Last week marked 50 years since Martin Luther King, Jr gave his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington. Here is my report card on how America has done on the particular issues he raised in that speech all those years ago:
Scale: A for excellent, B for good, C for so-so, D for bad, F for failing.
From best to worst:
“For Whites Only” signs: A.
Gone!
Public Accommodations: A.
In 1963 the Green Book was still in print, listing places where blacks on the road could shop, eat and sleep. It is now a historical curiosity.
Voter Turnout: A.
Now generally equal to whites among those registered to vote, higher than whites in some states.
Voting Rights: B.
Way better than in 1963 in states like Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, where fewer than a third of blacks were registered to vote. Probably one of the clearest civil rights achievements. Yet it is becoming undone: In 2013 the Supreme Court in effect gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Republicans have been passing laws to make it harder to vote, much harder for blacks on average than for whites. Meanwhile 7% of blacks cannot vote because of a prison record. It is 20% or more in Florida, Kentucky and Virginia.
Citizenship Rights: C.
Racial profiling continues, despite breaking the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution. Blacks still frequently face nearly all-white juries. Young blacks and whites use marijuana at roughly the same rate, yet blacks are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession. Black men are imprisoned at rates unheard of in other countries – or even in America in the 1970s. That in turn affects voting rights – see above.
Housing Desegregation: D.
Markedly better than 50 years ago, but America still remains highly segregated by race. About 90% of suburban whites, for example, live in places that are less than 1% black. Racial steering is still widely practised despite being outlawed.
Discrimination: D.
Despite affirmative action and so on, blacks are still about twice as likely to be out of work as whites. If you take education into account, the rate is 1.53 to 1.73 times higher. Blacks have to stay in school about two years longer to make the same money as a white person.
Poverty: D.
In 1963 48% of blacks lived in poverty, three times the white rate. Now 28% do, three times the white rate. One of the demands of the March on Washington was a minimum wage of $2.00 an hour ($15.23 in current dollars) – enough to lift working Americans out of poverty. In terms of 1963 dollars, the minimum wage has gone from $1.25 in 1963 to $1.24 in 2013.
Police Brutality: F.
In 2012 police officers, security guards and vigilantes killed at least 136 unarmed black people – unarmed! Trayvon Martin is just what made the news. The police still get away with murder. The civil rights reforms of the 1950s and 1960s left the police and the courts pretty much untouched. It is next to impossible to prove in court that a police officer or judge acted out of racism.
Sources: Huffington Post, Washington Post, Pew Research, College Board, infoplease, areppim, The Economist, Democracy Now, Michelle Alexander: “The New Jim Crow” (2010), etc.
See also:
I think it was unfair to the youth, that The Dream Defenders activist didn’t get to make their speeches. The youth are the future. They said the young people didn’t get to make their speech at the march because of time constraints, I think that’s a shame.
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These grade are accurate in my opinion.
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D’s and F’s where it matters most – prosperity and life.
I recently had an encounter with the police after being assaulted and foolishly called them, needless to say they refused to assist me.
After all these years I finally realized after reviewing my encounters with them that they are not in place to serve or protect me.
I’m a slow learner – i should have realized this years ,no decades ago.
Perhaps its the drag of my people who share in the foolishness ,so few who say anything and then very little.
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Good post
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Are there some things that have actually become worse since the March on Washington, eg,
– rate of black entrepreneurship
– single parent households
Or maybe those were not issues in 1963? What about relative black wealth?
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[…] Police Brutality: FIn 2012 police officers, security guards and vigilantes killed at least 136 unarmed black people – unarmed! Trayvon Martin is just what made the news. The police still get away with murder. The civil rights reforms of the 1950s and 1960s left the police and the courts pretty much untouched. It is next to impossible to prove in court that a police officer or judge acted out of racism. […]
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[…] See on abagond.wordpress.com […]
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Mbeti
“I recently had an encounter with the police after being assaulted and foolishly called them, needless to say they refused to assist me.
After all these years I finally realized after reviewing my encounters with them that they are not in place to serve or protect me.
I’m a slow learner – i should have realized this years ,no decades ago.
Perhaps its the drag of my people who share in the foolishness ,so few who say anything and then very little.”
Were you one of those, black republican conservative, house Negros, that didn’t believe that racism exists and only after you found out that you were black, when a cop refused you treat you as a victim but a perpetrator?
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No ,I come from a lowest income single parent household in the “ghetto” of Brooklyn new york.
I have always leaned toward whats known as the left – however while I was considered(told) i was above average intellectually ,and spent much time reading at home and the local library it was only in my later years 30’s and forties did I a began to see comprehensively the import of “race” as one of, if not the most dominant social factor.
I don’t know why I still cling to such naive and idealistic concepts such as truth,fairness,justice,the rule of law and such in spite of consistent evidence to the contrary.
However in regards to “black republican conservative, house Negros, that didn’t believe that racism exists” as I became aware of people with such views I always found them types to be some of the most hostile and lacking in compassion black individuals I’m met outside of the straight up criminal.
I’ve always known I was black and never really had a problem with it,its acknowledging that there are whole populations of people that hate me and people that look like me categorical that I’m still embracing.
Whats more not only do they hate me not knowing me specifically even after they get to know me they still hate AND a good portion of black people knowing even this – still side with them.
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Mbeti:
You’ve answered my question, thank you much.
I would say good day to you, sir.
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This post appears to provide a pretty good assessment of phenotypic group relations over a specific span of time.
As I see the growth and progress of external knowledge known as technology – I have growing destain for such things even as they become integral components of my life.
My personal computer ,my “smart” phone etc to me are but tools to get to the most important problems – why when we have so much and claim to know so much – we treat each other such.
we have as a society much less as a species more wealth the ever in history but we still have poverty and homelessness.
we have ample funds to spend to kill each other or spy or deprive of freedom
but to house ,educate even employ ,suddenly we are lacking.
And most claim eternity of a condition from a finite species each and every member doomed to die.
I will continue to seek answers and solutions in spite of opposition – because I have seen and I live the profit of such endeavors.
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Abagond
Citizenship Rights: C
Young blacks and whites use marijuana at roughly the same rate, yet blacks are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession.
Don’t drive around with pot in your car and you won’t get caught ridin dirty. I once had a cop search my car for drugs. I didn’t consent to his search and he called in a sniffer dog. LOL
I noticed the marijuana stat was followed by a comment on prison. No one goes to prison for a first time pot possession unless they have previous convictions. It’s a fine and probation.
Housing Desegregation: D
About 90% of suburban whites, for example, live in places that are less than 1% black.
Damn them! It should be illegal for whites to live near each other.
Discrimination: D
blacks are still about twice as likely to be out of work as whites. If you take education into account…
If you take IQ into account then most groups have similar employment and earnings.
In 2012 police officers, security guards and vigilantes killed at least 136 unarmed black people
That someone unarmed was shot doesn’t imply malfeasance on the part of the shooter. Assuming the numbers are correct, some of those were probably accidental, some were probably justified and some were probably criminal. I suspect some of them were convicted. I suspect some guilty folks walked, too. All it takes is “reasonable doubt”.
I didn’t look up the study but I’ll bet some of those “unarmed black men” were shot by armed black men. Not everything is racial.
”
peanut
there are still issues with the system that takes kids away from Black mothers for no reason
CPS are bastrds but they’re not racist. They shlt on everyone’s kids equally.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/11/us-no-racial-bias-idUSTRE71A09520110211
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Ah so we now know your position – there is no racism ……
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White and Black wealth inequality…http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/27/news/economy/wealth-whites-blacks/index.html….
There are large differences in poverty rates across racial groups. In 2009, the poverty rate was 9.9% for non-Hispanic Whites, 12.1% for Asians, 26.6% for Hispanics, and 27.4% for Blacks.[2] This data illustrates that Hispanics and Blacks experience disproportionately high percentages of poverty in comparison to non-Hispanics Whites and Asians. In discussing poverty, it is important to distinguish between episodic poverty and chronic poverty.
Racial profiling that will make your jaw drop off…http://www.upworthy.com/know-anyone-that-thinks-racial-profiling-is-exaggerated-watch-this-and-tell-me-when-your-jaw-drops-2
Texas — On an annual basis, no state arrests and criminally prosecutes more of its citizens for pot than does Texas. Marijuana arrests comprise over half of all annual arrests in the Lone Star State. It is easy to see why. In 2009, more than 97 percent of all Texas marijuana arrests — over 77,000 people — were for possession only. Those convicted face up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine, even upon a first conviction.
. Arizona — Forty years ago virtually every state in the nation defined marijuana possession as a felony offense. Today, only one state, Arizona, treats first-time pot possession in such an archaic and punitive manner. Under Arizona law, even minor marijuana possession offenses may be prosecuted as felony crimes, punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $150,000 fine. According to Jon Gettman’s 2009 analysis only Florida consistently treats minor marijuana possession cases more severely.
IQ levels for criminals were attained only from criminals that were caught. There is enormous data resulting in the fact that smart criminals just don’t get caught. Thus skewing the numbers to the point that the studies are completely inaccurate. The catalyst for crime is poverty, broken families and drug abuse.
Studies from 10 of the countries most prolific schools ended in these findings…Crime has five main causes which are: need (caused by poverty), belief (the person believes the law is wrong), impulse (a crime which is committed on the spur of the moment), influence (alcohol, drugs or peer pressure) and gain (crime committed to gain more wealth). The most prestigious and intelligent institutions in the land never mentions IQ once…besides a criminal usually commits numerous crimes before getting caught, so that criminal was smart 50 times and only dumb once….
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For the most part, King’s Dream is still mostly a dream.
It seems most whites only remember that one line in the entire speech, or rather they know of one line out of all of his speeches and writings – the one about “color of skin and content of character”. Yet, they use it as a defense against any and all accusations and highlights of racism, and they most likely don’t even practice its meaning.
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Don’t know if you ever heard of Kevin Jackson (black conservative speaker) but here is his take on the USA 50 years later:
“A conservative author this week called on African-Americans to “shut up” and stop complaining about racism because the U.S. had more rich black people per capita than any country in the world.
Christie reflected on the 50th anniversary of the civil rights March on Washington and wondered why African-Americans “wouldn’t want to take a victory lap” instead of “race mongering.
When you look at the Trayvon Martins and these kids that just killed this Australian guy for no reason, these knockout gangs and people that have been raised to hate white people,” African-American author Kevin Jackson told Newsmax’s Ron Christie on Wednesday. “Essentially slapping other blacks in the face who have paved the way and have built a country that has created iconic black figures, people who are known worldwide.
Blacks should be taking a victory lap and shutting down the thuggery that goes on in the black community, and essentially changing the tide of that,” Jackson agreed. “Because had we been left to our own devices and not had the experimentation of the Raw Deal and the Ingrate Society thrust upon us, we would be, per capita, leading the number of CEOs that are in the Fortune 500.”
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/05/conservative-author-oprah-and-tiger-woods-are-rich-so-all-other-blacks-should-shut-up/
now this, Abagond, is what you should call “white washed” — because I have a hard time imagining this blatant “sell-out” coconut speech would ever leave the lips of Don Lemon, Juan Williams or Fareed Zakaria
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[…] King’s Dream at 50: A Report Card […]
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Mr Bentley
Under Arizona law, even minor marijuana possession offenses may be prosecuted as felony crimes, punishable by up to 18 months in jail and a $150,000 fine
Show me one person who’s ever gotten 18 months in jail and a $150K for a simple, first time pot possession.
IQ levels for criminals were attained only from criminals that were caught. There is enormous data resulting in the fact that smart criminals just don’t get caught.
Are you suggesting more blacks are arrested because they’re not smart enough to get away with it? That’s so racist. You disgust me.
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Mr. Joker, do you realize that when someone proves your posts to be wrong or comes up with facts that completely negate your false information that you then respond by either out right lying, putting words into someone’s mouth like an 8 year old or throwing a tantrum….you display a lot of misplaced anger and whatever is going on in your life I am sorry for your pain but you shouldn’t become a racist because life has dealt you a bad hand, instead you should fold your existing hand and have the dealer deal you another…
Now if you look at my comments with a non racist eye you would come to the conclusion that since blacks are caught more than any other demographic that more blacks also get away, making most too smart for the white cops….but that was not my point at all…if you put my comments together with racial profiling and the number of blacks in prison you can clearly see that when you specifically target a group of people of course you will end up arresting more people in that target group than any other group you have ignored. If I go out into the fields which are filled with strawberries and grapes and i am picking nothing but strawberries at the end of the day I will have more strawberries than grapes, thats how the justice system works.
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Mr Bentley
The problem with your explanation is that arrest and incarceration rates reflect what victims themselves say in the National Crime Victim Survey. You could say that racism is skewing the data. Except black victims support it, too. Do you think everyone is lying?
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Yes, we need a report card on access to health care and education.
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We had a lady hang up a “Whites Only” sign in Cincinnati to keep a black girl out of the apartment community pool. She even battled with the state to keep it up.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2011/12/exclusive-white-only-pool-sign-owner-explains/
And a few years back we had a man hang up a sign saying, “No English, No Service.”
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2011/03/16/no-speak-english-no-service-restaurant-owner-removes-controversial-sign-after-bombarded-with-threats/
Cincinnati is a ridiculously racist place to live. I’d leave but I have too many family responsibilities here.
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@ Deborah, I am sorry you have to deal with such ignorance and lower life forms in Cincinnati…when i am in one of my less defensive moods and I am upset at my racist race I often repeat in my head Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” ….most racist were raised by racist and hate is a priority instead of education in these households…it’s sad because children are born with such curiosity, hope and love for the world. To teach that child hate is one of the worse things a parent can do to their child, outside the obvious physical abuses….
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Good Post Abagond.
It would be an exhaustive job, maybe impossible without a time machine, but I would be interested to see this topic expanded to give grades for these catagories in 10 year increments following the Civil Rights Act in 1965. I do agree with your grading for the time period we’re in.My perception is that all of these metrics improved for black Americans following the mid 1960’s, but that there was a reversal of an upward trend for black Americans at some point in the last 50 years. I’d be interested in you thoughts on 1) do you agree with that premise? and 2) when and why did a reversal occur?
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@ Thatdebroahgirl
I remember that, wasn’t that the one where the white woman said she didn’t want the black girl in the pool because she said something about her hair was making the water dirty or something. That is crazy yes they love putting up signs talking about no English no service, but I do remember a pizza place gave away free pizzas to whoever could order their pizza in Spanish and the whites were angry. These people know what they are doing, it was never ignorance as people have said, it was always white supremacy. Ignorance is when u do not know what u are doing and when someone points it out to u, you change it or at least realize ok maybe this isn’t right. These people are not ignorant they know full well what they are doing. The definition for ignorance is lack of knowledge, these people do not lack knowledge but they do lack empathy.
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The ignorance comes from not knowing they are wrong. Most, not all, but most have been raised this way and if they don’t know they are wrong then this too is a form of ignorance. Ignorance based on a learned behavior brought on by parents, peers, etc…Ignorance is not just a lack of knowledge but the lack of factual knowledge as well…The ignorance I see regarding most whites is coming to conclusions or making judgments based on ZERO knowledge of the African American community or people. If you have strong opinions about a group of people and yet you have never lived a day in their shoes, never have spent a day in their neighborhood, don’t socialize with this group but make judgments about this group using television or the media as your only resource then your opinion is based on ignorance of actual and comprehensive facts….most racist come to an opinion about someone in the blink of an eye, knowing nothing about that persons life or the story regarding the situation. They see a black man running from the police and they automatically assume the person to be guilty, to be a criminal, to be bad person…A racist disregards the very shocking experiment proving 13% of death row inmates to be innocent….these are all forms of ignorance…at least in my mind.
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In memory of the changes in 50 years, the little black girl in the Norman Rockwell painting reunited with one of the Marshalls who had to walk her into the school building.
Ruby Bridges and former U.S. Marshal Charles Burks talked about the day she integrated a New Orleans elementary school in 1960
“Ruby Bridges wasn’t really afraid on Nov. 14, 1960, as federal marshals escorted her into William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.
The 6-year-old thought that the angry crowds surrounding the school were part of a Mardi Gras parade. In reality, they were there to protest the racial integration of schools and the idea that children such as Bridges would be learning alongside white children.
In the days that followed, Bridges, now 58, would continue to be escorted by federal marshals.
She had nightmares about the black doll inside of a little casket that one of the protesters brought to the school, dreaming that the coffin had wings and was flying around her bed at night.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/06/civil-rights-ruby-bridges-marshal/2777463/
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Another big change in the last 50 years: the majority of black Americans used to be Republicans.
I listened to Condoleezza Rice talk about how her father went to register to vote and the clerk asked him the question “how many jellybeans were in the jar sitting on his desk” (for the poll test)
“Now when my dad couldn’t answer, of course, he failed the “poll test”. So, he was very despondent about this, went around his church and this elder of his, a man named Frank Hunter, said, Reverend, don’t you worry about it. I’m going to tell you how you get registered to vote, he said.
We’re going to go back down there. Now there’s a clerk down there and she’s actually a Republican. And if you’ll just say you’re a Republican, she’ll register you, because she wants to get as many Republicans as she can.
And so he went down and he said that he was a Republican, she registered him and he stayed true to his word. He was a Republican for the rest of his life.”
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/09/06/condoleezza-rice-how-could-these-people-hate-us-so-much/
Most of the southern whites were Democrats (Dixiecrats) who defected to the Republican party, so hence, the Republicans saw an exodus of black Americans.
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Most of the southern whites were Democrats (Dixiecrats) who defected to the Republican party, so hence, the Republicans saw an exodus of black Americans.
Nope.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdJsPsU55PM)
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“The ignorance comes from not knowing they are wrong. Most, not all, but most have been raised this way and if they don’t know they are wrong then this too is a form of ignorance. Ignorance based on a learned behavior brought on by parents, peers, etc…Ignorance is not just a lack of knowledge but the lack of factual knowledge as well…”
* * * * * * *
ALL humans are born with a sense of right and wrong. Ignorance based on a learned behavior … is no excuse. But then, perhaps some of us aren’t fully human.
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@ Linda: You were commenting about the little girl Ruby Bridges, how one of the protesters had a black doll in a casket, racism is a sickness. She was just a child, and those monsters hated innocent children. That is so depraved. I wonder where that individual who fabricated that ugliness,is today. Are the hateful protesters alive today? Are they repentant? Do they understand the ugliness of their hearts?
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@ Matari: “Preach”
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@ William Bentley: I wish there were more of you with your perspective.
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@Mary, You make me feel so good Mary, God Bless you..
@Matari, yes there is a sense of right and wrong instilled in each of us but it is our environment which guides us to our opinions and understanding or a lack o understanding as we grow into adults. If I were to believe that white racist were born with the knowledge of right and wrong and they continue to act like vermin, then I would also have to take the perspective that men who come from impoverished environments, surrounded by gangs and drug dealers and grow up to be criminals are also vermin and i do not believe this to be true…When i see a man in jail acting like a fool or I see a racist on the television wearing his dunce cap I try to imagine back when that person was a sweet baby or small child with no hate in his heart, with only curiosity and playfulness…something or someone turned that sweet innocent child into the vile half human he is today….Their environments were the biggest influence on how they turned out and they stopped learning and growing the moment they were fed hate and fear…this is where the ignorance took over.
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“..I try to imagine back when that person was a sweet baby or small child with no hate in his heart, with only curiosity and playfulness…something or someone turned that sweet innocent child into the vile half human he is today….Their environments were the biggest influence on how they turned out …”
************
That’s an opinion I don’t happen to share. ALL babies are NOT as sweet or innocent as you describe.. True, none of them have fully developed anti-social behavior sets at their young age, yet. But, to say that this means that they’re all sweet and innocent is a misnomer.
Some will become warm, fuzzy, loving, giving, caring, thoughtful people… and some will be able to KEEP this innocence/sweetness. Most others will not, though a few might wake up in time to reclaim that which they had/lost.
I don’t see it as an environmental influence to a large extent. I see it as a personal (spiritual) choice that all individuals make or will make (whether they consciously realize they’re making it or not).
Everyone chooses … everyone decides if they’re going to accept any programing or conditioning that is given.. we all do.
See Romans 9:13 – 9:25
There will be no excuse …
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Are you saying that some babies are predisposed to evil….I find that extremely sad and a farce. If what you believe is true then you agree with the white racist of the world who believe that nature has made blacks commit crimes and not their inhumane treatment from whites or their social and economical environment. If you train a pit bull to be mean it will be mean, treat it with love and you have one of the best family pets there is. Now there are exceptions as physiological disorders and mental health come in to play but overall when a baby is born they are a blank canvass, how they turn out is up to the artist.
I PREFER TO FOCUS ON THE LIGHT OF THE NEW TESTAMENT AND LEAVE THE DARK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE PAST…
James 4:17
So whoever KNOWS the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
James 4:17 specifically points to the fact that whoever KNOWS the right thing to do and fails to do it is sinning. However if one knows not what they are doing or believe they are in the right then they are acting with ignorance and remember God loves the sinner…
Besides remember this…Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Your last comments about every single person being able to choose conditioning and programming is just not true. Some people are strong, some people are week, some people are witty and some people are shy. If you grew up in a home with a controlling, very large and threatening person who from a very early age physically and mentally abused you, when you grow into an adult you will be much less capable of avoiding such programming and control giving certain situations or relationships. Not everyone has total control over their free will, the world would be much more stable if this were true…Do you realize how many times you have purchased a product based on what color the packaging was or how cool the picture on the label was…you failed to control your programming when you purchased that item. The mere fact that we are so easily controlled is why the wealthy are so wealthy, why white Christians are voting for Republicans who worship money and demonize the poor, the exact opposite the teachings of Christ…We are all controlled by something…
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“Not everyone has total control over their free will,”
* * * * * * *
Mr. Bently,
If a soul doesn’t have control over their own will, then they don’t have a free will… a will to choose, decide, pick, believe or do. You can’t state that people have a free will AND then say that they don’t control it. Even if one gives up the control of their own will to another, they WILLINGLY gave it up… no matter the reason. They exercised their free will in order to give control of their will to another. People choose what they want…or think they want.
People make decisions practically every waking second of their lives. I’m not saying there aren’t consequences – I’m saying there ARE consequences to whatever we choose to believe, adhere to, go along with — whether that influences comes from our parents, history books and or from the other people within our assigned or chosen affiliations, everyone has control of what they think (good or bad) is true, correct, or right.
Humanity isn’t a monolith…we’re different, and those differences are primarily fueled by the choices we make, the things we believe and the acts that we do. … at least those of us that are in fact, hu-mane.
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Interesting debate between a liberal white male christian (William Bentley) and a possibly african american male or female christian(Matari).
On this any any other issue I an atheist guided only by the reason and logic of science.
Form a hypothesis then search for supporting or refuting evidence.
After accumulating a sufficient amount of said data – reach conclusion.
btw (William Bentley) visited your facebook page and I really like your
Drunk vs Stoned experiment
I may friend you…..
As matari – no link ,profile ,nada… guest some just want to be heard but not seen.
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Matari writes:
“[W]e’re different, and those differences are primarily fueled by the choices we make, the things we believe and the acts that we do[.]
– – –
I agree 100%.
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You, Mr Bently, are attempting to EXCUSE racial hatred … racism.
I’m talking about violence, oppression, mistreatment, marginalization of others based solely on the color of their skin. That’s demonic sickness. Disease. Unholy anti-Christ spirit.
There’s absolutely no excuse for this. At some point all individuals whether they be weak or strong, rich or poor, raised or not raised by racists must decide for themselves if they will be a part of it, or not, and live their own life accordingly.
One doesn’t get a pass for being a murderer, molester, rapist because they were raised or influenced by a murderer, molester, rapist. There are penalties. Period.
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Hmm. Well, I’m what I like to refer to as an “atheist believer”: I do not believe in “gods”, e.g., the Judeo-Christian god, or, for that matter, any other deity of the human imagination (no offense, folks), but I do believe there is *something* behind physical matter reality. Whatever that *something* is, however, I do not claim to know.
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Fiamma
” Whatever that *something* is, however, I do not claim to know.”
*********
The older I get, the more I realize I DON’T know … except that this “something” you speak of is the Supreme Intelligence … the creative force that keeps the Universe intact and in order, in spite of the chaos and mayhem man brings to it.
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Yes i agree with you there…I think I took your comments a little too literal at some point and got away from the original discussion regarding ignorance. Let me also say that my comments in no way shape or form are meant as an excuse to act with disregard for another person. I was just explaining how I resolve my anger and quick responses to such hatred or bad behavior when i am in a good mood and have better control of my responses. God Bless…
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@Fiamma, thank you for your religious acknowledgment and no offence taken, after all Jesus speaks of free will and even though he wants all to believe in him he, in my beliefs, has given us the will to choose or not choose him. The way true freedom works….
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Honestly I believe Malcolm X was right. Integration doesn’t work at all. Blacks and Whites should live separately. We are polar opposites of each other and are natural enemies. The Zimmerman trial’s verdict woke me up and realized that racism will never be gone from our society. The verdict made me realize that Whites don’t care about Black life and that they benefit from the system. It also made me realize that Dr. King’s Dream is just a dream. Racism will never go away. Our society will always be racist.
As a young, Black woman, I have pretty much given up on integration and Dr. King’s Dream as being the answer to racism in this country. Dr. King’s ideas were too pacifist in my opinion although he was concerned about he plight of Blacks in racist, White dominated AmeriKKKlan. That was what I liked but I didn’t like that he was naïve enough to think that Whites and Blacks can live together in peace.
I believe that Blacks would be much better off if they followed Malcolm X’s philosophy and stop relying on Whites, White Liberals and the government for everything. And relied on their inner strength and intuition and build their own communities apart from Whites, the Black Community would be in much better state than it is today. Integration and multiculturalism was the death of Blacks in AmeriKKKlan. Thus I don’t believe in integration or multiculturalism.
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@ Jefe
Those issues came later. The March on Washington was mainly supported by civil rights organizations and labour unions, so it was mainly about “freedom” (political rights) and “jobs” (full and fair employment).
There all kinds of comparisons you can draw, of course. I stuck to the issues that King brought up so as not to be too anachronistic.
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@ Riverside Rob
I agree with that, pretty much. The report card would have been better in, say, 1980 or even 1990 than now. Or even 2012, for that matter.
Most of the progress on civil rights was made between 1954 and 1968. After that a white backlash set in, especially from 1974 onwards.
That backlash took electoral form as the Southern strategy, where Republicans try to ride to power on the angry white man vote. Goldwater, George Wallace, Nixon, Reagan, Bush I and Romney all used it. Hillary Clinton was going down that road too in 2008.
The Southern strategy is pretty much dead – it turns off too many Latino voters. The demographics are no longer there at the national level. But I suspect that, if anything, whites will feel even more threatened and, like white Southerners in the 1850s and 1960s, will overplay their hand and cause a reaction that will lead to another round of multiracial reforms.
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@adeen
Music to my ears.
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@Adonis
I am glad someone agrees with me. Honestly integration and multiculturalism doesn’t work. Malcolm X was right when he said integration wouldn’t work. And it didn’t. The Black Community is in shambles and I believe integration was the death of Blacks in AmeriKKKlan.
Dr. King’s speech is just a dream. Racism will never go away.
The Black Community would be in much better shape if they followed Malcolm X’s idea. He was right when he said that Black people should rely on themselves, their strength and intuition instead of Whites and the government, live separately from them and build their own communities. Whites have terrorized, murdered and mistreated Black people for centuries, it didn’t make sense integrating with your enemies.
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They might try something, like redefine whiteness. Wooing hispanics and perhaps multi-racials could be part of that.
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@adeen
I feel you. We got bamboozled. But hopefully, my generation (mid 20s) will right the ship a little bit.
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Guys, you are referring to conservative whites and many wealthy whites in power. My friends are not threatened by any minorities and we feel extremely guilty of what our race has done in the past and still does in the present. I know that you may not be doing it on purpose but not all white people are the same. The problem is that the whites who have created such conditions for minorities are always the whites with power and their conservative constituents. Whites who do not share their racist beliefs and who are shamed by it usually do not hold positions of power. Those that do just don’t have the funding or business relationships to sustain the kind of fight it takes to bring change to legislation or to keep such news for change in the media. However we do not always sit by and watch from the sidelines; we vote, we protest, we march hand in hand and the good politicians fight an uphill battle…
Natural enemies? That’s just not true, how can you justify those words? I come from an interracial family and I am telling you that from experience there is just no difference in basic human character based on the color of ones skin. There are differences based on environment and culture but as far as basic human character, there is none.
40% of all the whites who voted the last election voted for Obama. 47% voted for him the first election. We want change, we hate the behavior of our other half, we want to help….
but I don’t blame you for your positions, I would be pissed, hurt and angry too. I just ask that you not lump us all together, blacks and whites are alike more than than we are different, I know from experience believe me. Those who are not alike are the racist, power hungry, soul corrupting racist of the world who have chosen evil over humanity…
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@william Bentley
Guys like you don’t get as much shine because you don’t feed into a divisive narrative. Kudos
However. Not only a large number of whites are invested in racial politics, upholding white supremacy.
Every other racial group in America practices a certain level of tribalism. It is an instinctive practice.
Black folks need to be more tribal & come to the world game on an equal playing field financially & economically.
And then, we can talk about cum by ya, let by gones, be by gones.
But we cannot talk about forgiveness from a level of inferiority.
Good Day William
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@Adonis, brilliant, I see what your point is so much clearly now, thank you…Once you explained it for me in such a manner I see what you are talking about.
Kind of like you have lost your identity trying to fit into a culture that has rejected and oppressed you, diluting any independence you have tried to achieve. Without your independence and own culture you will always be tethered to a society that controls you.
Does that sound right….you guys have to bare with me, I have a feeling I am much slower than many of you on this site….thank you.
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@William Bentley
People like you aren’t the problem. You seem like you mean well. However People in your race that are racist and dividing the country is my main issue. I feel like most White Americans racist just by the way they talk and act.
Yes White and Black people are natural enemies. We never got along ever in any time in history. And we still don’t get along in AmeriKKKlan. Race relations are worsening. I really think integration didn’t do Blacks in AmeriKKKlan any favors at all. Integration doesn’t work because you don’t integrate with your enemies.
@Adonis
Yup, you are right. I am in my late teens and I feel like we have been duped to accept this ”postracial” AmeriKKKlan bullshit. Well we are not living in postracial America. AmeriKKKlan is just as racist as ever before. It is our country just as much as Whites but yet they don’t see that.
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Adonis
@william Bentley
….Black folks need to be more tribal & come to the world game on an equal playing field financially & economically.
I see that you agree with Adeen, and I think I do too, regarding the need for black self reliance, to create a living space where your community is controlled by the community. (I think that is what she said, Adeen forgive me if I’ve misinterpreted your posts).
Being unfamiliar with Malcom X’s writings, can you tell me if he thought that black separation should occur within America’s boundaries or if he looked for a migration out of this country?
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OMG, R_R, you really should look at The Autobiography of Malcolm X as required reading for 20th century US history. If you haven’t read it, I suggest you go now and get a copy.
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@ jefe: I read the autobiography of Malcolm X and I enjoyed it. I once had a white person tell me they read it, and it infuriated them so much they chunked it in the trash.
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Don’t get why my comment is in moderation, but “oh well”.
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@Riverside Rob
Yes you did interpret my post right this time. I do believe in Black self reliance because that is basically what Malcolm X taught. Blacks need to stop relying on the government and on Whites.
And I do believe in Black separatism because I believe it is good for my people to separate from White people and live apart from them. Whites have oppressed Black people for way too long and it would be good if Black people made their own nation. Black people don’t need White people. You White people need Blacks more than Blacks need your kind! Trust me, if Black people
left AmeriKKKlan, AmeriKKKlan would go down the tubes!
@Jefe
I plan on reading Malcolm X’s autobiography soon. Honestly I like Malcolm X’s ideas much better than Martin Luther King’s.
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William Bentley
Guys, you are referring to conservative whites and many wealthy whites in power. My friends are not threatened by any minorities and we feel extremely guilty of what our race has done in the past and still does in the present. I know that you may not be doing it on purpose but not all white people are the same. The problem is that the whites who have created such conditions for minorities are always the whites with power and their conservative constituents. Whites who do not share their racist beliefs and who are shamed by it usually do not hold positions of power. Those that do just don’t have the funding or business relationships to sustain the kind of fight it takes to bring change to legislation or to keep such news for change in the media. However we do not always sit by and watch from the sidelines; we vote, we protest, we march hand in hand and the good politicians fight an uphill battle…
Natural enemies? That’s just not true, how can you justify those words? I come from an interracial family and I am telling you that from experience there is just no difference in basic human character based on the color of ones skin. There are differences based on environment and culture but as far as basic human character, there is none.
40% of all the whites who voted the last election voted for Obama. 47% voted for him the first election. We want change, we hate the behavior of our other half, we want to help….
but I don’t blame you for your positions, I would be pissed, hurt and angry too. I just ask that you not lump us all together, blacks and whites are alike more than than we are different, I know from experience believe me. Those who are not alike are the racist, power hungry, soul corrupting racist of the world who have chosen evil over humanity…
Mr. Bentley, that was an excellent post. Your point about all whites not being the same is well taken. In your opinion is it all conservatives who are – not just wrong, but evil, or only those conservatives with money and power? How does someone atone for injustices done upon blacks in the past, or put another way, how do you deal with the guilt you feel?
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@Adeen,
You know, even though the TV series Roots came out when I was in High School, so I learned who Alex Haley was, NO ONE mentioned Malcolm X at all, not to mention his Autobiography. I only learned about it after I went to university and some of the Asian-Americans there told me about it.
re: your separatist ideas, I think USA’s history culture and identity is an inextractable combination of black and white (and Native American, Latino, Asian, etc.). They tried to impose separatism before during Jim Crow and the Back to Africa movements. I think we have to try to build a new paradigm.
But I do agree that Blacks might consider models of accommodation that require less reliance on whites, including black entrepreneurship and mentoring.
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@Jefe
I am a young, Black person so I wasn’t around when Roots came out but I watched it last year. I was terrified by the way White slave masters treated their slaves.
Anyways yes, I do believe in Black separatism. I think we need to live apart from White people and build our own communities. That would be better for the Black Community because
1) White people are our enemies and oppressors.
White people never meant well for us because they are our enemies. They have always hated us and will always hate us. Thus we should never have integrated with White people. They hate us and will always hate us.
2) The Black Community was in better shape in segregation and Jim Crow laws than it is today.
I maybe a young person but from the pictures of the Civil Rights Movement and Jim Crow laws, the Black family looked like they were intact.
75% of Black kids pre integration were born to two parent homes with married parents.
80% of Black kids graduated on time pre integration.
Black families valued family, God and eduation before integration and they had their own communities and stores and didn’t rely on White people for anything.
3) Integration doesn’t work.
The situation in the Black Community has worsened because of integration and not making our own stores and businesses and relying on White Liberals and the government for everything.
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@Adeen
“White people never meant well for us because they are our enemies. They have always hated us and will always hate us. Thus we should never have integrated with White people. They hate us and will always hate us. ”
That’s not quite true. Ancient Greeks (maybe you can argue they weren’t white) thought very highly of ancient “Egyptians” and “Ethiopians.” And many blacks achieved great things in Europe prior to 19th century.
The reason there exists this hatred of today is the long campaign to demonise blacks in order to (1) justify the mediaeval Christian wars against “heathen” and (2) to justify the Atlantic slave trade of blacks. It was all an attempt to make Christians feel good about their evil deeds, and sadly they were never able to clear their heads of such propaganda.
“The Black Community was in better shape in segregation and Jim Crow laws than it is today. ”
That may be so, but if one stepped out of the black community (e.g., some people’s parents, grandparents and great grandparents walking downtown in Anywhere, USA in the 50s or 60s) then they generally were harshly treated just b/c of their appearance. Personally, I think it’s a plus that now they have the freedom of movement and association (and that is thanks to their hard work to petition the government and protest in public).
“The situation in the Black Community has worsened because of integration and not making our own stores and businesses and relying on White Liberals and the government for everything.”
Well, now, black business ownership is growing the fastest of all ethnic groups (triple the national rate!) http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/business_ownership/cb11-24.html
Perhaps some would say the African-American community needs to support its own businesses, and I agree, but really that’s just another way of saying be more prejudicial like other ethnic groups.
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@resw77
You have a great point but I do believe in Black separatism. it is a good idea. We don’t need Whites at all or their lies, deceit and mind games. Yes they do hate us and wish the worse for us. The Greeks weren’t White, White people hate Black people. That is why we have stupid White trolls like Jeff coming on here and saying crap about Black people. And that is why they continue to oppress us endlessly and treat us badly. White people are the enemy. I don’t necessarily hate White people but I don’t really like or trust them.
Yes you are right about Black businesses though. We need to create our own businesses and stop relying on White people. And you can be a Black separatist without hating White people though. I don’t see anything racist in being a Black separatist. I just want to help out my people when I get older.
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@Adeen
“The Greeks weren’t White, White people hate Black people. That is why we have stupid White trolls like Jeff coming on here and saying crap about Black people. And that is why they continue to oppress us endlessly and treat us badly.”
I agree (but Euro Americans claim them as white). But, according to most historical accounts that I’ve come across, blacks were generally treated equally (or better) in Europe prior to the Atlantic slave trade.
The likes of Jeff are simply a result of a couple of centuries of propaganda based on their guilty consciences about the slave trade. They had to justify it to make themselves feel better, and that’s what Jeff is doing. He’s justifying his hatred and prejudice by pointing out negatives that exist in the African-American (which also exist in every other ethnicity’s) community.
“We need to create our own businesses and stop relying on White people…I don’t see anything racist in being a Black separatist…”
I agree, you have every right to do so, and I actually respect it. And, as far as the statistics show, black entrepreneurship is doing very well and will likely continue for the years to come.
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Good post Jefe…
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@resw77: I suspect, Jeff is x praetorius.
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Ha, I guess there’s more to say,
Before I once more call it a day.
While abagond’s card is not amiss,
Does anyone else have a say in this?
Eyes will be closed due to money woes.
Not enough cash to watch for foes?
But to measure the void a scale is bought.
Of what use is the data sought?
Or is she a lady igneous,
Hired to defy mad apsinthos?
Though if suspicions you intuit
Maybe it’s best to keep sitting on it.
Certain words hushed tones befit,
Lest one generates mass discomfit.
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@Adeen,
The black family might have been more intact during Segregation and Jim Crow, but I cannot believe the “Black Community” as a whole was better off then. You weren’t around then, so I suspect you really don’t know what it was like.
The current models of integration have not worked ideally or as may have been intended, but I don’t think the answer is separatism. And the only way that could happen is with another civil war. Is that what you want?
What happened was an integration backlash that was promoted since the 1980s which partially dismantled the framework built in the 60s-70s. But also I think there are 2 ideologies that we have to deal with.
1. White is “better” somehow – ie, living in a white neighborhood or shopping in a white store or joining a white club means that you have “climbed the ladder” (just like the Jeffersons in the mid-late 70s). So, there is less support for black community institutions and businesses as they are somehow not as good as the white ones.
2. Acting “white” is somehow not acting “black” – (This only applies to some neighborhoods, particularly the ones that are mixed / multiracial / multiethnic) Getting good grades and a good education and studying really really hard are somehow perceived as a “white” thing. These are not “white” things. It should be something we all aim for.
That is why I strongly support the growth of black entrepreneurship, black mentoring, black wealth building and any avenues or platforms which allow blacks to toot their own horn (and NOT depend on whites for that – all they do is promote the model minority stereotypes to pat *themselves* on the back). But I got the impression that much of the black middle class sought to flee the “inner city black ghettos” (sorry Abagond for this white centric terminology used only to make a point) just as much as whites. It is as if they want to point out that, even if they are black, at least they are not ghetto. But to many whites, they are still just black.
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Jefe,
“White is “better” somehow – ie, living in a white neighborhood or shopping in a white store or joining a white club means that you have “climbed the ladder” (just like the Jeffersons in the mid-late 70s). So, there is less support for black community institutions and businesses as they are somehow not as good as the white ones.”
I mean that was the point of ending segregation because it was separate but unequal. It should have been and was expected that black people would flee the unequal black businesses and communities and attempt to integrate into the white businesses and communities.
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I didn’t say that it was wrong, or not one of the goals in ending segregation, but that it seemed to have some (perhaps unintended) consequences.
Integration seems to have given blacks more choice and quality as consumers who can now purchase and enjoy some goods and services provided to whites in the past, but it also reduced, to some extent, the opportunities for blacks to become entrepreneurs.
So, we have an issue to deal with, but I am not advocating separatism as a solution. I think we have to migrate from “white is better” to “white is OK, black is OK”, and that “black might be better” for certain goods and services that are not well provided for by whites. These could include not only black cultural services (food, clothing, entertainment, personal grooming, African-American studies, etc.), but also services that are not provided well by whites, eg, credit, insurance, public security, etc. that may be subject to redlining. We also need more opportunities for black mentoring.
For example, do you think Chinese-Americans would rather patronize a white owned store or restaurant serving Chinese food or selling cultural paraphernalia (eg, joss sticks)? I think it is already a bit unsettling that Korean-Americans have begun to dominate and control the black hair care and grooming industries.
Blacks were excluded from the skilled trades until the 1970s. Now we should have a generation or two to provide services to blacks. How many black-owned and operated plumbers, carpenters, electricians, home and business remodeling services do we have nowadays? There should be more diversification now since the 1950s in black entrepreneurship, not less.
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Jefe,
“Integration seems to have given blacks more choice and quality as consumers who can now purchase and enjoy some goods and services provided to whites in the past, but it also reduced, to some extent, the opportunities for blacks to become entrepreneurs.”
I don’t think that is an unintended consequence of integration. I think it is the intended consequence of continued segregation and racist practices. If integration was truly achieved AA business owners would operate company’s that serviced more than the black community. There would be no black community. They would have access to resources that would allow them to compete with white business owners.
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@mary burrell
“I suspect, Jeff is x praetorius.”
I don’t think so. xpraet was not a blatant bigot like jeff, more of a closeted, in-denial one.
I do, however, think xpraet has returned on another thread.
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@Solesearch,
So how do we address the psychological belief that “white is better”. Should AA business owners first try to woo white customers so that it has a “white” image that would appeal to potential black customers? Obviously we are still light years away from true integration.
So, how do you feel about Korean-American business owners dominating the black hair care and grooming industries? Since we don’t have integration per se, there are numerous niches that open up that allow persons who one would think of “outsiders” dominating an industry. How would your proposed model deal with these phenomena?
So, you see integration as a means to dismantle the black community. Is that where we should be heading?
Just trying to understand your proposed solutions. “True” Integration might not occur for hundreds of years. What should we be doing in the meantime? Anyhow, in a few hundred years we will have new, disparate groups that are not integrated.
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jefe,
“So how do we address the psychological belief that “white is better”. Should AA business owners first try to woo white customers so that it has a “white” image that would appeal to potential black customers? Obviously we are still light years away from true integration.”
My point is that it’s not just psychological, but reality. White businesses have the resources to out compete black businesses. White businesses can woo customers of any race more effectively than black businesses.
I think we need to dead this conversation that black customers don’t want to patronize black businesses just because they’re black.
It’s the business’s job to attract customers, not the other way around.
Black businesses have to find a way to compete with better resourced businesses. There has to be organization.
“So, how do you feel about Korean-American business owners dominating the black hair care and grooming industries? Since we don’t have integration per se, there are numerous niches that open up that allow persons who one would think of “outsiders” dominating an industry. How would your proposed model deal with these phenomena?”
They might dominate the retail sector of these industries, but the salons and barber shops black men and women frequent are black owned. Black people obviously have a dominant role in the industry. And if anything, they drive traffic to these Korean owned stores. Seems mutually beneficial. Do the Korean shop owners not live in the black communities they serve?
But the issue, is not why are Korean’s operating these stores, but why aren’t AAs? Probably because there is little desire to do so. If these black communities were actually communities and not just ghettoes people are trapped in then there would be organizations dedicated to building these communities. Instead the mindset is to get out as soon as you can and never come back. You should send money back, but it is primarily used to help some other poor soul get out.
“So, you see integration as a means to dismantle the black community. Is that where we should be heading?”
There is no black community to dismantle.
We can either work towards building a black community, which to me sounds like separate but equal, or we can work towards integration which would dismantle this sham that we call the black community. And in my opinion, the latter is where we should be headed, because that is what would happen if there was no racism.
If we got rid of racism, what else would keep us racially separated?
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@Solesearch
You know what, I think you might be onto something.
Ah, there is plenty of stuff to keep people separated. For example, it might be replaced with colourism. or classism. or religion.
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Jefe,
“Ah, there is plenty of stuff to keep people separated. For example, it might be replaced with colourism. or classism. or religion.”
I said racial segregation. Colorism is racism.
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I doubt racism will ever “be rid of”.
At this point, i’m convinced the only thing Black people can do is realize that racism is a reality and will always be as long as there is the concept of whiteness and white people. (Ancient Black people dealt with whites and their values of coming against them based on skin color–which is why we always will.)
We can begin to understand why its exists in the first place (we have more knowledge and resources to be in a better angle to approach the problem more so than our Ancestors) and find ways or strategies to repel it. Although that would take more unity (setting aside ethnocentrism among Blacks) than not.
Much like balms, salves (preventive measures to keep mosquitos from being aggressive), etc can be used to keep mosquitos at bay and to prevent vicious bites, but that does not eradicate mosquitos. Maybe a poor analogy, but that is the only thing i can think to compare racism and whiteness to.
I also think that Black communities (no matter the economic situation) will always be needed for those who identify culturally as Black. There will of course be Black individuals who do not see a need to live among, work for, have/raise families, and pool resources with other Blacks and they shouldn’t be asked to do so anyway.
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phoebeprunelle writes:
“There will of course be Black individuals who do not see a need to live among, work for, have/raise families, and pool resources with other Blacks and they shouldn’t be asked to do so anyway.”
– – –
I agree.
Although I myself am making an attempt to eradicate myself of racialist thinking, as I feel that one cannot claim others are disingenuous and then turn around when situations are reversed and behave in the same disingenuous agenda-laden manner as they have (e.g. Zimmerman murdering Trayvon Martin vs the random murder of Australian Christopher Lane by one Black, one Black-mixed race, and one who very much to me appears to be partially Black), I still do not feel comfortable around North American whites or dealing with them on any level, and have a strong preference for living amongst other Blacks.
The community where I’ve lived most of my life has recently become largely Indian & Indo-Caribbean. I was a bit apprehendsive at first but have found my Indian neighbors to be courteous and neighborly towards me, one of the few remaining Blacks in the area. I have no worries or fears concerning them.
If I decide to leave this area, though, I will doubtlessly look to move into one that is majority middle-class Black (whether American or Caribbean, it doesn’t matter to me).
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*apprehensive
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Hi,
I haven’t been here in awhile. Hope everyone had a great summer. It went by too fast for me. Anyway, I knew there’d be a discussion about the March on Washington and I was right. Even though I only skimmed through the comments (didn’t read all of them word for word), I agree with what I read, especially Adeen. You are absolutely correct. Not only was Martin’s dream just a dream, but its a nightmare we’ve been living with what seems like a never-ending nightmare. In many ways, the Civil Rights Movement produced a bunch of cry babies. Whining and begging the gov’t/white man for this, that, and everything else. Martin and the rest of those activists strongly belirvrd that intergrating w/ white people would be the answer to all of black people’s problems. But what Martin, his crew, and followers should’ve been doing was keeping an eye on the behaviors of blacks in the black community. Just like they marched in cities, they should’ve marched in black neighborhoods teaching black men the definition of being a good, decent man. Gov’t nor the white man could do that. The black women who marched w/ Martin should’ve stopped in black neighborhoods and taught black women how to be good, decent women. The gov’t or white man can do that either. I truly believe that if boundaries were set there’d be way more understanding and love not only between black couples but black people in general. Blacks have their own Un-civil War going on and there’s two sides: black people and niggers. Like Chris Rock said, ” The niggers/niggas have got to go.” He’s right when he said that everytime black people are having a goo time, ignorant ass niggas f**k it up. They make life impossible/damn near impossible for anyone who crosses their path. They’ve been causing destruction in black communities and their own communities for at least 30-40 years. Yet, not one civil rights activist(or group) has been able to control these unruly savages. If anything these activists excuse
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these savages by using the same ol’ excuses they’ve been using for years: racism and slavery. Nothing or nobody’s powerful enough to erase racism b/c racism is a matter of the heart, soul, and mind. Believe it or not, racists have the right to dislike anyone of a different race. Its when they cause harm/bodily harm that makes it an offense. Blacks are just as racist as anyone else. Referring to people as cracker, honkey, spic, etc are considered racial slurs that are offensive to others. Ignorant blacks have to realize that this world doesn’t revolve around them. It never did. There are other people in this world who have to live in it. Besides, I believe our black so-called leaders have not only overloaded our brains on racism but they keep leadind us on a downward path. I have found out some disturbing info online about Jesse, Al, Jesse Jr, even Martin. They weren’t/nowhere near the “choir boys” people thought. There are 3 books Shakedown, SCAM, and And The Walls Came Tumbling Down that exposes black leaders as evil, money-hungry backstabbers. On one website, a black guy wrote an article about Jesse Jackson. He said that Jesse worked hard for ending mass incarceration or something like that. I know thats a lie. Jesse’s son has been ordered to begin his prison term Nov 1. He can’t even keep him out of jail. Like father, like son. Jesse Jr. stole $750,000 in campaign finds. His wife, an alderman, is headed for jail too. Black people have placed these leaders on such a high plateau that its difficult for them to comprehend that these leaders don’t have our best interest at heart. Money, and lots of it is whats near abd dear to their hearts and pockets. Jesse and Al have been scamming big corporations out of big-time dough. All for their own benefit. I don’t know if I posted this or not, but Jesse’s being sued by an openly gay black man for sexual harrassment. His name’s Tommy Bennett and you can read about his lawsuit online. You should
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Dear too many, you make a few valid points but I think what you said about the black leaders just proves the old adage that money and power corrupt absolutely. It’s not black men or white men but all men. Face it mankind can be a scourge on this planet. Mankind is the cancer of the animal kingdom or at least they become a cancer. We do some remarkably beautiful and human things but once you introduce money, fame and power those men will sell their own children to stay on top. And it’s not just the wealthy, it’s the allure of money, power and fame that make us non wealthy people act like fools or worse hurt or take advantage of people. I see it all the time in my business; men, women, White, Black, Asian, Indian, “Christian”, Jewish, etc…I’ve watched Realtors driving an $80,000 car lie to a senior citizen about the condition of a home just to get her to sign that agreement so she could get her check and move on to the next client. She walked right away from that sweet old woman on a fixed income selling her a house with faulty wiring, leaking roof, bad furnace and so on without a second fu#!kin thought. How can a person not think about that client as you drive away, when you cash that check, when she moves in…She didn’t care if that woman burns alive in that house. Anyway i just wanted to add that once men come to power and money it is almost impossible to find an honest one.
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goggle it. His claims are explosive. These black leaders/black organizations cause the black race more harm than good. Between the civil rights movement and the crack cocaine epidemic, blacks have cause their own problems.
“About 90% of suburban whites, for example, live in places that are less than 1% black.” And? What, white ppl aren’t allowed to have predominately white neighborhoods? Or, do you feel as though more blacks should live in the suburbs? It’s no big secret that blacks cause major destruction in their own neighborhoods/communities. Who wants to live in the same vicinity as ghetto-minded individuals? Sensible black people don’t even wanna dwell around heathens. So I’m quite sure white ppl in the suburbs don’t either.
But don’t worry b/c black ppl who can afford to live in nice homes in nice, safe neighborhoods are living there. Matter of fact, black ppl can live anywhere they can afford.
Do you think there’s anything wrong w/ blacks living in black neighborhoods? If so, why?
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“WE need to create our own businesses and stop relying on white people. I don’t see anything racist in being a Black separatist.” I totally agree w/ this statement. But do you consider whites who want to be separate for blacks as racist? How can blacks create their own businesses when 1.) WE aren’t unified as a race. There’s so much hostility and hatred among us. Remember the 7 Divisions Among Blacks? No type of unity can happen if the very ppl can’t even basically get along w/ each other. Much of our anger really stems from not only whites, but other blacks also. For example, MLK and other blacks spoke of integration as a pie in the sky way of living. WE were gonna get what was owed to us. But it didn’t happen and it wasn’t suppose to. They could’ve just as easily steered black ppl in another direction. Instead of boycotting the buses, why not build buses? Wouldn’t that be considered a skilled trade? Instead of marching into places where blacks weren’t welcomed, why not apply for gov’t funds to build businesses in black neighborhoods? Too much of our money goes out of our community b/c we take it elsewhere. But complaining about it doesn’t do anything to alleviate the situation. Placing the entire blame on the white race isn’t gonna solve much among us.
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@toomanygrandkids
“goggle it. His claims are explosive. These black leaders/black organizations cause the black race more harm than good. Between the civil rights movement and the crack cocaine epidemic, blacks have cause their own problems. “—You can’t cause what was already there. You can just make them worse.
“It’s no big secret that blacks cause major destruction in their own neighborhoods/communities”—I am going to be the first to tell you this is a ball of ignorance. black neighborhoods vary. There could be different kinds and poor neighborhoods(whether they consist of blacks or whites) tend to be less attractive. Mainly because individuals are poor and don’t have the money to renovate and such.
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I will further elaborate on something. My house previous owners were white. They left this house looking like a dump and I can say I would rather had lived in the ghetto than here, but we had money to renovate so we were able to replace everything (and I mean everything). So this deluded idea that it is just blacks that leave or make their neighborhoods in destruction is bull and should be concluded only based on individual habits.
I can only imagine blacks that buy or move into that situation and do not have the money or means to renovate. Not saying it is all whites fault as I have met some blacks that do not keep a clean house but it is a bit ridiculous to conclude these things based on skin color.
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@sharina
Drug dealers illegally earning anywhere from hundreds of dollars to over a million are hardly poor. They can be a lot of things but poor or living in poverty isn’t one of them. It doesn’t take much to keep your own neughborhood clean if everyone chips in amd does their part. Most houses in not-so-attractive areas wouldn’t be in such bad shape if the black males would make repairs necessary repairs. But they have a slave mentality. Picking up paper/trash in their yards means they’re a slave. Cutting the grass puts them in mind of slaves in a field. And they ain’t nobody’s slave. They’ve never been a slave. Maybe they should’ve been, that way they’d really know the hardships slaves endured.
These are the types who feel comfortable living in these conditions when they could change their way of living and thinking. Its not white ppl oppressing these blacks. Not at all. They are miserable b/c they love misery amd they live for causing misery. It makes their day.
Don’t know if I posted this or not but here goes: If the white man/white race is the enemy of black people then ni**ers/ni**as are the worst and closest enemy of black people.
The most dangerous person in black communities is the ni**er/ni**.
I think we can stop spelling Amerikkka b/c the KKK are no longer ravaging thru black communities like they did hundreds of years ago. Can you guess who’s taken their place?
I highly doubt if black ppl who are financially well off would want to build anything in unattractive areas.
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Does anyone know toomanygrandchildren? I doth think we have a wolf in sheep’s clothing a midst us. Not even I beat up on my race as bad as she or he beats up on hers. There is just too much white racist emotion in those comments and this leads me to believe we have a mole…there is a big difference when someone is making tough comments about their culture and someone who is making racist comments disguised as tough love…for one there is a sense of compassion and understanding underneath the words and all I get is snowballing anger always touching on the same arguments a racist would make…if i am wrong I apologize toomany, but hey, what are you gonna do?
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Drug dealers who illegally earn anywhere from hundreds of thousands of dollars to million(s) are hardly poor. They may be a lot of things but poor and living in poverty isn’t one of them. Have you watched programs such as American Gangster, Lock-Up, Prison Diaries, or Crack and the Hip Hop Generation (or something like that)? Former dealers state on national television that they made 1.5 or 1.7 million during the time they sold drugs. Or, they’ll say that they made 100,000 a week. Yet they live in what ppl think is the poorest neighborhoods. Even earning that much money doesn’t motivate them to go legit or make repairs. You can’t think that way operating a legit business.
If it weren’t for these big corporations building affordable housing for low- and middle income families, many blacks would be homeless b/c there aren’t many groups of black men who design a plan, bring money and sense to the table, and begin building homes.
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Okay I am 100% sure this person knows nothing about black communities because this is the most ignorant uneducated moron I have ever heard post on this site. Wow, can someone say white supremacy disorder? I am too tired to explain to this hate monger the facts and give him a peak behind the delusional curtain his white gated world has created around him. Again it’s another conservative pointing out the exception and ignoring the OVERWHELMING rule of evidence, watching television and creating a fantasy world in his head using a formula of television and white office water cooler racism to create a world where every black man is a drug dealer with a million dollars buried in the yard. What a fool…lets look at reality, lets take actual studies carried out by reputable white universities and compare equality in America and then tell me how great it is to live in impoverished cities…I go to these cities all the time and drive back to my middle class white city everyday and I thank God every time I get to leave one of these cities. You have no empathy or respect for the women and the children of this world who have to go to bed every night to the sound of gun fire or go to school scared to death that gang members are going to assault them or attend another funeral for a 2 year old innocent child. You are the type of person that shames the human race, you are what have made men evil throughout history, hate based on ignorance, lies and FEAR…
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@William Bentley
I’m not a racist, mole, nor a wolf in sheeps clothing. I’m a black person who refuses to overlook the behaviors/actions of other blacks. I can’t simply stand by and not acknowledge that many black people have self-inficted problem that have absolutely nothing to do w/ the white race, the gov’t, racism, nor slavery. Black people born AFTER slavery were not actual slaves. White ppl born AFTER are not responsible for slavery. I truly believe we are blaming and beating each other up over situations we had no control over. If I could float back to slavery times and change it or do away with it, I would do it in less than a heartbeat. But I can not put my foot in the shoes of actual slaves and claim to have walked the same path. I will however respect the hardships they endured and how they overcame obstacles I couldn’t begin yo put into words. I will also acknowledge that slavery’s not our only history. Black History contains more than the slave trade. There were black people who accomplished so much during the worst of times when racism was more profound than it is today. Like I stated in another post, our brains have been overloaded on racism. Yes, racism exists. But thank God, it doesn’t exist in every niik and cranny of the world. There’s a such thing as interracial relationships/marriages. These couples can’t be racist if they hook up w/ someone of a different race. If they are then they are ignorant fool abd I don’t care what color they are. Sometimes, well lots of times, it gets to me when I hear certain blacks say they don’t like white ppl, I’ll ask why, and they’ll say b/c they’re all crooks. Well, there are black crooks also. The prisons are full of them. So who’s worst, the black or white one. ALL crooks are the absolute worst. But when you have black crooks crying racism b/c they were caught committing a crime, well, let’s just say the person doesn’t take too kindly being told something like, maybe you should change
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Okay, now I believe you because a true racist would not be able to get those words out of their mouth. Actually Toomany you and I are exactly alike; I get pissed off at whites who have the balls to say blacks should just get over it and that there is no more racism today and I come down hard on those whites sometimes generalizing and dragging every one else along with them in my comments. You have similar emotions regarding your race or blacks. Please accept my apology for jumping to conclusions, I guess there have been several people who will open up several account names to hide their true selves and I was hoping to catch me a stow away…LOL…I look forward to some good conversation my friend…good night, gotta go.
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@William Bentley
I didn’t say every black person was a drug dealer but there are indeed many of them. And not just in the ghetto either. There may be some living in the suburbs. Anyway instead of just rushing back to your safe neighborhood, why don’t you visit these 2-year olds you just mentioned. Go inside and see for yourself how the mom ALLOWS unlicensed, unregistered wepaons in her house for whatever reason. Oh and while you’re there, you’ll also see mommy (and daddy) bagging up drugs b/c racism led them to this way of life. Yet, their drug connection may be a non-black. But it doesn’t matter b/c you’ll see once you visit. If it is a non-black, there’s no racism between them. Not until they get busted and the non-black gives up information. THEN IT’S A RACIAL. You and I both know its too late to cry racism.
White Supremecy? Me? Not hardly. I’m a different kinda pro-black. I don’t agree w/ everything blacks do or say. You made a comment about ignorance. You’re correct, but it could pertain to every/any race. Ignorant blacks don’t believe that some things they do and say are wrong and just plain stupid.
I have more empathy for children than their own moms and dads. At least I don’t call little 2,4, 6-year olds niggers like I hear some black females. I’ll never never use the f-word in a sentence to a child. Thats not my nature. But black children hear this all day, everyday. And its not non-blacks saying this garbage to them. Why don’t you linger in those neighborhoods for 5-10 minutes so you can see and hear for yourself.
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I’m not a political person per se. I do have opinions concerning politics and what have you but I’m in no way a political expert. I recognize when politicians speak a bunch of bull. But as far as being a conservative, lefty, right wing, and what you isn’t my bag of chips.
However, watching/listening to former and present-day drug dealers appear on national television and describe their daily lives really does fascinate me. I’ll never claim that every black man is a drug dealer b/c I don’t place black men in the same realm as drug dealers. But there are so many of them. That much I know. Trust me, they confess to having very large amounts of money. This is no fantasy world. Its what they brag and boast about. Stating how large they were/still are living is real, not imagined.
I have more empathy for black children than their own moms and dads. At least I would never, ever refer to little kids as n-word nor speak a sentence using the f-word like many black males and females.
While you’re driving thru these types of neighborhoods, why don’t you visit the homes of little 2-year olds who’s own mom amd dad store weapons and drugs in the home. Black children have no say in the matter. They are innocent victims at home. A place where safety should come first.
I don’t make anyone evil. That not even my nature. But I will stand up for myself. I’m a different type of pro-black person who recognizes that I’m not perfect nor am I a saint. Other ppl will say that I think I’m perfect. They are lying to themselves b/c I know for a fact that its not the thought of me being perfect that makes them say that. Its in the way I carry myself. Whether they like it or not, there are differences within the black race. We are not all the same just b/c we’re the same color and ethnicity.
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@toomanygrandkids
Oh so now we are talking about drug dealers instead of the average blacks who live in those neighborhoods? Ok then let’s change the subject to them. Not all drug dealers that live in those neighborhoods are racking in millions. They in most cases are making just enough to stay above water and choose the living for two reasons. 1. They are doing an illegal activity and living poor is one way not to draw attention to them. 2. Is easy access to clientele. Those that are racking in millions are living in the million dollar homes and leaving the foot soldiers in the ghettos.
“Most houses in not-so-attractive areas wouldn’t be in such bad shape if the black males would make repairs necessary repairs”—Again this comes from the deluded assumption that they have the money to make those repairs. Now my question for you is are we talking about average blacks or are you going to change the subjects to drug dealers?
“But they have a slave mentality. Picking up paper/trash in their yards means they’re a slave. Cutting the grass puts them in mind of slaves in a field. And they ain’t nobody’s slave. They’ve never been a slave. Maybe they should’ve been, that way they’d really know the hardships slaves endured.”—Like I said before not all black neighborhoods are the same so this in itself if ignorance. I live in a majority black neighborhood. All my neighbors have manicured lawns. I know several like this. Not a phenomenon at all. For the poor neighborhoods that I have gone to….the only issue yard wise seems to be not cutting it and not some trash issue. For those you do see you would try asking them why they don’t cut it rather than assuming they have some slave mentality.
“Its not white ppl oppressing these blacks”—I didn’t say it was, but I would appreciate if you actually directed some comments towards things I actually did contest in your post.
“They are miserable b/c they love misery amd they live for causing misery. It makes their day.”—I love mind readers. They make my day. Can you tell me what I am thinking?
“I think we can stop spelling Amerikkka b/c the KKK are no longer ravaging thru black communities like they did hundreds of years ago. Can you guess who’s taken their place?”—Actually they have taken a different angle for dealing with black people, but I don’t want to deter. 🙂
“I highly doubt if black ppl who are financially well off would want to build anything in unattractive areas.”—-Depends on the black person. That is what makes this statement here just ignorant with everything else you stated. You stated drug dealers rack in millions so why in hell would they be living in those neighborhoods if they are making so much?
Again not all black neighborhoods are unattractive. I know not one but several that are in fact comparable or better than the white neighborhoods that ignorant blacks run to with the idea of better. I live in one and I know quite a few others who live in them as well. Most of my relatives live in these type areas. So while what you say may be true for the poor….it is a lie for other blacks.
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Abagond delete one of them…..I reworded the second one so keep it.
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@toomanygrandkids
Anytime you have a drug dealer brag about the money he has then he is small time (still working) or embellishing.
As not to divulge too much, I actually know quite a few drug dealers (no i do not sell drugs and I condone the act). Those I know do not buy flashy and in general maintain jobs to deter from being sniffed out by feds. That is why anything that appears on tv should be taken with a grain of salt. I am not saying drug dealing is some fantasy world, but I am saying that only the low level s do those such things.
“While you’re driving thru these types of neighborhoods, why don’t you visit the homes of little 2-year olds who’s own mom amd dad store weapons and drugs in the home.”—Actually I do this once a month and the type of family you describe is not always the type that are there. Granted there are some and the elders in the neighborhood try their best to instill better into these children, but the one black lady I am working with now is simply a single mother in a bad situation and no real way to get out of it.
My disagreeance with you steams from your belief that in these neighborhoods there is one type of people. You made this statement in which I agree “We are not all the same just b/c we’re the same color and ethnicity.” But it comes off as if you fail to realize to what agree there is actually a difference. Those words seem like they are meaningless to you as one read much of what you say.
Black people vary on such a level that it is not even funny, but poor unattractive neighborhoods only contain one type? Or not to mention there is only one type of black neighborhood?
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@ toomanygrandkids
My intent is not to be rude or disrespectful, but I think you come off as someone who has little experience or knowledge of the different levels of black communities. Granted I agree those like that could probably do with a tough up, but I am not expecting them to be putting in new everything.
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@ William Bentley
“Okay I am 100% sure this person knows nothing about black communities because this is the most ignorant uneducated moron I have ever heard post on this site”—I would not call it uneducated as there are plenty of people (including blacks) who just have little or no knowledge of certain black neighborhoods/communities. Frankly this is not uncommon from what I thought at one time in my life. I actually was awaken to black neighborhoods about 6 years ago when (might not have been that long). As of late one of the ladies I visit lives in a poor neighborhood or ghetto as some see it and I have recently had more of an open chance to get to know the people in these type areas. When someone does not know it is best to take the route to show them other points of life.
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Every black man is not a drug dealer. I said that I don’t even put black men in the same class as dealers. That in itself would be disrespectful. I did state that there are too many dealers. There are some who are locked up who manage to run a lucrative business from a jail cell, if not for a little while. In D.C. or Maryland, at least 14 black female guards assisted a drug dealing gang in operating an illegal distribution of narcotics. Four of them got pregnant by the same dude. Forgot the bame of the prison but those unborn children will be automatic victims b/c of the lifestyle their moms and dad chose to live. I can only imagine the level of baby mama drama that has occurred.
I didn’t say that all dealers rake in millions. One comment states hundred of thousands dollars. What I should’ve mentioned was that eventually they all get busted and are left with nothing. Not too long ago, three people (2 guys ages 30-ish and 50-ish along w/ a 50-ish female) were re-arrested on federal drug charges. The cocaine that was confiscated was worth $100,000. This was found at the home of the female. Her house was used for storing the the drugs, scales, and weapons. Now, I’m not saying that every nlack female allows her house yo be used as a drug warehouse, but so many do. And no, its not only happening in unattractive areas. It happens in upper class areas as well. The kind of neighborhoods that usta be nice, safe aewas to live but after whatever amount of time (years), there’s more abandoned houses than occupied houses. In either case, why won’t those who damaged the houses repair them? If they own the properties, shouldn’t the owners be responsible? If they rent, are landlords obligated to fix the damage(s) everytime something gets damaged? And I’m not talking about just dealers. Like I said there’s entirely too many of them for me not to notice. There’s gonna be housing discrimination like the author of this article stated. But it may be b/c the
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@toomanygrandkids
“Every black man is not a drug dealer”—Do me a favor and quote where I said you did say this or perhaps where I made an indication that I believe you said this?
“There are some who are locked up who manage to run a lucrative business from a jail cell, if not for a little while. In D.C. or Maryland, at least 14 black female guards assisted a drug dealing gang in operating an illegal distribution of narcotics. Four of them got pregnant by the same dude. Forgot the bame of the prison but those unborn children will be automatic victims b/c of the lifestyle their moms and dad chose to live. I can only imagine the level of baby mama drama that has occurred.”—I frankly did not even bring up drug dealing. You did. I can care less about low life drug dealers (and there low life baby mamas) and what they do in jail or out of it as this is not pertain to what I said to you to begin with. So I will kindly appreciate it if you stopped deflecting.
“I didn’t say that all dealers rake in millions. “—This is the quote from what you actually said “Drug dealers illegally earning anywhere from hundreds of dollars to over a million are hardly poor.” Still
” What I should’ve mentioned was that eventually they all get busted and are left with nothing.”—As they should but i can think of much harsher punishment for those that sell to kids.
” And no, its not only happening in unattractive areas”–Oh I know this. In fact I know quite a lot on the subject at hand, even if it is not one I brought up.
” And I’m not talking about just dealers. Like I said there’s entirely too many of them for me not to notice.”—This is why I think much of what you say is ignorant. For starters if a person is poor in a poor neighborhood (because basically those are the type of black neighborhoods you are talking about) then why is it so hard for you to grasp the answers to these completely obvious questions yourself. why won’t those who damaged the houses repair them?, iIf they own the properties, shouldn’t the owners be responsible? If you are poor then you are not going to be able to afford this. In better black neighborhoods they are not like this at all. So you can’t pull this all black neighborhoods are like this bs and pass it as a fact of the gospel. I doubt you are stupid so explain why you choose to act as such?
” If they rent, are landlords obligated to fix the damage(s) everytime something gets damaged?”—Actually the landlord is but usually they will lose their deposits to make the repairs.
” Like I said there’s entirely too many of them for me not to notice”—And how many black neighborhoods have you actually been to to constitute many or majority or all for that matter?
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This what you original said which I chose to address as wrong “It’s no big secret that blacks cause major destruction in their own neighborhoods/communities.” You focused more on drug dealers than addressing the falsehood in this one and simple statement. Just as there are many type of people there are in fact many different type of neighborhoods and not one of them happen to be alike. Just because you were not exposed to black neighborhoods does not mean they are non-existent and that all are riddled with drug dealers and destructive people. I am sorry you don’t live in an area that has this, but your situation does not make what you say as all encompassing to how all black people live.
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@ Abagond
I was wondering if it is possible I actually would like to go around in my area and post pictures of some black neighborhoods and businesses for that matter. This idea that all or the majority of blacks live a certain way is actually ridiculous on so many levels. I won’t provide any tracking information in the picture for privacy, but I think it would be interesting for people to actually get a glimpse at a true black neighborhood and not these poor neighborhoods people keep going on about.
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@Sharina
Don’t reply to that troll. I wouldn’t at all but we both know not all Black men are drug dealers. Honestly I am sick of the way Black people are racially stereotyped and profiled in AmeriKKKlan. I am sick of the disrespect, hatred and envy they show to us but I know it will never stop. Racism will always exist and always bite us Black people in the back.
And I think Martin Luther King’s dream is only a dream. We are not living in a postracial America and we never will live in such a nation. It would be nice if we lived in a nation where we are judged by our character not the color of our skin but sadly we aren’t living in such a country. Black people are still racially stereotyped and racially profiled and even killed and incidents like Trayvon Martin’s situation shows you racism is alive and well in AmeriKKKlan. I know because I face stereotypes everyday as a young, Black woman in a racist nation. I don’t think this country will ever see past race and situations like Trayvon Martin’s death, Zimmerman’s acquittal, etc confirm my belief.
And I agree with Malcolm X more on racial issues. He was right when he said that integration wouldn’t work and here are we now, 50 years later. Integration did not work! Integration was the worst thing that happened to Black people in AmeriKKKlan since slavery! We should have lived separately from White people after the Civil Rights Movement and created our own communities and relied on ourselves., We can rely on ourselves economically, trust me, we can.
If you think very hard and long, you will realize that nothing MUCH has changed since 1963 except the fact that Jim Crow and segregation is outlawed and we have more freedom than we did then. Whites are just as racist as they were in 1963 but they hide their racism these days.
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not the black person who wants to live there now. But the person before him/her the person before him/her and so on were the same color/ethnicity. I should point out that it’s not just dealers who destroy black communities. There are corrupt black cops, black gov’t officials, and other criminals. Lets face it bad blacks give good, decent, hard-working, sensible black ppl a bad rep.
I’ve lived in black neighborhoods all my life and its every age group that causes problems. From the time I was younger, there were older black females I didn’t like. They stayed mad and angry all the time. Don’t get me wrong there were older women who I thought were not only cool but wise. I’m referring to the ones who had bad attitudes from sun up until sundown. I couldn’t figure out why until I became a young adult. Of course, these females are older now. They are suffering from the consequences of the choices they made years ago. All of those chants of being so-called independent and not needing a man didn’t/hasn’t panned/worked out for them. Especially females 50- 70-years old. Yes, even at that age, these females are just as immature as children. These were/still are the single heads of households which has now reached a rate of 80%. Black so-called independent females have/are realized/realizing the error of their ways. Years ago or not long ago, they were hooked up w/ good, decent, hard-working men (not dealers) but they not only didn’t want a man they wanted a few of them. The more men, the more they felt like real women. One was never enough. Of course, these men grew tired of playing these games and went on to brighter pastures. The cream of the crop of black men have found someone who doesn’t require the attention of many men. When these females think back to what they had and let go, it makes them miserable. This happened in a domino-type way b/c so many females wanted/craved independence along w/ every male they saw walking, talking, moving, and
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breathing. And all of these females are miserable and their misery spills out into their communities. Thats what I meant when I stated that they live in misery b/c thats all they know.
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@toomanygrandkids
“not the black person who wants to live there now. But the person before him/her the person before him/her and so on were the same color/ethnicity.”—Thank you for the clarification, but It is still a matter of if the person is poor then how do you expect them to make repairs? How do you expect them to fix up something when they are barely scraping by to keep the house?
“Lets face it bad blacks give good, decent, hard-working, sensible black ppl a bad rep.”—Sorry but this is false. Bad blacks give themselves a bad reputation and only fools would take bad blacks and try to generalize it towards all blacks.
“There are corrupt black cops, black gov’t officials, and other criminals.”—These type of people are in every race, but we don’t say…”hey they make whites looks so bad” now do we, but oddly it is acceptable to do this for blacks.
“I’ve lived in bla
ck neighborhoods all my life and its every age group that causes problems. From the time I was younger, there were older black females I didn’t like. They stayed mad and angry all the time”—-I lived in black neighborhoods all my life as well and frankly they varied. I was the victim of black bullying as well (slapped in my face for riding my bike in front of a female), but regardless of my circumstances I never allowed it to shape how I feel about black people in general. I take them as they come. There are good and there are bad. That is life. My experience also did not give me a note to how all or the majority of blacks lived either.
None of what you said yet again has to do with what you keep claiming by the way.
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@toomanygrandkids
“And all of these females are miserable and their misery spills out into their communities. Thats what I meant when I stated that they live in misery b/c thats all they know.”—But that situation can not be painted on to every black female in every black community. I am sorry, but it can’t and unless these women divulged to you what they think even that is speculation on why the community is messed up in your area.
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@ Adeen
I think it was a dream as well. The direction he should have took us was getting more on our own.
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@ Sharina
You can email me the pictures and I can post them – along with any description you want to add to them. Like in Google Street View, no one’s face or licence plate should be recognizable.
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Ok thanks. I will get them to you as soon as possible.
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@Sharina
I agree with you that it was just a dream but I don’t believe integration works. We, all should come together as a community and try to solve the issues that plague the Black Community. We need each other more than anything these days.
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Even though we have a black president and black people in America have advanced ten fold since Dr. King’s speech, it is still a dream. As long as we have school drop prison to pipeline and racial profiling and death of young black men, Dr. King’s vision seems just that a dream.
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*school dropout*
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I find it ironic that anywhere in USA, any street in the African American community that bears the civil rights icon’s name is a poor and disenfranchised.
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I agree with you Mary. By the way how are you? Long time no speak. I get so angry when people and especially politicians say that there is no inequality, no racism and everyone is on a level playing field. I think that these type people do not want others they don’t identify with in their neighborhood, they also like to deny that these issues are as pertinent and as ugly as they have ever been. They like to talk about personal responsibility, well then they should take some responsibility and admit that the social and economical disease that plague these neighborhoods is the result of 400 years of abuse and oppression from those who had the money and the power. They should take responsibility for their governments role in the Black communities, offer up a formal apology and start putting together a team of economist, teachers and psychologist to study the what, why, who and how these communities got this way and how all of us can help to defeat the poverty, inequality, crime, education, violence and substance abuse that rule these areas. Lets make Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness available to ALL Americans and let the healing begin…Damn, in the words of the great Marvin Gaye, “Lets get it on”.
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[…] King’s Dream at 50: A Report Card […]
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It’s me….again. Haven’t been here in awhile and I wish everyone a belated Merry X-mas and a safe and Happy New Year.
I skimmed my comments and seen where I repeated myself and my words were a little jumbled. Sorry about that. Could’ve been I was typing too fast. Also, I really, truly didn’t mean to offend anyone. Being offensive isn’t the reason why I commented on this topic. That day I was just a little sleep-depraved and as I stated in an earlier post, when it comes to this subject, I may become angry and sensitive at the same time. Not sure if I used these words but I’m hoping you understand.
@Adeen…what you posted is the same way I have felt since I was a little girl. I’m really glad that someone’s on the same wavelength as me.
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@toomanygrandkids
Things at times can get heated. We all have different point of views and experience different things. What I see and experience is not how it is all over the world. Same as it will be for you and others. No hard feelings. We are all here to learn and understand (I take that back because this is actually not the case for some).
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Next week it will be 50 years since the Civil Rights act of 1964. Will we get a report card?
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@ jefe
No. It would be too similar to this post.
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Voting Rights: If ILLEGALS can vote, why are Blacks complaining it’s “TOO HARD” to get to a voting area? Alternately if Voter ID ever does pass, anyone too lazy or stupid to pick one up is the kind of person we don’t WANT voting, right?
Citizenship Rights: Stop committing more crimes, and racial profiling will be unnecessary or dead wrong. OR elect Black Mayors who will give you “Space To Destroy”? With less crimes, all-white juries would be completely irrelevant. “Jury of one’s peers” went out YEARS ago, they want people who know NOTHING about the case now, which all but explicitly rules out peers!
Housing Desegregation: Whites seek safety. To most, that means staying around whites and Asians. No force known to physics nor economics would compel MOST whites to stay around Blacks, especially now that the city-burning has resumed. You can buy houses in Detroit for $1 now, but is your safety really worth that little?
Discrimination&Poverty: Are related. Too many high school dropouts, too many unwed mothers having more kids than they can afford. The unwed mother rate for Blacks is over 70%.
I can provide a link on demand. It would go through moderation, so I’ve stopped putting links in “automatically”.
Raising the Minimum Wage would do nothing, prices would just go up, OR EVERYONE would lose, as the unskilled labor could be replaced by robots. If Japan can do it, why can’t we? There are sites that CLAIM McDonald’s already HAS, but I haven’t seen any in real life, so could be PhotoShop.
Come to think of it, someone would have to design, program and maintain those glorified ATM, so it would shift jobs to whites&Asians.
Police Brutality: Has been encouraged after Black crime in NYC peaked, the people needed to do SOMETHING to bring it down. SO they took the cops off their leash. If you go decade-by-decade, you can see when and where they put the leash on the cops, and took it back off.
Also, unarmed does NOT mean less dangerous. I keep asking Trayvon supporters if I could sit on their chest and try to break the road with their heads. Not ONE has taken me up on the offer! *Cue Sad Music*
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@EPGAH
“I keep asking Trayvon supporters if I could sit on their chest and try to break the road with their heads. Not ONE has taken me up on the offer!”
Have you tried following them home at night?
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Why would I? I’m not a Neighborhood Watchman in their neighborhoods. But I have ZERO doubt, if I was in a neighborhood I didn’t belong, SOMEONE would ask me “What are you doing here?”
I would have 3 options:
1.) Answer
2.) Answer smartass
3.) Attack them
Each choice has consequences.
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@EPGAH
Or 4)Ask them why they were following you
But since you seem to be an expert on these situations, please tell me what Martin was supposed to do?
And as hard as it may be, please attempt to provide an original opinion. Not one copied from a right wing site for trolls
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Martin should answer Zimmerman, “I’m here to see my Dad.”
Zimmerman would say, “OH! Why didn’t you SAY so? He’s not here, he went out on a date. Either he didn’t know you were coming anymore than I did, or he wanted to be far away when you got here!”
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Actually target, the dep’t store, is in r&d regarding robotic workers
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@EPGAH
Why was it any of Zimmerman’s business who Martin was staying with? Why didn’t he go to the grocery store like he planned and leave the boy talking on his phone and minding his business alone?
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Trevon stood his own ground and died for it. That’s a good example of how stand your own ground laws don’t apply to Blacks.
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@EPGAH
Illegals can’t vote and don’t have the documentation for welfare.
They can get free medical care at county hospitals if they decide not to pay the bill and their children can go to school here. In California illegals can buy property with a legal co-signer like a relative. The economic benefit to the economy out ways the social services they take advantage of. Its the market that determines how many workers are needed and for what wages. When the great melt down happened millions of illegals went back home because the work force dried up.
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EPGAH said
“The unwed mother rate for Blacks is over 70%.”
A report by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention shows that the teen birth rate for African Americans has declined by 60 percent between 1991 and 2011 – a rate 10 percent greater than the overall dip in teen birth rates.” What that means is Black women’s birth rates have declined 10% faster then the other two groups white and Hispanic. It also shows Hispanics having higher out of wed lock birth rates then blacks.
You can pull up the CDC report in PDF from their website and get these statistics. (National Vital Statistics Reports Volume 62, Number 1 June 28, 2013 Births: Final Data for 2011) .
The report shows that since 1965 non martial births have increased in every race in proportion to the 1965 ratio and topped in 2007. Since 2007 each group has declined 2% a year in non martial births. The report also shows teen age births dropping significantly with blacks having a 60% reduction in teen age births over the last ten years. The 2011 statistics show that 32.3 % of white women, 63.7% of black women and 75.1% of Hispanic women have non martial births. 58% of these non martial births are in cohabitating relationships meaning their is a man around. In other words less people are marrying and more people are having children out of wedlock. The report also shows a significant drop in married couple having children in part because the children preexisted the marriage. What were looking at is a cultural change and if you look at Europe the same trend is happening their and is reflected in greater numbers among white women. Iceland has the highest rate of non martial births coming in around 63% in their mostly white population. That’s double of what it is in America and is almost identical to American blacks. Considering that Iceland’s police shot and killed one civilian in it’s entire history I don’t think you can draw a correlation between non martial births and crime.
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