Miracles Beyond The Stereotypes

Miracles Beyond Stereotypes
Showing Black Miracles Beyond Stereotypes
By Ray Mapp

There are several stereotypes that are discussed throughout different societies around the world that are based on real behaviors commonly known to be more acted out by particular races and/or sexes of particular groups of people. Many of these common behaviors among certain groups of people are a direct result of their living environment and financial status.

Racism and stereotyping are often thought to be the same mind set. In some cases, I would agree that stereotypes are used to judge and justify racist decisions. Because I am a black man, I have the most personal experience in the cause and effect of stereotypes associated with the black male. 10 Common stereotypes for black males that come to my mind are: 1.) Black males are angry and loud … 2.) Black males are sexually stronger and more sexually aggressive … 3.) Black males are not academically ambitious … 4.) Black males are violent thieves and likely rapist … 5.) Two or more teenage black boys are considered a GANG … 6.) Black fathers have no interest in raising their children … 7.) Black males are physically stronger … 8.) Black males are naturally athletic and more likely to excel in sports … 9.) Black men are stylish, artistic and creative. 10.) Black men are lazy, lack skills in business, and finance and do not want to work.

Analysis of stereotype #1. – The black male is angry and loud … black males got this stereotype because white people expect that anyone treated with the injustices and disrespect that black people endured, would naturally be angry as well as likely to voice loud opposition to oppressive social system here in America. Black men have been involved with several social riots in response to unjust legal actions and decisions. Public protests are usually loud in an effort to attract attention to a cause beneficial to the overall community.
Racial profiling is an on going public concern in America. Racial profiling could be described as use of racial stereotypes to influence police practices that lead to young black men being unnecessarily, and unfairly harassed and even arrested and charged with crimes they are innocent of. This harassment of accusations many times includes loaded guns being pointed at the heads of innocent black youth, physical injuries are common caused by rough handling of stereotyped innocent black youth. This treatment will naturally anger individuals as well as lead to an anxious paranoia that can easily lead to violent retaliation.

Overall, black men have been surprisingly patient and forgiving for the injustices demonstrated by the American legal, educational, medical, and financial institutions over the years. Proof of these existing fairness discrepancies is the fact that both local and federal governments constantly offer special programs through banks and learning institutions to makes special allowances for minorities.

Analysis of stereo type #2 – Black men are sexually stronger and more sexually aggressive;In many cases this stereotype is based on the fact that black men are usually physically fit, and known to have long endurance. Another cultural fact that contributes to this stereotype is that in many African and Middle Eastern countries, it is considered natural for men to have more than one wife. In many of these countries, the number of wives and children you have is seen as a form of wealth. There are several European cultures that practice this same polygamist society for the same sake of wealth and survival. Black men of African origin in America today have found a sense of false pride in this sexual stereotype. Black men who are raised without their father in the house are likely to see his mother be mistreated by various men throughout his childhood. A young man in this situation is likely to experiences frustrations based his mother’s efforts to find happiness in a man. A young man in this situation is likely to believe that a woman will tolerate almost any abuse and that it is manly behavior to disrespect a woman.

All young men go through puberty, and begin to have strong urges for sexual activity … naturally. Puberty is a time in a young man’s life when his body begins to rapidly produce reproductive chemicals that naturally make him more attracted to females and driven to have sex to release the constant buildup of semen and sperm. Mastrubation is a conversation that is worth parents considering with their son and daughter to give them an option for sexual developmental frustration and sexual encounters with people prematurely.

Analysis of stereotype #3 - Black males are not academically ambitious … is a stereotype meant to convince black males that it is expected of them and somehow normal. It is a concept too often accepted by black males and acted out in dispare and despiration. In cases were children are born into desperate impoverist circumstances it is common to see several examples of black men with broken spirits who appear to not have any ambition. The spirit of the black man is the target of many conspiracies lead by white powered governments and organizations in order to maintain power and control of the local social systems in various areas around America and the world.

School textbooks are written in such a way that many black males are uncomfortable with the material covered because the material so far focuses on only European rule without any reference to African intellectual contributions. In fact the struggle of black people is the focus when black people are mentioned in the textbooks of the American classroom. The current textbooks teach all students that Europeans have conquered (committed genocide is another proper term never used in American textbooks in reference to the establishment of America) and claimed the indigenous territories of many a people around the world.

Analysis of stereotype #4 - Black males are violent thieves and rapist … here again black males are expected to be angry and violent in response to the teaching of the slave period, Jim Crow laws, civil rights struggles and reoccurring cases of racial discrimination in current times.In any impoverished community crime is going to be higher … regardless of their race. It is said that “Desperate is always dangerous”.
Black males who are treated with respect usually respond with respect. Young black males in many cases feel disrespected, and unprotected due to having an absent father, poor police relations, condescending public school curriculum and having the general public being accusatory of their mere existance.

Analysis of stereotype #5 – A group of teenage black boys is considered a GANG … is based on the reality and fear that an organized group has much more potential (positive and negative)than an individual. Since the slave period, black people were punished for assembling without white supervision. Black people were conditioned by the slave master to dislike other black people on the plantation for the sake of discouraging them from working together to organize their independence. It is more difficult to control an organized group than it is to control an individual.

Analysis of stereotype #6 – Black fathers have no interest in raising their children … is in part due to the slave management practices which has potentialy conditioned black males in some ways to avoid bonding with their children because they were likely to be sold off the plantation back then. Another reality is that black men have major challenges in obtaining the financial strength to raise a family, whether trying to establish and operate a business or gaining stable employment. Black men are just as likely as any race of people to want to support and care for their children.

Analysis of stereotype #7 – Black males are physically stronger … There are statistical facts that show black male mortality at birth is higher than our European neighbors. African people before slavery exemplified extraordinary strength and stamina under the extreme heat of the sun. This stereotype is also based on the African slave trade period when black men were worked extremely hard and long under extreme heat.
Analysis of stereotype #8 – Black males are naturally athletic and more likely to excel in sports … is a common stereotype because black males are likely to dominate most sports categories. Why … because our African heritage is one of nature and movement. Everything from our religious ceremonies to our celebrations involves strong musical beats and extraordinary dance. Our heritage also includes hunting across wide areas for days at a time during which time we endured extreme sunlight and heat, which is all great conditioning for competing in most sports.

Analysis of stereotype #9 - Black men are stylish, artistic and creative … comes from the reality that fashion was introduced to man by Africans through artistically colored fabrics made with various materials as well as by the way African people might draped the fabrics over their body as a fashion. African people introduced grooming tools like hair combs, hair brushes, hair treatments, etc. as well as hair styles like cuts and braids. Black men are known to dance which goes back to African culture were dance was many time ceremonial. Musical originality and creativity of a black male also goes back to his original African culture. Today black males are prominent in the music industry as authorities on the subject. This is a stereotype that fits in many cases.

Analysis of stereotype #10 … Black males are lazy, lack skills in business, and finance and do not want to work … comes from the images of black men lost in a society that made efforts to leave them out of the financial loop of community development. With property in America being taken from the native people by Europeans (white people), and then money being printed to assert a value to the stolen property … heirs to that property and history had a major advantage financially in any business ventures they aspired … that it would seem that they are naturally more successful in these disciplines than black males. The truth is many black males in our history made major strides in business and property ownership. Rosewood, Florida is a black township that was established by black people as well as the city of Chicago, Illinois. There were many other black settlements around the country, however white racist groups shortly after the reconstruction period made sure to destroy this history for fear it would demonstrate too much black independence and intelligence.

Stepping Back Into My Past To Examine A Few Stereotypes About Black Males

As a pre-school child, I remember hearing black people around me comment on injustices they felt they were subjected to because they were black. Once in the public school system, first grade, I fit the stereotype of being physically stronger than the white kids and did not fit the stereotype of being academically slow or lazy … I enjoyed learning and understood the importance of doing my homework / research because my mother was a teacher and my cousin (like my sister), my age, my class … who I grew up with was academically gifted.
However, when I was in the first grade, before I began to live with my gifted cousin …I had a white teacher in my predominately white elementary school that was not pleased with the fact I could out achieve all the white kids in my class in sports as well as academics so she literally created reasons everyday to lock me and the only other black boy in the class … in her classroom during recess with the lights out to make sure we felt isolated and punished.
She really wanted to kill my spirit. It really made me frustrated and disappointed to have to stay in a dark classroom while the other students played and socialized on sunny days. My Dad did not fit the stereotype either, both my parents had college educations and paid close attention to my school progress and attitude on a daily bases.

Stereotypes can be just like habits, when the negative beliefs and ideas about a particular groups of people, lets say African American males, automatically register in the brain and mind of individuals without their conscious awareness. When this occurs, all of the social graces and interactions (if any) between those individuals and African American males are guides, unconsciously, by their beliefs and expectations about what African American males are, how they are to behave, what they are suppose to look like, how they should smell, how they should talk and express themselves, etc. When this happens, particularly, when the person who is thinking about African American males in this stereotypical manner is a teacher, we have the right environment for creating some longer-term damage to the emotional, psychological, and spiritual well being of African American males.

Stereotypes are often used in a negative or prejudicial sense and are frequently used to justify certain discriminatory behaviors. Stereotypes are seen by many as undesirable beliefs imposed to justify the acts of discrimination and oppression. It is through education and/or familiarization where these misunderstandings can be challenged and changed. On the other hand, stereotypes are a result of our need to selectively perceive our environment. We notice, remember and store the information that is most noticeable (e.g. most strange, different, pleasing or detestable about someone) and that which confirms what we already seem to know or at least, think we know. Thus stereotypes help us to 'understand' and structure the complex world around us, because they are a 'useful' simplifications. They provide stock-information about what to expect and how to act concerning certain groups of people. However, direct contact with members of this group may modify the stereotype by adding more and more details, until finally it has to be given up, because the necessary oversimplification and generalization are no longer appropriate. For example, while many African American boys today don’t seem too motivated to do well in science, African Americans have made hundreds of major scientific inventions/contributions achieved by many different African Americans. For example, the micro processing chip, the electric light, the first successful open heart surgery, chemotherapy, telephone transmission, the modern microphone, the wrench, the heating furnace, air conditioners, refrigeration, etc.


I was born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina April 20th, 1963. I enjoy nature’s blessings, and being in good physical shape. I play the saxophone, bass guitar and piano. I enjoy and write poetry. I love being a father and all children love me because I respect youth. I am a stargazer and lover of the sky. Both of my parents are retired teachers and athletes. I have one brother who is an awesome visual artist and drummer … he is about 5 years my junior. I am now the blessed father of six wonderful children … three girls and three boys. Friends of my children adopt me all the time as their daddy. My oldest child has earned two degrees, one in biology and one in chemistry. She is now applying to medical schools to pursue her PHD in pediatrics. I started a screen-printing business 18 years ago and a publishing company about 10 years ago.
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