Kobojunkie:

Not a single person on here has so far posted that ALL black Americans are whiners. . .

Read this thread again, then look here, surely you will find some evidence:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/board-40.0.html

maybe not explicitly, but it was definitely implied.

. . .but from statistics, we have many more in the black American community who blame their situation on the government and majorly racism than we do people of other races that do that. So the same cannot be said about people from every race in America. The countless number of black Americans changing the world, as you claim are seriously in the minority.

What about the numbers? Where is your data to support your claim?  People, regardless of race, tend to blame the government for problems that come up, whether it is or isn't justified. Take white people for example (yes, more "darting around," as you say) There are whites around the world, as well as in America who constantly criticize their governments. Take a look at these sites, and get back to me if you want.

http://www.liberalforum.org/liberalforum/
http://www.conservativesforum.com/
http://www.politicalcrossfire.com/forum/index.php

A somewhat extreme example:
http://www.stormfront.org/forum/

Check this out too:
https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/board-20.0.html Complaining about the government is not solely the domain of black americans. It's actually common practice everywhere where a government exists. In essence, we are all "whiners."

Again not a single person on here, including the last poster has in any way stated that ONLY BLACK AMERICANS go into entertainment business, but statistically they dominate and the reason he gave above is not far from the reality. This post is not about all the races but about the black community in America, which excludes Africans.
This is not about the media, this is about the numbers. Over 70% of black America lives poor today. Regardless of how many are rich, the fact remains that the majority are not successful. Just because you see so many black Americans in one college or more that you visit, does not suddenly mean that the low college enrollment rate in the black community disappears. It exists. Black America makes up about 12% of America (that is 12% of 300 million).

Read this, compare poverty levels between the minority groups, then compare poverty levels for minority families. The minority groups tend to have higher poverty levels than whites (minorities having 25-30% population below the poverty line), but not nearly at the level you suggested:

http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/histpov/hstpov2.html

It's all about the numbers. So where did you get that 70% figure? If you look at the image below, it seems that it comes from children birthed to unwed mothers. While it is a significant percentage, it is not directly related to black poverty levels. Correlation is not causation. Besides, if you look here:

http://angrybear(dot)(dot)com/2007/10/unwed-mothers-cross-country-comparison.html, or here: http://paa2005.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=50050, unwed birth rates are not isolated to black America, or North America, for that matter.

Every person on this planet has issues of one kind or another but trying to downplay one groups issue by trying to shift focus to others is not a good way to debate. The thread is about the black community in America, and whining. And many of the posters have posted really valuable reasons for why they believe there is too much whining coming from that group than from any other. Please focus on the subject here and stop darting all over the place as if that somehow eases the problems in the black community that are so apparent.

This is not a debate. We are not debating. We are, myself included, people sitting behind computer screens, pretending to know what is best for a group of people we know nothing about, other than a handful of personal experiences, and what we see in the media (eg. CNN, BET, FOX, ESPN, etc.)

While this thread is about the black community, you can't ignore the facts that the black community isn't alone in such things. I mean, based on "valuable" information from the news, and this forum, among other 'sources" (look, more "darting around!", One could infer from such that there is too much whining in the Nigerian community. One could infer from Affirmative Action hearings that there is too much whining in the White community. One could infer, from the state of the US government during the Bush Administration, that there is too much whining in the American community.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that this thread is useless, as it is essentially unfounded judgment of others. To bring scripture into this matter, John 8:7 states:

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

Matthew 7:1:

Judge not, that ye be not judged.

We, as Nigerians, are not without our own issues, therefore, where do we get the audacity to call others out on their own, especially with biased statistics?

I guess it's cool to pick on Black Americans now, even though the majority of us would not be where we are without them. Will it be equally as acceptable to do so, knowing that our own country, our own continent, is in ruins, and getting worse with every passing day? If this continues, the majority of us are going to be worse off than any Black American could ever imagine.

This forum should serve to unite black people all over the world, as, whether you like it or not, they are out brothers and sisters. Instead, we continue to be divided, constantly putting each other down. We talk about the downfall of Black Americans, when we, as a collective, are equally falling. We should, instead of pointing and staring, work to become a community that encourages each other, regardless of origin, to strive for success, providing positive examples for each other, and offering constructive criticism, rather than destructive criticism when we fail to do so. If we did this from the beginning, trust me, this thread, among others of this type, would not exist.

I am doing my part, and I encourage you and others to do so too.

. . .Or, you can continue pointing fingers in your comfort, pretending that everything is well. It's your choice.

This man can best and outclass either Washington or Smith in any role.

onyinye2:

I personally believe people know what is going on but rather sit around with their friends eating kola nut then do anything. It is hard to change the mentality of the elders.That is why i think you should try and target the younger generations. I mean look at the Obama Campaign. the younger generations are the ones getting involved and getting the word spread. That is what im doing. i strictly target the young because when they what they are capable of, then there is no stopping them. But on the real, if that country doesn't change and soon. The country will demolish and the people with it.

Very true. If not by itself, other opportunists are willing to lend a helping hand in the destruction. You think European colonization is bad? Wait until the Chinese begin taking advantage of the mess that is going on. If people continue as they are now, we will have nothing. The best way would definitely involve the younger generation, especially with education of developing situations. I'm actually going to have a talk with a couple of people about putting something together in my area.

onyinye2:

I understand what you are talking about. Alot of people esp. this forum rather be deceived on only the good and bypass the bad. The country needs to be helped and now. That country has so much to offer and it could be one of the top. But some many people are waiting for some leader to come and deliver them from their trouble. But they don't understand it is not the leaders that do the work it is the people. With out the people, there is nothing. Look at the military. The Admirals are nothing with out the troops. Because the troops are the one who go and change things and make things happen. not the leaders. I know you want to help but it is going to take alot of time and patient. If you can get through these people mentally then you are ready help them change. As for me, im trying to help the youngsters here in the states and change their mentality and making them aware of world affairs. so one day their generation could help change history.

That's definitely a good move, getting to younger people. I should be able to do something similar soon, provided I get my time management together. What is beginning to happen here, as well as in most African countries, is that the people are not seeing that they are the key to making a difference. There is no white knight who will swoop down and make things better. The more the people know this, the more likely it is for real progress to be made.

onyinye2:

You would think people will see what happened in Zimbabwe as an example. Their tyrant of a president wanted results so fast that he ultimately set his country back then actually moving forward. To rid people of this mentality takes time, support, and God. I feel if one person would just stand up and see "You know what, im tired of waiting for the gov't to fix our roads. Why don't i just raise a fund and fix them ourselves." But you see people don't want to do that. They don't want to do anything without receiving something first. I mean the country has so much to offer but all is put to nothing because the mentality of the people and gov't are holding it back.

It's a shame that such a mentality is present, especially on a forum such as this one. People are willing to turn a blind eye to the madness that is going on, only to criticize others on their wrongdoings, without seeing that there is much that we still have to do for our people. If you try to bring the issue to light, others quickly try to silence you, or resort to insults and name-calling. What progress can anyone make if there is so much ignorance? I actually plan to do something. How it's going to be executed, I don't know yet, but it would be nice if I were not doing this in vain. . .

onyinye2:

In theory, it sounds nice. But in order to make change, you have to first change the mentality of the people. Alot of the people have this false sense of pride mentality that "if you don't do something for me, then i aint doing nothing for you" we have to first tackle that then start building up the country. Just look at the Civil Rights Movement in America. They first started with the mentality of the black americans to show them they are worth more than what these people are treating them. When they understood that, that is when things started to change.

Great response. I was actually thinking about that. The best change is a slow change, but today, people want instant gratification, and that is problematic. The civil rights movement in America is a good reference point, but there has to be an effective way to rid people of such mentality.

sleek_p:

I don't think Chinese officials would implicitly instruct bar staff not to serve Black visitors. This is a well orchestrated propaganda by the West to continue their age old domination of black people as we ponder to go East. Don't believe this hype.

Very true. I wrote a reply here some time ago with a link to a site which disproved such propaganda.

oldie:

I do understand where you are coming from
But the system is changing slowly
Providing good quality services and goods have their rewards at the end of the day, however tedious and frustrating
National character is based on government induced programmes
Private enterprises are based on quality.
Not on tribe, religion or who you know.
And thats the way we should go

I agree, but for this to be a success, we would all have to put all our effort into it. Leave other people's problems alone and focus on the ones we have, so that we can effectively fix them. That would be a step in the right direction.

eezzy:

I think they are whiners. They have opportunities that no one else has in black africa but they prefer easy money making projects like acting and singing at which they don't always succeed. The ones who go to school though do well eg the guy who won the donald trump aprentice   

Fair enough, but the same can be said about people from every race group in America. There are people who succeed, and there are people who complain about others bringing them down. More attention seems to be paid to black americans, which is easy to do, as they make up 10% of the population. There are countless black americans that have done positive things, changing the world we live in, and even making it possible for others to make something of themselves. Some people whine, which is true, but it is no basis for saying the whole population of black americans are composed of whiners.

Many people go into the entertainment, for example. It is not just black americans. I've noticed that a growing number of artists and actors are of African origin, such as Chiwetel Ejiofor, Estelle Swaray, Idris Elba, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Godrey Danchimah, Michael Blackson, and others. The entertainment industry in America is more diverse than one thinks.

There are more successful black americans than the media will ever show, and of course they(the media) will go to the lowest common denominator to collect 'data' to back their claims, such as the poorest sections of major cities, or looking for people who are already stuck in a bad position in their lives. The minute you turn off the television and go somewhere else, such as a university, you will see many black americans, despite disadvantages, working to become successful.

You can't say that Nigerians don't have their share of issues. Let's take politics, for example. Based on the complaints that I read here all the time, I could say that Nigerian politicians have better opportunities that everyone else has, but they prefer easy money making projects, such as stealing aid money and misusing resources, at the expense of the people, projects in which they do not always succeed. Nigerian people are more than capable of standing up to the madness, but do nothing but whine. However, If I thought this about Nigerians, or Africans in the continent, it would still not be enough to call them all whiners.  You have to look at the situation more in depth than it presents itself, otherwise, there will be nothing but misinformation going around.

HCH3COO:

Wow! You are impossible.  Understanding details surrounding fox's sexism? Fox has apologized for the remarks but you think we should understand that it's okay?  After addressing pretty much all the petty issues you have raised you sit there whining that you won't continue this discussion because I am not accepting your opinions. Hiss, whatever then.  I already explained my reasons for not accepting your opinions.  I don't just sit back watching people ride me because it's the law.  Your problem is that you think anything that's supported by the law is okay.  The law is not total protection from criticism.  There are unjust laws and there are people who use the law as an excuse to be stupid.  Recite that five times and force it into your head.  It would have been easier for you to say you give up because you ran out of other ignoble excuses. 

Not really. One thing is to give up, the other thing is to realize that I have more important things to do with my time than to argue with people over the internet. Maybe you have all the free time in the world, good for you. However, in real life, I work in research that could save lives, and I'm not going to waste my life on you. I didn't think that anyone over 10 still worried about name-calling or someone else picking on them, and I certainly didn't expect this discussion to last as long as it did. Mind you, neither Barack nor Michelle are crying about such things. You are, as well as some others. The law is the law, and if you bothered to study US history, you would understand that you can probably move to fix your own issues with it, but it's only going to create more problems for you, dragging you into an endless circle (at least, as far as racism goes). If you want to believe that you won, go ahead. What am I going to gain from "winning" the internet equivalent of a penis measuring contest? Not a damn thing, neither do I have anything to lose by "losing." I don't rely on, nor do I let my emotions get the best of me in any situation, as I see that yours have done. I've said my peace. Good day, sir.

HCH3COO:

Who gives a hoot on whose behalf I am complaining.  I am complaining about whether the current issue is right or wrong.   That's the reason we're having this discussion because you're barbarically suggesting that it's okay because it has happened in the past.  If you open other topics discussing those other issues you have raised we can discuss them there.  Michelle 'Baby mama' Obama is the pertinent subject here.
I will beg you to polish your comprehension skills.  Racism will never come to an end, we know this.  Its visibility and allowance is not as great or admired as in years past.   What people have fought for is a right to be seen as equals, but why weren't they seen as equals in the first place?  In the case of blacks, because of the physical differences observed in the color of their skin they were seen as inferiors.  I don't know which America you are living in, but I don't see slaves roaming about the country picking cottons, getting whipped, stripped of their right to be humans in the America that I am residing in.  Using the law to justify nefarious use of freedom of speech is your ignorance manifested.
It's just serves as proof that you are a gutless person who is easily rided. Not everyone is going to be comfortable with it.  You hit the nail on the head.  We are hitting at fox news' unacceptable verbal mistake because we are not comfortable with it. That's a glaring difference between good thinkers and idiots.  People with common sense understand that liberty is not an excuse to be a stupid menace.  Slavery wasn't just "ignored" back in the days.  Its demolition began with discussion, which lead to actions that combated its approval in American society.
How retarded.  Even freedom of speech has its limits, but I don't expect you to understand this.  When people abuse their right to liberty, it gets taken away from them.Don't get it twisted, you are yet to state any fact here.  What you keep jotting down is opinion after opinion after opinion.  Even dullards are entitled to their opinions. I suppose according to you we shouldn't discuss any faults with the media because anything they say has been done before, and is protected by law.   
I'm sorry I can't do that.  I think with my head, meaning I don't accept what I am told by others as being 100% correct.

TL;DR

I'm not going to keep getting into a circular argument with you, as there are people that are never going to understand. I provided you with facts and you ignored them, refusing to show me evidence supporting yours. Because of this, I'm no longer going to entertain your ego, and am awaiting a more competent person to challenge my views on this particular issue. When one gets into an argument with a fool, others cannot tell the difference. It is definitely not worth it to waste my break time in the neurosurgery lab to fight with someone who cannot, and will not understand the details surrounding this issue. That would be a losing battle on both sides, with nothing but wasted resources, so I leave you to project your self-righteousness onto others. I wish you well.

HCH3COO:

I don't shelter an holier-than-thou attitude.  you are simply confused on the difference between preference versus attitude.  americans have a mish-mash culture, does that count?  the hiphop culture that encourages abusive language and foul treatment of women?  what culture?  freedom of speech?  there is no such thing as american culture, if there is  kindly explain it to me.  america is too mixed to have a recognised culture of its own. it is the immigrants living in america who bring their culture here to practice.  that's not american culture, it is still the culture of those immigrants.

Google, or any academic database, is your friend. Hell, Wikipedia, as inaccurate as it is, can give you a crash course, if you follow the right references, into the many things that make up the culture and society of the United States. If you cared to open a few books or make a few searches, you would notice that American culture (or as I should say, the collection of American cultures), whether you may like it or not, is a valid one, just as Igbo culture is a valid one. Sure, it may have derived from other cultures, but who's culture hasn't? American culture has grown to be distinct from every other culture in the developed world. That is a fact.

As for hip-hop culture. I shake my head at how you just proved your own ignorance. Are you really going to make a generalization about a group of people, based on what you see on TV and radio? By that regard, one can assume that Nigerians, as well as the rest of Africa, is nothing but a group of savages who live in huts with bones in their noses, speaking a clicking language, but we both know that's not true, right?

who's saying they don't exist.  i said they're granted the full freedom to do so easily and are protected from parental discipline; however, if you look at a nigerian child who dare tries that with his parents, the police themselves will slap you if you don't punish them.

This must be a different America, because I distinctively remember being beaten by my parents in public for doing something wrong, as well as my friends. The police know not to get involved in family matters unless someone's health or safety is at risk. The police have more important things to do, such as stopping crime, something I've rarely seen in Naija. There is a clear difference between discipline and child abuse. Child abuse laws protect against the latter, not the former. I guess you have never seen some Nigerians run away fro their homes due to dislike of being punished.

i have already explained that population is not the reason for the discrepancy. 

If you did, you failed very hard at it.

'well raised people' is a subjective term that changes relative to the person you are communicating with.  needless to say, i am not here to argue that the kids are not well raised, but i still retain the opinion that from what i have noticed here these kids treat like elders like peers.   but according to you, they hold no blame because it is glorified by a culture of freedom.

And like I said before, everyone is entitled to an opinion, especially yourself. Yes, I noticed the same behavior, just as I have noticed similar behavior in Naija. Mind you, in the US, your parents are responsible for you until the age of 18, therefore, they are free to discipline you in any matter they choose, unlike in some parts of Naija. If the child doesn't like it, he or she has a choice to live in the streets, or as a ward of the court, which, for a sensible person, means that they have no option but to listen to their elders.  What you are describing is an extreme theme that I usually see portrayed in the media, which you are still making generalizations upon.

i said it without blinking, is that the same thing?  Ignorance doesn't prevent me from comparing one culture with another and offering my opinions on what i see as the differences.  [B]I don't accept bad behaviorism just because i'm living in America.[/B]  That's you.

Neither do I. I do, however, accept the rights that the US constitution gives me because this is what America was built on. There is a thing that America was built on called personal responsibility. If a child decides to be a bad fruit, it's the child's fault. If the parent chooses to let the child become a bad fruit, it's the parent's fault. America was built on the ability of one to live their lives, not having its every aspect ruled by a governing body. You don't like it, I get that. What can you do about it? Don't raise your children here. You have that choice, as my parents had theirs, and were able to raise five successful children (Two doctors to be, one businessman, and two professional athletes). It comes down to you, whether you can really handle bringing someone up in a free country, and not using culture as a crutch to hide your parenting skills, or lack thereof.

the true face of ignorance is blind support for hateful, and completely sexist remarks because it is american law.  again, that is you, not me.

If it brings peace to your heart to think that way, who am I to change it?

HCH3COO:

why are you escaping the inherent question.  doing it for years doesn't make it right. especially what fox just did

Then if you are going to legitimately complain about it, don't half-ass it. Don't fight on Obama's behalf. Fight in the behalf of everyone that has been "wronged" by freedom of speech. Complain for McCain for the media calling him old. Complain for Clinton for the media calling her a bitch. Complain for Ron Paul for the media calling him a racist lunatic. If you are going to argue about something, do it right. Don't wait for your particular interest to come along, because it will just be worthless.

.when we see something wrong, we don't have to accept it because it's been going on for decades without end. people speak out when they see that they're being wronged.  american culture supports and allows this.  it's one of the reasons racism has been able to come to an end.

Strange, because I have never seen racism come to an end. Sure, it's less explicit, but racism in America is like energy, you can't destroy it. It will only change states. Racism is alive as ever, in a more implicit form. Look at the war on drugs. Look at the patriot act. Look at affirmative action. As long as more than one race or culture exists in one place, racism will always exist. I am in no way embracing it, but just stating the truth. You don't have to like it, but it is what it is. What people have fought for in the past was equality, not ending racism. They wanted to take part in the rights that were granted to them in the US Constitution.

 what do you suggest they do?  accept the negative label and move on?  if you can't hold people responsible for their unrighteous behavior, how do you expect to serve justice?  americans push for liberty, but blind use of freedom anywhere is not okay.

You don't have to accept any label. Simply moving on, regardless of what people say of you is proof that they can do nothing to you. Seriously, there's a passage like this in the bible (Matthew 5:39). You hold people responsible for unrighteous behavior when they break the law, not when you don't agree with them. Americans push for liberty, yes, but that liberty comes at a price: not everyone is going to be comfortable with it. This is what happens when you have different cultures partaking in such. At one point, which is inevitable, someone is going to express their freedoms in a way that another is not going to agree with. Can you do something about it. Of course, ignore it and move on! That is what liberty is about, the freedom to make choices without some governing body controlling what you do. The minute you begin to change that, you can throw liberty away, because if you are going to stop or limit the freedom of speech, you might as well, and won't stop the eventual further limiting or removal or ALL of your liberties.

lol you sound like a dunce. nah, you are the one who needs to get over himself.  I don't juts support disrespectful racist horseshit because "this is america" . you have not made any sense whatsoever in defending this sexist, racist, stupid remark.  complaints might be meaningless to you but they work and bring attention to things that we care about.  when people force their principles on you, you're the kind of person to accept it because it's the law of the land.  the law of the land should not prevent you from being wise.

. . .As the law of the land has prevented you from being so. You're entitled to your opinion, therefore you are free to ignore any fact that I present to you, but you really shouldn't let your emotions get the best of you. No need to elaborate here any further.

HCH3COO:

blah blah blah.  no one is saying growing up in nigeria means you should have a holier-than-thou attitude, or that you are a better person.  there is a gigantic difference between the two breeds that can be noticed from a mile away.  we don't really conduct too much research on these stuvvs but if you were to carry out a survey, i'm sure you will find it to be true.  america has basically no culture, and american kids have way too much freedom to behave like hooligans.  i am speaking from what i have noticed.  you don't have to agree.

"blah blah blah?" That's no way to reply to a statement that basically negated everything view you have tried to push to others. Anyway, If you take the time to read through the messages on this forum, you will see the truth about the attitudes. Your "holier-than-thou" attitude is more apparent than ever. Yes, there are differences between cultures, but you are very wrong to say that Americans do not have a culture of their own. You, my friend, have seen one too many movies. If you have been here long enough, you would notice.

Yes, there are some American kids that behave like hooligans, but can you seriously claim that the same types of kids do not exist in Naija? I think not. You may notice more cases here, due to the fact that the US has ~300 Million People, versus the ~150 Million population of Nigeria. If you take a ratio of well raised people to the bad ones from both places, they will most likely be the same. You are wallowing in ignorance if you can say what you said with a straight face. There are bad fruits in every tree. I speak from what I have noticed. (Edit: forgot a couple of words)

ignorance will always know no borders.  ignorance is also turning a blind eye to unfathomable racism because it is protected by law.  but here sits ye, talking about ignorance.

Speak for yourself, you are the true face of ignorance and racism.

HCH3COO:

this is ignorance. you are just accepting all sorts of stupid tags of inferiority from white people.  you don't need race or political correctness to tell you what's right or wrong.  the first amendment protects your free speech but it does not guarantee you a right to be stupid.  even stupidity has its limits. by the same accounts you can say racism is a right, but that doesn't make it right, does it?  complaining in this situation is completely justified.

You can claim ignorance all you want, but it doesn't make your statement any more intelligible. The media has been doing this to candidates for years. Look at all of the satire and negative imagery of almost every political figure in the last few decades. All of a sudden, they turn their focus on Obama, and now it's bad? Now it's complaint worthy? I never said that it was a good thing, nor am I accepting any kind of inferiority from any person. What the hell do I need to feel inferior/superior to anyone? I don't live for any human being. There is no justification in complaining because it only proves the negative stereotypes that black people have. Get over yourself, man. This is America. I guess that you also have the freedom to complain too, but it's not going to get you anywhere, and by complaining, you're only adding fuel to the fire, encouraging more acts like this by the media. If you don't like it, then ignore it. In fact, if people ignored it in the first place, rather than run around like headless chickens, then stories like this on the news wouldn't exist.

onyinye2:

What the hell are you talking about?? yes i grew up in the states and that just made me stronger. Seeing how parents sacrificed alot and struggled made me to value all the wonders america has to offer. And by the way are basically saying that american bred people are out of control and have no religion, discipline or respect. Who the heck have you been around?? Because i have alot of discipline, i was raised in the church, and don't even get me started around respect. You obviously been watching way too many movies to even talk about american people. I know the opportunities in america and i have taken full advantage of all them. From getting a scholarship to go to school, to being able to vote and know that the election aint faulty. Wow so you are bascially saying that im equality deranged? just because i don't want to be seen as inferior to a man im deranged? Abeg go and educate yourself because all you talk of is nonsense.

I've noticed that a lot in this forum. There's a lot of people here that know nothing about American-born and raised Nigerians beyond what they see on TV. I also grew up in the church, with much discipline and respect for others. One of the things I learned from this forum is that ignorance know no borders, and that there probably isn't much you can do about it, because they are too far gone to realize it.

HCH3COO:

not really. culture and environment play a big role in determining how you turn out.  the culture shock i experienced when i moved here was just    .  you are a gross domestic product of america's privacy-obsessed individualized society.  whereas in nigeria religion, discipline, and commanded respect sets the tone for the rest of your upbringing. American bred kids usually lack that discipline and tenacity.  i'm suer if you grew up in that third-world slum called nigeria you will value the opportunities you are given here in America more.   Equality-seeking deranged women everywhere.  How do you even begin to arrive at that equality.  There's no way it can be evenly split.  Even the bible deems the man the head of the house.

Dude, I lived in Nigeria and the US long enough to experience both cultures, and frankly, I cannot agree with you on this one. The same problems you see with American culture existed in Nigeria for a long time. It's not fair to bring this "I grew up in X, so I'm better than you" mess into this. The only reason such problems are not obvious in Naija is because they are silenced. We are living in a time where women can do many of the things that man can do. I don't think Onyinye was trying to say that women are going to replace men, which you seem to be implying. It is because of this mentality that Nigeria is falling behind, when it should have been a progressive first-world country decades ago. If Nigerian-born Nigerians were so great, we would not be here having this discussion at all.

/rant

Now back to the topic . . .

Here we go again. When will the epic battle between Nigerian-born and American-born Nigerians end?

I propose a new theory. I will call it Orimili's Law (or Orimili's rule of cultural analogies):

Orimili's Law states that as the length of a discussion thread increases, the probability of a comparison between American-born and Nigerian-born Nigerians approaches one.

So far, a vast majority of Nairaland threads have proven this law accurate. Keep up the good work, everyone!

Ijiji1:

Don't even waste your time watching faux noise. I took it off my favorite list a long time ago. Come to think I was a conservative

Protip: Fox News were never true conservatives. They are way more liberal than you think.

HCH3COO:

Are you saying it's okay for fox news to call Michelle a ho because it's their first amendment right

I'm saying that people say things about others all the time, but it's always us black people that sit around and bitch about it. As bad as it sounds, yes, it is protected by the first amendment. That's what America is about. I think it's because we complain about this that the news is going to continue "painting the Obamas."

DeepZone:

After Senator Obama won the nomination, he and his wife gave each other a "pound" in front of the cameras. Fox anchor E.D. Hill called the act of celebration a "terrorist fist jab." Then last week, a Fox News on-screen graphic referred to Michelle Obama as "Obama's baby mama"--slang used to describe the unmarried mother of a man's child. It was a clear attempt to associate the Obamas with negative cultural stereotypes about Black people, an insult not only to Michelle Obama but to women and Black people everywhere.

http://www.colorofchange.org/foxobama/?id=2635-181045

Wow, you're a bit late for that one. Anyway, it's not that serious, and people need to stop worrying about political correctness all the time.

onyinye2:

you be fighting Orimili?? hmmm i wouldn't have guessed.

Not really. I was just picked on a lot as a child, so I had no choice but to learn to defend myself in any way possible. You'd be surprised by how many people try to attack you from a blind area.

onyinye2:

life aint like poker Orimili.

Oh, you have no idea. Seriously, though, years of fighting would condition one to easily avoid a situation that involves violence.

onyinye2:

well you have to understand that when you are in the heat of alot of emotions, trying to talk some sense into her wont really get through. i should know.

Then that's not a good look at all. There should never be a reason for emotions overtaking logic. I'm not saying that it's not good to have emotions, but we are also blessed with the ability to reason. We shouldn't ignore that because we have a problem with someone else.

Hannibal:

What if u don't see the slap coming. . .  .Lessay she attacks u from your blind side and delivers a devastating blow capable of damaging your eardrums?

I always sense something coming my way. If I didn't see it, then I would certainly hear or feel a negative stimulus coming my way. I would have most likely dodged such an attack.

Chat2MeBac:

I was in agreement with you until you decided to maginalized, and that sucks, Are you saying women from those states( taking into consideration residing in a particular area, doesnt mean you were born there), born with a violent gene, Are you saying therefore, that a violent behaviour is herediatary, or are you suggesting the society is too be blamed

Nobody is born with a violent gene, however, people tend to adapt to their surroundings, as it is required for survival. I say that some women in the NY metro area (Yes, I reside in NY) have to deal with crazy people, and, especially in the case of Newark, you have to be even crazier or violent than the next person to not be hassled all the time. It's not a hereditary issue, but an environmental one.

onyinye2:

Oka yes in that case, yeah you need to defend your self. but im talking about you and your lady, no weapons of death involved. She is being real emotional and has lost control and she strikes you with her hand, you would hit her back?

That wouldn't happen. I would have grabbed her wrists before she had the chance to do so. I would then remind her that we are not in a fighting ring, and that she has become too emotional. There is no reason to have to hit someone else if you are not being attacked yourself.

I think that there is a problem with either side if one has to hit their spouse, whether if it is a man or a woman. There are so many different ways that a conflict can be resolved. A lot can be said about a person that succumbs to their emotions too easily.

onyinye2:

well im talking about a mob of ladies, im talking about you and your girl in a relationship. so let's say she is real emotional one day and is in raging fury, till she works up a nerve with you. and she strikes you with her hand across your face, you would hit her back?

Let's raise the stakes a bit. What if a man's spouse goes on some emotional rage and picks up a blunt weapon or blade?. But seriously, I don't think it's about hitting back, it's about trying to defend yourself against an attack. There are cases when one cannot simply let himself be attacked, as in the Newark case (believe me, women in Newark, NJ, or the NY metro area in general, can get real crazy). Does it make sense for someone to get seriously injured because such a stigma attached to hitting a woman back? I am in no way condoning hitting a woman, but there are cases where, sadly, it might be necessary, as there are cases where it is necessary for a woman to hit a man in self defense.

Honestly, I think that. . . wait,. . . why am I even here?

Guys would generally beat Ladies out of cowardice. Like one said before, this person has a low threshold for anything, and will respond to the smallest stimuli with violence. There is no good reason for a man to hit a woman, and at the same time, there is no reason for a woman to hit a man. There's no question of whether one case is more worse, or not as bad as the other case. That kind of abuse is wrong on both ends. How does one achieve equality in a relationship when there are always excuses to be made, especially in the case of hitting your spouse?