Racism: glorified hyperbole in America

[the iron horse]

“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Imagine if that was true today in America.

The leadership void after King’s murder was not replaced by men like him but by “race baiters’ stepping up to the mike and continually stirring division between people.

Recent events have again sparked the charges of rampant racism in America.
The media fuels this fire by going to the “race baiters” for comments instead of voices of reason.

And it boils and it burns and it and others get hurt or killed.

I’m sick of it.

I don’t see this “rampant racism” in my life: co-workers, students, friends, people I come in contact with every day. I don't see it. I don't hear it.

Sure, there are some racists but I believe they are a small minority.

The American people are much better than what some would have us believe.


The following is part of Jason’s Riley editorial in this weeks
Wall Street Journal. He ended with a 1961 quote from MLK on
the black community’s responsible to not condone criminal behavior.

“This past weekend in Chicago, 26 people were shot, including a 16-year-old who died. Yet Al Sharpton is headed not to the Second City but to suburban St. Louis to protest the weekend shooting death of Michael Brown, who police say was killed while resisting arrest.

What happened in Chicago—black people shooting black people—is sadly routine and of secondary concern to civil rights industry operators like Mr. Sharpton, whose agenda is keeping the focus on whites and the supposedly racist “system.” The Chicago shootings don’t advance that agenda, so Mr. Sharpton is taking his talents to St. Louis, where he will put racial solidarity ahead of condemning bad behavior and pretend that our morgues are full of young black men due to miscreant police officers.

The reality is that blacks are 13% of the population and half of all homicide victims—90% of whom are killed by other blacks.”


It is sad that the people the “race mongers” claim to represent are the ones who suffer the most.

Can we try to put what King said into practice. Can we stop the hyperbole?
Can we really start a truthful discussion or will be continue judging and accusing based on the color of our crayons?

[PhilsFan]

You could have just replied to my thread instead of subtweeting, my man.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

on

the black community’s responsible to not condone criminal behavior.

And this is part of the problem. The fact that we see this country as having "black communities" or any other color communities, and how when you speak about this there is no calling of responsibility in your own "community".

Race baiters and lack of leadership exist on all sides of this, it's not just Sharpton or the "black community".

Until that's recognized nothing will change. Problem is there is too much turning a blind eye on what's going on in our backyards.


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[the iron horse]

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

You could have just replied to my thread instead of subtweeting, my man.

I began working a draft of this last night. and planned to post it today.
It was not written as a reply to any thread.

I've read your thread and understand the anger you feel watching
these recent events.

I'm angry too.

[KhanadaRhodes]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

I don’t see this “rampant racism” in my life: co-workers, students, friends, people I come in contact with every day. I don't see it. I don't hear it.

it's easy not to see racism, sexism, etc. when you're a straight white male in the middle or upper class. i don't mean that as an attack on you, but rather that it's easy to have blinders on in regards to a certain type of discrimination when it doesn't affect you personally.

racism is definitely a big issue where i live. there's still white flight and the assumption that blacks (or especially now hispanics too) moving into your neighbourhood will bring drugs and crime. black men get arrested for things an upper-class white male can either negotiate his way out of or not be charged at all.

and of course there's the old "oh shit a black person is the corner, better make sure my doors are locked" or "crap a black person is walking in my direction, better clutch my purse tighter" thoughts.

[Irvine511]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

I don’t see this “rampant racism” in my life: co-workers, students, friends, people I come in contact with every day. I don't see it. I don't hear it.

most white people don't.

The reality is that blacks are 13% of the population and half of all homicide victims—90% of whom are killed by other blacks.”

what does this have to do with anything? doesn't it actually prove that fears of blacks killing whites is yet another racist myth that leads to shootings like we just saw in St. Louis or like with what happened to Trayvon Martin?

or are you saying it doesn't matter as much when black people kill other black people?

or that black people killing black people isn't your problem because they are all black people (and thus not actually people)?

[anitram]

Originally Posted by the iron horse

“
I don’t see this “rampant racism” in my life: co-workers, students, friends, people I come in contact with every day. I don't see it. I don't hear it.

Well, yes.

It is very hard to have a true grasp of cultural biases, racism, etc., when you are on the outside looking in.

[PhilsFan]

Originally Posted by Irvine511

most white people don't.

















what does this have to do with anything? doesn't it actually prove that fears of blacks killing whites is yet another racist myth that leads to shootings like we just saw in St. Louis or like with what happened to Trayvon Martin?



or are you saying it doesn't matter as much when black people kill other black people?



or that black people killing black people isn't your problem because they are all black people (and thus not actually people)?

He is saying racism doesn't exist because white people aren't committing mass executions of blacks.

My guess it that the concept of institutionalized racism is a little out of IH's depth.

[deep]

Originally Posted by KhanadaRhodes

it's easy not to see racism, sexism, etc. when you're a straight white male in the middle or upper class. i don't mean that as an attack on you, but rather that it's easy to have blinders on in regards to a certain type of discrimination when it doesn't affect you personally.

racism is definitely a big issue where i live. there's still white flight and the assumption that blacks (or especially now hispanics too) moving into your neighbourhood will bring drugs and crime. black men get arrested for things an upper-class white male can either negotiate his way out of or not be charged at all.

and of course there's the old "oh shit a black person is the corner, better make sure my doors are locked" or "crap a black person is walking in my direction, better clutch my purse tighter" thoughts.

Originally Posted by Irvine511

most white people don't.








what does this have to do with anything? doesn't it actually prove that fears of blacks killing whites is yet another racist myth that leads to shootings like we just saw in St. Louis or like with what happened to Trayvon Martin?

or are you saying it doesn't matter as much when black people kill other black people?

or that black people killing black people isn't your problem because they are all black people (and thus not actually people)?

Originally Posted by anitram

Well, yes.

It is very hard to have a true grasp of cultural biases, racism, etc., when you are on the outside looking in.

Originally Posted by PhilsFan

He is saying racism doesn't exist because white people aren't committing mass executions of blacks.

My guess it that the concept of institutionalized racism is a little out of IH's depth.

Pay attention
Those are the opinions of a black man


Book Review: 'Please Stop Helping Us' by Jason L. Riley - seattlepi.com

[Irvine511]

it's out of a lot of people's depth.

we had posters in here claiming that race wasn't a factor in the Zimmerman case because there was no direct evidence that Zimmerman was a racist.

we've spent a lot of time over the past 50 years realizing that racism is wrong, but we don't yet really gasp what racism actually is.

[bono_212]

I know this isn't exactly on topic, but it was brought up and I haven't really had an opportunity to bring it up before now. Anyways, over the last few months, I've started to really find myself immersed in the knowledge of black-on-black crime. Obviously, I used to live "just" outside of Chicago, and we in NWI have our own problems in Lake County. Besides that, I really started to get attached to Common and his new album was dealing with crime in Chicago and the third thing that really got to me was watching Boyz in the Hood. I came away from all of this with this overwhelming sadness and a sense of helplessness. Usually when a cause makes me feel something, there's an obvious way to get involved, to try and do something.

But when it comes to this topic, I just feel like I'm not allowed to help. Like there is absolutely nothing I can do because I'm not part of that community.

The only thing left, that I thought maybe I could do was just volunteer at after school reading programs at the library, to at least try and have a positive impact on the next generation. I dunno. Has anyone else ever felt this way?

[Irvine511]

i think "black-on-black crime" is a really problematic term.

isn't it just "crime"?

[iron yuppie]

Originally Posted by Irvine511

i think "black-on-black crime" is a really problematic term.

isn't it just "crime"?

Good point. As with pretty much any statistic out there regarding social problems, it makes much more sense to analyze by income/poverty levels than by race.

[bono_212]

Originally Posted by Irvine511

i think "black-on-black crime" is a really problematic term.

isn't it just "crime"?

Ok, if you want to get pedantic. I don't think that was my point. I was using the term that is used. If you want me to call it something else, that's fine. Doesn't stop the fact that it effects my home town, maybe not me specifically, but the area that I grew up in and care about and people are dying. Doesn't change the fact that I wish I could do something and feel helpless. Whatever you want to call it.

EDIT: Sorry. That just pissed me off, initially, I get what you're saying, but the fact is, it just felt like a really flippant response when I was sharing something that I'm embarrassed to talk about. Obviously you wouldn't know that, so that's why I'm saying so now. I already feel like I'm in over my head on a topic I'll never understand, so when the first response was something that kinda felt like a slap, I got personally upset. I'll just leave the post as is, so it doesn't look like I'm hiding something.

[Irvine511]

it wasn't meant as a criticism, i really do think the term is something we need to think about because it's such a great example of how common terms and everyday language is loaded with unspoken assumptions.

we'd never really say white-on-white crime, right?

i think the working assumption in IH's post is that "hey, black people, you're missing the point; the biggest enemy isn't white racism but social problems like violence that plague the black community."

but that's extremely superficial and doesn't understand how these assumptions -- assumptions of white supremacy ... which isn't men in white hoods burning crosses -- plague all of our thoughts, about ourselves and about each other.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

Good point. As with pretty much any statistic out there regarding social problems, it makes much more sense to analyze by income/poverty levels than by race.

Exactly


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[deep]

I dated a woman that seemed to have an unnatural fear of black men
I later found out she was robbed at gun point at a bank ATM - black man
she is Japanese American - black on yellow crime


I left a pizza on my kitchen counter and went to get my laundry
when I got back,- canine on pizza crime

[mikal]

Do you all think an alien invasion would help racial tension?


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[LemonMelon]

Originally Posted by iron yuppie

Good point. As with pretty much any statistic out there regarding social problems, it makes much more sense to analyze by income/poverty levels than by race.

I think a lot of inner city crime stems from 1. lack of job opportunities and 2. bad or nonexistent parenting. It's a mix of a subtle caste system that exists partially due to institutionalized racism, as well as a long-running history of absentee parenting in the black community. Yeah, I think crime increases as socioeconomic status decreases, but it's not entirely by chance that many of these men and women aren't being offered the same opportunities. To an extent, it starts in the community, but on a smaller level, it starts at home.

African Americans actually find black-on-black crime to be an important term because it points the blame inwards instead of out to other races. It's a "look what we're doing to ourselves" kind of attitude. But that is, of course, just one way of looking at the problem.

[LJT]

The higher incarceration rates I always found as a reasonable example of why there is more absentee parenting. You stop locking up black men you might see some improvement in this area.