I tend to wonder if the issues providers have (besides personal preference) with AA clients is sort of like interacting with them in the food service industry. I remember back in my college days waiting tables and bartending no matter how you treated AA customers way more often than not they demanded far more of you and tipped far less than any other race.
Originally Posted by lovelamp
Yeah, I see it myself sometimes. Some black people are simply 'too far gone'. They grew up poor (extremely poor), lived a rough childhood, had to quit school to work menial, degrading, low paying jobs, relatives in and out of jail, etc. Their view of other races is almost purely from an oppressive standpoint, which creates resentment and downright hatred. When they grow up, they may do a little better, but they're still pretty close to the 'struggle', which, in their eyes, is created by their oppressors.
Me, I guess I got kinda lucky. I grew up poor, but it wasn't what I'd call severe. I was smart (A student) and had some white friends. I could relate a little to the black kids, but I wasn't 'all in', ya know. Some might've even considered me 'one of THEM'. I was a 'tweener', I guess.
I understood the way they felt, or I should say understand the way they FEEL (now). A life of poverty and struggle is damaging psychologically and emotionally. You see people of races not your own and relate it to mindset you had as a kid. That and when you don't make a lot of money, they may see tipping as a waste. I think to some degree it's a status/income issue. Once black people have money, they will (often) graciously spend it. 'Making it rain', I believe they like to call it. So when you're broke, you're mad, and now you have this 'cornball waiter/waitress' (their words) trying to kiss up and be nice to try to get a tip out of them. Now they think YOU think they're a sucker. It's a revolving door of emotions and resurfacing memories.
This is just a small justification of it. We're not all like that. Me being that 'tweener', I can kinda relate both ways.