patrick.net

You're wanting a cure for the Human condition, but for only one race?

Why stop with affirmative action?

The African tribes wanted the European goods and were willing to trade their own people as slaves to get these goods. These tribes also did this with the Arabs in the same fashion. As a matter of fact the only thing remarkable was that Europeans were the first people to start banning slavery. The problem wasn't slavery (as it was a worldwide construct) but that they were treated poorly in the US long after their emancipation.

They are being treated worse in Africa today by their own Dictators.

I'm all for ending racism. It makes me ill when people are blatantly hateful towards people they don't know simply for how dark their skin is or how their eyes slant or because they're a damned ginger!
But lets examine your argument:
1) slavery is bad, ummkay? Word, but it replaced something even worse: genocide of losing nations. That used to happen four thousand years ago before slavery was invented. It was still going on in the 1400s in the Aztec and Maya empires because they'd never got the bright idea. So it's bad, but historically, it's actually a step forward.
2) Jim Crow laws, anti-miscenation laws, lynching, and vote barring are bad and caused damage to blacks. Emphatic support, no argument.
3) blacks disproportionately imprisoned today, exacerbated by the prison industrial complex: yes, true, but if they'd stop committing a really awfully disproportionate amount of crimes, this would be different. Asians don't have this problem, accounting for disproportionately fewer inmates. The prison system is a related matter and it's a crying shame. There's no reason we should have privately run prisons lobbying for stricter laws, harsher sentencing, and more tax dollars to lock up citizens.
4) manufacturing loss, union busting, post office decline, etc is bad for blacks: yes, but it's bad for all races. That's an American tragedy, caused by wealthy elite who pushed for it, not white people in general who are actually more affected by this than blacks.
5) college, housing costs going up too high: yes, but this affects everyone who's not already wealthy. It's another tool the wealthy elite are using to enslave ordinary citizens. You could argue that blacks are less affected by this because more of them are on public assistance and can buy no houses and their kids get public grants and loans for college.

Summary: today it's not about race. It's about the wealthy elite vs the rest of us. They constantly try to divide us using race or religion or political views, so that they are not facing a population united against our true enemies. Will you believe the propaganda or will you recognize it for the divisive lies that it is, and refuse to participate?

epitaph says

The problem wasn't slavery (as it was a worldwide construct) but that they were treated poorly in the US long after their emancipation.

Right, Although, uncompensated, forced labor certainly gave the Caucasians a leg up, and gave them a leg down. It was the century + after that that gets left out of these discussions. There has not been a period of accommodation, but there has been a prolonged period of thuggery on the part of the white power structure.

CaptainShuddup says

They are being treated worse in Africa today by their own Dictators.

Ah, yes. Their freely elected dictators, with no help from the West!

Quigley says

I'm all for ending racism

I agree with much of what you've said, but insofar as the black community is and has always been largely poor or middle class, and have little representation in the Congress, Business world, or justice system, they are disproportionately adversely affected.

If the right had its way, the USPS would be destroyed. Is it any coincidence it's also the largest employer of African-Americans?

And if it were to be destroyed, it would impact the black community much more than the white community, right? So, policies may have destroyed the rung on the ladder that allowed blacks to escape the poverty the white community drove them into.

Same with prisons: If the system is rigged, it is even moreso against the black community. Just like convict lease, the laws are geared toward imprisoning blacks and then stealing their franchise. AND, it destroys family support they need to send their kids to school, get jobs, and avoid crime.

The question is does the concept of "community" even exist in a capitalist society? Aren't we all simply individual competitors battling it out in the marketplace for power to purchase products and services beneath our smiles and pleasantries?

CL says

with no help from the West!

We do SUCK at "Helping".

epitaph says

The African tribes wanted the European goods and were willing to trade their own people as slaves to get these goods. These tribes also did this with the Arabs in the same fashion

And to this day, they are still dealing in slavery.

CL says

I agree with much of what you've said, but insofar as the black community is and has always been largely poor or middle class, and have little representation in the Congress, Business world, or justice system, they are disproportionately adversely affected.

But when you do count the AA members in Congress or leaders in Business and other groups.. this is not case by a long shot. There are many african americans in leadership positions. they just are not Democrats.. so you dismiss them.

Hello ... we have a Black president ... what do you mean "little representation".

old Jessie just holding back them tears..

epitaph says

The African tribes wanted the European goods and were willing to trade their own people as slaves to get these goods. These tribes also did this with the Arabs in the same fashion.

Actually, they didn't trade 'their own people'. They traded neighboring groups. It's more like a Frenchman selling an Englishman into slavery. They're both white, even share some common history, but they see themselves as very different.

One question is why Africa could not develop comparable technology to that of Europe.

yo! Shostakovich.. you forgot your white as bleach as well..

are u ready to bust a cap in your own melon ?

Was Jesse crying because he didn't get to push the big red "riot and pillage" button because Sharpton got to it first?

Shostakovich is a brilliant man who I agree with 95% of the time. He just says things in such an awesome way. If he spoke before an audience like he wrote, he'd be a very rich man. Shostakovich is also a reason why I still prefer the American education system to the Indian education system where it's all about mindless regurgitation.....I do think the world is ready for 'cannibal anarchy'

thomaswong.1986 says

yo! Shostakovich.. you forgot your white as bleach as well..

are u ready to bust a cap in your own melon ?

While I agree primarily with the premise of your argument, that Black Americans have had a tough life. Africans who are 'well-off' in their countries of origin that happen to be 'helped' in some way by America......Countries like Nigeria that are oil-rich.

Ask yourself, being that Nigeria is most likely the largest economy in Africa, how come the prosperity of oil wealth didn't trickle down and now Nigerians who are 'smart and ambitious' are now coming to the United States for higher education and to just be successful in general? Why would they come to the US if Nigeria was such a kick ass place to be?

Yeah, the west helped the "LEADERS"....but very little of that trickled down to the 'smart and ambitious', many of whom are scraping by. Sure, some are professionals but that isn't the majority. In NYC, one of the places where Nigerians are heavily concentrated (other cities include MD suburbs of DC and Houston as well as Atlanta). People are hustling to win.

Out of those who vote, do you think they vote for xenophobes? Or do they vote democrat? Despite that, people hustling to make a better life for the next generation resent the Sharptons, Jacksons and the Wests of the world. More accurately many are so busy working that they most likely don't even know who the hell those demagogues are.

CL says

Ah, yes. Their freely elected dictators, with no help from the West!

MMR says

Shostakovich is a brilliant man who I agree with 95% of the time.

yes a true poet and warrior... bring on the 50 cal... Hurah!

I think he's a warrior, but he needs to get over his introverted nature and start getting more public and expanding his horizons.....I'm happy for his talent and maybe even a little bit jealous.

thomaswong.1986 says

yes a true poet and warrior... bring on the 50 cal... Hurah!

CL says

Same with prisons: If the system is rigged, it is even moreso against the black community. Just like convict lease, the laws are geared toward imprisoning blacks and then stealing their franchise. AND, it destroys family support they need to send their kids to school, get jobs, and avoid crime.

The "war on drugs" is the biggest current problem, along with parents' failure to emphasize education. The effects of slavery and Jim Crow have been diluted by history, but the many consequences of incarcerating black males for drug "crimes" include disenfranchisement, gang violence, kids growing up without their fathers, HIV, and distortions in local economies: it's tough to persuade a 12yo to study when the richest people he sees are drug dealers and basketball players. Willie Gary made his fortune as a trial lawyer, and famously visited small towns to bring all the children to the local toy store and buy them whatever they wanted, in order to show them the rewards of staying in school. BTW, he went to an obscure UNCF school, and after making hundreds of million$ he gave a speech in which he said he employed graduates of "Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, and I sign their paychecks every two weeks." Oprah is also a multi-billionaire, btw, and she got there without ever taking a government bailout (unlike TBTF bankers) or defrauding investors and denying medical care to customers who had bought insurance (cough Bill McGuire MD cough).

CL says

Right, Although, uncompensated, forced labor certainly gave the Caucasians a leg up, and gave them a leg down. It was the century + after that that gets left out of these discussions. There has not been a period of accommodation, but there has been a prolonged period of thuggery on the part of the white power structure.

Thank you! I was just thinking my night needed more horseshit to wade through.

curious2 says

The "war on drugs" is the biggest current problem,

curious2 says

The effects of slavery and Jim Crow have been diluted by history, but the many consequences of incarcerating black males for drug "crimes" include disenfranchisement, gang violence, kids growing up without their fathers, HIV, and distortions in local economies: it's tough to persuade a 12yo to study when the richest people he sees are drug dealers and basketball players.

Thank the police and justice system trying very hard to get the drug dealers off the street so the black community can turn the corner and have a better life.

Trying to promote " the end to the War on Drugs" and allowing drug dealers to corrupt our streets and neighborhood isnt helping anyone.