Black People : Ever thought you were right to find out years later you were wrong?

KPITRL

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May 7, 2013
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I remember going to Bowie State University, a HBCU in Bowie Md, for a year. I was taking a Contemporary American History course taught by a brother we called Professor Condo. He said he was a first cousin to James Meredith, however I didn't believe him. On intermediate breaks, he would sometimes come back saying he just got finished talking to his cousin James on the phone. I would say to myself, "Yeah, tell us another one". I recently looked at a younger picture of James Meritith, and I must admit, I did see a striking resemblance. Maybe they were kin, however I'm still not sure he was actually calling him on the phone. But he may have. It wasn't like Meredith was still in the spot-light or anything.

Anyway, I liked the way he laid out his syllabus. He had us read about 5 books in order that covered the period from 1945 to 1992 (Truman - Clinton). In these books he included books that covered black history through these times, like "The Autobiography of Malcolm X", "Agent of Repression"-were I first heard of CoinTelpro, and one other book about what blacks were doing during this time period in America. You don't get taught in this style in a white school. That's why I say it's always good to spend at least some time in a black college.

I had a few bad experience there, however I'm very glad I went. However one of the worst experiences I had there involved Professor Condo, which put me off the Deans List. Here's how it went: He was lecturing one evening about Japanese being detained in Concentration Camps during WW2. He began to go on this thing about Americans deep racial hated for the Koreans because of their slanted eyes, and their other non-European features. He used this as the reason Americans put them in Concentration Camps during WW2. Then he began to use this as a similar reason for the hatred of black people by Americans, because of our African features, and non-European features, etc... But he never said anything about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. So being a little older than most of the students, I felt he was spreading unnecessary racism without telling the truth about Pearl Harbor. So I changed into superman, and said, "Hey Condo, I thought they put the Japanese in Concentration Camps because they bombed Harbor?". Not only was I trying to stop the younger students from being mislead, but I really wanted to hear an explanation, like "yes, that was one reason". First, one of the students giggled. Then Professor Condo replied, "That's a good theory", or something like that. But from that day on, he had it in for me. He would ask me difficult questions that I couldn't answer, and try to embarrass me. Then I wounded up with a "C" in his class, which was one of the classes I learned the most in. I had all high grades going into the final. But I didn't sweat it, because I knew I was about to transfer up on out of there anyway.

It's kind of strange, because for years I thought I was right for not letting those young students get maneuvered like that. But if anything, they should have known the attack on Pearl Harbor was the reason why they sent Japanese citizens to concentration camps here in America...anyway, I hope they knew. But today I feel like I was wrong for interrupting his class and making that statement, even though the statement may have been correct. If I cared that much, than perhaps I should have questioned him privately.
 
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You should have kept your mouth closed. Those kids knew that none of that mattered. By that time they were at that stage of education.. they were well aware of the disconnection between truth and education.. that you didn't is probably what the giggling was about.

As a lifetime student myself so I've taken lots of classes as an adult.. purely for interests sake.. and I have always had good experiences..
 
Yes, you should have asked him privately. As vocal as I was on campus, in class and out, I never challenged a professor, directly. I was not afraid to ask questions, and if I disagreed, I just took notes and in some cases met with them privately, or waited until my exams and made sure I had multiple sources to back up Amy point that I disagreed with. Maybe that's why I never ended up on academic probation or subject to dismissal. In graduate school I had at least two white professors, at different schools, who I had disagreements with. One low graded me and I had to essentially sit down and take an oral exam. That class was cross cultural foundations of education. The professor questioned whether or not I actually did the reading. I proved to him that I not only had done the reading but was using my own cultural background and experience and from that background critiquing his own. I couldn't do that in class. Of course, I passed. The other professor I had for two graduate level history classes. Since I was older than most of my classmates, and a social studies teacher, this guy picked on me all the time. He gave me a B- in one class because he said that he felt like I was holding back in class. Of course I was. I probably would have gotten a lower grade. It was a world civ. course. I couldn't argue to him that the basis of his western culture is in Africa.

In the first scenario, my Mom was upset with me because she kept telling me to just agree with the man and give him shat he wanted. It's want that simple. We used to watch films of white teachers and administrators interacting with students of color in inner city schools and critiquing their interaction and conversations. I was the only black student in that class. I noticed things that flew over the heads of my class mates. I think I got a B- in that class as well. Sometimes you have to take a stand, on principle. Sometimes you just have to read a situation and not let your ego get in the way. Peace.
 
You should have kept your mouth closed. Those kids knew that none of that mattered. By that time they were at that stage of education.. they were well aware of the disconnection between truth and education.. that you didn't is probably what the giggling was about.

As a lifetime student myself so I've taken lots of classes as an adult.. purely for interests sake.. and I have always had good experiences..
I already admitted fault to a mistake I made 22 years ago. But I don't care if I made the mistake yesterday, the style you responded to me show you have an issue. In other words, you should have did like I failed to do 22 years ago and kept it to yourself. Next time, pay more attention to the title of someones thread, which in this case was, "Ever thought you were right, then found out years later you were wrong". If your going to throw stones from a glass house, at least answer the question.
 
I already admitted fault to a mistake I made 22 years ago. But I don't care if I made the mistake yesterday, the style you responded to me show you have an issue. In other words, you should have did like I failed to do 22 years ago and kept it to yourself. Next time, pay more attention to the title of someones thread, which in this case was, "Ever thought you were right, then found out years later you were wrong". If your going to throw stones from a glass house, at least answer the question.


mm... naw.. I think maybe you have the issue. There was nothing inflammatory or disrespectful in my response to you.. I simply highlighted an undiscussed aspect of the situation that you.. apparently had overlooked.. and it appears that you feel some kind of way about that.. probably embarrassed.. but unnecessarily so..

and listen.. when you get around to it.. I'd love to hear about this glass-house I'm allegedly throwing stones from.. do tell..

#keepitreallyreal
 

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