Ethnocentrism-the Right Way

Is it just me or does being Black come with a checklist for quality assurance?

Likes rap music? Check
Doesn’t speak properly? Check
Smokes Wood Tips or knows how to roll? Check
Has a baby mother/father? Check
Wears Jordan’s or anything designer? Check

Bonus: Has 2 of the following: dreads, a fade/waves, a SoundCloud link on any social medium, and the ability to dance?

I promise you, the people that make comments such as “You don’t act Black,” or “You’re not like those other Black People,” must have this list pop up in their heads when they come across a “type” of Black Person that has yet to be discovered. The funny thing is, none of that matters.

External interests have nothing to do with internal qualities. Considering the accomplishments and the vast spectrum of those accomplishments “Black” cannot and should not qualify as a junk drawer for humanity.

Dennis Rodman? Black.
Bubba Wallace? Black.
Winston Marsalis? Black.
Maya Angelou? Black.
All of NWA? Black.
President Obama? Black.
Serena Williams? Black.
The Migos? Black.

All are completely different people that lived or are currently living completely different lifestyles with one thing that connects them all.

The additives of being “too black” or “not black enough” are ridiculous statements with no substance. The negative stigma of what “Being/ acting Black” regardless of who is projecting it, is one of complete ignorance and misguided understanding of how characteristics actually work. 

And what’s the worst part of it all? We, as Black people, are the quickest to label these so called differences in each other. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been singled out for speaking a certain way or not wearing certain clothes. I’ve heard my own people say they aren’t comfortable in certain areas of the city, because those people are “different”.

If we watch the news, we see the story of “Another” unarmed Black teenager being shot or arrested, and if we turn on sports, it’s just “Another” black athlete getting caught up on a charge from something that happened in previous years.

If anything happens in the media or public eye, it’s just “another” Black person. The instant an inkling of something being wrong reveals itself, the case just becomes another one. Nothing new, nothing to differentiate subjects, they all just get rolled into one… and we, as the targets, should never help push the agenda.

It’s always been Us against the World. Not even in a malicious manner or one of revolting, even though we’d be within every God given right to do so. As it’s been said for decades, we cannot grow if we’re too busy tearing each other apart. Whether it is from colorism or the “Why Don’t You” syndrome, we can’t be a better people until we grow as people.

-Malcolm Anderson

About Malcolm

Malcolm Anderson is a Cum Laude graduate of Reinhardt University. From the beginning of his education the ideas of creativity and ever expanding curiosity were instilled in him. He loves working with children and  helping them believe that they can do anything they put their mind to, a lesson he was taught from an early age. Although his focus is on Sport Media Malcolm has been writing for various mediums over the past few years and aims to expand his repertoire in efforts to reach as many people as possible.