Black Stereotypes

Even in 2008, there seems to be a strong stereotype that black people are only limited to one lifestyle, only speak in ebonics ( nothin wrong with ebonics, i use it all the time) and are only limted to certain types of music. WRONG, much of this world is ignorant to the fact that not all blacks are the same. Why is it that when black people try to branch out from these stereotypes, they get rediculed for it and are called "white", "oreo", "uncle tom", or any other degrading terms. Not all blacks can run fast and jump high, not all blacks listen to hip hop and r&b, and not all blacks are from the inner city. I blame a big part of this on the media for portraying us for something that not all of us are. I'm black, I listen to hip hop, r&b, and gospel, but i also listen rock, hardcore, indie, and other subgenres as well, does this make me less black? Of course not im still 100% black, but some people are too ignorant to see past the stereotype and what a sad majority follows. What many people fail to realize is that, we (Black people) created rock n roll. Chuck Berry was one of the founding pioneers of rock n roll before the whites took it and ran with it ( not mad at white people, just mad that some whites claimed they created the genre). Elvis did NOT invent rock n roll! There is also the issue that blacks can only dress a certain way to remain "black", this is slowly changing as more people are becoming aware of cultures merging together and sharing fashion, but this process is long over due. I think part of our problems as blacks is that we limit ourselves and validate these labels that are given to us, meaing every time we're in a situation where we have to prove our "racial authenticity" we take the easy way out and perform some niggerish act instead of compromising and showing others our true uniqueness. We are sometimes our own worst enemy, we shoot ourselves in the foot everytime we conform to what the world says we should be. Black people do not live like you see in rap videos, so stop downgrading us when you see reality. We are educated and we can do anything white people can do. I mean Jay-z is the ceo of Rocafella records AND HES BLACK! Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith coached in last years Super Bowl, AND THEY'RE BLACK! Barack Obama is one of the leading candidates for the upcoming Presidential Election and guess what, HE'S BLACK TOO! Imagine that....if it werent for people like this, us black people would never have access to the opportunities we now do. Many people don't know how to respond to an educated black person without it being negative, we have to keep progressing and showing people that just because we're dark skinned dosnt mean that we are limited in anyway. Im proud to be black and i wouldnt have any other way. Its time for all of us to think outside of the box, and tear down the walls people and even we ourselves have put up against our people. LETS BREAK THE STEREOTYPES!!!