Why are we so hasty to take responsibility for the negative actions of others?
I can only speak on what I know, so in this case, I’m talking specifically about black folk. I was reading people’s note on facebook, and came across a large selection of people’s commentary on the London Riots (hey, remember those?). A significant number of comments started with the words ‘I am so ashamed…’. Why are you ashamed? did you riot? No. Did your sibling, friend or child riot? No. So why are you ashamed? Why perpetuate the negative stereotype of our people by taking blame for acts you had nothing to do with?
I remember my colleague telling me that all black people should be ashamed of what went on in the riots (he’s a black male with a ‘special’ world view, to put it nicely). I told him straight, that if he wanted to carry the burden of every negative act of a black youth, then that was up to him, but as for me, it’s wasn’t happening.
