If I meet one black doctor, it does not change my opinion of how a lot of black people in this country are not taking advantage of the oppertunities that they have. Thanks to people who believed in a hard working person who reaches out to acheive.
Why? Well, it might have something to do with the thousands I work with daily from southern states like North Carolina, Georgia, etc. I want to think to myself, 'This can not be right!' However, I have seen this time and time again. Knowing black people, does not change my opinion, as my black friends agree with me. They feel that far to many black young children are looking to their dreams to come in line with famous black people that are in sports or entertianment. All with terrible, completely terrible views on money, sex and violence.
I think of it this way. People are saying I am speaking of 'all black people', like I am saying I know the minds of every black man and woman in the world. I am looking at this in a slice of population way, in that I am taking all the ones I know and have made contact with. Ones I have spoke too, ones I call friends. This is the data I am pulling from. Just because it does not come in line with others, does not shock me. If you saw what I saw, hear what I hear and know what I know ... you might find yourself understanding.
I did expect someone who was black saying 'you just do not know the right black people' etc. It would be a expected defensive stance, if you did not grasp what I was saying. However, as I said ... this is the image I see and who I meet. Want to change my mind, then change the stats. Change the fact that there are high populations of black americans on public assitence. That blacks make up a large portion of those in prison. That blacks have a high crime rate. Did MLK give the 'Dream' speech to see so much failure among blacks? Did the civil rights movement exist so that blacks could not take advantage of all the oppertunity they have available, to be something more?
No, and it is time it changes. People need to say it, and take a lead. Stand on the shoulders of those who took pain, death and lost blood on your behalf. Do not be silent when you see others not doing what they can, say something! Be a mentor to a young black child, if you are succeeding. Show them the 'Dream' is real, oppertunity exist, and appreciation is a good taste in life.
Again, see me as a HATER for feeling this way. Call me RACIST. The thing is, I simply feel that oppertunities are being lost and people need to push harder to be more.