Whenever I write an op-ed, I always remind myself that I should not rant à la Kanye West. This is a subject, however, that has drained all of the patience I could possibly have and has caused all of my restraint to vanish.
Recently, I decided to visit a good friend who has been interning in Atlanta. After frolicking around embracing the rich Atlanta culture, we went to eat dinner. On the train on our way to the restaurant, my friend and I chatted about a number of things (as any reunited friends would do). Minutes later, a middle-aged black man yelled, “They are talking whiter than the white people.” Erratically, he continued, “You don’t have to talk like a white person. Talk black.”
At that moment, I did not know what infuriated me more: the fact that a black man was angry with two black youths who were conversing tastefully or the fact that he was saying all of this in front of white people. All in all, that moment spoke volumes to me.
The irony of this situation is that earlier that day, while my friend and I were talking, another middle-aged black man expressed his appreciation of our articulation. He acknowledged that it is not common for teenagers to speak “as if though they have some sense” and demanded that we not grant anyone the power to change that about us.
I cannot quite understand why speaking intelligently is only associated with being white. When black people use the expression “talking white,” does it occur to them that they help reinforce ignorant, damaging stereotypes that we try so hard to stray away from? Does it occur to them that they are belittling all of us blacks? Does that mean that I should speak in Ebonics to be deemed a true black man? I do not think so.
Biracial columnist Giovanni Waters said, “It’s as if we blacks are always fighting to be equal to whites but are quick to condemn one another for any type of action that may level the playing field.” An event such as the aforementioned one proves this statement to be valid.
Decades ago, blacks fought for an education substantial enough to help them put an end to laws that hindered them from truly being free. Because they lacked a decent education, it was very hard for them to fight. I’m sure they wished they were able to have access to fundamentals that we have today. Besides, if they did have that access, I am sure Ebonics would not be their choice of vernacular.
It also just so happens that not all whites talk the same. Like blacks, there are some that speak properly, while some speak in slang or other dialects. Who would have known, right?
Despite what many people think when they hear me speaking, I do not talk white; I speak in an intelligent manner. I speak properly because I am educated, as my parents and I have put forth a lot of effort into me receiving an education that is second to none.
What the man on the train failed to realize was that color does not make a sound. If you disagree with me on that, consult with a white or black sheet of paper. Did you hear anything? I did not think so. Will it ever become acceptable to use standard English without dealing with any criticism? With all of the disheartening statistics that we are presented on a regular basis regarding our teens and education, should there be some relief to know that there is still some hope? After all, the change the some of you have believed in talks just as “properly” as I do — we call him the (first black) president of the United States.
Reuben Johnson (@__revbn) is a senior broadcast journalism major from Indianola.
