Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science (MS)²

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who's the clueless person who has an African as a friend. Then to emphasize that the person is darker. That statement has us at a happy hour laughing our asses off.

Clueless person here -- what's so funny?

She has a french accent too that sets her apart -- do you find that hilarious as well?

What the self-proclaimed drunks laughing their asses off at happy hour missed is that here is someone with even darker skin than you, who by virtue of growing up abroad is even less integrated than you, and with a foreign accent to boot (meaning, a potentially far bigger target to racists and xenophobe discriminators than you) who is NOT experiencing or seeing the supposed racism and exclusion that you keep harping on. I likewise have friends from Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and other countries Africa who came here who say the same.

Different poster, but I think you are lying. I doubt very seriously that you have black friends from any country with this attitude. Nope, you are pulling shit out of your ass on an anonymous board. Considering that I have experienced significant time in different countries on the continent of Africa, I know that even in those countries there is racism, colorism, and classism.

ALS

Nobody is saying that racism, colorism, or classism don't exist. Yes, they exist. But, today it only exists in isolated pockets here and there, as opposed to being the open, overt, wholescale institutional thing of years ago that's still being constantly referred to. And the point is that many people coming here from other countries see that, as compared to the racism, colorism, and classism of their own country and other countries. They have a fresh perspective, whereas those who are still stuck in the ideas and ideologies of decades ago do not.

What planet are you living on....Racism is systemic and pervasive throughout the US. Look at any major institution; the government, the prison complex, US. schools, higher education, policies that benefit some and marginalize others. Please be a bit more mindful in stating your observations.

What planet? Let's start right here - Look at the District of Columbia. Majority AA demographic for decades, and the government has been majority AA led, managed and staffed for decades. And since we have all these federal buildings in DC, the other thing that shows up and can be easily seen is that federal government diversity measures have made whites and specifically white males a minority in most government offices around DC. Yet apparently we are supposed to go along with you and just somehow still understand it's all white-run and racist despite the fact that it's not.

I think you are stuck in the past. Again, I'm not saying that there aren't still isolated pockets of racism, what I'm saying is that maybe you should likewise be more mindful in your own observations and not paint everything and anything you don't like with the broad brush of racism. Pervasive and systemic? No, think again and look more closely. For example, government policies that might keep the average AA down to the benefit of megacorporates and billionaires are benefitting the 1% - and the 99% that's being kept down is not "racism", it in fact targets the vast majority of whites. In case you haven't noticed, the white middle class has been destroyed over the last several decades by "trickle down economics" and the rest of the conservative agenda.

Policies, government and business practices that can be proven to be racist or discriminatory are illegal and are prosecutable. If a racist policy is shown to exist, there is no shortage of people who will immediately and aggressively stamp it out. As for the rest, like incarceration rates for AAs, look at the crime statistics - much higher for AAs - that's fact, not opinion. And, look at the many posts throughout this board where posters have spoken about things like AA students getting a beatdown from AA classmates for raising their hand in class - and similar cultural disincentives within the AA community to pursuing academic achievement.

At this point there is a lot more change that needs to come from within than from without.

When Black people have enslaved white people, built a country and industries on their labor, destroyed any links to culture and desecrated and destroyed their families, and raped white women, all legally, for 200+ years; when Black people have further created laws that discriminated against white people and kept generations of wealth in Black hands for another 100+ years; when Black people have created a culture during all that period in which white people are lower than the lowest animal; when white people have dealt with that fallout and all it creates, and manage somehow to rise above it all and change themselves from within, let me know.

So far as I can tell from this board, some have certainly not managed to change themselves when it comes to attitudes of superiority and keeping their heads in the sand regarding the truth. People in glass houses...

[Anonymous]

All white people aren't the same any more than all black people are. I think it's as ridiculous to assign blame to an entire race as it is for an entire race to dwell on how they've been oppressed.

Luckily, many individual black people don't do that and many individual white people have had nothing to do with racism and do not support it.

[Anonymous]

@13:25 read the entire posts and stop skimming through. The statement was a reference and not an actual quote. It is what it is and applauses to Howard that took the initiative to enhance the math and science needs of DCPS children. We have lost focus about the whole premise. I don't know why it is a major concern that an institution is producing a group of black children that are able to excel in education. What's wrong with that scenario? If there's hesitation from the white community regarding AAs showing responsibilty to educate there own, then skepticism will perpetuate the so-called "the plan"myth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All white people aren't the same any more than all black people are. I think it's as ridiculous to assign blame to an entire race as it is for an entire race to dwell on how they've been oppressed.

Luckily, many individual black people don't do that and many individual white people have had nothing to do with racism and do not support it.

Stating truth and dwelling on it are not the same thing. Obviously. Interesting that we all become individuals when truth comes out...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who's the clueless person who has an African as a friend. Then to emphasize that the person is darker. That statement has us at a happy hour laughing our asses off.

Clueless person here -- what's so funny?

She has a french accent too that sets her apart -- do you find that hilarious as well?

What the self-proclaimed drunks laughing their asses off at happy hour missed is that here is someone with even darker skin than you, who by virtue of growing up abroad is even less integrated than you, and with a foreign accent to boot (meaning, a potentially far bigger target to racists and xenophobe discriminators than you) who is NOT experiencing or seeing the supposed racism and exclusion that you keep harping on. I likewise have friends from Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire and other countries Africa who came here who say the same.

Different poster, but I think you are lying. I doubt very seriously that you have black friends from any country with this attitude. Nope, you are pulling shit out of your ass on an anonymous board. Considering that I have experienced significant time in different countries on the continent of Africa, I know that even in those countries there is racism, colorism, and classism.

ALS

Nobody is saying that racism, colorism, or classism don't exist. Yes, they exist. But, today it only exists in isolated pockets here and there, as opposed to being the open, overt, wholescale institutional thing of years ago that's still being constantly referred to. And the point is that many people coming here from other countries see that, as compared to the racism, colorism, and classism of their own country and other countries. They have a fresh perspective, whereas those who are still stuck in the ideas and ideologies of decades ago do not.

What planet are you living on....Racism is systemic and pervasive throughout the US. Look at any major institution; the government, the prison complex, US. schools, higher education, policies that benefit some and marginalize others. Please be a bit more mindful in stating your observations.

What planet? Let's start right here - Look at the District of Columbia. Majority AA demographic for decades, and the government has been majority AA led, managed and staffed for decades. And since we have all these federal buildings in DC, the other thing that shows up and can be easily seen is that federal government diversity measures have made whites and specifically white males a minority in most government offices around DC. Yet apparently we are supposed to go along with you and just somehow still understand it's all white-run and racist despite the fact that it's not.

I think you are stuck in the past. Again, I'm not saying that there aren't still isolated pockets of racism, what I'm saying is that maybe you should likewise be more mindful in your own observations and not paint everything and anything you don't like with the broad brush of racism. Pervasive and systemic? No, think again and look more closely. For example, government policies that might keep the average AA down to the benefit of megacorporates and billionaires are benefitting the 1% - and the 99% that's being kept down is not "racism", it in fact targets the vast majority of whites. In case you haven't noticed, the white middle class has been destroyed over the last several decades by "trickle down economics" and the rest of the conservative agenda.

Policies, government and business practices that can be proven to be racist or discriminatory are illegal and are prosecutable. If a racist policy is shown to exist, there is no shortage of people who will immediately and aggressively stamp it out. As for the rest, like incarceration rates for AAs, look at the crime statistics - much higher for AAs - that's fact, not opinion. And, look at the many posts throughout this board where posters have spoken about things like AA students getting a beatdown from AA classmates for raising their hand in class - and similar cultural disincentives within the AA community to pursuing academic achievement.

At this point there is a lot more change that needs to come from within than from without.

When Black people have enslaved white people, built a country and industries on their labor, destroyed any links to culture and desecrated and destroyed their families, and raped white women, all legally, for 200+ years; when Black people have further created laws that discriminated against white people and kept generations of wealth in Black hands for another 100+ years; when Black people have created a culture during all that period in which white people are lower than the lowest animal; when white people have dealt with that fallout and all it creates, and manage somehow to rise above it all and change themselves from within, let me know.

So far as I can tell from this board, some have certainly not managed to change themselves when it comes to attitudes of superiority and keeping their heads in the sand regarding the truth. People in glass houses...

Exactly this ^^^^^. Can we all just agree that 1) whether or not contemporary white people are responsible for the exploitative history of this country, they still benefit from the effects of 400 years of free labor and many more centuries of unjust laws and mores against people of color in this country and, 2) that minority immigrants to this country, while often subjected to the same racist attitudes and policies as black people born here, are also beneficiaries of the fight that minority and progressive white people fought for during civil rights and continue to fight for? The point is that something has been done and cannot be undone until we can acknowledge and accept the past and work to destroy the structures that hold racist policies in place.

[Anonymous]

Nobody alive today perpetrated the exploitation of slavery on blacks, or has any responsibility for it. And, ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it - to include the supposed "benefit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody alive today perpetrated the exploitation of slavery on blacks, or has any responsibility for it. And, ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it - to include the supposed "benefit.

"supposed 'benefit'"? Are you suggesting doubt in regards to the benefits of 400 years of free labor? And yes, "ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it", some in the form of slavery-made wealth and others in the form of the achievement gap and harsher prison terms for similar drug offenses. Need I go on? Need I continue to point out the inequalities that continue to run rampant in this country based on race and class? Who takes responsibility? Everyone wants to ignore the facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody alive today perpetrated the exploitation of slavery on blacks, or has any responsibility for it. And, ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it - to include the supposed "benefit.

"supposed 'benefit'"? Are you suggesting doubt in regards to the benefits of 400 years of free labor? And yes, "ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it", some in the form of slavery-made wealth and others in the form of the achievement gap and harsher prison terms for similar drug offenses. Need I go on? Need I continue to point out the inequalities that continue to run rampant in this country based on race and class? Who takes responsibility? Everyone wants to ignore the facts.

How do you suggest the average american (multiple generations born/raised domestically) work toward eliminating these inequalities? I am sincerely looking for feedback on how to go about leading my life on a day to day basis. I am not trying to pick or continue a fight, I am trying to understand. Assume I am black and then separately assume I am white.

[Anonymous]

Success in education for AA versus slavery. Really!!! Clueless whites versus assuming blacks. Really!!!! Diversity seeking whites versus in-denial blacks. Really!!! Neighborhoods versus school boundaries. Really!!! Middle-class poor versus FARM. Really!!! Take on versus take over. Really!!! Competitive versus Comparable. One and only versus the only ones. Application versus lottery. Really!!! IB versus STEM. Really!!! Chancellor versus Superintendent. Really!!! Exhausted versus excuses. Finally really!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody alive today perpetrated the exploitation of slavery on blacks, or has any responsibility for it. And, ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it - to include the supposed "benefit.

"supposed 'benefit'"? Are you suggesting doubt in regards to the benefits of 400 years of free labor? And yes, "ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it", some in the form of slavery-made wealth and others in the form of the achievement gap and harsher prison terms for similar drug offenses. Need I go on? Need I continue to point out the inequalities that continue to run rampant in this country based on race and class? Who takes responsibility? Everyone wants to ignore the facts.

How do you suggest the average american (multiple generations born/raised domestically) work toward eliminating these inequalities? I am sincerely looking for feedback on how to go about leading my life on a day to day basis. I am not trying to pick or continue a fight, I am trying to understand. Assume I am black and then separately assume I am white.

It is the same for all people; teach your children the truth about the past and talk about how to be better now and in the future. Really invest in the education and quality of life for your children and take a stand on those things that a truly unjust in society. Our kids have to see us take a stand for equality: in education, in legislation, at home, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Success in education for AA versus slavery. Really!!! Clueless whites versus assuming blacks. Really!!!! Diversity seeking whites versus in-denial blacks. Really!!! Neighborhoods versus school boundaries. Really!!! Middle-class poor versus FARM. Really!!! Take on versus take over. Really!!! Competitive versus Comparable. One and only versus the only ones. Application versus lottery. Really!!! IB versus STEM. Really!!! Chancellor versus Superintendent. Really!!! Exhausted versus excuses. Finally really!!!

? ?

[Anonymous]

Teach about the past and about the path to a better future but also be mindful of how the present already is much better thanks to the last several generations who actually worked on it rather than just casting blame, making excuses and waiting for others to fix it.

Comparing the past and the present shows that change is real, tangible and achievable.

Change has to come both from within and from without.

[Anonymous]

You aren't going to get far by going through life thin skinned, bristling at every thing and everyone, carrying a huge chip on your shoulder. Successful people exist in all races, and the way they achieve success is by living the mantra that life is what you make it.

[Anonymous]

How about civil service processes all around the country where white applicants with more experience, education and higher test scores are now routinely passed over for less qualified AAs. Is the idea really equality for AAs when other things become unequal, or is it punishment for whites for the crimes of other whites in the past, or where is the original objective of trying to fill the job position? It is now all muddled and those lines are all now blurred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody alive today perpetrated the exploitation of slavery on blacks, or has any responsibility for it. And, ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it - to include the supposed "benefit.

"supposed 'benefit'"? Are you suggesting doubt in regards to the benefits of 400 years of free labor? And yes, "ALL Americans today are the ones living the legacy of it", some in the form of slavery-made wealth and others in the form of the achievement gap and harsher prison terms for similar drug offenses. Need I go on? Need I continue to point out the inequalities that continue to run rampant in this country based on race and class? Who takes responsibility? Everyone wants to ignore the facts.

How do you suggest the average american (multiple generations born/raised domestically) work toward eliminating these inequalities? I am sincerely looking for feedback on how to go about leading my life on a day to day basis. I am not trying to pick or continue a fight, I am trying to understand. Assume I am black and then separately assume I am white.

It is the same for all people; teach your children the truth about the past and talk about how to be better now and in the future. Really invest in the education and quality of life for your children and take a stand on those things that a truly unjust in society. Our kids have to see us take a stand for equality: in education, in legislation, at home, etc.

Is this 11:47 answering? I ask because I am doing all the things you suggest above, is this going help neutralize your negative feelings about white people? A person that capitalizes black and uses lower case for white is harboring what appears to be a lot of anger so if this is what it takes, let me introduce you to my family so we can start peacefully coexisting and mutually respect eachnother. If it isn't 11:47, I am still genuinely interested in a response from you.