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Only in America! How about reinforcing positive stereotypes about black men instead of pigeon holing them and promoting bigoted propaganda? This type of ad would be illegal in my country. Black man; You don’t have to wear pinstripes or a suite, just do good by your people and be as successful as you can and be happy to live your life for you not what other people want you to be. I will never believe the hype, BLACK MEN ARE THE BOMB AND WILL ALWAYS BE!!!!!!

* suit my bad

@ MBWP

FYI – the stereotype is being cast by black men… 100 black men do a hellluva lot more than NAACP or messy Jesse.

Good job. too many of our men are choosing prison stripes. This has nothing to do with stereotypes about black men. It’s a wake up call.

I found nothing wrong with the bill board.

Takes more than a billboard to get it done, but I dig it, though.

I have to agree with Human Racist. And I see nothing wrong with the billboard, it’s simply asking black men to choose between prison life and a successful life. Like someone mentioned before, too many black men are choosing to be jailbirds, look at the numbers…it’s appalling.

prision stripes

@Matrix:
What Country are you from, and why would a ad such as this one would be illegal?

It’s a honest question when you look at the rate of black men in prison. I don;t see any stereotype in this billboard.

I ment Matix B Wooty*

can we get some of theses billboards in chi-town? pleeeeeeease. i am not one for conforming to society or being what others want you to be however, brothers need to understand that they have options. someone needs to make them understand that they are entitled to be their best, to honor themselves and their families. they are entitled to prove societal stereotypes wring. they have the power. they just don’t know it.

Where was dat billboard wen boosie was still out and about.

It’s about time.

I’m from Canada. I find it highly offensive because it depicts BM as only one or the other. I agree with the message but I don’t think this image is healthy for black youth because it could be misinterpreted as being and either or situation which is not reality. I’m not worried about myself it’s the highly influence I’m worried about. Who’s to say you can’t bounce back from being in Jail? Who’s to say you are successful because you are part of Corporate America. My only point is that it puts limits on our men and can be misconstrued as promoting a negative image of BM.

@Marquis de Sade

co-sign

I don’t want none of the two options..

Am sorry no matter how many black men may be in prison why do “we” have to hang out our dirty laundry in public sheeesh…This is what the rest of the world will see black men as…talk about shooting “our” selves in the foot

This is not cool.Yes bm are imprisoned at higher rates,(Systematically) but that is another topic,the point is you dont see billboards for other races do You?? Why is the emphasis always blacks? they want to implant in your psyche that you are inferior.When it comes to crime/prison all races fall into that category not just blacks.

@1991 UK Gem of Africa
What’s good today sister???

@1991 UK:

Our business has been out there, its no secret that most of our black men are behind bars. Black men are portraed negativley not just in America, but also around the world, so there’s noting to hide. Our dirty laundry has been hang out in public for too long, how is it nobody will notice.

Sheeple… the problem is that clothes, dont make you susccessful… where is the chef uniform, coveralls, sports uniform, DOCTOR jacket etc… this is some subliminal ish saying if you aint wearing a suit, we wouldnt be wrong to fit you in pinstripes one or the other… its sparking a fear based decision…

The ad is very stereotypical but it’s not surprising, as blacks are just as bad when it comes to other blacks. Why they felt the need to put this billboard up is beyond me. It shows the way they think of themselves and that is scary. Don’t follow the programed mind.

@1991 UK Gem of Africa
I just got home from a tedious day at work, I’m getting ready to hit the strip and get jiggy with it, ya dig..

What are you saying about “that thing?” Lol!!

Trife

I agree with some of the comments that I read there’s way more out there, just because you wear a suit does not mean you’re successful, this is a very black and white billboard but in actuality there are a lot of gray areas that exist

Smh blacks are blacks worst enemy point blank its funny how you all ignore the signs its sad blacks love to glamarise thug life being a gangsta the only race to give credit to the loosers that go to jail smh@looking up to or giving any kind of credit to criminals that’s about the stupidest thing I can imagine that same criminal you giving so much love to will be out there rappin robbing and killing and you think that’s cute smh at the minds of some of you criminals are trash and yet are race is the only ones to glorify it to be honest I’m sick of are race a lot of it is embaracing the thugs and the ghetto hoodrats make me sick

I agree with the people who say that just because you wear a suit doesn’t make you successful and being in prison doesn’t mean you can’t bounce back. But I don’t think they meant those are the only two options, I think they were just trying to find a “clever” way to say what they were trying to say. Perhaps they should have thought of something that better conveys the point they were trying to make because while its not that hard for some people to get what they are trying to say, others seem to over-analyze things and miss the MAIN point (no offense to anyone).

Some of you know good and well they weren’t trying to say that black men can only be either businessmen or prison inmates…would it have made a difference had they paired a chef with a drug dealer? Or a computer-software engineer with a gang member? Or even a hard working auto-mechanic with a c.r.a.c.k. head? Its a billboard people, they are trying to find a message that’s short, sweet, and to the point. I am convinced some people just have to find something, ANYTHING lol, wrong with almost everything.

well i know what kind of message they are trying to get across, so in turn maybe they should put up different variations of the billboard up so they can really get the message across and reach people idk just a thought

Hmm… I’m confused how anyone would be offended by this billboard. Yes it is putting black men in one of two categories: Be successful or be a thug.

Either or, make your choice.

How is that offensive? And who wouldn’t want to be successful?

The ignorance on this board is dumbfounding.

nothing ran by the federal government can be beneficial to black men and in a way this is asking black men to be apart of one of two institutions in which they are imprisioned

I wanna be the guy in the pinstripes…

Thats making money off of running the inmates in prison stripes…Yes Suh!!!

The problem with alot of our brothers is that the corporate world is foreign to them and these days you have to diverse in order to survive.

A very creative effort to help keep bm out of prison!!!

Prions don’t were black & white any more. That black and white are Satan colors

Good!!!! Maybe those idiots will think twice before breaking the law. I can’t understand why the love jail so much!! Perhaps they like getting it in the booty!!!!!

If this had been a billboard pertaining to black women all the black men would have applauded.

Thanks Matix B Wooty. THIS black man appreciates u. I was gonna ask if anybody’s seen my “Kick me: I’m a Black man” shirt.

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Isn’t 100BlackMen run by black men? Very sad. LOL, SMH

I have 25 locations in south florida where they need to place that sign right now…

Uh Oh, Now the illuminati crew has found out about another organization of successful black men. 100 Black Men.get ready for the knuckle heads to start with the Illuminati, baphomet, boule rantings.

100 Black Men is an amazing organization doing more for black people than a large number of black people will ever do for themselves and their own families.

This sign makes perfect sense.
It is in no way offensive.

Whats offensive is ignorance and violence- get mad at that in your city and let the 100 Black Men and other elite black organizations work on cleaning up your mess.

I seen this in my city in florida as well! Pay attention brothas!

the truly SAD thing is, there are MANY morons who think of going to prison, as “thug graduate school”, and denigrate brothers who DO aspire to a productive, LAW-ABIDING life (…. and I’m not even going to start dealing with my nephew, labelled a “white boy”, because he can actually speak in whole sentences, and has been accepted to enter Carnegie Mellon to study Appled Mathematics).

can they come to dc

I love it, I tell my son that all the time and he is only 4. We have to reach them as kids because when there men its too late.

It sends out a message that all black men are criminals — plain and simple. especially when its posted for the universe to see. Im against the billboard

Bring the billboard to chicago, and I have a suggestions for another one :” Link Card or American Express card”. You choose. It’s 2010 We dont have time for folks to be offended.

I like this post. Hopefully it will send the message accross to young black men that they have a choice that they can be like us white men. 98% of black men arre in jail. Raise your kids better black people i’m tired of turning on my Tv and seeing you guys killing off each other.

I know I only want the man in the suit.

Matix B Wooty POP, I fully agree with the AD campaign and i’m from toronto so STFU and pick up a book!

I love it. I hope it comes to my city very soon. These young men need to see what their potential came give them.