HBCU Radio Online: Acting White: What Does It Mean?

The people in France speak french, people in Germany speak German, people in America speak English. If speaking English correctly means that your acting white, then so be it. You shouldn't be ashame if others feel inferior because you can express your thoughts in a complete sentence.

Hello Mr. Culpeper,

Please meet me half way. I mean between specifics and in general term what do you mean acting White. Give me an example of what it is to act White.

Is it as what Helen said that speaking proper English is an example of acting White?

As I wait on your answer, it is my opinion that Black Americans act White, whatever that means, but if you think we do is because we do not know who we are nor are we able to do better for ourselves.
I guess you can ask the same question of the children of Israel 4000 years ago. Were they acting Egyptian? I suppose that they were acting Egyptian, whatever acting Egyptian means since they could not do any better for themselves until God intervened and sent them Moses.

Perhaps, when Black Americans becomes intelligent enough to develop the desire to be a sovereign people or have complete independence from White America on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders to pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way it will be then we will know who we since we will be doing better then we are now.

The thought to ask such a question of acting White would be absurd. Am I making any sense with you?

Tell me what you think.

You are ****ting us, right posting this drivel? I almost didn't want to qualify this post with a response. I have done business with people in & from India, Vietnam, China, Japan, Nigeria, Ghana, Spain, Mexico and other parts of the world -- and I can assure you dignity comes in all colors. Yes, even black.

Intelligence and behaving properly is acting "white"? Seriously? Dude. Dude, you should consider deleting this crap. It's a way of life for me and mine and we don't showcase it for anyone.

I cannot say it better than the Maturity and Professionalism of Helen and Craig.

As a long-time teacher, this is one of the obstacles to learning students sometimes impose on themsevles.

Here is what Dr. Henry Louis Gates had to say:

"Those haunting questions of identity linger with us still, much to the devastation of today's inner-city youth. I read with dismay the results of a poll. The charge of "acting white" as applied to speaking standard English, getting straight A's or even visiting the Smithsonian!"

He went on:

"Think about it," he said. "We have moved from a situation where Phillis Wheatley's acts of literacy could be used to demonstrate our people's inherent humanity and their inalienable right to freedom--to a situation where acts of literacy are stigmatized somehow as racial betrayal...Phillis Wheatley, so proud to the end of her hard-won attainments, would weep. So would Frederick Douglass. So would DuBois."

To all: This is why we are having this discussion today. It is not to merely say that it is a choice. I intend to break down this stereotype and bring light to what people (regardless if you want to deny it or not, but people still use that term and feel like you are "selling out" by doing it) think of this term and how we need to be less ignorant and squash the stereotype.

"Acting White: Does It Help or Hurt You" is sort of misleading because it does not address the real topic of the show which is "What does it mean to ACT WHITE?". The first statement asserts that there is a way of acting that IS in fact Acting White, when i think what we want to do is challenge the notion that there is an "Acting White". I would re-word this to ask "What does acting White mean?"

Ebonics is my first language...

This is a weird subject because the issue of dialect and other language factors come up within this question, too.
Is it acting white? Or is it that one just really speaks the way they do on account of environment or raising? Me-I was raised in a household valuing education and behaving in a proper manner. To add to that, I grew up in an area where people (black AND white AND in between) pronounce all their syllables and consonants. I think I owe my speech more to that than the many white kids I gre up around. I grew up around other Blacks, Latinos and Asians whom spoke in the SAME way...so maybe it really is just the environment and other.
I don't always speak my best (& slang is present in all groups by the way), but I appreciate speaking intelligably and speaking intelligably is NOT a white thing, it is a PROPER thing and the best way to be understood and taken seriously.

Hello Mr. Culpeper,

June 24 at 2:30 a.m. I asked you to meet me half way. I meant between specifics and in general term what does acting White means. Give me an example of what it is to act White.

You replied on June 24 at 2:03 p.m., approximately 12 hours later without an answer my question. I believe my question has merits since Mr. Daniel Moss asked the same question. Why are you not answering my question?

However, you went on to say this, “I intend to break down this stereotype and bring light to what people… think of this term and how we need to be less ignorant and squash the stereotype.”

Mr. Culpepper let us stop playing games. Before you could break down anything stereotypical about the term, “acting White” you are first obligated to tell us what is acting White means. I believe I am asking you a legitimate question. My question is inadvertently measuring your level of intelligence as to your understanding of how you see reality. Apparently, you are taking it for granted that we all understand what acting White means. To be honest with you I do not have a clue what acting White means. I know that black Americans acts stupidly for the most part, but acting White, you need to explain to me what you mean when you say, acting White.

So, let us stop the nonsense and explain to us what acting White means before you go on to explain something about stereotyped thinking that you wish to squash, okay!

Tell me what you think.

From what I have observed, I see that when a person is speaking with confidence in the words they speak, if you pay attention to the movement of their lips you see something attractive. I don't think that it has anything to do with acting white, for some reason it just seems sensual to me. I have observed Africans speak with their french accents and noticed how the beauty of their lips movement appear to me(lol)

To answer your question, please listen to the show. The answers you seek should be answered there. If not, let me know. Thanks!

Hello Mr. Culpepper,

Apparently, you do not have an answer of your own. I do not want to badger you. I am specifically looking for an answer from you. An answer giving by XYZ is not the same as an answer giving by you. Since you are the one that introduced this ludicrous thought of, “acting White” to the audience, you should be the one to answer our question of what does it mean to you to act White.

Anyhow, since you are not mentally capable of answering my question I will not continue to pressure you. We could move on to something else. Or, perhaps you are trying to solicit listeners for your radio show, am I right.

Tell me what you think.

Hello Helen,

Are you asking a question or are you explaining for Mr. Culpepper what, “acting White” means?

Please explain what you are doing, okay.

What say you?

No Harry, I didn't put a question mark at the end of my sentence. I was just stating how the movement of your lips can appear attractive to others.

Harry,

If you listen to the broadcast (as I previously stated), you will see what I mean. My explanation (as well as the other co-hosts explanations) is there. If you are still confused, do a Google search on "acting white." I am sure you will find ample resources from which to study and come up with your own thoughts.

If you feel after listening that your question is not answered, then let me know, but if I say that the question is already answered by listening to the broadcast, and you haven't listened to it, then I can not help you any further.

.. and I am mentally capable of answering your question, but to do so would possibly hemorrhage your brain. Insult me, I insult back. Thanks and have a great day!

Hello Mr. Culpeper,

You said this, “if you listen to the broadcast (as I previously stated), you will see what I mean.”

You are missing my point. Mr. Culpepper you initiated the blog and you said in your first post to wit, “In this show, we will discuss the tendency of non-Caucasian people to "act white".

Well, I am a non-Caucasian person and I wanted to know what you meant to, “act White”.

Therefore, I responded to ask you what you mean when you say, “act White”. Your reply was that I should listen to the radio show. You said that your explanation (as well as the other co-hosts explanations) is there. I knew I could not listen to the radio show. Therefore, I pressed you to explain what you meant, “act White” is. Here it is June 27 and you are still running me around, am I right.

Most Negroes behave as you do. Negroes not straightforward and upright people, but we are going to become better people in the near future. Though, I sure would have liked to know what you meant.
However, it seems that you do not intend to answer what you meant, “act White” is and it make no sense for me to continue beating a dead horse as the saying goes.

You went on to say these things, and I am mentally capable of answering your question,…do a Google search on "acting white." I am sure you will find ample resources from which to study and come up with your own thoughts…The answers you seek should be answered there. If not, let me know. Thanks! “

All of these comments are lies. You do not intend to be straightforward and upright with me. I have an IQ of 68. I am practically retarded. I am asking you a question that is linked to your blog and you seem mentally incapable of answering my question. What good is your education? Do you see my point Mr. Culpepper? Therefore, you do not know if you could hemorrhage my brain unless you first try, am I right.

Incidentally, Mr. Culpepper, I do not insult anyone. I have not insulted you. I am a straightforward shooter. I call the play as they are. In other words, to this day I still do not know what you meant, “act White” is. So, when I call the play that you are not mentally capable of backing up your own position how could you think that I am insulted you. That is what has happened, am I right. I am telling you the truth since to this day, I do not know what you meant and I have been asking you to tell me what you meant. You should not be intimidated by me. I love you. You are one of my people.

Anyway, you do not have to answer my question. I will relieve the pressure from you.

Okay,

Harry, you do not need to pick a fight with Mr. Culpepper that you are not prepared for. The clownish nature of your blog comments speak for itself.

Well, you did not mention that you were unable to listen to the show (for whatever reason). So for that, I apologize. If you merely stated that fact, we would not be in this situation as it is.

The blog I started starts with "HBCU Radio Online..." ... so it is intended for all who read the blog ... to listen to the broadcast to see what we have to say on a particular subject. If I have just titled the blog without the "HBCU Radio Online", then it would be intended that we discuss the topic as we are now, via the comments of the blog.

Since you are unable to listen to the broadcast, in a nutshell, I can tell you this:

To "act white" (apparently) is: [Wikipedia] "... a pejorative term usually applied to African-Americans, although also within other non-white Latinos or Hispanics, which refers to a person's perceived betrayal of their culture by assuming the social expectations of white society. Success in education in particular (depending on one's cultural background) can be seen as a form of selling out by being disloyal to one's culture.[2] The term is controversial, and its precise meaning is hard to define."

In my own words, it is the perception that minorities act one way around family, friends, and people they are comfortable with/grew up with ... and then another way around "white society" in general. For instance, around your friends and family, you might talk more relaxed and use more unfamiliar terms that white society does not understand. When you are, let's say, in corporate America, those things we do and terms we use are not used. Jesse Jackson used the term on Obama during his run for presidency. Bill Cosby used the term in a speech in early 2000s. And Barak Obama used the term in his speech at the Democratic National Convention when he was supporting John Kerry and his run against Bush.

On the show we discussed what the definitions were for "acting white" and basically rebuked this term. This is not a term we deemed even appropriate to label because how is it that you label someone as a "sellout" by trying to be educated and better himself/herself. The term "acting white" is just as negative as the other stereotypes that we have long been associated with (such as blackface, sambo, mammy, mandingo, etc.)

BTW, you have insulted me as a result of not understanding the reason that blog was intended for you to listen to the show. If you were able to listen to the show, we would not be where we are now and I would not have asked you twice to listen to the show (when in fact you could not). I am not sure you understand how to do a normal "search" on the internet, but if you wanted a "definition" on what is means to "act white" (after I let you know that you can do a search and look for the answer you seek), you could have done so. I apologize if you do not know how to navigate the internet that well and not able to do a search.

In closing, your initial comments would have made great banter on our show for discussion and I appreciate your comments. To some people, speaking proper English, is a form of acting white especially when you do not speak it when you are around your peers. We all agree with you that the thought of "acting white" is absurd and hope we can try to put this term to rest.

I hope I have answered your question. If not, please be more specific and without insults. Thanks Harry!

Look...I heard it all of my life. I have lived in Downtown New Orleans a predominantly black neighborhood and I went to predominantly black schools, and
I read a lot and made straight A's in all my high school and college classes. And nobody judged me for acting white back then. I don't like it how people relate reading and making good grades to acting white...that's just ignorance.

I think we need to examine the educational culture of our people. I have worked in the field of education for nearly 8 years now. I currently work with middle school students and they, in particularly those who are Black, seem to have no interest in education at all. I mean they even come to school without bookbags, supplies....and at my school there are no lockers. It all starts in the home. What kind of parent allows their children to leave the house without any supplies for school?

Siebra
It sounds like their minds are stuck in the "NOTHING REALLY MATTERS". You should ask them do they really want to spend the rest of their lives feeling inferior to those who use their words to express a complete thought. I can remember writing essays in high school. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried, I could only get a C. I discovered that it was because I had too many thoughts running together that were not placed within separate sentences. I also had a problem with changing the subject in a paragraph, So I took a course in college to improve my writting skills.

Learning how to write compositions has helped me to write better and gives me the confidence I need when speaking.

Hello Mr. Culpeper,

I understand your most recent reply. Now, let me ask you this. Do you suppose that if Black Americans were a sovereign people on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders to pursue life, liberty, happiness and prosperity in our own way would the phrase, “Act White” be applicable to us as it is now? I do not think so.

Let me ask you this question as well. Do you think Black America’s sovereignty is impossible? Or, do you not want Black Americans to become a sovereign people on a portion of this continent that we could call our very own country with borders?

Intelligent people tries to resolve problems rather than to explain and cope with problems, am I right. Which category do you fall into, Mr. Culpeper and which category do you suppose I fall into?

Tell me what you think.

Harry,

I believe that it would still be true based on our History. We will forever be linked to "slavery" in the United States and if someone is acting differently to appease or fit into white society's culture then it would still hold true ... even if we dominated the Earth and only 2% of the world were Caucasians ... if anyone acted in a way to relate to that 2%, then yes, I think it would still be true. I know ... it is sad, but I think it would be true. Again, this is only my thoughts and I may be the only person who feels this way.

I think that Black America sovereignty is possible, but I am not for causing any strife between races to achieve any of that. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't.

As far as your last question, I'm not understanding where you are coming from with that. Please specify. Thanks!