I don't think it was DKs' intention to open up such a can of worms as this thread has evolved into(or devolved into, depending on how you look at it
).
When some of us get together, and we DR1 members are definitely NOT a homogeneous group, its' nice to see how well we get along despite our differences of opinions about everything.
You would not be able to tell who among us grew up in "the hood". And that is a testament to what we bring to the table as people who refused to let their surroundings get the better of them.
I certainly do not feel I need to carry the torch for my people-my people are whomever I choose to associate with and who will accept me for who I am, sarcasm notwithstanding.
It would seem as if people who generalize want to lock a certain group into a "type" based not on their qualities but on their circumstances, and this is where I think AZB, for example, is misunderstood.
He is not talking about every single person in the projects, just those who live down to the worst stereotypes and embrace those stereotypes not only in appearance but in lifestyle and take pride in having characteristics they should well be ashamed of.
I don't think thats' so hard to understand.