Asking questions re race and history without being seen as racist

[quinkflow]

Really not sure how to phrase this question better - so please accept apologies in advance if I am being insensitive or worse.

I am very much wanting to know how to ask questions without causing offence - so please report if inappropriate.

My particular question relates to the USA.

I have been watching quite a few documentaries (think Netflix etc...) and I love them for the insight they give into the USA way of life, cities, culture etc..

However I always feel confused by the following things:

How do African Americans reconcile their own history with being "American" now - why do people have USA flags in their yards or appear so patriotic etc

Why are many African Americans so religious (given the above)?

You really think MN is the place to get answers to these questions? You reckon there’s lots of African Americans on here, or do you basically just want a batter with a bunch of predominantly white British women speculating?

Not sure what religion has to do with it

Presumably they feel American because they are…American?

Some people are patriotic, some are not. The US are not great on women’s rights either but there are plenty of patriotic American women

@AlmostaMamma wow you're quick to assume aren't you?! I'm neither white or British. My "problem" is that if I Google search this then I am faced with a sh*tload of racist stuff - which is why I asked here. I Am not planning on "battering" anyone - whatever that means!!

@PinkFrogss there is a lot of religious feeling in USA - asking "why" is surely not controversial? I am interested in why a group of people who have been absolutely shafted by the establishment historically would still follow/believe in the same institutions that "enslaved" them.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_of_Black_Americans
wiki has some good info.
from this you might be able to google and find out more info.
as for feeling american, they were very instrumental in building the nation so might feel a strong link.
but everyone (bar the first nations) came from elsewhere and have histories relating to their families immigration to the area.

I am an immigrant into a different country. It's a peculiarly British thing NOT to ask questions. Tonight I was with a friend from Cameroon, Portugal , chille and Brasil. All of us discussing our difference and similarities.

It's not racist to ask questions. It's learning !

I didn’t say you were white or British. I said that the majority of posters on MN (where you’ve chosen to ask this question) are white and British. That isn’t an assumption, it’s factual.

I also have no idea why you have put ‘problem’ and ‘battering’ in quotes, as I said neither of those words. Your guess is as good as mine as to what the latter means.

in my experience both americans and canadians routinely chat about geneology and family history.

Most of the African -American descendants who're alive today have only known being African-American, much like the European-American descendants have only known being Americans. Anything else is simply culture and knowledge based on history.

@AlmostaMamma

To quote: or do you basically just want a batter with a bunch of predominantly white British women speculating?

So what do you mean by "batter" then? Perhaps "banter" and it's a typo.

I do not assume there are a lot of african Americans on the thread but obviously would welcome their insight. I am also open to the other helpful responses I have received without making assumptions.

If we are posting about anything and assuming that the demographic we are asking about is on MN then that would make for a piss poor thread on any topic.

The religious angle just seems random as I’m not sure how it relates to race.

African Americans are presumably not a hive mind and most likely all have different feelings about the past. Some may be able to square it away, some may not. Not all African Americans are descendants of slaves.

As I said, you could ask the same thing about patriotic American women. Or black British people. Or gay men.

Personally I find patriotism in general a bit strange, I don’t really understand why anyone would fly a flag in their garden year round and be super patriotic. So maybe I’m not the person who should be answering anyway

That was meant to say "Have only known being American". Not "have only known being African-American".

Thanks @maddy68 - I agree totally. Questioning and discussing leads to a greater understanding of how we are not that different as human beings.

That was pretty clearly meant to be ‘natter’, but okay. Where did ‘problem’ come from?

If you’re posting asking about the motivations of a specific demographic that is definitely not well represented on MN, then I’m going to wonder why. I’m still wondering, tbh.

There is a huge amount of beautifully, expertly written work on the African American experience, identity and relationship with religion, and how it’s informed by their history. Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Audre Lorde, WEB Dubois, Langston Hughes - scores of great minds exploring these topics from a range of perspectives. If you’re actually interested in learning, the resources are available.

That was pretty clearly meant to be ‘natter’, but okay.

If OP isn't British it's understandable she wouldn't be familiar enough with that particular bit of British-English slang to be able to infer it from an autocorrect.

@AlmostaMamma

Ah "natter" - well that's a new one on me. I post on MN because that is my "go to site" - not because it's a great oracle.

Please advice of other sites I can post this to.

Also Please do not assume I haven't read the works you refer to - it's not about what has been written in literature but how do "normal" people have a conversation about race without offending others or appearing to be "racist"

How do we do that?

MN is your go to site? In which case, you’ve name changed for this post? Why?

Have you read them, then? As nothing about the way the question was asked indicates that you have. Which of them have you read and what?

And ‘how do normal people have a question about race without seeming racist’ isn’t what you asked in the OP. It’s actually pretty straightforward to do, if you’re not asking racist questions. Do you often find people are offended by and find your questions racist?

I can't speak for African Americans, but I do know that for some, the emphasis is on the teachings of Jesus as radical and as an inspiration for social justice activism rather than the organized religions of white people.

The Civil Rights Movement in the US was lead by many religious leaders, in part animated by their belief in what I would call the bedrock of the teachings of Jesus.

If you google it looks like there’s some good articles. I’ve bookmarked this one to read later www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/magazine/black-voters-election-patriotism.html

Thank you @CarolinaInTheMorning and @PinkFrogss

@AlmostaMamma .Do you often find people are offended by and find your questions racist?

No I don't ... just you

I haven’t said your question was racist.

@AlmostaMamma

I am direct quoting you.

If you have nothing further to add other than question my motives, posting history, reading history, ethnicity or validation for asking a question then please back off.

Thank you to other posters for their insights and links

"Like the early Christians, we must move into a sometime hostile world armed with the revolutionary gospel of Jesus Christ. With this powerful gospel we shall boldly challenge the status quo.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"the revolutionary gospel of Jesus Christ." I think this informs the Christianity of many religious Americans who believe that social justice is an important dimension of their faith.

🙄