelors and was working for advanced degrees in that area. Well You should have seen the dumbfounded expression on the white employees face that I told "I am not comfortable with You peering over my shoulder". There were black people male and female sitting behind me viewing the whole thing. I did not know this at the time. I turned around and they were smiling and giving me the thumbs up. It was like a victory for us as a people. I felt what I did was a good thing and it encouraged people out there trying to make it.
I lastly added in that his department had tried to higher me before and I turned down the job to be a Counselor at Satilla Mental health, Oh and for more money.............
It felt real good Ike (^;^)
Friday, April 14th 2006 at 9:43AM
WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III

Thanks,this to apply to dealing with people of all races and cultures, but most importantly it is their character.
Wednesday, June 21st 2006 at 2:19AM
Candice Johnson

Hey candice, thanx for the addition and time you added to this Blog Sis. I agree character does apply to some people... And some have great character.
I received a C on an intership back in college for the State Department of Insurance in Tallahassee, FL, why? He stated and had the same name as mine that I was too zealous for the work I was doing. People thought I was a 2nd year Law Clerk, I was a Senior in College. The white guys got the same evaluation that they were very zealous impressive people. I told him this was being racist, he looked down and changed my grade to an A...
Think about it.
And I did the majority of his work diligently...

Wednesday, June 21st 2006 at 7:11AM
WILLIAM W. HEMMANS III