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Numbers Don’t Lie Or Do They?

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by  |  on July 24th, 2008  |  26 comments

I caught the end of CNN’s Black in America and was bombarded with more of these statistics that we are tops in everything bad and the bottom of everything good. What’s up with all of these numbers and all of these statistics? Health issues, education, violence just everything. Is it possible?

Side note as I write this I’m watching a black woman on Anderson Cooper 360 saying how black men tell her they’re intimidated by her success or the money she makes. These dudes she’s meeting are weak.

BMWK Do you buy into these stats? Why or Why Not?


About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.



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Comments (26)

  1. anythingblack Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    fuck that show for real. and hell naw i aint watch it. its propaganda
  2. Anna Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I watched the show and was disappointed. The stats are bs if they are trying to make it as a whole. Maybe in more segerated neighborhoods the stats may be representitive.
  3. theruffian Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I didn't even see the CNN show, but from the tone of your post I bet whatever 'stats' they cited were either flat out falsified or taken out of context. Check out Janks Morton's site if you don't already know about it, http://wbmt.wordpress.com/, one source to refute the lies. theruffians last blog post..Weekly Wisconsin Sports Wank
  4. Nicole Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I believe the stas. regarding health care, education, and number of us in jail. I've been a social worker for almost ten years, and I see it. I don't know about that black woman single stuff. I don't think that there's anyway to count the number of single black woman anywhere. Overall, I thought the program was good. It made me think. Especially, when they started talking about paying kids or giving them cellphones for going to school. My how times have changed! I'll be watching the second part tonight.
  5. Ashley Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Its all so true. I live in a community where at least 60% of blacks do not graduate college let alone college. I personally know more people dead or in jail than in college. It is so sad. I also have not had health care insurance in two years. I am a twenty year old college student that is having so much trouble getting government health insurance. My parents where seriously injured and are no longer able to bring in the seventy thousand dollars that we were so accustomed to. Now we all survive off of my mom 12,000$ a year social security income. Is it possible? I guess cause we try to make it. Black America needs to wake up. We make choices that we have to live with. So lets make the right choice. The issue that successful black woman can't find a good man is bogus. I would not consider dating outside of my race. I love black men, I believe they are strong sensual individuals. Black men are depicted as negative by the media. Look how the media treat Barak Obama. He is a very successful black man but we mostly here bad things about him. Black men stand up for your rights and black women hold on a change is soon to come. But it start with my generation.
  6. kim h20s Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    @ Ashley - Keep your head up baby girl! Please don't let your neighborhood or circumstances keep you down. I agree with Ashley on the statistics about the number of unmarried black women. While it may be a valid statistic, my issue is with the angle of the statistic. I may be generalizing here (kimh20s ducks for cover from the flames), but unmarried to the White community usually means soup-for-one, no kids, but lots of pets. In our community there is a strong tradition of long-term committed relationships even if no marriage vows have been exchanged. Two examples are Oprah Winfrey and Condi Rice. As D.L. Hugley said "black folks will go together for 17 years before getting married".
  7. key-2-life Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    @ Kim h20 - Why is that allowed? We do women continue to play house and have babies with out this being in place first?
  8. TheDad Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I'll be watching the second part tonight about men... I have a funny feeling about this episode but I'll wait until tomorrow to give my actual thoughts on the entire series. I'll do a post so everyone can throw in their two cents.
  9. momoftwinsandmore Thursday - 24 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I too was disappointed with the CNN special. I don't believe all the statistics by no means. To me this special further shows the negative images that we see, and hear about every single day. Black people are the most scrutinized, investigated, researched people in the world. I would just like to one day see some positive images portrayed in the news and media giving a different perspective on being a black american. Everyone's experience is different, and for once I would like to see it on television. Yea there a black children living in single parent homes, but what about the many black children that are living in strong two family homes, with married loving parents. IT DOES EXIST!!!!! Both myself and my husband have professional degrees and are currently raising 3 small boys. It is a struggle everyday, but we are both committed to our family. The majority of Black Americans that I know share that same committment. I would like to see more images of that BLACK AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
  10. Twanna // FUNKY BROWN CHICK Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Stats, smats. I taught the stuff (social statistics / quantitative research) when I was in grad school. Favorite stats quote ever? "Statistics don't lie, people do." Whenever anyone throws out a stat like more than 40% of black women aren't married (such as CNN did), I think it's always good to remember the 5Ws: WHOs counted (i.e. who paid for the research, who performed it), WHAT else is going on, WHEN did they get the stat and what did it used to be, WHERE are we talking about (i.e. US only? Most folks in the so-called "industrialized" nations are moving away from traditional "One Man, One Woman for Life" plans anyway) and WHY are they telling us the number (i.e. propandga? new research?) . Sorry for the long comment. I'm rambling here. Will write my own thing about it soon. GREAT post / question.
  11. Kemi in Toronto Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    These things are true. Lamar and Ronnie,,,,,,Remember I was black in America for 24 years? Men are intimidated at our success, we want to marry white men etc. What I found is many people saying they don't need CNN reminding them they are black in America. The only thing CNN forget is we other blacks in America......like the RACIST incident that happened with me and my autistic son in Georgia. Black foreigners in America. White people don't know you are foreign? They just see your skin....Period! Anyhow,,,,,,,great special. Men must take more responsibilities for our kids. My sons now call me by my new nickname....."Baby Mama" They are 21,16 and 7. My youngest Kayode Joshua (KJ), the most famous in local showbiz www.pckj.info says "your new nickname mommy means that you are lady that have kids and don't marry." LOL! But does he understand the circumstances? Like his dad was caught cheating in my BED with another woman during his pregnancy and also physical abuse? This is what Black women are reeling thru!!! Now for a Black in Canada special by the CBC! I'm gonna pitch it to CBC executives in September as a freelance production. As a Celebrity Journalist and Pharmacist here I'm putting my degrees to use. The guns are flowing here and the same ghetto mentality in the U.S with Afro Canadian kids is rampant.
  12. ewok Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I did not tune in to hear a bunch of negativity about black men. if we are going to be a real part of this society, then we need to stop having these 'statistics' shows telling us something we already know. yes, the black man is at a disadvantage, but we know we must do better, be better, and work harder. my mother had to endure civil rights. I now have to take her struggle to the next level. By being an active and productive citizen in the country I was born in.
  13. watched it liked it Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Hi all. I watched the one last night on black men, and although I agree you have to take statistics with a grain of salt, the overall picture portrayed was realistic. They showed both successful black men and the ones who are struggling. I am a black female professional, so I do see that successful black males do exist and understand why some would be offended by the images portrayed (I can't wait to see the one on women, reairing on Saturday evening). But I also grew up in some interesting neighborhoods and saw the negative images of black males on a daily basis. Unfortunately, if you've never lived in those neighborhoods and met those guys, talked to the ones who have multiple kids and don't take care of them, had friends that have been to jail before, sell drugs, etc, you won't really understand just how prevalent it is. The one thing that stood out for me in the program was the need for tangible male role models. The Barack Obamas and Will Smiths are wonderful, but we need daddies at home everday. And yes, there are a lot of successful black marriages, but the overwhelming majority have grown up in single parent households or with parents who are "shacked up" instead of actually being married. Are you really setting a good example for your children by going together for years w/o making that commitment of marriage to each other for real? My only concern with the special is that I don't know if the people that really needed to watch it actually did watch it. Another concern is whether we actually absorb what is being said. We may want to cover our eyes and ears because we don't want to see anymore negative black images, but even if the coverage is skewed, somebody is doing something wrong or they wouldn't have anything to cover in the first place. And there is obviously enough negativity out there to overwhelm the airwaves. We should be even more motivated to pray for our people and take appropriate action, not being overly critical of what was shown. That's just my personal opinion, though. Be blessed!
  14. kim h20s Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    to me the show was repetitive story that we always hear. black in america has become synonymous with 'crisis in america'. yes we do have issues and problems, but can't we just for once get a show that presents another side of black in america? i can think of at least 10 topics that would have made black in america at least start to approach the realm of interesting. how about segments on: blacks going green / the environmental movement the most successful black businesses besides those in entertainment black feminism africans who have moved here and their assimilation (or not)into african-american culture black republicans black artists besides those in hip-hop blacks who practice religions besides Baptist / Muslim etc. or better yet blacks who are atheist black republicans black marriage - it does work! class divisions among us megachurches - they have clout i would love to interview one of our elders was there when we couldn't vote and is still here with the chance to vote for a black man. now THAT is black in america!
  15. TheDad Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    @ watched it liked it - both sides of images do exist I just would like to see someone play up the other side because that is a reality for a lot of blacks in America also. And please beleive there are negative images in mainstream America also but I bet you won't see a special on that... @ kim h20s - thats my point there is such a braoder range of topics they can cover but the same thing you can turn on your nightly news and hear.
  16. Nubianlocs Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Greetings I think we need to for real take a retrospective look at ourselves and our place (if any) within the USA. Have we gained any respect here loosing our culture, language and religion,...I see a whole lot of rich slaves, uneducated ni-gg-a-s (excuse my language) and educated fools. We can't see that "they" are slowly trying to kill us, in Africa, and America. You can laugh, write me off, whatever. If people were dying in China, or MExico, at the rate in which our brothas and sisters are dying in Africa and America we would see the Chinese Americans and Mexian Americans pull their resources together. They would run "them" out of thier country so fast. I mean why do your think that country who was hit with that earthquake (i t hink it was) or that flood, banned American assistance? They didnt care how bad of a situation they were in, no white american medical ot food assistance was allowed...I mean to tell the truth America belongs to us but we are never gonna own it again. Africa belongs to us, but we dont own it. How did we live healthy and strong for 30 billion years as Africans, until "they" came in contact with us, now we're dying. IT a CRYING SHAME.....RISE UP ONE LOVE
  17. Avg Joe Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Much of what I was going to say has been said by a few of the folks here. I thought the CNN piece didn't really do anything more to give insight to the plight of the black community. It just shot out a bunch of stats. And I'm always weary of stats. I need to see more depth into what helped cause the conditions that many black people find themselves in. At the very least, it sparks discussion, so I guess it wasn't all bad.
  18. watched it liked it Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Appreciate all the responses and perspectives, and agree that there is alot more to black americans than what is portrayed in the special. But...changing the subject doesn't address the issue. We get bombarded with the negative images because there are negative images out there. If we see it everyday, on the nightly news, on the morning news, in music videos, etc., is showing a special on black republicans going to do anything about the little girl who is going to be the 5th generation in her family to grow up w/o a father? Or reduce the number of black men in jail? Or address the difficulty black men have in finding employment? Not that I can see. I am so long-winded lol....will try to keep it shorter next time :-)
  19. kim h20s Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    @ watched it liked it, why is it that every special or investigative piece about black people has to focus on the number of black men in jail or dysfunctional families or single moms? we've seen these shows time and time again. for the majority of us who are least trying to get by and do better, don't we deserve to see news about other issues, rather than just a lecture. as for the little girl who watches a show on black republicans - what does she learn? she learns about the political process, being an independent thinker or maybe it's just something new she learns.
  20. Na Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    I thought the first part delaing with the woman and family was better than the black man part. The show was about trying to give a modern overview of black people in society. I think it did a pretty good job at that, would've been better if it was longer. I'm glad they didn't focus on people living in million dollar houses our the extremely rich because we all know that their are those that have a lot of money, or are well off. The truth is that the majority of blacks are not rich their middle or lower class. I do wish that they would've have tried to help solve, or give solutions to some issues i.e. the brother who had two kids and wasn't taking care of them. They should've hooked him up with someone, and then followed up. I think we all know what the problem are. Tangible solutions are what we need now.
  21. watched it liked it Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    kim h20s...my question isn't "what does she learn?", it is how is a special on black republicans going to help her have father in her life and break the cycle in her family? The point I am trying to make is that we can talk about other subjects all day, but the problem is still there. I applaud you for trying to do better, as am I, but we need to be mindful of our responsibility to help our struggling brothers and sisters do better as well. Seems like we are trying to ignore the issues instead of deal with them. If we are sick of seeing it, do something about them so we don't see it as much.
  22. Nubianlocs Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Never look to white america to give Black americans a solution to anything.....We been here fu-c-ked up for 500 years...WaKE UP!
  23. LeAnne Friday - 25 / 07 / 2008 Reply
    Some I do believe, while others are simply propaganda. The issues with black women being unmarried is a lot of propaganda. Our views on education is partly true. I'm not so sure about the rest. Yes, I did watch the show. LeAnnes last blog post..New Product Review: DERMAdoctor Ain't Misbehavin'
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