Very interesting Sharon and thank you.
--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "sharon_b283" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> That's a tall order! It began back in the 60's, mid to late 60's when
> I noticed African-Americans, beginning to define themselves
> nationally. Individuals and Black groups began studying different
> African languages, Swahili, for one as an example. The men and some
> women began wearing their hair "natural", without straighteners of any
> kind, to make them look "white" for want of a better word.
>
> If you possessed any type of education, especially a high school
> diploma, you had a better chance of being hired, because most Whites
> thought Blacks deserved a chance, instead of having to burn and bomb
> out neighborhoods. After the riots here, many of the corporate giants
> were urged to hire locals, especially Blacks needing a chance to get
> out of the ghetto. Public housing is one of the many reasons Blacks
> rioted, because they felt trapped in high rise housings, rampant with
> drugs and other quality of life crimes, like drug dealing, etc.
>
> You have to ask why drugs were so rampant in Black neighborhoods, when
> we don't import anything, nor can you "grow" marijuana in the ghetto!
> No land! I'm not going to name any agencies I think are to blame,
> but drugs were brought into Black areas on purpose. The "naming" of
> Black children use to be a given. If you had a son, he was named
> after his father and if a girl, she'd be named after a popular star, a
> relative, or the most popular name going!
>
> Something happened in the 70's and 80's I can't explain. Many young
> women began naming their kids these outrageously hard to spell and
> pronounce names! I don't mean to be biased but when you "name" a kid,
> THEY are going to be stuck with that name for life! Then you have
> those who consider themselves muslims and give their kids a middle
> eastern name. Now, there's anti-American feelings against anyone that
> bears names that sound anti-christian. That's about all I know about
> the "naming" process, but the better educated people are, the less
> likely, their children will have these hard to spell and pronounce
names.
>
> --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "justifiedright"
> <justifiedright@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "sharon_b283" <sharon_b283@>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Glenn 46, Darren 45, Angele 43, Michelle 41, Renee 37! See, not a
> > > Shamika or Hussein in the bunch!
> >
> > Wow Sharon I'm glad you brought that up about "Shamika." Something
> > happened recently and I hope you'll bring your considerable insight
> > to bear on it, first as an American, and second as an African
> > American.
> >
> > My friend and I were calling the Asbury-Howell game from the booth.
> > Both of us grew up in AP and live in Howell so we were excited.
> >
> > When it came time to call the Asbruy Park cheerleaders, a nice woman
> > came up to the booth with the list. She said, "Do you want me to
> > read these names over the loud speaker?"
> >
> > I knew she thought we would be uncomfortable with the first names.
> > We wanted her to feel comfortable so we told her we were both from
> > AP and probably knew some of the families (we did) so we could
> > handle the names.
> >
> > She gave me the list. I have to tell you, there was no first name I
> > had ever heard of before. This was well beyond "Shamika."
> >
> > One name I knew I couldn't handle, and asked her for help. She
> > looked at it and admitted that she couldn't say it either. She had
> > to make a cell phone call for the pronunciation.
> >
> > My friend ran through the listover the loud speaker and did a
> > perfect job with the names.
> >
> > It made me realize that I may have just experienced a bit of culture
> > clash.
> >
> > As an Italian, I come from people who changed their names to sound
> > more American. Many of my cousins used their American middle
> > names. My own sister didn't know her real name was Concetta until
> > she got her working papers.
> >
> > The names I saw that night were definately not African. I think
> > they are new and not traditional (I could be wrong).
> >
> > Can you give me some insight into what's going on in Asbury Park's
> > Black Community?
> >
> > Is the ideal to be deliberately seperate?
> >
> > Am I right that your generation didn't share that view?
> >
> > I know its a touchy subject, but I hope I'm being respectful and
> > asking to learn.
> >
> > Can you help me with your thoughts?
> >
>
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