negroes

My dad is at it again. I hate when he plays the race card. I hate when ANYONE plays the race card.

Right now, I am listening as he is talking to the men doing our hardwood floors downstairs.

He just told a story about how a man at North Greenville College where he teaches asked him how he can drive the car that he does (a BMW 745iL), and the man was only driving his car (whatever it was). My dad said he asked him, "What do you mean? How can a BLACK man drive a car like this?"

OMG! The statement of an angry black man if I have ever seen one.

Then, I hear the truth about why I live where I live. My dad says, "Well, we got here in 1985 and my wife and I tried to find a black neighborhood. All we could find was Pine Hill and I was like, 'That's it?' So I met this man and asked him if he knew a church we could go to. He directed us to Enoree Fork and we've been over on this side of town ever since." BOO! Excuse me for just one second. I am SO glad that I don't live in a "black neighborhood." And I don't care if I sound like I am "denying my blackness" or whatever. What is considered "a black neighborhood," anyway? Is that a neighborhood void of white people? Because if so, that is the furthest thing from reality if I have ever seen one.

My God?! Why do black people feel the need to segregate themselves from the rest of society. See, there was this thing called the Civil Rights movement that made everyone equal. Blacks, whites, ANYONE can live where ever they want and do whatever they want. Everyone is always talking about how, white people are still suppressing the black man. Well excuse the phrase, but FUCK ALL OF YOU who say that. I know for a fact that it is possible for a black man or woman to do everything that a white man or woman can do.

That dumb bitch Stacie on The Apprentice was like, "You can't be black and go on reality television, because regardless of what you do, you are going to end up being called crazy." Shut the hell up, you peasy headed girl... The reason why YOU were considered crazy is because your damn ass is CRAZY! Kevin on the show didn't say that. He said just the opposite. "No one stereotypes you to be anything on these shows. You end up being labeled exactly what you are. If you are a successful and intelligent individual, you will be seen that way." And "my brotha" made it to the last 4 people on the show.

Don't sit there and tell me that black people can't do it. If you think that, it's because YOU as a black person lack the confidence not in black people, but in yourself. When I tried out for drum major, lots of black people in the band told me that a black person would never be drum major at Clemson. Well here's a big FUCK YOU to them as well... I did it, bitches. AND SO DID LEROY! THAT'S TWO BLACK MOTHERFUCKERS FOR YOU! And if you look back at pictures, there have been black drum majors BEFORE the two of us. So as much as I would like to take pride in saying that I was SO great because I was A BLACK DRUM MAJOR AT CLEMSON, big fucking deal. It happened before me, it will happen after me. On top of that, this man who is somehow related to me, was telling my dad that it was SUCH a big deal for me to be in the position I was in at Clemson because of the history of the university and the race relations therein. WHATEVER! He has yet to tell me the huge statement I made as a black man, but to be completely honest and true, I don't buy it one bit. When Harvey Gantt, the first black student, came to Clemson , they documented it as "Integration with Dignity" or something like that... it says it in this plaque out front of Tillman Hall. Apparently, race relations have not been a big deal at Clemson. Yes it is in the heart of the conservative south, but all conservative southern people are not Klans members that want to see black people fail... just like not all black people are failures at life.

BLACK PEOPLE CAN DO EVERYTHING THAT WHITE PEOPLE CAN DO. We are not better, we are not worse. We are equal. And I am sick of people drawing the line between the two. I am sick of being told not to trust white people. I am sick of being told "what white people do" and "what black people do." I am sick of heing criticized because I talk like "a white person." I am sick of being criticized because I don't hang out with JUST black people. I am sick of other black people segregating themselves from the racial whole. I'm sick of it all.

I am an intelligent, successful, determined, goal oriented HUMAN BEING that does not give a flying rats ass about color or race. The color of my skin is nothing but that, the color of my skin. Within it does not lie disadvantage or advantage. If I am unsuccessful, it is because I, HAMILTON PARKS was not prepared or qualified enough... NOT because I am black.

So this is a warning... I suggest if you are going to discuss race around me, you better think again. I'm through with dealing with race.