al sharpton on CNBC now,the injustice of more blacks in prison today than were slaves

With no respect due, there are some race hustlers in this thread and it ain't Quannel and Sharpton.

 

22 grandkids? Seriously, what about social responsibility...... we have enough folks on this planet.

Having said that, I have no problem with rich mormon's adopting black children... and I am glad their religion no longer hate black people.

 

Let's keep it civil in the D&D, please.

I'll assume you're referring to those who are stifling the dialogue in this thread.

It's funny how the liberals think they're the only ones who are allowed to discuss racial topics.

 

a lot of black fathers are in prison by design to keep them from raising their black sons, who in turn become rebelious at law efforcement because of not having a father and the cycle continues.. the war of drugs doesnt help either


true story i was working at my cousins job which is in a rough area, and i saw 3 black kids maybe less than 13 years old, and they were in this big arguement, and i overheard one of the kids say, " You're gonna let that boy make fun of your dad being in prison." The boy then quickly became enraged and started attacking the kid who said that about his dad." DONT YOU EVER TALK ABOUT MY DAD AGAIN!... , it kinda hit close to home, almost cried, but i acted like i didnt see anything

a lot of these black males growing up without a father hurts them big time, when they go to public schools by high school they are usually involved in some kind of gang, because they dont have a real family at home, and are searching for one... truly sad

 

Huh? I'm sure that's a joke...right? The kids are already born. Had he FATHERED 22 CHILDREN it would be a different story. I also wasn't aware that the Mormon religion hated black people. Could you educate me on the history of race in the Mormon faith?

 

Snark is over your head...

How many of those 22 grandkids are adopted?

If you want to know the history of Mormonism and black people, a simply google search will suffice.

 

Seriously? Now you're attacking Mormons? Is this really necessary?

 

Afraid you'd be disappointed, my friend.

Turns out I put my pants on one leg at a time...
...just like you could train any monkey to do...

 

Or you could explain it. If you are going to bring it up, and accuse a faith of racism, you should have a very quick explanation available.

And those are 22 grandchildren. Not sure how many adopted, but he only has what 5 kids? Yes, he has a big family. He isn't asking the government to provide for them, he and his family have the financial means to provide for them, so what business is it of yours how large their family is? The population of this country is roughly 333 million. We are not the problem when it comes to overpopulation. But you would prefer to get a dig in wherever you can. I guess that snark is just a little too high brow for me.

 

You don't have to apologize for bluntness.
Especially to me. My mother's more blunt (object) than anybody I met in my life.

I'm sorry that, in my touching story, I didn't convey to you the sense of victory I feel, when I can know that, no matter what may have knowingly or unknowingly conspired to keep me from being happy (whatever form anybody thinks that takes), did not succeed.

I maybe define a successful life differently than you do, my friend. That's fine.

I had to make the most out of what I had. I could make excuses. The excuses could make me. Or I could make my own way as best I can.

I learned another spiritual lesson a long time ago...and that was to let a man's answer be a man's answer.

I have some friends who are white. They've asked me more than a few times about some things that they just don't understand about a black person.

They wonder if I'm going to get "hustled" into race-baiting...Lamar (a very good friend) even asked me if I really resented him, but wouldn't tell him. I'd say what I REALLY felt about him around other black people....

That is what I work and live and pray against. The idea that what a man presents himself as to another man is somehow still subject to arbitrary and summary judgement.

Part of me actually pities Lamar. He's a good person, and somehow, he thinks he's on the hook for things that happened generations ago, and that a whole bunch of us black folk are gonna get together and take it out on him.

That garbage is so old I'm surprised it doesn't "reek" to you.

I've told him on several occasions that I'm glad he's my friend. He's told me that he's glad he can talk to me about some things and not get punched in the face for it.

For me, it's not a zero-sum game. And it's not about dollars and cents.

It's about what things are worth, and not what things cost, to me.

Personally, I don't rightly or wrongly give a damn about another man's pity. I don't seek it and I don't live by it. I don't search for racial undertones in anything. You accept me or reject me...your reasons are your own and you're entitled to every one of them.

Maybe I'd be inclined to think that, whatever success I myself have gained in my life, is due solely to my own effort and ingenuity...if there wasn't somebody waiting to tell me I was given it or gifted it or didn't earn it or didn't deserve it.

My "touching story" isn't supposed to invoke "pity"...and only somebody who's got a very poor opinion of the storyteller would suggest that. Again, well within your right. I've been called a lot worse.

Our interactions with one another...if they're going to affect any kind of "change" in our thinking towards one another...are always going to be anecdotal. A one-to-one ratio. Kind of the way you plant seeds...so that they each have a chance to grow, even if they don't all grow straight or tall or strong.

I don't hate or "race-bait". I don't worship Reverend Al Sharpton any more than I hate Mike Huckabee.

But thanks for telling me what you think. Might not sound like it, but I really do appreciate it...

 

^^

peace. Thanks. Glad you're open to a dialogue.

 

forgive the edits to your post, but I wonder how you'd classify the experience of a recent immigrant from, say, Cote D'Ivoire, or perhaps Nigeria? black? immigrant? both?

 

Only has 5 children? Only has 22 grandchildren and counting? It has nothing to do with his ability to raise his family without government intervention and everything to do with ecological impact. Whatever, it is over your head.

Don't be lazy, if you want to know the history of Mormonism and African Americans, you can do the very basic research yourself.

 

I am looking forward to next election, seeing all the last minute efforts by the GOP to appeal to African Americans... and then their astonishment when the votes go against them.

 

Huh? I complimented Mormonism for no longer hating black people. I certainly didn't attack the faith. Stop being so defensive.

 

i don't think any republican would be astonished; it's expected. sadly bewildered, perhaps.

 

Mrdrowe, keep the post coming.

 

Hello, sir (or ma'am).

Finally, an easy question to answer.

ANYONE who can come to the shores of this country with a WHOLLY SEPARATE identity (culturally) from the baseline American experience (whatever that experience is at the moment:grin is an immigrant, to me.

You know the thing that works agains the argument of black people being here for...like...EVER...and not showing any appreciable gains for it?

(I mean, y'know, aside from overcoming chattel slavery or segregation or stuff as minor as that)?

It's precisely that...black people have been here, in different postures in relation to the country "slave" and "free", primarily) since the very beginnings of America.

It's kind of the psychology at work when, say a fairly successful black person, dressed in a nice business suit and driving a nice sedan can be suspected of being a criminal or engaged in some sort of criminal activity like somebody who's wearing baggy jeans and a ball cap summarily...

Any of those immigrants you mention have a cultural identity similar to the one that eddiewinslow referred to with his parents. They are people of a nation somewhere that is not American, so they have different perspectives on family and community and obligation and responsibility. And different isn't always bad.

Give you a f'instance...

I knew a gentleman a few years back (we'll call him Abdul)...Abdul was a convenience store clerk from Nigeria, I think. I'd spend some time talking to him every afternoon on my way home from the community college...he had a fascination with America that was infectious to me. He even mentioned to me once that I looked just like a friend of his back in Madagascar that he often hing out with in the bazaar there...(poor guy...hate to think there's another poor sucker walking around as ugly as me)...

...One day, Abdul asks me to do him a favor. He wants me to agree to marry his sister. Seems the idiot thought I was the good marryin' type. Go figure that one out.

See, in his culture, it was normal for the males in the family to seek out potential mates for their sisters. They only sought out men of honor who would treat their wives with respect...the wife, of course, would be unswervingly loyal and devoted and give me many fine sons...

...I had to turn him down, of course, cuz' that ain't how us black folk get down in these parts.

Abdul still had his native culture to fall back on to help him integrate himself into American thinking and sensibilities. He didn't look to this country's history to define his future. He looked to his native land.

If Addul ever experiences racism or negative experiences because of his skin color here...it's something he can readily isolate and dispel because of his cultural identity, on average. Individuality being what it is, though, people will be who they are when given the chance.

Black people everywhere in this country suffer a bit from this, I think: not being fish out of water...but fish in a bowl, which is worse in a lot of ways.

Depending on who you talk to, this is pity-partying or race-baiting, so cover your ears (or your keyboard)....

Bottom line for me is that whatever black people who can trace their ancestry to the beginnings of this country (or at least back a couple hundred years) have to do is assume the responsibility for their identity (good and bad, perceived and imagined)...

...and use the things that work for us, and get rid of the things that don't. Like anyone else who immigrates here does.

The problem is of course that the only way to even give the appearance of "assimilation" for black people is to have money...and enough money to legitimize your existence here.

There's no dignity in being poor in America. Even less if you're poor and black.

It's not really about being rich, to me. It's about having a sense of your worth that really can't be priced.

And that's hard to do here in America if all you know is that it's how much is in your pocket, rather than what's in your heart, that ultimately matters.