Whelp…I was all set for a brand new post tonight and whatnot but it seems like everyone’s pretty much dedicated posts to the Morehouse dress-code issue. Since I’m feeling lazy, I’m just gonna go ahead and repost my comment from Ms. Smart’s site:
Both of my parents attended college in the AUC in the 60′s. THEY HAD A DRESS CODE!!! A strict one. Why? Because many of them had no idea how to dress in a professional setting. They were neat and clean cut, sure. But they needed to learn polish before being sent out into the world of work.
They APPRECIATED the fact that someone cared enough to want them to look their best. WTF happened?
DISCLAIMER: The 90′s…Karl Kani and Cross Colors happened, but I digress….
My dad grew up in Carver Homes, while my grandad was out populating the earth. Where did he learn how to tie his tie the correct way? The proper cut/cloth to choose? Clark.
My mother came to Atlanta from Jackson, Mississippi. She didn’t even know that she was supposed to bring bed linen to her dorm room. Where did she learn to dress “citified” w/o the hooch factor? Clark.
FAMU’s SBI program has taken MANY a black child and groomed them into professionals. Until you get a gotdamn job, YOUR CAMPUS/CLASSROOM IS YOUR PROFESSION – not your canvas for artisitc expression.
My boss ain’t hiring a man who comes in for an interview in a muh-fuggin’ dress and pumps. Can that same man go to Bulldawgs after work w/ his lipgloss poppin’ and make it do what it do? Sure! BUT NOT AT WORK. What’s so hard to understand about that?
Contrary to popular belief, higher education is a PRIVILEGE not a RIGHT. I am SOOOOOO sick of this attitude of entitlement that our generation and the ones coming after us have. Get over yourselves! SHYT….and glitter sparkles!!!
To make a long story short
“Life’s a game but it’s not fair
I break the rules so I don’t care
So I keep doin’ my own thing
Walkin’ tall against the rain
Victory’s within the mile
Almost there, don’t give up now
Only thing that’s on my mind
Is who’s gonna run this town tonight…”
Sounds good if it’s Rhianna’s voice w/ a dope beat and Jay-Z and Kanye’s $$ behind you, but youngbloods still need to recognize that there’s a time and place for everything.
You used ‘youngbloods’. Are you 50??
I have CLEARLY passed my prime when I wake up like the Rip Van Winkle of the blogosphere to find folks acting like it’s alright for dudes to wear peep-toes, clutches and corsets to English 101!!
You have to get IN the game, to be able to CHANGE the game. These chillun’s just don’t get it. But at their age, I got it. It’s gotta be in the hometraining.
It’s gotta be in the hometraining.
I agree. I think it’s similar to the sense of material entitlement our generation has. Our parents worked hard so we didn’t have to, but the downside is that we think that everything in our lives is supposed to happen instantaneously. There’s no pleasure in the journey.
And with these kids, we’ve fought hard to be able to be comfortable in our authentic skin so that they wouldn’t have to. We made it way to comfortable for them to ‘take off the mask’.
Like you said, you have to be IN it to CHANGE it. They have to learn how to navigate both worlds.
Okay I was thinking that this part, “Sounds good if it’s Rhianna’s voice w/ a dope beat and Jay-Z and Kanye’s $$ behind you, but youngbloods still need to recognize that there’s a time and place for everything.” should be spoken by Big Rube w/ some smooth swangin sounds surrounding him.
Right on to the real!! Death to the fakers!!*
*that was a part of my ‘intro2letchooknow’ for my probate show* Lol!
I might have been there for that…
Spring ’95. There six of us from Atlanta on my line – the Southernplayalisix
. We even did the ATL YEEK!! in our show. *sigh* The good ol’ days!
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