“I Live In a Good Neighborhood”

Bedford N. Umez, Ph.D.

1. Introduction

"I live in a good neighborhood; it is a white neighborhood," is a statement I overheard an African made to another during a birthday party of a friend. Although such a phrase is common (especially, in the US), it is troubling. It is troubling because some of my people have come to believe that the quality of a neighborhood is defined by race.

It is, therefore, my intention to dispel this calculated stereotype by contending that the quality of a neighborhood is not determined by race; it is mostly defined by the income level of the residents. But before that, I must first comment, rather briefly, on the origin of this dehumanizing stereotype about Africans.

2. Neighborhood Quality and Race: The Genesis

Equating "bad neighborhood" to "black neighborhood" (and, in fact, describing anything bad with the adjective "black") is not new. It is rooted in the centuries of caricature of African people; the caricature that is built around the following phrases: "black sheep of the family," "painted one black," "black market," "black maria," "black widow," among others.

These phrases, and others like them, have only one thing in common, namely, to degrade, cajole, ridicule, and dehumanize Africans -- the so-called "blacks" -- all over the world. In this article, my case will be made when one considers the usage (and the meaning) of the words "black" and "white" in several cultures, and subcultures.

Let us begin by considering the pictures of Satan and that of the Angel. Notwithstanding the obvious fact that those who draw (and paint) Satan and Angel have never seen them, it has been generally accepted that Satan (the evil doer) is black in color while Angel (the savior) is white.

Accordingly, it is not surprising: that our priests, and popes dress in white robes before the church congregation; that "black Tuesday" was the name given to the day when the stock market crashed in 1929; that illegal market is defined as "black market;" that some of our (Nigerian) leaders embezzle our funds and siphon them to foreign banks owned by the color-defined "Angels," while banks owned by the "Satans" are being closed daily due to lack of funds; that back home (Nigeria) the best residential areas, such as the so-called "European Quarters" (what a name?) are mostly reserved/occupied by the "Angels," while the natives -- the owners of the country -- subject themselves (due to inferiority complex and ignorance) to modern-day colonists and slaves; that several African medical doctors do not receive equal status and respect as their "Angelic" counterparts, even in their own countries; that some African nations have literally rejected their own languages in lieu of the languages owned by the color-defined Angels; that some of our people refuse to marry their own kind because the person has a darker skin color (as if, a white person will refuse marrying another white because the person is too white in complexion); that some of our own custom officials hold us hostage in OUR OWN airports (in search of the so-called contrabands) while the "Angels" are allowed to pass with little or no questions asked; that some of our own people demand bribes from our own people, while "Angels" are totally exempt; that the TIME magazine presented a more darkened picture of Mr. O. J. Simpson once charged with the murder of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman (in 1994); and that the pundits ascribed the origin of AIDS to the green monkeys (I have never seen) in Africa.

Hence, I agreed (and still agree) with Father (Professor) Robert Drinan (of Georgetown University, Law School) when he stated [in the CNN edition of Crossfire, June 1, 1996] that death penalty is wrong in America because it is administered discriminately with over "two-thirds" (68%) of those put to death being blacks while the "Angels" who committed similar offense are given life imprisonment (which we know does not mean spending one’s life in jail)..

When one puts all these in proper perspective (and context), one understands fully the movie called "Mississippi Burning;" why and how bad neighborhood is defined as black neighborhood; why some ethnic groups in Africa require that one wears a black dress/robe to mourn for the dead of a loved one; why some of our sisters (and brothers) bleach their beautiful African complexion -- built to last by our God -- to look "white;" and why African-American celebrities generally spend their vacation in the countries owned by the color-defined Angels instead of African nations.

My fellow Africans, neighborhood quality is not race specific; it is defined by the quality of the houses and the income level of the residents. Although this statement is self-explanatory, let me simply say a few words about it.

3. Neighborhood Quality, House Prices, and Income

The generally held view that race determines the quality of neighborhood is, in my view, a pure lie. It is one of those lies that when told repeatedly tend to have the characteristics of truth.. The high prices of the houses in any neighborhood (say from $100,000 up), and the level of income (that can afford them) determine the quality of a good neighborhood. Conventional wisdom -- otherwise called common sense -- makes it clear as noonday that individuals who can afford such homes have a lot of stake to protect: their professions, businesses, families, property, and, of course, their income. It is a fact that these individuals are mostly in the high socio-economic status due to their wealth. Accordingly, they refuse to "throw stones" because they live in "glass houses," and hence, their neighborhoods become good neighborhoods.

These wealthy individuals who can afford such expensive homes, and hence, good neighborhood, can be found among any race -- the Africans, the Asians, and the Americans, for instance. As a result, our African friend, described in the first paragraph, lives in a good neighborhood (which he wrongly labeled "white neighborhood" probably because the absolute number of whites outnumber other groups in that neighorhood).

4. Conclusion

My fellow Africans, the centuries of caricature hauled at us is not news (given the origin of such caricature). What will be news -- and good news for that matter -- is when we (the Africans, wherever we are), understand the importance of language, symbols, culture, patriotism, and oneness, and act accordingly.

For instance, it will be a wonderful news when most of our leaders understand that inferiority complex is the most important factor why they embezzle our money and send it to countries that literally LAUGH at them, and call them all sorts of ugly names, while our people are left to die due to starvation. It will be a good news when most of our leaders will understand that the Western media has nothing tangibly good to say about them, and act and react like wise people. It will be a good news when most our leaders will understand that the "Angels" practice charity begins at home in their OWN countries, while they practice charity begins abroad.

In fact, it will be a good news when the so-called "blacks" all over the world will shun the name "black" and answer Africans (e.g., Native Africans -- for those in the beautiful continent of Africa; African-Americans -- for those in the US; Spanish-Africans -- for those in Latin America, etc.).

My friends, no race is a repository of all virtues while others possess evil. Good and bad people abound in any race. As such, bad neighborhood is not race specific.
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*Note: Dr. Umez is a Professor of Government, Lee College, Baytown, Texas, and University of Phoenix, Houston Campus.  He is the founder of Liberating the African mind, LAM, and Nigerian Leadership Council, NLC. His latest books include, Nigeria: Real Problems, Real Solutions, "Educated" to Feel Inferior, The Tragedy of a Value System in Nigeria: Theories and Solutions, and Your Excellency. These books can be assessed from his web site, www.umez.com or www.lee.edu/~bumez. His contacts are listed below: