Mentality?

Yesterday at work, i had one of the techs, a black american, who was excited about the election outcome tell me "for the first time in my life i can be recognized as a united states citizen." I wanted to ask, up to this day, what have you considered yourself to be?, but i said nothing. She went on to say that "you people are the african-americans, i can't go to africa and hold my grandmothers hands". Agreed with the latter. This person also went ahead to say "see how many of our men are going to start walking with their pants pulled up." That i thought was silly. Was she trying to say that black american men walk with their pants pulled down because the president is white?
Today, i had a patient tell me "now, i know i can do certain things because all my life i thought there were things i couldn't be or certain things i can't do." Again, i listened while nodding. But i thought to myself, how does one man becoming a president tell you, another individual , what you can or cannot do? After analyzing the situation, i think it would have been possible for a Black person to be a president 4 years ago, or whenever. No one really stepped up to the stage. Six years ago, Marcia brought up the topic of having a black president and while she was for it, is she didn't think it was going to happen anytime soon. Her belief was that this country is mainly dominated by whites who wouldn't permit a black person to be president. Thing is, that statement makes the assumption that every white person is a racist, which isn't true.

I feel that given the right candidate, given a good campaign, people will choose who they seem right for the job, irrespective of the color of their skin. I think that's what happened here, a good campaign by candidate who the majority thought was right. No I really didn't support this campaign cuz the truth is, i have nothing at stake here. I do think the democratic presidential candidate did get a lot more attention from the media and i feel that was in part cuz he had the chance of being the first black president.

Anyway, my blog isn't about the campaigns or who won the election. This entry came about becausei was watching how what's his name on "raising the bar" tends to be tough on 'black teenagers'. I sorta didn't like him for that because it almost looked like he didn't like black teenagers who got involved with the law. I wondered if he thought everyone else should be like him. But today, i realized he's the kind who believes that if you really want something you'll get it. he believes that the resources are there except they aren't utilized. It kinda got me thinking, about how some black american's i've come across feel there are no opportunities for them. Some don't consider themselves citizens? Yet, there are Black africans who come into this country, don't consider things out of reach and become neurosurgeons, pharmacists with 10bedroom houses in jersey, you name it. There are Black African's who naturalize and call themselves US citizens. People from different countries come to colleges here because though they can't get federal aid, they know colleges, especially the private ones, have financial aid. Yet, there's a high likelihood that a Black american teenager would drop out of high school or just get a job after highschool because they don't see anything bright ahead or perhaps, they feel disadvantaged.
I think it's a mentality. It's what you think of yourself and your environment. How you perceive your environment affects how you act and react to it.
History has been made, it's nice to see that after everything from Martin luther king, jr and the civil rights movement, we've come to the age where the U.S has it's first Black president. I hope the views people hold about feeling they can now achieve something works out and brings out the best in the Black american community. Yes there are racists, after living in kansas, i can testify to that. Heck, there are some on the east coast as well and they aren't many. And even there are many, with God, one can always overcome.I do hope that mentality of they're hating, they're against goes down and i hope people see their citizenship and make full use of it. I know much isn't gonna change but i'll be watching.