“Police officers AREN’T our friends”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So said my teenage son to his five-year-old brother. For the first time in my life, I stayed silent on this topic.

But this is not inaccurate. Even when they are not "the enemy" they are certainly NOT your "friends."
Their job is the POLICE (verb) the community. So if you have contact with the police that is NOT initiated by you... for any reason, it is likely to be as a suspect --whether you are suspected of driving over the speed limit or suspected of matching a description of a burglar or suspected of lurking in an area that is off limits with intent to do harm, etc.

Likewise, if you are taken into police custody just because the police want to "chat" with you about a crime, you need to remember that they are NOT your friend in this scenario. There is a reason your miranda rights are worded "you have the right to remain silent...should you choose to give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law"---and it does NOT say "anything you say can and will be used to help exonerate you from responsibility or suspicion" b/c they are not there to help you build a case of innocence. They are there to use what you say AGAINST you. Period.

It is wise to not be naive.
But it is also okay to let children and teens know that, in a jam, the safest place to go for help is a woman with children or a store employee in uniform (preferably firefighter, EMT, mall security, etc.) And if police are called to a situation BY them, then they are likely going to be helpful rather than harmful.

Only if the person is white. Don't send your kids to a black person to call the police to help them or they could get them killed. It is not safe.

Fair enough. As a white person, I can only speak for myself on this.
I am only echoing that I also do not consider "the police" to be "our friends" in circumstances where I have contact with them UNsolicited.
I have only had once instance where I have called police to my home and it was after a vehicle theft and not in the middle of a crisis. I was still very nervous and felt like I needed to prove that I had not done anything "wrong" to cause the vehicle to be stolen. Wasn't anything that the guy did. He was just doing his job. But definitely even then did not feel that the police were being my friend.

This is not to say that there aren't friendly police officers or that I would not be friends with any individual who is a police officer. I just think it's important to distinguish to our children that police officers are there to perform a job. And it is a job in which they see and experience a lot of danger that probably causes many of them to view every person they come into contact with on the job as a potential threat to their ability to return safely to their families. I don't envy that, so i'm not trying to bash all officers or anything. Just saying that I think it's okay to not view police as your friend and to be cautious.

[Anonymous]

WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

[Anonymous]

Most officers are good. Some are very bad. Don’t lump the good ones into this bad group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Police officers aren't your friends. They especially aren't your friend when you break the law.

Or even suspected of breaking the law and for a petty crime.

Teach your kids not to break the law and equally important don't associate/be friends with people who do either. Don't put yourself in situations where you are likely to have negative police interactions

hello missing all the points

Our kids are white and my dh sat them down and told them the police are NOT their friend and to NEVER talk to them without an attorney or one of us there. He's an attorney and there are cases that have really disturbed him.

Op you should speak up. Police officers are murdering unarmed black people. It is a crisis.

And tell both of your kids not to talk to police without a lawyer present.

Yikes lady! Great job imposing your bigoted views on your children. Telling your kids to never talk to the police is just insane. Now if they are accused if a crime, it's usually best to keep your mouth shut. I guess you've been replaying a lot of videos that are behind your warped views.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Police officers aren't your friends. They especially aren't your friend when you break the law.

Or even suspected of breaking the law and for a petty crime.

Teach your kids not to break the law and equally important don't associate/be friends with people who do either. Don't put yourself in situations where you are likely to have negative police interactions

hello missing all the points

Our kids are white and my dh sat them down and told them the police are NOT their friend and to NEVER talk to them without an attorney or one of us there. He's an attorney and there are cases that have really disturbed him.

Op you should speak up. Police officers are murdering unarmed black people. It is a crisis.

And tell both of your kids not to talk to police without a lawyer present. ears ago

Yikes lady! Great job imposing your bigoted views on your children. Telling your kids to never talk to the police is just insane. Now if they are accused if a crime, it's usually best to keep your mouth shut. I guess you've been replaying a lot of videos that are behind your warped views.

Bigot? No. Do you really think kids can tell when they are about to be accused of a crime, when a police officer is all buddy buddy with them? Telling them they aren't being accused of anything? No, if you aren't telling your kids to not talk to police without a lawyer present, you are an idiot.

https://www.npr.org/2011/06/17/137236801/high-court-age-must-be-considered-in-interrogation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

If we had done away with structural racism, there would not be disparate outcomes based on race. The same percentage of black people as whites would be poor. The same percentage of black people as whites would own homes. The same percentage of infants born to black mothers would survive as do those born to white mothers. The same percentage would graduate from high school, from college, etc. But we don't have that yet. Either people of different races are inherently different (and that is an explicitly racist view), or there's something very unfair about how society treats people of different races (systemic racism).

[Anonymous]

This is bigger than police. Even if a police department were 100% anti-racist and 100% just, it would still have to function in an inherently racist society. And that means outcomes would still be different based on race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

If we had done away with structural racism, there would not be disparate outcomes based on race. The same percentage of black people as whites would be poor. The same percentage of black people as whites would own homes. The same percentage of infants born to black mothers would survive as do those born to white mothers. The same percentage would graduate from high school, from college, etc. But we don't have that yet. Either people of different races are inherently different (and that is an explicitly racist view), or there's something very unfair about how society treats people of different races (systemic racism).

So racism is the reason my white kids cant get into Thomas Jefferson HS, but all the asians can?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

If we had done away with structural racism, there would not be disparate outcomes based on race. The same percentage of black people as whites would be poor. The same percentage of black people as whites would own homes. The same percentage of infants born to black mothers would survive as do those born to white mothers. The same percentage would graduate from high school, from college, etc. But we don't have that yet. Either people of different races are inherently different (and that is an explicitly racist view), or there's something very unfair about how society treats people of different races (systemic racism).

So racism is the reason my white kids cant get into Thomas Jefferson HS, but all the asians can?

No, your kids just aren't smart enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

If we had done away with structural racism, there would not be disparate outcomes based on race. The same percentage of black people as whites would be poor. The same percentage of black people as whites would own homes. The same percentage of infants born to black mothers would survive as do those born to white mothers. The same percentage would graduate from high school, from college, etc. But we don't have that yet. Either people of different races are inherently different (and that is an explicitly racist view), or there's something very unfair about how society treats people of different races (systemic racism).

I am the long-winded PP with the 1950s/60s examples and I see your point for sure but disagree that the structural racism is still standing. I just think it takes a LONG TIME to see the effects catch up once it is dismantled. Of course there are a higher percentage of poor blacks than poor whites b/c our "system" for helping out disadvantaged communities actually incentivized single mothers to not marry or remarry (huge misstep...whether intentional or unintentional, it actually prolonged the wealth gap b/c those children were then raised disproportionately in homes without fathers and wound up dropping out or on the streets rather than continuing with their education and getting good jobs). And most of what you describe in terms of differences (things like graduation rates and test outcomes, etc.) can be tracked back to poverty or no poverty. And again, when your ability to earn an income relies largely on your access to higher education degrees, and your admittance to higher education relies on test scores and your test scores rely on early reading/literacy exposure and your early reading/literacy exposure relies on prolonged one-on-one interaction with parent/caregiver--which is often determined by your socio-economic status...then it all comes back to poverty. The sooner we stop the cycle either at the top in access to higher education OR at the bottom with access to early literacy, the faster we will see the gap filling in in these areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

You’ve made the assertion that ”we are well past demolishing structural racism”. Back it up with facts. Education, housing, government loans, social security, legal segregation, voting rights, health care, inequalities throughout the justice system.... - if you could touch on all of those things it would be great. Thanx!

[Anonymous]

Things are not fair in life. It doesn’t all boil down to structural racism. A white person born poor will do just as poorly as a black person born poor.

Maybe there is still a little bit structural racism but what bothers me is that the poster said (maybe inadvertently) that this not because anyone is racist. He/she seems to be saying no one is racist, just fault of the structural racism. I vehemently disagree. There are racists. Perhaps the poster lived a very sheltered life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTH is structural racism? There is racism and there is no racism. Structural racism sounds like racism but it’s no one’s fault you see. No one is accountable but you still get racism.

Another term for this is "institutional racism" and I would argue that this was the type of racism that was ingrained in the structures or institutions of society. For example, in states that had segregation coded into law, you could be a non-racist waiter, but still not be permitted to serve a black person at a whites-only lunch counter. Or, you might be a minister who was totally fine with interracial marriage, but until 1967, you could not marry a white/black couple in the state of Virginia. These are examples of institutional or structural racism--the affects of which are still around today.

Another example...until middle of the 1950s, there were many law schools that did not admit blacks. So while their white counterparts might enjoy the privilege of having relatives or connections to friends of relatives who are alumnae of certain laws schools who can write them letters of reference to their alma mater, which in turn helped them to create more attorneys in the family...blacks did not have this opportunity. When you consider that the FIRST black law students were admitted in many of these schools in southern states only in the late 1950s, one can only imagine how low those numbers were and how long it would take to "catch up" to similar numbers of white attorneys. (And yes, I realize that not every white dude knows another white dude lawyer...but there's a reason that it's often referred to as an "old boys" network.) Does it mean that today's admissions officers or lawfirm partners are racist if they don't admit/hire the black candidate? No. But the "system/structure/institution" is stacked against this.)

FWIW, I think that the response to the recent murder in Minneapolis is actually cause for HOPE in this regard. If the system were condoning this, the cop/murderer would not have been arrested and charged. The DA is acting appropriately and is actively demonstrating against the city being structurally racist.

In 2020 we are well past demolishing structural racism. Kudos to enormous strides. To say people feel discriminated against at this point because while no one is actually racist but it’s the “system’s” fault really points to unwillingness to accept accountability (perhaps not your own personal) but the accountability of someone who is actually racist and discriminated and maybe killed someone because their racism valued this person’s life less than another person. It sounds like you are making up excuses for some people to not have to change their behavior.

If we had done away with structural racism, there would not be disparate outcomes based on race. The same percentage of black people as whites would be poor. The same percentage of black people as whites would own homes. The same percentage of infants born to black mothers would survive as do those born to white mothers. The same percentage would graduate from high school, from college, etc. But we don't have that yet. Either people of different races are inherently different (and that is an explicitly racist view), or there's something very unfair about how society treats people of different races (systemic racism).

I am the long-winded PP with the 1950s/60s examples and I see your point for sure but disagree that the structural racism is still standing. I just think it takes a LONG TIME to see the effects catch up once it is dismantled. Of course there are a higher percentage of poor blacks than poor whites b/c our "system" for helping out disadvantaged communities actually incentivized single mothers to not marry or remarry (huge misstep...whether intentional or unintentional, it actually prolonged the wealth gap b/c those children were then raised disproportionately in homes without fathers and wound up dropping out or on the streets rather than continuing with their education and getting good jobs). And most of what you describe in terms of differences (things like graduation rates and test outcomes, etc.) can be tracked back to poverty or no poverty. And again, when your ability to earn an income relies largely on your access to higher education degrees, and your admittance to higher education relies on test scores and your test scores rely on early reading/literacy exposure and your early reading/literacy exposure relies on prolonged one-on-one interaction with parent/caregiver--which is often determined by your socio-economic status...then it all comes back to poverty. The sooner we stop the cycle either at the top in access to higher education OR at the bottom with access to early literacy, the faster we will see the gap filling in in these areas.

A critical issue is the effort on the part of the government to create and support a white middle class. The GI Bill disproportionately supported higher education for whites - which lead to middle class jobs. It provided low cost loans to whites, allowing them to buy homes — the most critical source of wealth for most families. Health insurance as a job benefit was provided with middle class jobs - which went primarily to whites. Social security benefits were structured to disproportionately benefit whites — deliberately excluding the kinds of jobs that most blacks were allowed to hold. Legal segregation dictated where most blacks could live and go to school — and separate was not equal. If these factors impacted your grandparents, they directly and indirectly impacted you and many of the opportunities you had — or did not have. I guess I don’t need to mention police brutality.

The primary point that I want to make here is that inequality and discrimination were sanctioned by the government for a very long time. And some of us are still waiting for things to change “with all deliberate speed.”

Ok, I’ll check back and see if OP has supported that “well past demolishing structural racism” assertion. I don’t see it myself, but I’m open to a well-supported argument.