The problem with blacks in america is...

[polarmystery]

As a Halfrican-American myself...I think the problem is two fold:

1) As someone previously mentioned, it is that they expect to be treated differently and

2) The have no interest in education or educating themselves in any way.

Item #2 bothers me the most.

 

[bradly1101]

2) The have no interest in education or educating themselves in any way.

Item #2 bothers me the most.

Education is very expensive.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Education is very expensive.

There are far more scholarships/government assistance programs for minorities than for middle class non-minorities. I know families that make $65k total (husband/wife/2 children) that were told they make too much to qualify for government assistance for college tuition.

I had to use Sallie Mae loans for my oldest daughters tuition. I'm planning on borrowing against my 401k for my middle daughter this upcoming school year.

 

[bradley]

Education is very expensive.

Always return your library books on time, and an American education is very cheap. You can still get an inexpensive dial-up Internet account or an income based free Connect2Compete broadband connection.

Spend enough time at the library, and you can write some of your own ticket in merit-based and college-based scholarships. Then you can always fill in the gap using very generous need-based and student based aid. Where there's a will.....

 

[SheHateMe]

2) The have no interest in education or educating themselves in any way.

Item #2 bothers me the most.

How refreshing to see someone who claims to be half black saying that we don't have an interest in education or being educated.

Really? All black people have no interest?

Hasty generalization.


As I am sure you know, MANY of us do have an interest in getting an education and doing something great. I wish you idiots would stop assuming that we all follow some type of group-think where we all have the same morals, ideals, and aspirations.

I grew up in Detroit, in a "bad" neighborhood. According to the posters on this thread, that means I am dangerous and that I'm probably a thug. You guys need to stop making these generalizations about how people are because of where they grew up. In am a shining example of how wrong many of you are about people from poor areas. You make me want to actually steal from a white person just so I feel like I am satisfying the stereotype.

Yes, there are many blacks who come from poor areas that don't want to do or be anything. At the same time, there are many blacks from the same areas that long for an opportunity to get out of where they come from either via sports or education.

 

[bradley]

How refreshing to see someone who claims to be half black saying that we don't have an interest in education or being educated.

Really? All black people have no interest?

Hasty generalization.

I took his words more figuratively to illustrate a mindset amongst a certain subset. I'm surprised he didn't mention the chip on the shoulder attitude and thin skin.

 

[SheHateMe]

I took his words more figuratively to illustrate a mindset amongst a certain subset. I'm surprised he didn't mention the chip on the shoulder attitude and thin skin.

This thread is about blacks as a group, is it not? That is the tone of the OP.

If you want to talk about problems plaguing the black community, that's totally fine. But do not lump us all into one big group saying that we do not value education. That isn't having thin skin, that is pointing out a dishonest statement.

And I guess I would have a chip on my shoulder if I had to swallow some of the ignorant statements being said about blacks in the two threads that had to be created on the very same subject on AnandFront P&N.

 

[piasabird]

This 300 years bulshit is getting old. I never met a slave. The Chinese and other races like Germans and Italians and hispanics, Mormons, Jews, japanese have all been mistreated in the USA. How come they overcame their problems and are doing well but not black people? It is all a lie.

People just choose to be pitiful losers and commit crime like it is going out of style. It is a matter of charcter and self respect. Some people just choose to be ignorant helpless slobs and live off the government. I have seen this in my own relatives.

 

[NetWareHead]

This is BS plain and simple. The blacks who complain and busy themselves with crying instead of bettering themselves are holding themselves back. Whats funny is that these idiots sit there and do nothing but complain and in front of their eyes you have African immigrants arriving with a real work ethic and desire to succeed. We have African immigrants who do not have the advantage of fluency in English as well as having no citizenship doing better in this country than blacks over here. These blacks will complain all day about the color of their skin being a disadvantage while immigrant Africans who are darker than them get jobs, stay off of welfare, don't fall into a gang/drugs/crime lifestyle etc...

I spent a week all throughout the North Shore/LIJ Hospital system.... 14th largest healthcare system in the US and 3rd largest private employer in NY. I was seeing a very high percentage of black orthopedic surgeons, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, oncologists, neurologists, urologists etc., along with many Indian, Asian and white.

Those are all demanding jobs with extremely long hours. With limited time in their schedules, the OP's screed probably would be incomprehensible to them.

This...

 

[Doppel]

This 300 years bulshit is getting old. I never met a slave. The Chinese and other races like Germans and Italians and hispanics, Mormons, Jews, japanese have all been mistreated in the USA. How come they overcame their problems and are doing well but not black people? It is all a lie.

I agree with this. 60 years ago the USA incarcerated a bunch of Japanese who had committed no crime whatsoever. Certainly many were persecuted beyond this. As recently as 20 years ago a friend told me his dad "refuses to buy a Jap car because of the war". I do not hear modern day Japanese reminding everybody about what happened. It shouldn't be forgotten and I think it was a terrible injustice, but it cannot be used as an excuse for current behavior.

 

[Arkitech]

.....your mom.

Seriously, every person has the same chance to make whatever they want for themselves in life. We are all the same.

This is completely false. Every person does "not" have the same chance, every person is "not" the same.

That's not to say that every person can't improve themselves in some way, but to pretend everyone has the same level playing field is a false statement.

 

[Arkitech]

Hey, I wasn't there.

Interesting response.


Where in my comments did I finger point? I think people get too defensive when the subject of race in america comes up.

 

[berzerker60]

I never got given anything in my life! I worked my way up from scratch! Black can just do the same!

*had parents with college education, the #1 strongest determinant in how far you go in life*
*got first job out of school because 'looked respectable' unlike 'those types'*
*allowed into fraternity where important connections were made*
*had sufficient nutrition guaranteed throughout childhood, without daily stress and hunger*
*given a verbal warning when caught with pot, rather than sent to jail for years, thereby making getting any job much much harder*
*not told my entire life that I'm a dangerous thug*

 

[Arkitech]

I couldn't agree more. I'm a big reader too.

I'm white and grew up in a neighborhood where only whites lived. When I learned about MLK in school, I couldn't understand why any group would be treated that way.

In eighth grade a black family moved in and was gone a year later. It was sad. I got to know their daughter. My dad said they were forced out. This was 1976.

I now live in a mixed city and mostly everyone gets along.

I too have difficulty with the way race is sometimes discussed here.

While white on black racism is disturbing, the reaction can be extreme and misdirected (to me). I had an appointment in downtown L.A. and decided to take the train (I try to be green when possible). I was alone in one section of a car after rolling my manual wheelchair to the disabled area (it was the beginning of the line in the middle of a weekday).

A young black man entered the car and I nodded to him. He sat directly across from me and said "Mutha fu@king cracka, you gonna die mutha fu@ker!"

I decided not to do anything (was I going to make a rolling escape?), so we just sat there silently for a minute, him looking at me, me starting straight ahead.

Finally someone else came into that section, and he walked to the back. I never saw him again, and I never take the train anymore.

The question is, how do we fix all this?

That's a good question, trying to fix something that is so broken is a daunting task. The funny thing about your story is that even though I've never met you, I have far more in common with you than the guy who sat across from you on that train. However far too many people (both black and white) would assume otherwise if they were to look at both us from strictly a face value perspective.

 

[QueBert]

This 300 years bulshit is getting old. I never met a slave. The Chinese and other races like Germans and Italians and hispanics, Mormons, Jews, japanese have all been mistreated in the USA. How come they overcame their problems and are doing well but not black people? It is all a lie.

People just choose to be pitiful losers and commit crime like it is going out of style. It is a matter of charcter and self respect. Some people just choose to be ignorant helpless slobs and live off the government. I have seen this in my own relatives.

They weren't mistreated anywhere nearly as poorly, and there's also the whole Bush Sr, CIA, Crack in the ghetto thing. Our lovely government started the crack epidemic, and while it could have been. I doubt it was unintentional the CIA limited it to black areas. Bush should have been thrown in prison for that shit, but we as a people re-elected him.

And anyone who thinks I'm crazy/stupid/etc nobody in the ghetto was powerful, nobody in the ghetto had connections. Before the Bush shit they had a hard time getting a Saturday Night Special, there was nobody from there who would have been able to get Cocaine in any serious amount. They go from nothing to all of a sudden they getting plane loads of Coke? Sounds reasonable to me!

Thanks Bush Sr.

 

[Jadow]

lack of nuclear families
disdain for education or being smart

 

[Arkitech]

The problem with African Americans (note that I use this to distinguish between the different races of Blacks, such as Africans and those from Brazil, England, Francophone, or similar countries) isn't that the are treated differently...rather, it's because they expect to be treated differently.

It was touched on above...inner-city, urban black kids portray an image of glamourized hostility, violence, and drugs and expect to be handed everything. Those in the suburbs generally do the same thing, but to a lesser extent. Programs like affirmative action and other racial quotas have bred in to African Americans that they're owed something and entitled to a certain outcome without having to put any effort into obtaining that outcome.

African American leaders encourage this thinking and blame the White Man whenever a black family suffers hard-ship of any kind. White-guiltists enable this behavior through some misguided sense that African Americans are incapable of achieving the same outcome, and thus need special treatment.

African Americans aren't content to be equal to White Americans...they want to be more equal than White Americans. If they have to work as hard, it's unfair to them.

In reality, though, if a Black man can lie and cheat his way to the Presidency of the United States of America, as dozens of White Men have done before him, then there isn't really an excuse for African Americans to not be treated exactly the same as White people, nor is there an excuse for White people to provide them special treatment.

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: African Americans are told that they're entitled, so they don't do anything to try and achieve things on their own. Instead, they do the opposite. They have children they can't afford. They buy cars they can't afford while living in a hovel. They focus on the image of the quality of their lifestyle (bling bling) rather than the actual quality of their lifestyle. And, they harbor hate and distain and a sense of entitlement toward those who achieve (yes, even Blacks that achieve.) And of course this behavior is glamourized by black "leaders" and pop culture icons, thus teaching the next generation to do the same thing and repeat the cycle.

One thing I can say, though...Oprah sure as shit didn't get where she is by waiting for someone to give it to her. African Americans should be more like Oprah...or Wil Smith...they work hard for their shit.

The only problem I have with your post is that you use African Americans in a way that suggests that all African Americans think, act and behave in the same fashion. I'm assuming that was'nt your intention and if it was'nt then I agree with most of what you've said.

The one thing I try to get people to understand when talking about African Americans is that they are all not the same. Sure there are many AA's who embrace the stereotypical image, but the sad thing is that there are many, many AA's just like myself who work hard to provide for themselves and try to put their best foot forward.

 

[Arkitech]

You do realize there are a lot of racist black people right?

Absolutely I do, I don't approve or accept their viewpoints. If I had a friend who expressed to me his hatred or intolerance of another group of people, without hesitation I'd separate myself from him. I teach my children the same.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I never got given anything in my life! I worked my way up from scratch! Black can just do the same!

*had parents with college education, the #1 strongest determinant in how far you go in life* Neither parent had a college education
*got first job out of school because 'looked respectable' unlike 'those types'* Started working at 14 so I could have money to spend on non-essential items
*allowed into fraternity where important connections were made* Never in a fraternity
*had sufficient nutrition guaranteed throughout childhood, without daily stress and hunger* Both of my parents worked to ensure there was food on the table
*given a verbal warning when caught with pot, rather than sent to jail for years, thereby making getting any job much much harder* Never caught with pot or underage drinking to get any breaks
*not told my entire life that I'm a dangerous thug* Of course not, I never acted like a thug. I decided after working 2 years in a grocery store I needed to do something to get work experience so I joined and served 12 years in the military.

During my military career and current job I've worked with minorities of all races/nationalities and never seen any that were held back because of their color or nationality. Personally I see your post as being extremely disrespectful to those minorities that have busted their ass to attain the level of success they have in their lives.

 

[Arkitech]

I spent a week all throughout the North Shore/LIJ Hospital system.... 14th largest healthcare system in the US and 3rd largest private employer in NY. I was seeing a very high percentage of black orthopedic surgeons, cardiologists, gastroenterologists, oncologists, neurologists, urologists etc., along with many Indian, Asian and white.

Those are all demanding jobs with extremely long hours. With limited time in their schedules, the OP's screed probably would be incomprehensible to them.

I think you misunderstand the intent of my initial post. I don't condone the behavior of how some black people act, I'm simply pointing out the fact that there is a "reason" for why it exists.

For example a woman might be the victim of spousal abuse, she might choose to leave the abusive husband and start over with a new man who treats her right. Or she might choose to kill her abusive husband and look at all men in the same manner as her abusive mate.

I don't condone the actions in the latter scenario, however I have to acknowledge "why" it happened. Clearly the best choice would be the first situation.

In a similar vein I think the reason some black people act in an irrational manner has to do with the history of blacks in this country. This is not an excuse for them to do what they are doing, I abhor criminals and deadbeats just as much as any other decent, hardworking person.

 

[Arkitech]

This 300 years bulshit is getting old. I never met a slave. The Chinese and other races like Germans and Italians and hispanics, Mormons, Jews, japanese have all been mistreated in the USA. How come they overcame their problems and are doing well but not black people? It is all a lie.

People just choose to be pitiful losers and commit crime like it is going out of style. It is a matter of charcter and self respect. Some people just choose to be ignorant helpless slobs and live off the government. I have seen this in my own relatives.

I see people make this same mistake many times. Not ALL Chinese, Germans, Italians, Hispanics, Jews and Japanese have overcome their problems. Many of them have the same issues as in the African American community. Also not all African Americans are being held down by what happened in the past. I'm 41 years old and the "majority" of African Americans I've encountered are very similar to me. They work hard, pay taxes and try to rear their children to be productive citizens. The perception that the majority of African Americans are on welfare or are criminals is inaccurate. There is perhaps a high percentage of AA's guilty of those things, but it is by no means the majority.

 

[DeadFred]

Having native American heritage, I can unequivocally say that although what happened to my ancestors was atrocious, it has very little impact on me or even my recent past lineage. I was born, like most, in a lower middle class family and had just as much opportunity to go after my dreams and desires as anyone.

People of less than wealth in this country need to begin to take responsibility even with inherent limitations because of lack of wealth or 'fairness'. Nothing was ever given to me, I had to dream, work, and struggle for everything, but I never blamed anyone because opportunity was there albeit perhaps harder than others.

Bottom line, every race in America, of every color or background, is given the availability to go to school, to learn. Given the availability to chose a life path, and to varying degrees, given the availability to go after their dreams. Making poor choices because you want to take the easy path and blame others for your 'oppression' helps no one.

Make no mistake, I know the past and keep it alive in honoring the memory of those who were really done wrong (original native Americans, slaves, ect..) but I do not pretend to know their pain, their struggles and to that end I honor them by living a life they never could, a life free of extermination. A life where I have opportunity and family free of fear.

Will I ever become president? No. Will I ever have the same opportunities as the wealthy of the land? No. But I am not going to cry about it and ruin my life over it either. I am still going to try and become a decent man, father, and husband. Hopefully to give my children more opportunity and a better life then I could have.

This is the true American way.

Excellent post and outlook on life. :thumbsup:

 

[bradly1101]

That's a good question, trying to fix something that is so broken is a daunting task. The funny thing about your story is that even though I've never met you, I have far more in common with you than the guy who sat across from you on that train. However far too many people (both black and white) would assume otherwise if they were to look at both us from strictly a face value perspective.

Agreed. I believe in extending love and respect by default. Someone has to earn my disrespect.

I think for many it's the differences that get in the way. To many whites [edit: and blacks or asians, etc.] , they see a different skin color and hear different sounding voices.

I truly believe this triggers a very primal fear that has it's origins in having to protect one's group from any other (or tribe) that was threatening the group and possibly it's resources and/or it's women, etc. They knew who to fear because they looked different (but probably not as different as black and white).

I believe the root of our hatred, anger and bigotry lies in that fear.

This behavior obviously has no place in modern society, but we're stuck with it until we recognize the source and watch and adjust our thoughts and actions more skillfully.

All these wars, all this grabbing for resources, all this fear and discourse between races and toward immigrants I believe is very primal, tribal behavior.

Aren't we more sophisticated than this?

 

[Perknose]

Clueless, uninformed, and blind.

Congratulations on finally coming to grips with your deep personal shortcomings. Yours was a truly "clueless, uninformed and blind" response to the OP's heartfelt post. There was no excuse for it, and the only possible explanations do not reflect well on you as a human being.

 

[BoberFett]

Whatever you do be sure to keep reminding blacks how the world is against them. Be sure to coddle them at all times and instill within them a sense that they are massively disadvantaged. Any time one does well make sure you point out that they are a huge exception lest other blacks feel they could also achieve similar success.

Bleeding heart liberals are more racist than any inbred, backwoods redneck. The redneck is just ignorant and hates because they're different. The liberals should know better, but they actually look down on black people, thinking them incapable of overcoming adversity. So disgustingly racist, the "liberals" in this thread.