Hello brothers and sisters
I was on an African-American website (aol.blackvoices) about 1 week ago and found a very enthralling yet vicious and spiteful thread directed towards Africans. The person who had started the thread insisted that Africans are arrogant and that they hate Black-Americans. She refused to used the term African-Americans stating that is was a "white oppressor" term and that she felt no relation or camaraderie with Africans. I tried to reach out to this lady and explain that it was not the case that all Africans are like that and that I am an African woman with many African-American friends whom I love and respect dearly. I even explained that my husband the love of my life and even my children are African American so how could I harbor any ill-feeling towards my own family. I also have other African friends all of whom do not adhere to ignorant sentiments about African-Americans.
Growing up in Africa we were brought up with the belief that African-Americans were just like us. That they were our brothers and sisters that were stolen away from us and taken far away. I grew up idolizing various famous African-Americans and seeing so many of them do well in many sectors especially politics, entertainment and sport I had a sense of pride about this. I come from a part of Africa (Zimbabwe) where Africans were suppressed and denied many basic rights such as health care and a decent education. Fortunately, my parents were among the minority of black people who did get a chance and were successful professionals and so they were able to give me what so many of my kinsmen lacked. To see so many African-Americans do well and compare that to the poverty that I saw day-by-day, I really believed that African-Americans were the example of what was possible for all black people.
I came to the United States quite unintentionally. My parents, siblings and I left Africa in the 90's and settled in the United Kingdom. I met my husband (African-American) who had moved to Europe with work. We fell in love, got married but once we started a family he wanted to come back home (USA) and raise the kids here, closer to his family who are just lovely and have been a tremendous help in getting me acclimatized. I had to do additional training in order to get a job (attorney) and during my one year at an institution in New York I met some wonderful African and African-American women who I am great friends with. I love these women. I love my husbands family. I love my kids who are all things American! I feel so upset at having read a post brandishing Africans and insulting us. We were referred to as apes, monkeys, primates and all manner of unmentionable things. I tried endlessly to bring an end to the feud all without success. It was very disheartening. I even offered to meet up with the woman that had started the thread seeing as she lives in New York and was willing to make a concerted effort to meet up with her and offer her reassurance that not all Africans or Immigrants of color are this way. She turned me down and then went on to personally attack me and call me a liar and all sorts. I thought about it for a few days and decided to find a positive website dedicated to black people and ask the question:
IS THERE A SENSE OF ANGER OR UPSET TOWARDS AFRICANS AND IF THERE IS WHY IS THIS THE CASE? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RECTIFY THE DAMAGE AND PREVENT FUTURE CLASHES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.
Your input is appreciated.
I was on an African-American website (aol.blackvoices) about 1 week ago and found a very enthralling yet vicious and spiteful thread directed towards Africans. The person who had started the thread insisted that Africans are arrogant and that they hate Black-Americans. She refused to used the term African-Americans stating that is was a "white oppressor" term and that she felt no relation or camaraderie with Africans. I tried to reach out to this lady and explain that it was not the case that all Africans are like that and that I am an African woman with many African-American friends whom I love and respect dearly. I even explained that my husband the love of my life and even my children are African American so how could I harbor any ill-feeling towards my own family. I also have other African friends all of whom do not adhere to ignorant sentiments about African-Americans.
Growing up in Africa we were brought up with the belief that African-Americans were just like us. That they were our brothers and sisters that were stolen away from us and taken far away. I grew up idolizing various famous African-Americans and seeing so many of them do well in many sectors especially politics, entertainment and sport I had a sense of pride about this. I come from a part of Africa (Zimbabwe) where Africans were suppressed and denied many basic rights such as health care and a decent education. Fortunately, my parents were among the minority of black people who did get a chance and were successful professionals and so they were able to give me what so many of my kinsmen lacked. To see so many African-Americans do well and compare that to the poverty that I saw day-by-day, I really believed that African-Americans were the example of what was possible for all black people.
I came to the United States quite unintentionally. My parents, siblings and I left Africa in the 90's and settled in the United Kingdom. I met my husband (African-American) who had moved to Europe with work. We fell in love, got married but once we started a family he wanted to come back home (USA) and raise the kids here, closer to his family who are just lovely and have been a tremendous help in getting me acclimatized. I had to do additional training in order to get a job (attorney) and during my one year at an institution in New York I met some wonderful African and African-American women who I am great friends with. I love these women. I love my husbands family. I love my kids who are all things American! I feel so upset at having read a post brandishing Africans and insulting us. We were referred to as apes, monkeys, primates and all manner of unmentionable things. I tried endlessly to bring an end to the feud all without success. It was very disheartening. I even offered to meet up with the woman that had started the thread seeing as she lives in New York and was willing to make a concerted effort to meet up with her and offer her reassurance that not all Africans or Immigrants of color are this way. She turned me down and then went on to personally attack me and call me a liar and all sorts. I thought about it for a few days and decided to find a positive website dedicated to black people and ask the question:
IS THERE A SENSE OF ANGER OR UPSET TOWARDS AFRICANS AND IF THERE IS WHY IS THIS THE CASE? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO RECTIFY THE DAMAGE AND PREVENT FUTURE CLASHES BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.
Your input is appreciated.