What+Is+Racism+Today+in+America?

How Has Racism Affected "The American Dream"?

"All I demand for the black man is, that the white people shall take their heels off his neck, and let him have a chance to rise by his own efforts." --William Wells Brown

"...we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good, but well behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life" (p. 205) --Toni Morrison "The Bluest Eye"

I, Too, Sing America I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then. Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed-- I, too, am America. ---Langston Hughes

Black Star-Thieves in The Night [Talib Kweli] Yo Dee (What?) Come on (Yeah..) What? What? Come on (Yeah)

"Give me the fortune, keep the fame," said my man Louis I agreed, know what he mean because we live the truest lie I asked him why we follow the law of the bluest eye He looked at me, he thought about it Was like, "I'm clueless, why?" The question was rhetorical, the answer is horrible Our morals are out of place and got our lives full of sorrow And so tomorrow comin later than usual Waitin' on someone to pity us While we findin beauty in the hideous They say money's the root of all evil but I can't tell YouknowhatImean, pesos, francs, yens, cowrie shells, dollar bills Or is it the mindstate that's ill? Creating crime rates to fill the new prisons they build Over money and religion there's more blood to spill The wounds of slaves in cotton fields that never heal What's the deal? A lot of cats who buy records are straight broke But my language universal they be recitin my quotes While R&B singers hit bad notes, we rock the boat of thought, that my man Louis' statements just provoked Caught up, in conversations of our personal worth Brought up, through endangered species status on the planet Earth Survival tactics means, bustin gats to prove you hard Your firearms are too short to box with God Without faith, all of that is illusionary Raise my son, no vindication of manhood necessary

[M.D.] Not strong [T.K.] Only aggressive [M.D.] Not free [T.K.] We only licensed [M.D.] Not compassioniate, only polite [T.K.] Now who the nicest? [M.D.] Not good but well behaved [T.K.] Chasin after death so we can call ourselves brave? [M.D.] Still livin like mental slaves [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice

[Mos Def] Yo, I'm sure that everbody out listenin agree That everything you see ain't really how it be A lot of jokers out runnin in place, chasin the style Be a lot goin on beneath the empty smile Most cats in my area be lovin the hysteria Synthesized surface conceals the interior America, land of opportunity, mirages and camoflauges More than usually -- speakin loudly, sayin nothin You confusin me, you losin me Your game is twisted, want me enlisted -- in your usary Foolishly, most men join the ranks cluelessly Buffoonishly accept the deception, believe the perception Reflection rarely seen across the surface of the lookin glass Walkin the street, wonderin who they be lookin past Lookin gassed with them imported designer shades on Stars shine bright, but the light -- rarely stays on Same song, just remixed, different arrangement Put you on a yacht but they won't call it a slaveship Strangeness, you don't control this, you barely hold this Screamin brand new, when they just sanitized the old shit Suppose it's, just another clever Jedi mind trick That they been runnin across stars through all the time with I find it's distressin, there's never no in-between We either niggaz or Kings We either bitches or Queens The deadly ritual seems immersed, in the perverse Full of short attention spans, short tempers, and short skirts Long barrel automatics released in short bursts The length of black life is treated with short worth Get yours first, them other niggaz secondary That type of illin that be fillin up the cemetary This life is temporary but the soul is eternal Separate the real from the lie, let me learn you Not strong, only aggressive, cause the power ain't directed That's why, we are subjected to the will of the oppressive Not free, we only licensed Not live, we just excitin Cause the captors.. own the masters.. to what we writin Not compassionate, only polite, we well trained Our sincerity's rehearsed in stage, it's just a game Not good, but well behaved cause the ca-me-ra survey most of the things that we think, do, or say We chasin after death just to call ourselves brave But everyday, next man meet with the grave I give a damn if any fan recall my legacy I'm tryin to live life in the sight of God's memory Like that y'all

[Mos Def] A lot of people don't understand the true criteria of things Can't just accept the appearance Have to get the true essence

[Talib Kweli] They ain't lookin around

[M.D.] Not strong [T.K.] Only aggressive [M.D.] Not free [T.K.] We only licensed [M.D.] Not compassioniate, only polite [T.K.] Now who the nicest? [M.D.] Not good but well behaved [T.K.] Chasin after death so we can call ourselves brave? [M.D.] Still livin like mental slaves [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice [both] Hidin like thieves in the night from life Illusions of oasis makin you look twice

[Mos Def (singing)] Stop hidin, stop hidin, stop hidin yo' face Stop hidin, stop hidin, cause ain't no hidin place media type="youtube" key="1xBZ3Cs9bCM" height="344" width="425" [|Reflection (3)] Free Speech?
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