Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:43     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:I taught in an environment where the KKK held rallies and the town - to combat them - would hold fairs. I have SEEN the other side. I was threatened by a KKK "family member" - not b/c of my color but b/c of my ethnic ties. I have friends in the Midwest who understand the poor white mentality very well, especially after having lived here for a large chunk of time.

But why can't you understand that BLACK MALES make up the majority of prisoners in the US? It IS a problem, and while the number of minorities is significantly higher in urban communities, you're still not getting the big pictures. Many of these males in our school have been in trouble with the law and will continue to find trouble along the way unless the community (however that's defined) steps up.

Didn't you see the stats?
More than 60% of the people in prison are now racial and ethnic minorities. For Black males in their thirties, 1 in every 10 is in prison or jail on any given day.


As educators in my setting, we call them OUR kids b/c in most cases their families don't give a shit. Try holding a meeting when the parent refuses to come.

I can only do so much, but with gaps in learning, undiagnosed learning and/or mental issues, and no family support, you basically have a recipe for disaster. And I can tell you that my white child in a fantastic public school with all the community support in the world will never find herself in that situation. And isn't that an ugly comparison? But it's the truth.

So my perceptions are far from skewed. Unless you deal with these children on a daily basis - and few have the know how and stamina to last long - you simply can't understand the truth.

If I sound condescending, you'll get no apologies from me.

Help to clean up the mess that society created for the black community.




By quoting prison stats, you've lost ALL credibility. You claim to understand urban youth, yet you fail to understand the discrimination that exists in the judicial system (as it relates to arrests and sentencing). If you don't understand WHY minorities are overrepresented in the prison system, you are without help. I'd suggest you do some research and report back. I can't debate you if you don't know the basics of what we're discussing.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:39     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
I taught in an environment where the KKK held rallies and the town - to combat them - would hold fairs. I have SEEN the other side. I was threatened by a KKK "family member" - not b/c of my color but b/c of my ethnic ties. I have friends in the Midwest who understand the poor white mentality very well, especially after having lived here for a large chunk of time.

But why can't you understand that BLACK MALES make up the majority of prisoners in the US? It IS a problem, and while the number of minorities is significantly higher in urban communities, you're still not getting the big pictures. Many of these males in our school have been in trouble with the law and will continue to find trouble along the way unless the community (however that's defined) steps up.

Didn't you see the stats?
More than 60% of the people in prison are now racial and ethnic minorities. For Black males in their thirties, 1 in every 10 is in prison or jail on any given day.


As educators in my setting, we call them OUR kids b/c in most cases their families don't give a shit. Try holding a meeting when the parent refuses to come.

I can only do so much, but with gaps in learning, undiagnosed learning and/or mental issues, and no family support, you basically have a recipe for disaster. And I can tell you that my white child in a fantastic public school with all the community support in the world will never find herself in that situation. And isn't that an ugly comparison? But it's the truth.

So my perceptions are far from skewed. Unless you deal with these children on a daily basis - and few have the know how and stamina to last long - you simply can't understand the truth.

If I sound condescending, you'll get no apologies from me.

Help to clean up the mess that society created for the black community.




If you teach at a school for troubled children, then your perception is skewed. And if you teach in a school for troubled children in an URBAN environment, chances are high that the children will be largely made up of minorities. Because, more often than not, white families who live in urban environments are in higher income brackets. I'm sure if you taught at a similar school in a rural environment, your findings would be reversed.

This is not about being defensive. It's about acknowledging that this is less about race, but more about socio-economics and an underclass mindset.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:39     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.

Not true.
I'm biracial and I agree with 1st PP. The fact that POTUS IDs publicly with the AA community doesn't change the fact that his mother was white, as were the grandparents who raised him.


Who's trying to change that fact? This is about his self-identification. And biracial children can "choose a side", if they desire. What I find to be interesting is that some white folks seem amazed that, given the choice, some biracial folks choose "black".
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:38     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Providence has blessed Africa, the homeland of blacks, with more natural resources than any other continent--and that's in addition to a bounty of fertile soil and spectacular savannas.


And yet, Africa is one of the world's most miserable places. And the people there constantly complain about how "the white man" has wronged them.

How pathetic.


Please read up on colonialism/apartheid in Africa. Your ignorance is astounding.



I'm well aware of colonialism and apartheid.

I just think it's sad that blacks keep dwelling over it, instead of taking advantage of the blessings from Providence.


This attitude amazes me. Hundreds of years of sweeping trash into the yards of black people and you look over and wonder why it's not clean. Either get a broom and help or shut the hell up.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:38     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Providence has blessed Africa, the homeland of blacks, with more natural resources than any other continent--and that's in addition to a bounty of fertile soil and spectacular savannas.


And yet, Africa is one of the world's most miserable places. And the people there constantly complain about how "the white man" has wronged them.

How pathetic.


Please read up on colonialism/apartheid in Africa. Your ignorance is astounding.



I'm well aware of colonialism and apartheid.

I just think it's sad that blacks keep dwelling over it, instead of taking advantage of the blessings from Providence.


Do the blacks actually own those blessings or have the resources to cultivate them? Or are they owned or otherwise controlled by the descendants of colonists? You know, like how the US gave the Native Americans the shitty interior lands for their reservations.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:36     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.

Not true.
I'm biracial and I agree with 1st PP. The fact that POTUS IDs publicly with the AA community doesn't change the fact that his mother was white, as were the grandparents who raised him.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:36     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Where is OP? Must be too busy taking notes since this thread has so many solutions.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:35     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.


My friend's daughter is biracial. Her mom is white; her deadbeat dad is black. When asked to check the race box, she said she identified more with white (even though she does have caramel skin - yes, caramel) b/c her mother had more influence over her than her father.

It's all about perspective.


That's perfectly fine for her to identify as she chooses. Same with Obama..our first black POTUS.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:34     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Providence has blessed Africa, the homeland of blacks, with more natural resources than any other continent--and that's in addition to a bounty of fertile soil and spectacular savannas.


And yet, Africa is one of the world's most miserable places. And the people there constantly complain about how "the white man" has wronged them.

How pathetic.


Please read up on colonialism/apartheid in Africa. Your ignorance is astounding.



I'm well aware of colonialism and apartheid.

I just think it's sad that blacks keep dwelling over it, instead of taking advantage of the blessings from Providence.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:33     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.


He probably would not have become POTUS if not for his unique family and upbringing, including the fact that he is white.


You have no way of knowing that and to presume otherwise is idiocy. BUT, it's good to know that white people now embrace biracial folks as white. Look how far we've come!


Puhleese. You know he benefited from being biracial. And he is the type of black whites love because he is the child of a black African, not the child of a black African American.


How did he benefit from being biracial? Just curious what your thoughts are on this.


He benefited from being cared and provided for by a white family without having the influence of family members who are descendants of slaves and that legacy. And given the time he went to school and graduated, he was probably also the beneficiary of affirmative action to increase diversity in schools and work.


Wow...your POV is incredibly racist. If anything, he benefitted from growing up in a state where racism was not largely present (because whites were not a large percentage of the population). Your assumption that blacks poison the minds of their children and that somehow that is the problem and not actual racism is incredibly insulting.

Ivy league schools are not in the business of handing out acceptances and/or accolades on the basis of race alone. The idea that you think affirmative action, and not intellectual prowess, is the reason is even more insulting.

And I guess you know that affirmative action benefits white women the most, right? Right?


Did not mean that blacks poison the minds of their children. Just that your upbringing and environment greatly influences who you are. So, yes, if you experience growing up around older family members who knew former slaves, lived through segregation and lived a lifetime of discrimination and inequality, your outlook and expectations would be very different than someone who did not experience that.

And as for affirmative action, in today's world where more blacks are going to college and there is more competition than when he went to school and graduated, he might have not gone to Ivy League schools or ended up summering at BigLaw despite his intelligence.


Again, it sounds like you're blaming victims of racism rather than racists.

Not getting your point regarding his education. The rate of competition can be said for many people (perhaps even folks on this board), so not sure why you even mentioned affirmative action.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:31     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Let us be clear, I never said I don't have problems with white people.
I a actually don't , but did not say so until now.
I only have problems with you and your faulty logic therefore I am exiting this conversation.


One-sided logic and a refusal to entertain anything but our own narrow view not only perpetuates but also increase frustration between the races. You are a part of the problem whether you want to "exit" when your logic is debunked or not.


So what you are saying is that you don't have to listen to anything that PP has said, but she should take your word as gold and admit that you are right about everything?

You've said a lot, but it hasn't really amounted to anything of substance. It sounds like you think you are talking to your child where your word should be final. If that is not the impression you wanted to give, then perhaps you should consider how you present yourself.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:30     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
The definition of racism has always been tied to POWER


Get yourself a DICTIONARY.

+1
Besides, it's not like individuals are powerless. a black manager has the POWER to hire and mistreat employees based on race. A black male has the POWER to specifically seek a white victim to rape and kill, for instance.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:25     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.


My friend's daughter is biracial. Her mom is white; her deadbeat dad is black. When asked to check the race box, she said she identified more with white (even though she does have caramel skin - yes, caramel) b/c her mother had more influence over her than her father.

It's all about perspective.


A lady I used to work with was very light skinned black. She identifies as black but her sibling identifies as white.
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:25     Subject: To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:Stop trying to separate yourselves from the rest of society.
The white flight caused the inner-city phenomenon, and you're telling blacks to stop segregating themselves?
Anonymous
Post 08/31/2013 17:16     Subject: Re:To WP: What Can Black People Do to Improve Race Relations in this Country?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:POTUS is black and white, not just black.


The rationale of racists who just can't believe a black man is POTUS. He identifies as black and will go down in the history books as the first black president. Get over it.


My friend's daughter is biracial. Her mom is white; her deadbeat dad is black. When asked to check the race box, she said she identified more with white (even though she does have caramel skin - yes, caramel) b/c her mother had more influence over her than her father.

It's all about perspective.