There is a trend or fad that has been going for years now. It might not be very harmful to the world as a whole but is something I see as a serious issue in the US and other ‘Americanized’ countries. A trend or fad that can be traced back into the early 1990’s that has grown exponentially. This trend I am referring to is of course the: “I wish I was black” trend. Now this could also be just a temporary fad that will be gone within a few years or a trend that will steadily rise and grow much like recent societal history indicates. With that being said, I want to know Why. Why is it so cool for people to act out “black” culture stereotypes?
Now, first off let me tell you I am NOT saying that being a “wigger” is a bad thing because it imitates black people. That is not what I believe at all. Whatsoever. Period. It is a far-fetched racist stereotype that is reinforced by negative media and now is turning profit. I will outline why I believe it is a harmful trend.
Why is it that being a little fucking prick who says “nigga” after every sentence is so popular? Why do people think it is so cool to sell massive amounts of crack to people have serious drug addictions that will ultimately destroy everything they have? Those are just two very linear or obvious statements but they do ring true to a lot of these posers. The word wigger can be considered offensive to some because of the root word being: “nigger”, arguably the most offensive word in the English language.
Also it is indicative that all black people act or dress in the commonly stereotypical way which is highly offensive. Unfortunately it is all I can see them as whenever I see some white boy gets out of the passenger side of his mom’s Lexus SUV completely thugged out. When I was in high school there were 700 people in my graduating class. Approximately split down the middle in terms of gender with 29% being white. Of those, I would say HALF the males acted black and said the word “nigga” after every other sentence.
Fights, vandalism, and theft all commonplace within this group of people. These posers were so obsessed with the black stereotypes reinforced by a large number of mediums that they believed them all and wanted to imitate these stereotypes. The group that I associated with in High school and about a year afterwards was comprised of white guys and girls, Mexicans, and black people.
I have been witness to change in people in order to try and receive acceptance from a certain group. I have also seen what happens when a good kid embraces this “gangsta” lifestyle when he or she had a lot going for them.
The music that is associated with these people is most commonly, if not solely, rap music. It is the major medium that reinforces negative or popular stereotypes about black people. When all that is pumped into your brain through song is the glamorization of selling hard drugs, spending all of your money on extremely materialistic things, and degrading women it becomes a part of your lifestyle. Pretty soon you will act out in ways that you never thought possible.
So, if you see these clowns walking down the street in a nice neighborhood just go ahead and ask them “WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING??!!”
The fact that these posers will go around reenacting what they hear in song or just saw in the latest rap video is hurting America. It sets race relations back years and only negatively reinforces the viewpoint that people (not necessarily of any race) dressing in this manner are hoodlums. This furthers the maturity line between cultures and age gaps, setting the people who act like this further apart from society. Being so disassociated with our laws and standards it just makes it that much easier to fall into a trap of illegal activities to earn money or simply get by. Also, why is it that social networking sites harbor and facilitate the majority of this kind of attitude? Almost every other page on MySpace has some rapper in the background and blares: “WHER YA BOOTY AT GIRL WHER YA BOOTY AT”. Now, this trend is not only affecting teenagers but very young girls and boys as well! (aka lil showstoppa). I don’t know if parents getting involved in their child’s life would even help at this point.
Dumbass 12y/o: “But maaaaaaaam, all the kids say nigga to each other, you are my nigga mom!”
Everyone just wants to fit in today and acting the way MTV and BET glorify is just one more social class thrown into the melting pot. Granted, it is also the most harmful. Gang violence is a real life issue that hurts millions of families. Gangs are organized by people who do not have the opportunity to continue their education, live in an area where they need protection and help from other violent people, or capitalize on a certain illegal market or trade. Why would any kid (black, white, brown, blue, w/e) knowingly sacrifice a prominent future for maybe a few years of “fun”? I honestly do not know.
Well, if any one person should know it is the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Now before you watch this video clip I’ll explain that, during his speech about 4 minutes into the clip, He is addressing anyone that would reify a “gangster” lifestyle or these stereotypes(i.e. white people claiming to be a “thug”). Now a warning before you watch. It is NSFW, has vulgar language and the use of the “N” word. Now, let’s hear what he has to say about this new culture:
After all the futile thinking I do, I still cannot fathom what goes on in these people’s heads. If more and more teenagers and young adults keep regressing to this falsely venerated lifestyle, we could see our world record of 2,319,258 people shattered by a newer generation.