I'm not against profiling, I think you'd have to be an idiot to NOT do so on some level. Racism on the other hand, absolutely should be eliminated where it exists. That said, the problem that most studies into the issue have is that they are suggesting that inequality of outcome is evidence of racism and that's something that is not provable. it's very similar to those who try to drone on about a "gender gap" in pay where they are looking at outcomes and ignoring all of the other factors involved. I do agree though that the main focus should be on finding ways to instill better decision making into minority groups and stop telling them that there is a boogie man out there trying to hold them down that they can blame all of life's problems on because that's about the only way you'll ever bridge the racial wealth gap and as such is the best way to get more equal outcomes. It's not something that would be a quick solution, it would take many generations of people making smart decisions to really make a difference, but that's the only way to do it properly.
I think it helps to understand what the Black community is dealing with today by having lived back when racism was far more widespread, and blatantly obvious. Obvious as in "Whites Only" at the neighborhood swimming pool, the water fountain, the restrooms. I saw that in the Southeast Houston working class/lower middle class neighborhood I grew up in, filled with WWII vets (my Dad) and Korean War vets (my uncle) who purchased those homes with the GI Bill. That's a great example of a government program that worked. I was very lucky to grow up in a progressive family of solid FDR Democrats. Those signs made my father angry, as did racism in general. Later, when he was an influential department chair, he hired one of the first 2 Black professors at the university. There has been slow, but steady progress battling racism. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've told this story before and I realize it probably sounds like a different planet to some of you. That's part of the problem. Since trump was elected, it's like another minority, of Whites this time, are attempting to turn back the clock with the help of people like trump and Bannon, and the Republicans who look the other way, making excuses, but doing little to fight it, in my opinion. To be clear, I'm not describing all Republicans. It's not a majority of that party who are racist. Far from it. I know too many decent, intelligent, hard working Republicans to think that. The problem is that they have lost control of their own party.
there are worse posters, but what is annoying is the sheer volume he puts out there. one person accounts for about 20%-25% of the posts in some of these threads. and its the same thing over and over again. most people can say what they need to say and be done with it.
True story- I've probably mentioned this before- I used to manage a Mr. Gatti's pizza delivery/pick-up store that was located on the west feeder between Cypresswood and FM 1960 on I-45. I want to say this was around 1987 or so. Store only existed for about a year and a half B4 they closed it down. Anyway, on most nights, it was me and a delivery driver. And most of the time, that driver was Ralph, who happened to be a black man. When you're working with only one other person for a long period of time, you get to know them. This is the person I mentioned earlier who told me about some of his life experiences because, well, I asked. Suffice to say, it was an eye-opener- lot of stories about growing up in Texas, the usual racial stuff, etc. But the most bizarre thing that happened was that one night, Ralph comes in from a delivery and says, "Dan, you gotta check this out" or something like that. I go outside, and he says, "No, lock up the store, we gotta drive to it...just a few minutes" So, we drive down to 1960, up the other feeder, and around to our side (had to do that b/c the feeder was one way). Closer to Cypresswood, we saw, on the side of the freeway, 3 guys wearing KKK robes and holding up signs- don't even remember what they said. Ralph was ready to bust out of the car and start something with them and I said, no, you'll just wind up getting arrested b/c unfortunately, they're allowed to do that. So, our creative response was to bake up a pizza, drive back to them, and have Ralph, a black man, deliver a free pizza to them. I so wish I had a camera on me, just to have taken that picture. We laughed about it afterwards, as did the other employees at the Mr. Gatti's at Westador on FM 1960 (where we got our supplies from and returned stuff to each night at the end of the shift). Everyone thought we should have started something, fight, etc., but our gesture was way better. We didn't do this to agree with their stance, but to show that we have to respect freedom of speech as much as we disliked their message. (well, truth be told, we really did it b/c we wanted to see their reaction. And yes, they stood there and didn't say one word as Ralph handed the pizza to one of them). I don't know if any Houstonians here remember that (e.g. an incident involving the KKK demonstrating on I-45 in the Spring area in the 80s, not sure how much of a news story that was, although it was on the 10 PM news if I'm not mistaken). It felt like a scene out of Blazing Saddles. That's my post for the day.
I do not agree that this should be the main focus. This should be one of the focus areas. This can sometimes be the main problem, but it is not always the main problem. So, it cannot always be the main focus. Just my $.02.
holy **** dude those things don't have to be mutually exclusive. it doesn't have to be either/or - you can shine a spotlight on a communities self-policing without casting a blind eye to the discrimination. and if you don't want to believe that hundreds of years of legalized discrimination, existing even up to many of our own lives, then there's no reason to discuss it further. either you believe they got dealt a raw hand which as a whole they are still struggling to make up for or you don't.
If one out of the thousands of examples doesn't turn out to be a real example that doesn't invalidate their cause.
It is also possible that "the incident" to which you refer was the proverbial straw. Whether you see that particular instance as deserving of protest or not, the plain fact remains that there are fairly severe disparities along racial lines in our criminal justice system. This is a simple fact backed up by mountains of data. The only thing that refuses to change here is your mind. You don't get it because you refuse to even try to see things from other people's point of view. This is telling in a thread that admonishes us to try and see things from the point of view of the people with whom we disagree. You refuse to even try, to your detriment and to the detriment of this BBS.
Nope. Maybe the guys thought that- we didn't stick around to see them eat it. All I remember was how bizarre it was. Only other thing that really stuck with me all these years was such a minor incident that I almost forgot it, but it stuck. About 1995, I want to say. I'm working at a Victor's Restaurant off I-59 in the SugarLand area. On my way home, I stop at a Shell gas station and have to pay in person (CC not working). So, I'm on line with about 5 people. First person is white, 2nd black, the other 3 white. So, the cashier counts back the change to the 1st person and puts it in his hand. Next guy comes up, black guy, and the cashier puts the change on the counter rather than handing it to him. I just noticed because I was looking behind the cashier to see if they had Parliament cigarettes (I smoked at the time). It just caught my attention for some reason, so then I made a point of watching the next 3. For all 3, he put the change in their hands. This stuck with me all this time. Why? It was something that, in most instances, you wouldn't notice. I just happened to see it. And it always rubbed me the wrong way. You know, like, wondering, how often does this happen? Does a black person get their change put on the counter rather than handed to them? Do they get an indifferent or frown expression vs. a smile? Do they see a white person refuse to get on an elevator with them, or cross the street when they see them coming? These are all little things that happen- maybe not often, maybe so. But what it all adds up to is an American experience that is different from what I've encountered through my lifetime.
There is something to actually protest, which is the disparate treatment of minorities by the criminal justice system. This disparate treatment is evidenced by the mountains of data showing that black people, while not any more likely to commit a crime, are more likely to be pulled over, searched, arrested, prosecuted, and jailed than white people. In addition, blacks receive harsher sentences than whites, when all factors are taken into account and analyzed equally. You're the one pretending there's nothing to protest, which is merely your way of saying to the Emperor "your robes are regal and resplendent, your highness."
Seriously, Bobby the Great, this could have been me. I could have been walking around, and then found a gun lying on a park bench. I pick it up to look at it, someone sees me, and calls the cops, saying that a "white middle-aged 50 year old man with a ___ shirt was holding a gun." The cops come and see me reaching into my back pocket (which is where I keep my iPhone 6. While shouting "put your hands up", they see me reaching for my iPhone and, not seeing that it is a phone, shoot me dead. I would implore you to stop with this mentality that "well, if they wouldn't have been in that area...." , "if they would've just listened to the police..."- this 12 year-old boy did not have any time to even hear what the officers said. They literally shouted their command while the police car was still moving and shot him dead before it was barely stopped- and then wouldn't even give him first aid. How could you read this and not blame the police officers? This is just awful. That child can never come back.
I believe the whole event took like 2-4 seconds from the time the officer opens the car door to the time Tamir Rice is on the ground. He literally had no time to react to any commands. But hey, maybe if the kid didn't want to be dead he shouldn't have been born part of a community that commits a higher proportion of murders. It's not the COPS fault that the kid is part of that community, it's HIS fault. If he wanted to be entitled to more than a second to process cops speeding up on him and jumping out of a car with a gun he shouldn't have been born blac...I mean born part of a community that commits a higher proportion of murder. This isn't about race.
When will we all learn, keep politics out of the office even if you office is a grass field in a stadium.
