Black on Black Crime: The Uncle Ruckus Syndrome

I was watching The Daily Show a couple weeks back and they satirically brought up the idea of the "Racist Democrat". They brought it up to make fun of people who were considered swing voters. I thought the skit was hilarious. However, I couldn't help but wonder about the idea of the Racist Democrat. When they mentioned it on the Daily Show, they were referring to white democrats that did not favor black people but, I want to explore the idea of the Racist Democrat being blacks who do not favor blacks. When we talk about Black on Black Crime, most of us automatically take the saying as its reference to violence....but, Black on Black Crime transcends physicality. Black on Black Crime manifest itself mentally and psychologically as well. As seen in Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks, these self-hating Blacks are satirized by the character Uncle Ruckus.

Over the past year, I have had this roommate who is also black and from Baltimore (I'll address her as Miss. Ruckus). For some reason, I could never really quite pinpoint exactly why she would get under my skin until yesterday. After being shown the video that I posted in the previous entry by another roommate, Miss. Ruckus watched the interview that CNN had with the kids (posted below). Her response to the interview was "oh, so black kids actually are smart." She said it as if she were surprised that 6th and 7th grade black kids were capable of thinking on their own and expressing their ideas articulately. She further commented "so I guess rap actually does has a purpose."

After these comments were made, it became very apparent that the rift between the two of us lies within the fact that she suffers from the Uncle Ruckus Syndrome. She is a high sididity chic who believes that she is one of the only hard working, smart black people that there is in America and the reason we do not align is because despite how far I have come, I still represent my culture and refuse to forget where I come from.

I told her that she's a racist after she hung up the phone with a guy either from UPS or JCPenny about a package she had not received. When she hung up on the guy which I assume sounded black, she responds "See that's why they need to stop giving colored folks jobs." When I pointed out her racist, self-hating comment, she replied "I'm sorry but he couldn't speak and he didn't know what he was doing". I asked her was it because he was colored or was it simply because he was stupid? I wanted her know there was a difference and that colored does not equal stupid (the fact that she even used the word colored made me grit my teeth a little and look at her sideways).

Miss. Ruckus recently celebrated her birthday. Her mom, stepfather, and brother sent her a gift in the mail that she received today. I was surprised to find out that her brother bought her Eminem's Biography. I thought that maybe her brother must of been just a typical, slow male who is completely unaware of what to give a girl for her birthday but, after a little inquiring, I learned that Miss. Ruckus was heavy into Eminem back in high school. Why is this so interesting? Well about two weeks back, Miss. Ruckus and I had a conversation about rap. I was pro-rap, she was anti-rap. I guess as long as the rapper is white then rap is okay.

I really don't get the deal of the Uncle Ruckus' of the world. Miss. Ruckus must be self-hating considering a friend of hers will not let her be in her wedding because she is black. Miss. Ruckus does not feel that it is a real issue. She is more concerned with being a good friend and is angry at the guy her friend is marrying. I mean really...WAKE UP stupid, self-hating chic!!!!

It seems that Miss. Ruckus lacks the power to stand up for her right to be recognized as an actual human being. Her will is fed through the fact that she is a self-hating supremist. The term self-hating supremist is an oxymoran and the irony behind the notion leaves one to believe that Miss. Ruckus must be fighting internally with herself. She is simultaneously both the criminal and the victim of Black on Black Crime because in putting down other black people, she is ultimately making it harder on herself.

In this world of Black on Black Crime, it's the Freemen vs. the Uncle Ruckus'

Freeman vs. Uncle Ruckus




Ron Clark School in Atlanta




Best of Uncle Ruckus