This group is supposed to be a safe haven for black voices. So, I'm posting this here...

[MadDAsHell]

12. Just a personal opinion, but I'm a little uncomfortable with the phrase "black voices" ...

in this context. I've seen this assumption a lot on DU that, somehow, all of us think and act the same, that being born with similar skin tone bonds us into one big unthinking reactionary force. Even from white posters, who will say how sorry they feel for us as African-Americans, how hard our lives must be, or how all of us must really hate this thing, or that person, as if every African-American comes from the exact same background, same experience, etc.

I have felt discrimination at times, but I can tell you that I swear some of my family members don't even know they're "black," and some of you probably would say they're not, because they would deny they've ever been discriminated against for their skin color. There seems to be this assumption that every black person feels sorry for themselves, and if they don't, they're not black; it's a little insulting.

I think it's become far too easy for people to pidgeonhole everyone in a racial group as being one thing or another.

Not every African-American feels oppressed, unheard, or discriminated against, just like not every Caucasian is deaf/blind to the benefits of being born with lighter skin.