Monday, August 17, 2009

"Coming to America".


I always wanted to be able to speak at least three different languages, fluently. Sure, like a lot of folks, I can get by with a little Spanish and a little French. But I can't honestly say that I can speak another language fluently. (Jamaican Patoi [p-a-t-w-a] doesn't count. I can chat di patoi with the best of them. But as exotic as it might sound, it's still just broken English.) Unfortunately, I am just not very adroit in the linguistic arena.

One of my pet peeves with folks on this side of the Atlantic is that we don't even want to communicate with other people in their own language. Others have to always adopt to the ugly A-merry-cans way of speaking. So far it's been just a minor inconvenience to people who visit our beautiful country. They always learn to speak English, eventually, because they want so much to live the A-merry-can dream or enjoy it while they are here. It's our way or the highway. A-merry-ca, "love it or leave it".


And that's all fine. But can it or should it cost someone their life because they can't speak English as well as we can? Let me answer that for you: Here in Killadelphia, it can.

"Temple University student and West African immigrant was shot in an attempted robbery this morning in a Southwest Philadelphia park because he did not understand the gunman's commands, police said.

Mamadou Makadji, 22, was pistol-whipped and shot once in the chest around 1:12 a.m. in Elmwood Park, said Philadelphia Homicide Capt. James Clark.
Makadji was declared dead a short time later at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania."

You see, here in Killadelphia it's like this: when a stick up kid wants to take your "jawn"( Your "jawn" could be your woman, your money, or your life. Actually, here in Philly, your "jawn" could be damn near anything.) you have to just give it up as quickly as possible. The only time you hesitate, is if the person holding the hammer is there to take your life. And if that's the case, you are pretty much up shit creek without a paddle or a boat. But if they only want money or drugs, having a language barrier can still be fatal to the poor victim staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Makadji and two friends were sitting on a bench in the park, at 71st and Buist Avenue, when a lone gunman approached and "announced a robbery," Clark said.

Because of the language barrier, Makadji did not understand what the gunman was saying. The robber pistol-whipped and shot Makadji when he did not comply fast enough with his commands, the captain said."

Maybe some of the things that they should start teaching in those immigration English classes, are words like: THIS IS A JACK! LAY DOWN BITCH!









93 comments:

alicia banks said...

shame

i am proudly fluent in 3 languages:

french
english
ebonics

i plan to learn spanish next...asap

Mahndisa S. Rigmaiden said...

I am sorry to hear about this young man. I read to my boy in Spanish, but other languages would greatly help him too!

Obama mmm mmm good said...

The most imporant thing that should be taught in those english classes is the answer to this question--

"Nigga where you from??"

Many negros have lost their lives because they didn't know the right answer.

When will Obama and the Democrats stop this violence??

Anonymous said...

Field,

Whether you speak another language or not, the killings will go on. When a robbery is taking place, these days anything can happen in terms of your life in the hood. Blacks will kill each other and don't feel a thing.

Do you think posters would be talking about how many languages they speak or languages their children are learning if the young black man had been shot by a white person? No. The topic would be about another black man murdered by a White. But, when it's black-on-black crime, Blacks ignore it and start talking about other things as if it didn't mattered. Why is that?

MOLAR

kid said...

In Cleveland we wouldn' t know what jawn is.Stuff is regional.

kid said...

Some folk say here,"creapin' on the come up". Now that's old.

History Dude said...

Wow, these type of folks make the old Phili, Nick Scarfo gang seem like peace corpse volunteers.

I live in amid sized city and we even get stuff like this: A black woman found naked in a dumpster, two black men found handcuffed and suffocated in a burning car last week. Today a guy was shot in the head in his car in broad daylight (while it was moving) and he crashed into a telephone pole that almost took out someone's house. Last week a six year old was hit by a bullet during a drive-by.

Blinders Off said...

I hope somebody in Philly snitch on the low life.

@Kid
I might be late seeing this, I been away dealing with MS. You made my day after I passed over Mr. R and saw your picture :-)

kid said...

History Dude said...

Wow, these type of folks make the old Phili, Nick Scarfo gang seem like peace corpse volunteers.

I live in amid sized city and we even get stuff like this: A black woman found naked in a dumpster, two black men found handcuffed and suffocated in a burning car last week. Today a guy was shot in the head in his car in broad daylight (while it was moving) and he crashed into a telephone pole that almost took out someone's house. Last week a six year old was hit by a bullet during a drive-by.

11:49 PM
_____________________________
How many people that look like brothers kill white folks?blacks kill blacks and whites kill whites.

Anonymous said...

It's a damn shame. Totally senseless, the jackass didn't even take anything. Another black man killed over nothing.

Swiff said...

SMH. Awful, awful, awful. Another promising young life ended over BULLSHIT.

Mr. R -

Suck a dick and die.

Anonymous said...

kid said...
How many people that look like brothers kill white folks?blacks kill blacks and whites kill whites.

Blacks do kill whites at higher rates than whites who kill blacks.

La♥audiobooks said...

You know Field, in a situation like that, gun in your face is a universal language... but that's not the point. I'm sick and tiered of all this crime and those animals.

As for languages I speak three fluently, and a forth semi-fluently. Writing them is another story. Something I never thought about up until recently, I may very well speak a few others, this would include various Caribbean "patois" as you mentioned. This would total five or six.

As for Americans learning other languages, I think it's good, but with all the immigrants America has, how fair and practical is that? When in Rome, you do as...

Anonymous said...

I'm betting the robber was some racist white guy who was just there to rob a black guy, but when he found out he couldn't speak English, he decided he'd just wipe one of us off the earth.

History Dude said...

How many people that look like brothers kill white folks?blacks kill blacks and whites kill whites.

Yep, that's mostly true. But does that make it better? More excusable?

Ten years ago a buddy of mine opened bought a pizza shop in a dicey part of town. Everyone told him it was done move; however, he went ahead anyway. One night a kid walked in, put a gun to his head, and asked for all the money. Apparently the kid kept looking outside to see if the get away car was ready. My buddy got the drop on him. He pulled out his own gun and shot the kid. He found out later the robbery was part of a gang initiation: The kid was told to shoot him after he emptied the safe. Instead of defending a honest businessman the community protested in front of his story for shooting the kid (he lived and got 12 years in prison .)

Obama mmm mmm good said...

HA!!The man behind the Obama joker is a Democrat and fellow Chicagoan.

You Democrats sooooo crazy.Take that filled negro!!!

kid said...

By gosh golly,fish that are dead can't swim.Support the troops and love me.You betch ya !

I hope I made you feel better Blinders Off.

Anonymous said...

Mr.R,
Noting your pictures, you and Kid really know how to be insulting scumbags. Nothing is off-limits to you two.

Dade said...

American blacks are a waste of life.

Everybody elsewhere- asians, whites, foreign blacks are trying to do their shit. Except for worthless american blacks.

What a stain on humanity

kid said...

Pissed you off didn't I Mr.R.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

A picture of Mr R and his wife.

http://www.grimmemennesker.dk/data/media/1/6g.jpg

http://www.melbourne.indymedia.org/uploads/pig-ugly-woman-fat-face.jpgnpjjnb.jpg

Anonymous said...

Dade, what color are you?

kid said...

Hey she got the President's birth certificate, it's Dr Orly Taitz:

kid said...

Oops let me try again.

kid said...

Didn't work . Well I guess i'm stuck with this ugly face.

alicia banks said...

here she is:

http://www.orlytaitzesq.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7BLOcpceRY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UreJZMY_2IY&feature=fvw

Anonymous said...

Dade-"American blacks are a waste of life."

You sound very depressed and suicidal. Call Dr. Phil for help.

hmmmm said...

" when a stick up kid wants t take your "jawn" you have to just give it up as quickly as possible. The only time you hesitate..."

People like this kid are like the KKK- when they know everyone is going to cower in fear of them their power multiplies. People say it is stupid to resist or go after a purse snatcher or similar type criminal. I say, why do we send troops to foreign countries to fight for "our freedom" when WE don't fight for our freedom in this country? I have seen people, almost always young men, be abusive and threatening and people will put up with it out of fear. We should stand up to thugs just like a previous generation stood up to the KKK. And yes, just like last time, there will be people who die over it. But as far as I'm concerned people who stand up to criminals in this country are as noble as those who join our military and risk their lives overseas.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

hmmm:

Are the neo-nazi included in that stand up?

grinder said...

What a sad story.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Yes, it is Grinder, very sad! That's nothing they shoot out the police car windows at the police station in the broad open daylight, and have done it more than once.

Bob said...

& in Newark NJ, 14 year old boy shot dead at 2:30 am in gang killing. He was in a gang, & had earlier had an argument with someone else in a gang. Odd angle, his older brother graduated Shabazz High with honors in June, has a scholarship to a community college, recently attended an antiviolence rally, & now feels he's a hypocrite for not having turned his kid bro away from gang life. As if he could. I hope the older brother, when his grief eases some, realizes he will save countless lives by his own example.

grinder said...

Granny, the young man lost his life. Windows in a police car can be replaced.

NSangoma said...

~
Where he (The gunman was described only as a black male with a dark complexion.) daddy at?

And, white folks ain't not supposed to be concerned when you Philly dawg nigguhz show up at dhere swimming pool?

I'd take my children out of the pool too, when I caught a glimpse of you low, low, dawg philly niggahz coming our way.

Who yall gonna shot next?
`

Anonymous said...

"Who yall gonna shot next?"

Don't worry because Black America won't even be around in 20 years. It's on its deathbed.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

Grinder:

You're misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. Let me put it this way, they have become very BOLD!

field negro said...

"When will Obama and the Democrats stop this violence??"

When the republicans stop teaching them how to be violent.

Ask a stupid question.....

Dade-"American blacks are a waste of life."

There is no such thing as an "American black". That's an oxymoron.

Jody said...

Field, its curious to me that when you post on violence, the rabid racists treat your post like you have set them out a feast to gourge on. Then, they use your posts as an opportunity to regurgitate hateful, mean spirited, ugliness.
To all those that have posted and I am sure will post ugly bile..... I just want to remind you that your hatred and ugliness speaks volumes about you, your character, your lack of humanity or decency. It says nothing about the topic.

field negro said...

"To all those that have posted and I am sure will post ugly bile..... I just want to remind you that your hatred and ugliness speaks volumes about you, your character, your lack of humanity or decency. It says nothing about the topic."

Jody, that was very well said. But why bother? I learned a long time ago that you can't change the hearts of some people.

kid, I love that pic! :) Are you sure that's not our girl, Sarah?

Obama mmm mmm good said...

Ya'll need to take your hate and racist comments to the DailyKOS or Democrat Underground where it belongs.


field negro said...
"When will Obama and the Democrats stop this violence??"

When the republicans stop teaching them how to be violent.

Ask a stupid question.....


Some of the most violent cities in this country are controled by Democrats.So why would i expect Democrats to stop something they helped create. Stupid me!!!


Why hasn't Obama and the Democrats ordered a investigation into the death of PFC Lavena Johnson??


Tell me again why ya'll vote Democrat 90% of the time.

Attorneymom said...

FieldNegro, my mother and husband are beefing (upset) with me because I purchased a Black Panther T-shirt. Can you believe these Negroes don't want me wearing a Black Panther t-shirt in the ATL or my predominately white neighborhood??

Attorneymom said...

Back in the sixties our brothers and sisters were hanged
How could you gang-bang?
I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan
and I shouldn't have to run from a Black man

Self Destructions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxyYP_bS_6s

Attorneymom at 21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vTZytOsSgw

Attorneymom said...

West Coast: Same Gang

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0YVj4pVHhk

Anonymous said...

granny, thats what you get for trying to suck up to grinder.

Jody said...

Blogger MR.R said...

Ya'll need to take your hate and racist comments to the DailyKOS or Democrat Underground where it belongs.

Wow! YOU come here, to the Field's blog. Not YOUR blog. And post this?!
The hypocracy is dizzying!!!

Anonymous said...

"Happiness is a warm gun". When citizens (NOT thugs) are trained and required to carry self-protection, episodes like this might cease. Imagine the outcome if Mr. Makadji had responded with a big-bore, snub-nosed handgun?

Flash

Constructive Feedback said...

(Hey Kid - I just LOL at your new avatar. That was funny. Of course - I already know your primary interests is on fighting against Conservatives rather than FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY)

HEY FILLED NEGRO!!!!

What is going on IN YEADON PA!???

100% Democratic City Council and the Negroes are split into a 3 against 3 faction.

Oh - I forgot to tell you that the 7th vote on Council was found to be a convicted felon and as a result was ruled DISQUALIFIED to serve.

I don't know about you Filled Negro but 25 years ago I used to drive down 63rd Street, turn on Cobbs Creek Parkway and then head over to Yeadon where my friends lived. It was a nice place back then.

It was a place to escape the madness of Southwest Philly. Now it seems that the madness is spreading beyond the borders.

I am sure that you are content none the less. The entire town is run by Democrats. Your goal has been accomplished.

Let's just hope our people recover some day.


Council boycott paralyzes government in Yeadon

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20090817_Council_boycott_paralyzes_government_in_Yeadon.html

Anonymous said...

Field, you really dissapointed me... White Guy named "Salvatore" guns down 2 Bruthas in Harlem and not a peep outta the Field, I mean, House Negro... EMTs gonna need the Jaws of Life to get you off of Vicks crotch...And foreign language skills not a big deal, I speak german fluently cause I lived there in those language forming stages, Who gives a Rats Ass???

Frank

Anonymous said...

"As for Americans learning other languages, I think it's good, but with all the immigrants America has, how fair and practical is that? When in Rome, you do as..."

You already speak 3 languages, why don't you want other black Americans to learn like you? Crab in the barrel.

Anonymous said...

Jody "...I just want to remind you that your hatred and ugliness speaks volumes about you, your character, your lack of humanity or decency. It says nothing about the topic."

Thank you, Jody. It is good to know someone else notes the hatred and indecency on this blog, and will speak out about it.

George A. said...

Field,

To say that Jamaican Patois is just 'broken English' is to do a disservice to the diverse English Creole LANGUAGE that it is. It's not broken English, Jamaican patois is it's own developed language that slaves from West and Central Africa developed incorporating elements of the English language of their slave masters.

If Jamaican Patois is just broken English, then I suppose Haitian Creole (my language) is just broken French. But it is not! We cannot forfeit our ownership of ours own legitimate languages by comparing them to some white supremacist model that privileges American or European English as the pinnacle.

Anonymous said...

"You already speak 3 languages, why don't you want other black Americans to learn like you? Crab in the barrel."

I am skeptical of any knowledge La Incognita claims about languages. The only language she speaks on this blog is a cold mean-spirited language called hatred of bm and ww.

But that is the mark of a crab in a barrel.

Ava said...

Field this is a sad story but here is an even worst story about....LARK VORHEES!!!

http://television.aol.com/celebrities/hot-celeb-gossip-photos?photodeeplinkNum=0&icid=main|main|dl2|link3|http%3A%2F%2Ftelevision.aol.com%2Fcelebrities%2Fhot-celeb-gossip-photos%3FphotodeeplinkNum%3D0

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 10:59 "I am skeptical of any knowledge La Incognita claims about languages. The only language she speaks on this blog is a cold mean-spirited language called hatred of bm and ww. "

Why are you skeptical? She's black so you don't think she can speak another language except for ebonics?

Anonymous said...

Field: Ya gotta see this:


http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/central/story/Man-protests-President-Obamas-Phoenix-speech-with/q4OeoN6qZU-efcy1Zoq7xQ.cspx

Julie O. said...

I love your work, and look forward to a daily 'truth serum' to keep me humble and committed to the cause.

In honor of your side post of the wall in the U.S. to have a barrier between the U.S. and Mexico, I wanted to share with you some racist PETA ads which that are displayed on the said wall in english and spanish, in order to offend and spread hate to more people ... http://www.feministing.com/archives/010535.html

Avoiding eating meat is great if it fills your spirit, however rascism + exploitation of naked women and men's bodies = an abuse of power.

Anonymous said...

"Why are you skeptical? She's black so you don't think she can speak another language except for ebonics?"

No, those are your feelings and assumptions. Her color? Ebonics? I have no idea whether she speaks ebonics or not and could care less about her color.

My skepticism of her comes from a history of her mean-spirited hateful posts made in the past on this blog. They don't call her JAWS for nothing.

Hatred doesn't have a color nor does it necessarily speak ebonics.

west coast story said...

I speak enough pidgin Spanish to communicate. Planning on taking classes to get fluent. No excuse since I hear it every day. I know a few words in French. French was hard for me. Spoke it with a Spanish accent and drove my French teacher nuts. I can count to ten in German, I can say "oy ve" in Chinese and that's about it for me.

west coast story said...

As for this shooting, I just don't know what to say. I really don't. More shootings in Oakland (and in Richmond). I guess we can say that if there is one thing black folks are really efficient at it is killing each other. You never know when your time is up, either. It could happen in a flash on the freeway, walking down the street, getting a newspaper, anywhere. I drive everywhere in my neighborhood and only walk across the street to the neighbors. There's a BBQ place four blocks away and I always get in the car, unlock the gate, back the car out, lock the gate, drive to the BBQ place, then do the gate thing in reverse. For a four-block errand. I'm not lazy I'm just not interested in being a victim of some asshole with no future who wants to rob me of mine.

Anonymous said...

WCS "More shootings in Oakland (and in Richmond). I guess we can say that if there is one thing black folks are really efficient at it is killing each other. You never know when your time is up, either. It could happen in a flash..."

Well said. It can happen to anybody especially if you are Black. We need to delve deeply into this disregard for the lives of Blacks by Blacks. It happens so much that it is expected and taken for granted. What a curse!

No group of people can survive living under such circumstances: Blacks against Blacks: Whites against Blacks...what a desperate, fearful and pathetic way to live...

DuchessDee said...

FN just returned from vacation in Charlotte NC. Sad to hear of the story in NC.

also I am bummed to see more and more of pictures of people distorted. It is essentially calling someone likeness a liar. A person can work their whole life trying to live right and in one picture can destroy a lifetime of walking tall.

Take the distorted images off and if you are going to put up an image use YOURSELF!

La♥audiobooks said...

Anony, you're the only one who tries to call me Jaws. I made a similar joke on myself some threads back, and you took it and ran with it. You're being hysterical with your imaginary hate group.

You're such a sour loser. Stop stalking me with your whining. There is nothing I can do to help you - tienes que superarlo y encontrar felicidad.

Field, do you pay these people or what? LOL

Visibility said...

field,

Are you trying to ruin my day? Really?

I still dream of a world, Brother field, where shit like this is just NOT TOLERATED in the Black community. I wish that the boy who shot that student would actually feel shame, so much so that he dedicated his life to service. Instead, he will go to jail and we know how that story will end.

field, do you have anything better out there, like, I don't know, a story about how all Black repubs are suddenly repentant and are going to make a change, starting with the man in mirror?

kid said...

Metric :

Give Field some slack,Yardie know how fi chat.

RiPPa said...

Field, I thought of you and your House Negro Award as I wrote this story about the brotha who was at the town hall in Arizona with that AR-15 yesterday. Please put this Negro on the wall will ya?

http://rippdemup.blogspot.com/2009/08/black-guy-with-gun-at-obama-town-hall.html

krystal*lyte said...

Can i get a happy birthday up in here?? oh and one forthis destable toad as well






field, if i had reading super powers of a harvard professor, I wouldn't have mistaked that last sentance whilst speed reading for: 'This is new jack city!' and indeed it is..the poor kid came here to a-merry-kkka in search for something, a better life and an education which our African cousins value quite highly with there being tons of universities in west africa...but they come here because they have heard the lie that we are the shining city on the hill..

where teachers being paid less and becoming less involved in their field of academia and with the students. where they are pressured to assimilate and forsake their roots to make anything other than a gas station attendant of themselves. where from the time they open their mouths and an exotic accent springs forth the are considered to be a little less than a nigger...

yes poor thing would have made a fine contribution to god forsaken a-merry-kkkan society but because of the state of amerry-kkkan society which does not value diversity nor human life..one is lost senslessly.

hmmmm said...

"GrannyStandingforTruth said...
hmmm:
Are the neo-nazi included in that stand up?"


No, I only pick on black people.

Now that I told you what you want to hear (and already assumed) let me tell you the truth:
Granny, I know you are older but you need to attune yourself to reality. MORE BLACK MEN ARE KILLED BY OTHER BLACK MEN EVERY DAY IN THIS COUNTRY THAT THE NEO-NAZI'S OR KKK OR WHITE SUPREMISTS KILL IN A WHOLE YEAR.

People like you, who still believe the KKK and Nazi's are what makes the streets unsafe do not live in the real world.
I have been threatened dozens of times in my life while walking down the street minding my own business. I see this situation happen to others. And it ain't the neo-Nazi's or the KKK who are doing it. It's young people, mostly young men, and disproportiately of African decent.

The Neo-Nazi boogyman is a figment of your imagination. For every crime against black folks this year by a Neo-Nazi there will be thousands committed within your own ethnic group.

no_slappz said...

field, you posted:

"Temple University student and West African immigrant was shot in an attempted robbery this morning in a Southwest Philadelphia park because he did not understand the gunman's commands, police said."

IN other words, you want foreigners to improve their understanding of black slang so they will know what black criminals are demanding.

How about taking the criminals off the street? Or, putting more effort into taking their guns.

Like Stop-and-Frisk. That works. Or making it easier for store-owners to defend themselves from armed robbers.

More security cameras are also good. With more cameras the odds of getting a clear and identifying picture of a perpetrator improve a lot.

Why are blacks so prone to murder?

field negro said...

Metric, gulty as charged.:) Yes, I am not sure if I still consider my native dialect a language per se, but I get your point.

Mrs. Field is from South Louisiana,and her Grandfather speaks Creole and very little English (back in the day they would teach blacks Creole and not English on the farms down there)which I think is mad cool. Mrs. Field speaks a little of it, too, but not much. Now even though it's a French dialect, I still consider it another language, since I don't speak French fluently.

Ava, you folks and these Lark sightings are killing me.:( Why you ruining a brotha's day?

Attorneymom, I was thinking of that exact same song when I wrote this post.

"Tell me again why ya'll vote Democrat 90% of the time."

Do you have a few days to listen?

Blinders Off, I hope you are feeling better. ***v*** Those flowers are kind of crude, but I hope they helped. ;)

Anonymous said...

"also I am bummed to see more and more of pictures of people distorted..."

Yes, I agree. But considering the vile profanity and lack of respect coming from some folks on this blog, what else can you expect? A self-hating self-destructive race lacking dignity and respect for human life has little chance for a bright future.

Right now the race is running low on hope. We don't even have a spiritual compass anymore. The way things are going among Blacks in A-Merry-Ca, descendants of slaves will be a memory in American history...with a few exceptions.

trickster206 said...

In NYC recently, a business owner killed two young men Harlem who were gun beating his employee of 19years. He got two of them. The other two--the police found and one of them is out on bond already.

Now, I will say this there ARE many poor people living in urban cities. But in NYC you have generations of blacks who live in their parents' homes/pulic housing which has been paid for and they have good jobs to boot (i.e. MTA, Wall Street, State, Federal jobs). These blacks are NOT poor (except in their minds and spirits not to mention all the cultural stuff going on. To me, because you have an advantage living in NYC, there is no excuse for those young black children to be insulated and pigeon-holed into this fanstasy of blacks living in poverty (thanks BET and rap).

And it's a good thing for our children to speak different languages. But unfortunately today, even black college educated young ones speak ebonic and think they will get a job in communications or any major company. I was taught to speak well at home and I could speak ebonics with my friends when I hung out.

University admissions, job interviews, police interaction depend on how well you communicate with others (that don't come from your hood).

trickster206 said...

In NYC recently, a business owner killed two young men Harlem who were gun beating his employee of 19years. He got two of them. The other two--the police found and one of them is out on bond already.

Now, I will say this there ARE many poor people living in urban cities. But in NYC you have generations of blacks who live in their parents' homes/pulic housing which has been paid for and they have good jobs to boot (i.e. MTA, Wall Street, State, Federal jobs). These blacks are NOT poor (except in their minds and spirits not to mention all the cultural stuff going on. To me, because you have an advantage living in NYC, there is no excuse for those young black children to be insulated and pigeon-holed into this fanstasy of blacks living in poverty (thanks BET and rap).

And it's a good thing for our children to speak different languages. But unfortunately today, even black college educated young ones speak ebonic and think they will get a job in communications or any major company. I was taught to speak well at home and I could speak ebonics with my friends when I hung out.

University admissions, job interviews, police interaction depend on how well you communicate with others (that don't come from your hood).

field negro said...

no_slappz, I didn't write that, it was a direct quote from a newspaper article. I am not sure what you are trying to say....

Maybe I should start taking my tongue out of my cheeks when I start writing. :(

Anonymous said...

Field: "Maybe I should start taking my tongue out of my cheeks when I start writing. :("

No, don't do that, Field. I enjoy the tongue in cheek. However, note it with an asterisk or words for those who might not pick up on it.

GrannyStandingforTruth said...

"But in NYC you have generations of blacks who live in their parents' homes/pulic housing which has been paid for and they have good jobs to boot (i.e. MTA, Wall Street, State, Federal jobs)."

Unbelievable! Smh! Is the cost of living that high out there? I thought that the cost of living out this way was higher, but then I don't know of too many black folks out this way with good paying jobs that are still living with their parents, unless their unemployed. Are those jobs that they hold high paying positions or low paying jobs? As far as I know in comparison to the west coast, it must be a NY thing.

Rents in San Francisco run up to $6,000 and some more.

vanishing point said...

no_slappz,
according to your recent comment about store owners, i take it, you believe that it was ok for that store owner to take out his gun and kill the 4 young men who were robbing his store. so far, that store owner isn't in any trouble, seems to me, he ought to know how to shoot a gun better than that, like maybe not KILLING them!
still waiting to see if that store owner gets charged, that will be interesting.
just wondering, did that store owner have a legal gun permit?

Anonymous said...

from a yardie ....im fluent in different languages ...one of them is brasilian portugese ..i had a hilarious experience working in a studio with a cool enginer in jamica who said who i have a friend from jamaica who travels to brasil alot..why dont you talk to him..so he calls him and i start talking fluent brasilian portgese to the guy...he asks to speak back to the engineer and he asks the guy "is this guy really jamaican ?i never met a jamaican who could speak portugese like this...
and the engineer was yes man hes from yard

to me it was too funny
another time i was in tuff gong store in kingston and some black french speaking tourists were in the store buying some
t shirts. they received their change in a combination of jamaican and usa dollars but they were confused by getting their change in two currencies. i french they asking themselves are we getting ripped off here i dont understand this change. i was sitting quietly by them but since i have lived in a french speaking african country i understood what they were saying..so i said to them dont woory you got the correct change dont worry its a cool person they arent trying to rip you off(since i had done buisness with this person before) well they visibly relaxed and then after relaxing proceeding to then buy a ton of stuff feeling really chill and at home...
one o fthe morals of the story is knowing languages really makes a huge difference in comunication and breaking down barriers ...forward ever backwards never

Lady-Cracker said...

Field FYI creoles are real languages. From Wiki "A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable language that originates from a mixture of various languages. The lexicon of a creole usually consists of words clearly borrowed from the parent languages, except for phonetic and semantic shifts. On the other hand, the grammar often has original features and may differ substantially from those of the parent languages."

My DIL is a linguist and I happened to ask if there are emerging languages as well as disappearing languages and the answer was that creoles are the emerging languages.

mesha said...

http://bit.ly/W4zhr You Are Still Wearing A "Yes We Can" T- Shirt.

La♥audiobooks said...

i never met a jamaican who could speak portugese like this...
and the engineer was yes man hes from yard
"

Oh anony, you and I both know why a lot of you black males from the Caribbean/US/UK kill yourselves to learn Brazilian Portuguese these days...

field negro said...

"one o fthe morals of the story is knowing languages really makes a huge difference in comunication and breaking down barriers ...forward ever backwards never"

Co-sign with that anon.(yawdie)Thanks for that anecdote. That was too funny. I have a few friends from the rock who are quite fluent in many languages, and I am embarrassed when i hang with them sometimes and hear them chatting it up in whatever language.

"Oh anony, you and I both know why a lot of you black males from the Caribbean/US/UK kill yourselves to learn Brazilian Portuguese these days..."

Why is that La~Incognita? Because we want to be able to watch the Brazilian's play football (soccer)?:)

Lady-Cracker, thanks for that education.

trickster206 said...

GrannyForTruth:

I'm sorry. I'm saying in many instances the parents are deceased. As in my family, we kept the house in Queens. It's paid for! And add to that a good job- even a mediocre job, your kids ain't living in poverty. Another thing, some projects are Section 8 and from time to time you have relatives of the original owner living there (with cheap rent) long after the tenant has died. From time to time they catch cops, sanitation, court workers living in Section 8 housing under their dead relatives name!

The rents are crazy crazy out in NYC.

no_slappz said...

field, you wrote:

"no_slappz, I didn't write that, it was a direct quote from a newspaper article. I am not sure what you are trying to say...."

I know you did not write the quote. That's why I wrote "You Posted".

Anyway, based on what you wrote, you are making the argument that it is better to learn how to appease criminals that supporting changes that reduce the number of criminals.

Like I said, if store owners are freer to defend themselves, the bad boys will stop robbing them. Defensive fire-power is a strong deterrent. The punk with the gun figures he's got the advantage -- until the store owner blasts him with a 12-gauge.

Of course that will shift the violence to the car-service drivers. There is an ongoing problem in NY City with punks who call for car service and rob the drivers, sometimes shooting them to death to put a nice touch on the robbery.

Let's be clear. White guys are NOT robbing stores or drivers at gunpoint. Or committing many murders in NY City.

Why is the rate of violence so much higher among blacks than whites?

grinder said...

You're misunderstanding what I'm trying to say. Let me put it this way, they have become very BOLD!

I was a little unfair to you, and I'm sorry for that. I realize that people are getting murdered all the time, but this one got to me I guess. What a waste. But I shouldn't have gone off on you.

LB said...

& in the public health community we are starting to talk about health literacy. Well it is important to note that not all information means the same thing to everybody. Thanks field for pointing out the basics once again. God Bless Makadji's family and loved ones. My heart goes out to them!

arroznegro said...

Meanwhile in the ATL:

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/teen-arrested-in-118793.html


“I own this world, like Scarface,” Wimes shouted to reporters when he was taken in to the Chattahoochee Hills police station earlier Tuesday evening.

He emerged to find his mother and another woman waiting outside, as police loaded him into the back of a squad car.

“I love you Tot. I love you, Mama,” he said, as he looked through the barred windows and held both his thumbs up.

Too much TV!

Anonymous said...

Jamaican patois is no more broken English than English is broken Latin. It is a language in its own right, no matter that it derived from others.

Anonymous said...

greetings from a yardie, la incognito im curious to hear your reasoning,,,i know when i was a child i saw image of brasilian countryside on jamaican tv and for some reason it tpuched something inside me and i said too myself one day i want to live there ...and you cant live in brasil without speaking the language

La♥audiobooks said...

Oh Anony, I was just teasing you (google black men and Brazil :)

I'm from the Carib too, and I also love Brazil, their language, and their musical culture. When I was really small I had an uncle who routinely spoke on the phone to his childhood friend in Brz. Portuguese. Because I understood half the things he said, I always thought he was speaking "funny" spanish with french patois vowels so I wouldn't catch on. He played their music a lot too.

I would love to go Brazil one day. When I watch some of their movies, and I understand most of what they say, but I would still struggle if I had to speak it in return.

Lady-Cracker said...

Blogger La♥Incognita said...

Oh Anony, I was just teasing you (google black men and Brazil :)


So I did Google {"black men" Brazil} and wasn't that something I had not heard. Sigh...it always seems to be something else.

risingsun said...

A gun in your face is not a universal language. Putting your hands in the air isn't always all you need to satisfy a criminal, or even a cop for that matter. The thug probably shot him out of fear and not knowing what to do when the man did not obey his orders.

Anonymous said...

"Stuff White People Like #115"
Promising to Learn a New Language

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/11/09/115-promising-to-learn-a-new-language/

no_slappz said...

anonymous,

A reasonable command of English is all the language anyone needs.

In fact, one way to improve life for everyone in the US is to make English the national language, the way French is the national language of France.