patrick.net

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.