by Peg R

Created on: March 21, 2010   Last Updated: March 22, 2010

I believe there is a difference in the races.  Our differences do not come from one's potential ability, intelligence, strength.  We are not worth more or less because of our color or ethnic backgrounds.  We are, however, different and those differences sometimes are the things that fuel racism.  A white man or woman may have an opinion that a particular race has issues or is different.  Much of this comes from their experiences with the particular race.  Sometimes it is based on the historical treatment that one race has given another.

I often find it necessary to remind myself that the bad examples that I see in one race are not what I should base my opinion on, but it is difficult when the bad examples are too often the most obvious or most widely depicted in the news, TV and sometimes in your coworkers and neighbors.  Let me dare to use an example of the black woman.  Now I am not saying all black women or most black women.  I am using one stereotypical example which frequently pops into my mind fueled by my own personal observations and by the things that black men have said to me about black women. The description of a black woman might be harsh, loud, users with no class.  I am certain that I have just stirred up some controversy with this description.  I can share the example of the two women at cocktail hour that sat just one table away from me.  One waving her hand around speaking very loudly about some man that she had met.  Using a dialect and vernacular that If I were to speak in this manner, I would be accused of trying to act black.  Making statements like, “If you don’t want to help me out then you ain't going to get any of dis..You know what I mean girl?”   A young man was listening and started to chuckle and was immediately attacked by the two “ladies,” asking what he was looking at and asking him if he wanted “some of that,” and then asked if he was going to pay her electric bill.

These were two women who left a very bad example.  One day when I felt comfortable to ask some questions of both black men and women regarding this type of person, it was explained to me that over the years black women have long been abandoned and used by black men.  They went from one form of slavery to neglect and abuse.  Women set out to teach their daughters not to support any man, to be independent and only take on a man who

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