Indra Maghavan Writes, in response to me thinking that it's natural for some young white children to think being Black is cool - "Not to mention the brainwashing the poor kid is exposed to in school..."@ Indra - But if the child from the superior white race can be so easily influenced by popular culture - even though they're are constantly bombarded by images that re-enforce the validity of his own culture -how is the negative influence of a minority's environment, family and the media so easily discounted?
Shouldn't the higher IQ having white kid be smart enough to realize that being Black is beneath him and is something to be avoided?
Or are you of the belief that one's environment can have the same impact as genetics?
brohammas Writes (but with a different intent on another post) - "... it would be akin to a white guy walking up to a black guy on the street and punching him in the nose..."
@ brohammas - I understand what you're saying.
But to give a different view;
I had a tenant who was always spending his money on crack and the local working girls.
He had a girlfriend and two children at home.
I would always stop by to drop off diapers and formula for the kids.
He got mad because he thought that me helping the kids was somehow taking from his manhood, or that I was trying to get with his girlfriend.
He told everyone on the block that he was going to shoot me.
He would always talk about how he was a Blood and how "hard" he was.
Upon hearing about such talk, I went to his (my) house and knocked on the door to have a discussion. (No, I'm not a thug or a "G", I'm just a regular guy.)
He stuttered, stammered and changed his story.
Was I a shooting victim? Nope.
His intent was to harm me, but he lacked enough skills (or real desire) to do so.
My response is to be/do better than anyone who would imagine to do me any harm.
If the choice is between victim and victor - I choose victor.
I would prefer to get everyone else to that level - not to join in the hand-holding Kumbaya singing hope that someone else will solve our problems.
"But UBJ, not everyone is capable of digging themselves out from their situation", some might say.
But that's why I'd like to see the intent of programs like Affirmative Action be to raise the level of those seeking to participate in any institution - instead of lowering the level required to be admitted.
"But UBJ, white women are the biggest benefactors of AA", others might quip.
Okay, that's nice.
But what does that have to do with getting more Blacks prepared to compete on the next level?
Since the biggest difference between success and failure is usually psychological - changing our mentality and motivations are what will determine our condition.
8 comments:
"But UBJ, white women are the biggest benefactors of AA", others might quip.
Okay, that's nice.
"But what does that have to do with getting more Blacks prepared to compete on the next level?"
So, in effect your problems is not with Affirmative Action or set-aside programs, in and of themselves. Your problem is with the perception that standards are lowered, solely, for "da Blacks" when and where they are involved with, or benefited by Affirmative Action or set aside programs. That is, it's okay for 'others' to be involved with such programs because the standards are not lowered for them, as a 'precondition' for them to be allowed to be involved in said socioeconomic programs. Just make sure if Blacks are involve make sure they are singled out special precondition as opposed to others. Because after all they are the only ones as a group iinvloved in such programs who are less qualified to begin with.
John reading your twisted obfuscating reasoning, and pathologic rationalities, reminds me of a "False Flag operation" that's being carried out for a pernicious domestic agenda. It is a kind of intellectual hypocrisy and cowardice that's palpable and pathetic.But alas, here we are in today's human condition.
Warts and all.
"But UBJ, not everyone is capable of digging themselves out from their situation", some might say. But that's why I'd like to see the intent of programs like Affirmative Action be to raise the level of those seeking to participate in any institution - instead of lowering the level required to be admitted.
I see what you're saying overall, kind of like the "give a person a fish versus teaching him to fish" thing. But when it comes to AA, I think it depends on what you mean by it. Many AA programs merely make sure that all things being more or less equal, a minority candidate should be chosen. In such cases, there's no lowering of standards. There's instead a recognition of unfair selection of the same old "like me" candidates without AA in place.
"changing our mentality and motivations are what will determine our condition" is the truest statement you ever wrote. All they are, are words but people believe them so much that it deters them from moving forward. This is why a systematic change in mentality of any people from religion, to war, to starvation can create such cataclysmic change! As soon as we decide to stop playing things will change that instant. No need to worry about racism, inadequate schools or the like. If we just decided that we have to do this ourselves things would get better that instant!
@ GDAWG - No, it's not all of that.
The thing is, I don't care about everyone else. I care about us (as a whole) getting better.
If we were playing Hide and Go Seek and you got caught - would you be the one to say "Come on out ya'all, WE got caught"? The whole while pointing out where others were hiding?
What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter what everyone else does.
What matters more is how we react (or prepare) for a situation.
@ Macon D - Yep, exactly. Those are the models needed.
@ FreeMan - But how do we communicate this response to a wider audience?
"....What I'm saying is that it doesn't matter what everyone else does...."
John, it does matter what everyone else does! If it does matter then why fight the American Civil war to end slavery? Why then a Civil Rights Movement? Why have laws that are unequally applied or enforced? Why don't we Blacks just isolate ourselves from everyone else because it does not matter what everyone else does. Oh wait. That's racial separatism. Us Negroes are not allowed such isolationism, hehehe
step away from my computer for a couple days and you drop my name... my timing is horrible.
Good story. If we are going to apply it to general society as in my analagy, you made good by going and knocking on dudes door.
That isn't happening cross-racially.
My issue, and usually my point, is that we (black or white) need to go knock on the other sides door and talk about this stuff. Right now we are all just listening to rumors about who is going to shoot who and then going to the cops to handle it...its not working.
brohammas,
You make a good point, but I don't see it happening anywhere to much of an extent. History's long arms reach out for us all; the same wars tend to be fought over and over. The Christians vs. Muslims, Black vs. White etc. History and culture have dug deep trenches between us that few people will be able to navigate.
Yes, UBJ, I do believe culture is powerful powerful powerful. How else can we account for the degeneration of the black community since the 1960's. The gene pool hasn't changed. The culture has. Today's negative culture affects all races today. Unfortunately, today's negative culture has a black face. Yet, for some reason, you are labeled a racist if you dare criticize it? I'm just a truth teller, not a racist.
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