Being a Black Man

I can think of only a few things more difficult than being a black man growing up in the United States. You're punished by your peers for succeeding, and many whites, partly as a consequence of your peers' attitude, have perceptions of you that are far from favorable. (Depending, of course, on many signals.)

Today's Washington Post includes a discussion of the results of a poll conducted by the Post, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard University that is fascinating if only because of the dichotomy between blacks and whites on their perceptions of black males and the future of black males. Regardless of who's to blame--probably both--the poll reveals some true dissonance among blacks, especially among black males, and ignorance among whites about the nature of the hurdles blacks must overcome, again, especially black males. Some is indeed self-imposed, but then again, some is culturally ingrained.

Here is the actual poll (PDF format).

Updated and corrected for grammar. I was in a rush this morning.