Comments on: Black People Don't Read! – Sad but true? :-( http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/ Life snippets and ideas from a God fearing, startup CTO, marketer, seriel entrepreneur and wine enthusiast! Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:44:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Abdul Malik Rasheed http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-11632 Abdul Malik Rasheed Thu, 06 Oct 2011 06:44:06 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-11632 I completely DISAGREE. This is a piece of ignorant BS. Anybody reading this garbage should know that it is false. I am sure that all of us know someone who doesn't like to read and who might be a bit excessive and lavish in their personal appetites. But I am also sure that all of us know people who are successful college educated or business professional that are very productive and active within their families and their communities. All of the people in my social circle are successful, educated African Americans men and women who are making a difference. What we don't need to do is to take a microscopic portion of our people who are uneducated and paint a broad picture of that group as being the majority of African American. We also need to quit apologizing for and making excuses for our ignorant brothers and sisters as ALL RACES, ALL NATIONALITIES, and ALL CULTURES have a percentage of people who are ignorant including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian American and White Americans. There are no groups who are exempted. Other groups do not have to justify, rationalize, or apologize for those in their ranks that are ignorant and neither should we. African Americans need to quit being wimps and quit letting others determine our cultural values and our cultural rights and wrongs. Stand up for yourselves and extol your virtues and stop buying into the media and Hollywood's stereotypical portrayals of our culture as an inferior subculture. Be Black, Be Proud! I completely DISAGREE. This is a piece of ignorant BS. Anybody reading this garbage should know that it is false. I am sure that all of us know someone who doesn’t like to read and who might be a bit excessive and lavish in their personal appetites. But I am also sure that all of us know people who are successful college educated or business professional that are very productive and active within their families and their communities. All of the people in my social circle are successful, educated African Americans men and women who are making a difference.

What we don’t need to do is to take a microscopic portion of our people who are uneducated and paint a broad picture of that group as being the majority of African American. We also need to quit apologizing for and making excuses for our ignorant brothers and sisters as ALL RACES, ALL NATIONALITIES, and ALL CULTURES have a percentage of people who are ignorant including African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian American and White Americans. There are no groups who are exempted. Other groups do not have to justify, rationalize, or apologize for those in their ranks that are ignorant and neither should we. African Americans need to quit being wimps and quit letting others determine our cultural values and our cultural rights and wrongs. Stand up for yourselves and extol your virtues and stop buying into the media and Hollywood’s stereotypical portrayals of our culture as an inferior subculture. Be Black, Be Proud!

]]> By: Ayodeji Babaniyi http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-10617 Ayodeji Babaniyi Sun, 19 Jun 2011 21:56:38 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-10617 I agree with some of Juan's analysis: some points the writer made were not backed up with good arguments; however, you are making the same mistake as the writer if you dismiss all her assertions based on the bad ones. The only truth she presented, (as I see it) with good statistical support, is that black people are very materialistic. This fact is very true, even not just for Americans, but for people of African decent in general. We are a very consumer centric race that often live beyond our means. If we are to progress, we need to start producing and taking great pride in our products. Not buying Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, and Mercedes in-order to feel like you made it. I agree with some of Juan’s analysis: some points the writer made were not backed up with good arguments; however, you are making the same mistake as the writer if you dismiss all her assertions based on the bad ones. The only truth she presented, (as I see it) with good statistical support, is that black people are very materialistic. This fact is very true, even not just for Americans, but for people of African decent in general. We are a very consumer centric race that often live beyond our means. If we are to progress, we need to start producing and taking great pride in our products. Not buying Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, and Mercedes in-order to feel like you made it.

]]> By: Juan Nieves http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-9613 Juan Nieves Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:55:08 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-9613 This article is an attention getter, eye catching for real, but I must question the general message. First of all, where is the information coming from? The writer of the article does not offer proof or statistics that support the idea that "blacks don't read." Not only blacks, but most younger people in America do not read, regardless of ethnic background. So, does white people in United States read more than any other race or ethnic group? Not so true. It has been argued that Germans and South Koreans are the most voracious readers of the world. I can only find one true in this article: Black people behave different than other ethnic groups. This is common sense, every ethnic group behave different from each other. This is not a matter of what race reads the most, it is a matter of a nation that does not place value on reading anymore, and this include all races, not only blacks. See, our main vehicle of communication is verbal; we place value on the word of people. We no longer deems necessary writing and reading as a way of communication, although it would help all individuals greatly, from all races. When I say we, I mean all Americans (blacks, white, Hispanic, Asians, Natives, etc.). So, in view that the writer cannot support the idea that "blacks don't read," we must conclude that this article is biased and does not offer any constructive suggestion to make America a better place. Instead of focusing on an ethnic group specifically, the writer should have focused on America's education problem; we don't even rank on the top 20s any more when it comes to education quality. Now, this is not a problem of race; this is a problem of priority, and the political agenda is to be blamed for it. This article is an attention getter, eye catching for real, but I must question the general message. First of all, where is the information coming from? The writer of the article does not offer proof or statistics that support the idea that “blacks don’t read.” Not only blacks, but most younger people in America do not read, regardless of ethnic background. So, does white people in United States read more than any other race or ethnic group? Not so true. It has been argued that Germans and South Koreans are the most voracious readers of the world. I can only find one true in this article: Black people behave different than other ethnic groups. This is common sense, every ethnic group behave different from each other. This is not a matter of what race reads the most, it is a matter of a nation that does not place value on reading anymore, and this include all races, not only blacks. See, our main vehicle of communication is verbal; we place value on the word of people. We no longer deems necessary writing and reading as a way of communication, although it would help all individuals greatly, from all races. When I say we, I mean all Americans (blacks, white, Hispanic, Asians, Natives, etc.).

So, in view that the writer cannot support the idea that “blacks don’t read,” we must conclude that this article is biased and does not offer any constructive suggestion to make America a better place. Instead of focusing on an ethnic group specifically, the writer should have focused on America’s education problem; we don’t even rank on the top 20s any more when it comes to education quality. Now, this is not a problem of race; this is a problem of priority, and the political agenda is to be blamed for it.

]]> By: Ael http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-8086 Ael Mon, 07 Mar 2011 07:18:47 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-8086 We all are slaves of our society, in rights we are equal, so it's about you how to play with your cards. SELFISHNESS, GREED, IGNORANCE... It's personal. So if you black pals get through this lame critics you will be above this things. We all are slaves of our society, in rights we are equal, so it’s about you how to play with your cards. SELFISHNESS, GREED, IGNORANCE… It’s personal. So if you black pals get through this lame critics you will be above this things.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-59 Shannon Fri, 09 Apr 2010 04:01:32 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-59 Hey I am 16 my mom was the one that originally told me about this article. My first reaction was anger and I wanted to find out where this person lived and I wanted to hurt them, but then I thought about all the kids at my high school who say they don’t like reading. They won't even read a book that effects their grade is saddens me that we, as young people, have become so dumb. We look up to people who didn’t finish high school, don't read, talk about sex, talk about having money. We don’t look up to people that have a respect to do something more to go to college, to reach a goal in life, to be better than our parents were. You don’t' find many kids who look up to people like that and it’s a shame. Not even our own community or government believes in us. For my education has been decreased because of money problems that our community and state government put in to play. What is happening to my school will affect me for life I will not be going to a good college like I want but as a person who reads and as a person who believe in herself, my friends, and the kids at my school. I believe that change can happen when you put words to action. When you take the first step you began a process that if you work hard and continue to step you will come to a change and you will better your life and future lives. Hey I am 16 my mom was the one that originally told me about this article. My first reaction was anger and I wanted to find out where this person lived and I wanted to hurt them, but then I thought about all the kids at my high school who say they don’t like reading. They won’t even read a book that effects their grade is saddens me that we, as young people, have become so dumb. We look up to people who didn’t finish high school, don’t read, talk about sex, talk about having money. We don’t look up to people that have a respect to do something more to go to college, to reach a goal in life, to be better than our parents were. You don’t’ find many kids who look up to people like that and it’s a shame. Not even our own community or government believes in us. For my education has been decreased because of money problems that our community and state government put in to play. What is happening to my school will affect me for life I will not be going to a good college like I want but as a person who reads and as a person who believe in herself, my friends, and the kids at my school. I believe that change can happen when you put words to action. When you take the first step you began a process that if you work hard and continue to step you will come to a change and you will better your life and future lives.

]]> By: Brittaney http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-58 Brittaney Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:19:41 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-58 This article is great. It expresses someone's opinion, and as a democratic state, we are all granted the right to free speech (verbally, literarily, or via other means). Unfortunately, an opinion is just that. This is awe-inspiring way to generalize and stereotype many African American/Blacks. What was more awe-inspiring is that many of you all have allowed someone to tell you that this is the reality of the situation and side with this opinion. I am extremely saddened that you all feed into this notion that blacks are undereducated(if at all), unsuccessful, uninspired, lazy, avaricious, and not interested in making a decent life for themselves. The portion of this article that suggest certain Blacks look down on other Blacks is simply not true. We are not a segregated community. We all come from a long line of united people. It took unity to bring about change in this country (USA), it took unity to allow blacks to vote, it took unity to allow blacks to go to schools hand in hand with non-black children, and it took unity to elect a Black man leader of the free world. So this notion that Blacks are not unified and certain blacks look down on other not so well to do Blacks is simply a generalization, that is certainly FALSE. The section of this article that address the notion that Blacks are ignorant and don't read is too false. Perhaps if he/she would have said something along the lines of "Blacks don't read books penned by White Authors" then maybe that would have been more believable. All across the nation there are book clubs geared to only BLACK MEMBERS. Throughout the country there are also many black owned book stores with a predominance of black customers. It would not surprise me that the person who wrote this is from some Podunk, Iowa town where they have not been exposed to the richness of the black culture. A Black culture that includes Leaders, Readers, Teachers, Politicians, Brokers, Attorneys, Judges, Mentors, Doctors, Engineers, among other successful figureheads. This article is great. It expresses someone’s opinion, and as a democratic state, we are all granted the right to free speech (verbally, literarily, or via other means). Unfortunately, an opinion is just that. This is awe-inspiring way to generalize and stereotype many African American/Blacks. What was more awe-inspiring is that many of you all have allowed someone to tell you that this is the reality of the situation and side with this opinion. I am extremely saddened that you all feed into this notion that blacks are undereducated(if at all), unsuccessful, uninspired, lazy, avaricious, and not interested in making a decent life for themselves.

The portion of this article that suggest certain Blacks look down on other Blacks is simply not true. We are not a segregated community. We all come from a long line of united people. It took unity to bring about change in this country (USA), it took unity to allow blacks to vote, it took unity to allow blacks to go to schools hand in hand with non-black children, and it took unity to elect a Black man leader of the free world. So this notion that Blacks are not unified and certain blacks look down on other not so well to do Blacks is simply a generalization, that is certainly FALSE.

The section of this article that address the notion that Blacks are ignorant and don’t read is too false. Perhaps if he/she would have said something along the lines of “Blacks don’t read books penned by White Authors” then maybe that would have been more believable. All across the nation there are book clubs geared to only BLACK MEMBERS. Throughout the country there are also many black owned book stores with a predominance of black customers.

It would not surprise me that the person who wrote this is from some Podunk, Iowa town where they have not been exposed to the richness of the black culture. A Black culture that includes Leaders, Readers, Teachers, Politicians, Brokers, Attorneys, Judges, Mentors, Doctors, Engineers, among other successful figureheads.

]]> By: owner of Nuniboujie hair salon http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-57 owner of Nuniboujie hair salon Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:36:53 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-57 wow this is very disterbing but true i try tell people when they talk to me and i hear them say something like o well we just cant get a break and I find myself sounding like my grandma if you want a break then you need to break that book open and read it. And here i am 29 years old in oct rembering when i started to take that statement seriously 4 years a go I was so afraid of trying to succeed for the thought of some one telling me that it's not worth it when something did not turn out how i expected it to. that I got tired and poened my first book rich dad poor dad and it has been on ever since.and I have now opened my own salon been doing well and even going to school for massage therapy just to get in to the feel of daring to go back to school I told my self in 2000 after graduating high school i was never going back to school i hated it so much that i did not want to walk past one. and if your intersted in knowing why email me. But anyway I am loving school and cant wait to study something else but when i finish massage therapy school I will be in school for marketing people I hate to hear people say i cant, it wont happen or i dont know how one day im going to write a small book that when ever people says something discouraging im going to thow a book at them not litteraly like my grandma did but you get the point. I rember my aunts saying to their mom why do you keep thowing books at them kids and she would say may be one day it will hit them in the head and the words would sink in some how and some how it did and just to say their were less books being thrown and now shes 84 years old and she still throws books even to the neibhors she'll scream out loud and say GO READ A BOOK. So hear my Book to you now GO READ A BOOK !!! THANK FOR READING? Robin Davis wow this is very disterbing but true i try tell people when they talk to me and i hear them say something like o well we just cant get a break and I find myself sounding like my grandma if you want a break then you need to break that book open and read it. And here i am 29 years old in oct rembering when i started to take that statement seriously 4 years a go I was so afraid of trying to succeed for the thought of some one telling me that it’s not worth it when something did not turn out how i expected it to. that I got tired and poened my first book rich dad poor dad and it has been on ever since.and I have now opened my own salon been doing well and even going to school for massage therapy just to get in to the feel of daring to go back to school I told my self in 2000 after graduating high school i was never going back to school i hated it so much that i did not want to walk past one. and if your intersted in knowing why email me. But anyway I am loving school and cant wait to study something else but when i finish massage therapy school I will be in school for marketing people I hate to hear people say i cant, it wont happen or i dont know how one day im going to write a small book that when ever people says something discouraging im going to thow a book at them not litteraly like my grandma did but you get the point. I rember my aunts saying to their mom why do you keep thowing books at them kids and she would say may be one day it will hit them in the head and the words would sink in some how and some how it did and just to say their were less books being thrown and now shes 84 years old and she still throws books even to the neibhors she’ll scream out loud and say GO READ A BOOK. So hear my Book to you now GO READ A BOOK !!! THANK FOR READING? Robin Davis

]]> By: Lakimberly http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-56 Lakimberly Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:07:40 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-56 To add, I always share with my students in my Financial Literacy class and others a situation I encountered during college with contracts. I received a phone call that I won a free gym membership and that all I had to do was come in and sign up. Without reading the contract over before signing I later owed $795.00 for a years membership that I never used because I failed to read the fine print. From that experience any time I am faced with a black and white document I make it my number one priority to read everything before doing anything. “Wake up America and Start a Chain of Change for the Better of all Mankind” To add, I always share with my students in my Financial Literacy class and others a situation I encountered during college with contracts. I received a phone call that I won a free gym membership and that all I had to do was come in and sign up. Without reading the contract over before signing I later owed $795.00 for a years membership that I never used because I failed to read the fine print. From that experience any time I am faced with a black and white document I make it my number one priority to read everything before doing anything.

“Wake up America and Start a Chain of Change for the Better of all Mankind”

]]> By: Lakimberly http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-55 Lakimberly Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:45:45 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-55 I do not feel that this message is at all crazy to the least. It has in fact become very true over recent years. As an educator I have witnessed first hand a classroom of 27 students who will not read instructions and sometimes refuse to write down notes or answers to a daily quiz when given. We cannot even give a proper education because the black children do not want it. That's not to say all black children do not want an education but the students I have come in contact with are simply not motivated before they enter my classroom to involve themselves in meaningful conversations with previous teachers, parents, nor the communities they live in. This is a paradox that is plaguing our black communities abroad. "If momma did not receive a high school diploma then why should I, we live just fine..." is the attitude many of them have. Not wanting a better life for themselves because they do not understand or know that education is the key to success. This letter should be a wake up call to all blacks rather than seeing it in it's negative. As I tell my students, "Prove them wrong, because you are not an ignorant being and mistakes a made in order to shape you not break you." I so sensitively want to give back to my community. And in efforts to do so I have chosen to teach not only as a profession but as a lifestyle. My students are encouraged to think critically and solve problems on a daily basis by reading, analyzing, critiquing, and writing down their thoughts in the process of forming a conclusion. In addition, I am a Career Tech Teacher hoping to move our students forward in the direction of their dreams. "Wake up America and Start a Chain of Change for the Better of all Mankind" I do not feel that this message is at all crazy to the least. It has in fact become very true over recent years. As an educator I have witnessed first hand a classroom of 27 students who will not read instructions and sometimes refuse to write down notes or answers to a daily quiz when given. We cannot even give a proper education because the black children do not want it. That’s not to say all black children do not want an education but the students I have come in contact with are simply not motivated before they enter my classroom to involve themselves in meaningful conversations with previous teachers, parents, nor the communities they live in. This is a paradox that is plaguing our black communities abroad. “If momma did not receive a high school diploma then why should I, we live just fine…” is the attitude many of them have. Not wanting a better life for themselves because they do not understand or know that education is the key to success. This letter should be a wake up call to all blacks rather than seeing it in it’s negative. As I tell my students, “Prove them wrong, because you are not an ignorant being and mistakes a made in order to shape you not break you.”

I so sensitively want to give back to my community. And in efforts to do so I have chosen to teach not only as a profession but as a lifestyle. My students are encouraged to think critically and solve problems on a daily basis by reading, analyzing, critiquing, and writing down their thoughts in the process of forming a conclusion. In addition, I am a Career Tech Teacher hoping to move our students forward in the direction of their dreams.

“Wake up America and Start a Chain of Change for the Better of all Mankind”

]]> By: muriah http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/10/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-54 muriah Mon, 23 Feb 2009 23:28:16 +0000 http://www.justindawkins.com/2007/black-people-dont-read-sad-but-true/#comment-54 I was first exposed to this, very offendsive, letter in school. A BLACK student wanted me to give my thoughts on it. Sadly, I was to flabergasted by the very racial, very IGNORANT, very untrue statements that were being made, I was speechless. As I glanced at some of the comments I began to feel sick to my stomach. Obviously, black people do read or my classmates and I would not have came across it. Also, YOU would not have read this. OBAMA...OBAMA...O-B-A-M-A!!!! '08 Thanks!!!!! I was first exposed to this, very offendsive, letter in school. A BLACK student wanted me to give my thoughts on it. Sadly, I was to flabergasted by the very racial, very IGNORANT, very untrue statements that were being made, I was speechless. As I glanced at some of the comments I began to feel sick to my stomach. Obviously, black people do read or my classmates and I would not have came across it. Also, YOU would not have read this.

OBAMA…OBAMA…O-B-A-M-A!!!! ’08

Thanks!!!!!

]]>