Reparations anyone?

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by Not Insane

Ask the men how many would rather be women, and the women how many would rather be men. Youll get a similar response. It's not that they don't want to be black. It's that they like who they are and they have spent their entire life adapting to who they are.

Half the hands going up shows strong dissatisfaction in half of the lives if they want something else.

And the people I've known don't get onboard with racial animosity mainly because they benefit economically and socially by discrimination. Rather, they see a certain race constantly acting up on television and in youtube videos and wonder, "is there something fundamentally wrong with these people?"

Dead serious.

If seeing people acting up, without pre-existing bias, triggerred animosity, I'd expect much more widespread condemnation of the armed 'no-mask, open the economy' protestors.

And a nuance: the question was not 'would you rather be black.' The question was 'would you be willing to be black.'

[Oerets]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

If seeing people acting up, without pre-existing bias, triggerred animosity, I'd expect much more widespread condemnation of the armed 'no-mask, open the economy' protestors.

And a nuance: the question was not 'would you rather be black.' The question was 'would you be willing to be black.'

Or ask one self, would you be uncomfortable the only or of the few (insert, race gender ethnicity) in a crowd of those who are different?

Then try to imagine how people faced with this everyday now must truly feel. Add to this the sense in lacking of a voice or power when faced with this everyday. When in speaking up, ignored and placated as not a big deal.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

... Redistribution of wealth, in a race-neutral manner, is not really a racial equality thing. I just tangented to it since reparations ...

Thanks for the easter egg.

[Oerets]

I agree that when the country's tax rate was higher it seemed lifestyles were better. This trickle down method not working out so well as a whole.
Works great if at the top. Not much reaching the bottom let alone the middle....

[Oerets]

This country is willing to and does give support to other countries yearly. To help with their needs with tax payer funds and surplus food.
What about our citizens?
This lift yourself up from the boot straps all sounds good. Just what is available for the youth in the inner cities or Indian Reservations for a couple of examples. The singling out of just one group to help will not fix the problems of inequality or unequal advantages.
Rather giving a real choice, a chance at improving one lot in life.
Education an opportunities!

[mpholland]

There are infinite areas that can be addressed, but where does one start and end?
You can say blacks are disadvantaged because of where they live, but how do you resolve that? Is it better for them to try and better themselves and move or stay and try to better the neighborhood? There are many who have sacrificed their own potential and stayed to try and better the lives of the local kids. They've helped a few kids rise up and make their way out of the neighborhood, but I don't think they have changed the culture a whole lot.

If they could get a decent education they can get scholarships and go to college like anyone else, but even with money for schools it is hard to focus on school when the whole community is run by gangs and thugs. Many fathers in prison, not just because of racial bias, but also because of gang indoctrination and drug addiction makes it hard to focus on school when you are trying to take care of your home and family at the same time. A lot of money and many people smarter than me have been thrown at this situation and it still exists to a heavy degree in many black communities today. What is the answer? Housing is so expensive in nearby areas that they can't move close, even middle class people can't afford to buy a house. I think that if a lot of them could just get a glimmer of confidence that they may possibly be able to have even a small part of "the American dream" they may actually strive for it, but I believe most of them are convinced it is impossible so why go through the effort.

I am sure there is an answer, but I don't even know where to begin.

[Not Insane]

Originally Posted by mpholland

There are infinite areas that can be addressed, but where does one start and end?
You can say blacks are disadvantaged because of where they live, but how do you resolve that? Is it better for them to try and better themselves and move or stay and try to better the neighborhood? There are many who have sacrificed their own potential and stayed to try and better the lives of the local kids. They've helped a few kids rise up and make their way out of the neighborhood, but I don't think they have changed the culture a whole lot.

If they could get a decent education they can get scholarships and go to college like anyone else, but even with money for schools it is hard to focus on school when the whole community is run by gangs and thugs. Many fathers in prison, not just because of racial bias, but also because of gang indoctrination and drug addiction makes it hard to focus on school when you are trying to take care of your home and family at the same time. A lot of money and many people smarter than me have been thrown at this situation and it still exists to a heavy degree in many black communities today. What is the answer? Housing is so expensive in nearby areas that they can't move close, even middle class people can't afford to buy a house. I think that if a lot of them could just get a glimmer of confidence that they may possibly be able to have even a small part of "the American dream" they may actually strive for it, but I believe most of them are convinced it is impossible so why go through the effort.

I am sure there is an answer, but I don't even know where to begin.

Here is the really scary part: Have you ever heard of the book, "The Bell Curve"? Some tough questions are presented by the information in that book. Here's a "twenty years later" rundown: https://www.aei.org/economics/bell-c...harles-murray/

The book may have been somewhat prophetic.

[Oerets]

It may just be as simple as inclusion. This will take many years to fulfill equality. Years ago women's sports as an example needed help towards equity. Steps are still need but advances have been made.

We can't just put our hands up saying it can't be fixed. Not without trying.

The country put off the hard tough decisions for later. That can not go on forever. Like I stated before the people effected are not going away. The inequalities are growing everyday for segments of our society. We don't want it to get to the historical solution of pitchforks and touches now do we?

I feel that given the opportunity of a good paying job and building of wealth. The problems with gangs and crime would be lessened significantly. When you have something to loose you fight for it. It is when one feels left out and hopeless, with nothing to loose the problems begin.

[mpholland]

Originally Posted by Oerets

It may just be as simple as inclusion. This will take many years to fulfill equality. Years ago women's sports as an example needed help towards equity. Steps are still need but advances have been made.

We can't just put our hands up saying it can't be fixed. Not without trying.

The country put off the hard tough decisions for later. That can not go on forever. Like I stated before the people effected are not going away. The inequalities are growing everyday for segments of our society. We don't want it to get to the historical solution of pitchforks and touches now do we?

I feel that given the opportunity of a good paying job and building of wealth. The problems with gangs and crime would be lessened significantly. When you have something to loose you fight for it. It is when one feels left out and hopeless, with nothing to loose the problems begin.

True, but the point is somehow we need to get good paying jobs where, so far anyway, it doesn't look like they want to put them.

[Oerets]

There is more then a few jobs that left the country over the years. Be very interesting to see if any of the companies involved in these said jobs have a history in their past with the exploitation and enrichment of our natural resources. Both of a human or material in nature.

So they could now be held accountable and fund programs. To bring good paying industry back home.

There is ways of improving our society. It is just the pain in the who what where and when. This is a rich country with so much potential. Greed and envy are powerful caustic emotions that left to fester unchecked. Can and will have ill effects all of ours futures.