The black women I have contact with are indeed worthy of respect, but they are not average members of their community. I teach managerial economics, one of the toughest courses in the MBA program (when taught right). MOST of my students are married black women with families, and most of them are supervisors or managers, already loaded down with responsibilities. Most of them have heard of my class, and have at least some idea of how much work I will require, but they buckle down and get the job done. And most of them do not hesitate to demand what they need from me.
I have had a slacker or two in each of the three classes I have taught, but only one a woman. Although my reputation is becoming well known, some do show up unaware of the workload. About one third of my initial enrollees drop out after one or two classes, and five have received the "C" grade that is tantamount to failure in a graduate program, but from a total of 58 students who stayed with me I have 26 unsolicited Emails offering praise and thanks for what they learned.
I work in a diverse environment, and I've quietly asked a couple of minority ladies' what their opinion of Dr. Rice is. One had no clue who she was (outside of name recognition only) and the other's comment was, "What has she done for Black America?" Not, what successes does she have, or helping all people, but, "What has she done for Black America." I'm at a loss to explain this to people who are only looking for a handout or a hook-up.
Most of the ladies' I work with are so influenced by their morals (or, in some cases, lack of them) that they see Men as an advesary, and not someone who can be a partner. That is what truly saddens me.
What also bothers me is certain viewpoints, which are decimating the black community, and they still support it! I've tried logic and reason, but you can't use such when you are dealing with someone who only "feels". Argh!