We Real Troubled

    For class on Monday, we had to read "We Real Cool," by Bell Hooks. The article is about black men and masculinity. Black men are portrayed as highly sexual and, in some cases, violent. For the most part, black men are just misunderstood and some label them by the exaggerated stereotypes that society has created. It is also said that black males use sex to feel dominant and more mature. In class, we watched an episode of a black television show that showed an example of a black man being violent towards his girlfriend.

    The one thing that ran through my mind when watching this show, was that he probably has family issues. The boyfriend in the show mentions a few times that his mother tends to make his father very upset sometimes. The boyfriend then witnesses his father beating his mother. Children learn how to treat significant others by watching how their parents interact. It is partially not his fault because that is what he grew up with. He also has had his own father beat him. The boyfriend takes out that pain on his girlfriend. I think people should take a step back and analyze one's background. It should not be assumed that all black men act this way. They could have family issues that create that behavior. The families should be analyzed and the child should receive help.