You are acting like the reason there are so many single parent families these days is because the wife is getting out of an abusive situation. That is simply not true. The truth is poor people and unmarried young people are having babies far they are ready to raise them properly. In short, you are once again deflecting responsibility from the people who are making very bad decisions. 2 different issues- abusive homes and people having children out of wedlock.
I think poverty and parentage are big influences, but the company a person keeps and what media he wants to take in are very strong in determining the critically small choices he makes during childhood. I would rather retool Standards and Practices in the media and receive 1st Amendment opposition than let the airwaves degrade any further. I also think the passivity to this issue by Americans is because Black Americans on the whole are sensitive towards self-criticism of the negative aspects of their culture. The guard is up because there's a fear that other races will be quick to tear them down, which has happened in the past. Well, the Black community is being torn up from the inside. Don't bet on Sharpton or Jackson to chime in until it doesn't matter what they say anymore.
The biggest problem in the black community in the last thirty years is the rise of crack cocaine. tell me why its so ridiculous.
Ain't that the truth. On your other statement, it's like blaming the obesity epidemic on people saying aloud that being overweight is a bad thing. Look, I know the stereotypes and prejudging are hard and can hurt self-esteem and confidence. I just feel you WAY overstated the cause/effect. I apologize, "ridiculous" was too strong a word.
Believe me, I grew up in a neighborhood that was pretty decent when my family moved there when I was five in 1980. I've seen over time first hand what crack has done to black neighborhoods, and black families. Sure its not the only problem, but its biggest. and it affects everything. these kids in these communities have no hope. its a vicious cycle. they see negativity everywhere, they have no positive references. the reason some of these young girls don't care about having babies is because its not like its hampering their future plans. they aren't planning on being accountants or lawyers or engineers one day. alot of you guys talk about education and you're right but that doesn't get to the root of the problem. from jump street these kids don't even care about getting an education because alot of them just believe they are always going to be in their condition. the problems are alot deeper than personal responsibility and lack of education.
It is an example but not the only reason The simple fact . . it is easier for a woman to survive on her own than it was 50 years ago . . . .can you agree with that? That being the case. . . relationships have falter because you use to HAVE TO Make it work for economic and social reason that is not the case any more . . . The Economic reason are not there because women are make more money in more fields. . . [still not equal but hopefully soon] Society has changed that Single Pregnant woman . .or Unwed Mother is not the social Pariahs there were before Bad Decisions are influenced by socialization and to act like they are not is to ignore the affect society has on a person . . which would mean that the whole field of Sociology is nothing No one is BORN a criminal any more than anyone is BORN a president Rocket River
and then when you try some things to reverse the negativity like Black History Month, you have people who complain about that.
It's true that education is not the only answer but it's the one place all these kids go through where we can make a difference (maybe not in all but some). It's the one place where we can try to instill in them a sense of hope and purpose -- show them role models that made it -- show them they do have hope of rising above. Maybe instill in them a sense of personal responsibility. If the parents / social structure aren't going to do it we need to try and this is our best hope of doing that -- it's better than doing nothing. But it has to start with equitable funding of all schools. I know teachers who wanted to teach in urban schools because they thought they could make a differnce but then as they got married / had children etc... left for the burb's because they could make more money for their families. if all teachers were paid the same and all schools funded evenly these good teachers -- good role models --- may have stayed. We can all help with this problem too. We all have a personal responsibility. We need to look at our lives and see if there is a way we can touch one family -- one child. There is alot of power in a child knowing someone believes in them -- expects them to succeed --- and will try to hold them acocuntable. When Mother Teresa was asked by someone looking to make a donation how he could help -- she said "Find someone no one else loves and love them". We can make a differnce one family, one child, one hug, one encouraging word at a time.
I really don't like responding in these threads because it isn't a dialogue, which a lot of these threads aren't, but only one poster actually wanted to hear what RR has to say. RR grew up in this mess, you should at least have a little respect for his opinion for that.
Which I why I have withdrawn from alot of these type of discussions because people are more talking AT you that TO you In fact that is part of the problem . . . People look at the situation of People and then Talk at them YOU SHOULD . . .. . blah blah blah blah they don't care why they didn't do this . .or that only that THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS . . . . People beleive Talking AT the Poor . . .will make them less poor the concept of Talking to a person and see how they got there [rather than simply assuming or . .. more often than not . .. don't caring] "You poor. . no one care how you got there or why .. . you are and it is your own fault and you should do this to get out . . . .. " Rocket River
I was listening to Jim Rome Friday and Jason Whitlock was on their talking about Imus. And the all I heard after was everyone telling me what goes on in the black community and the reasons for the problems and almost none of them were black. for example, one emailer emailed that kids who don't do well need to stop picking on kids in school who do well because when that happens the kids who do well stop doing well on purpose. and than jim rome agreed. I had to change the station after that.
The reason two parents are good is because two income family really build family wealth. For two income at minium wage the standard of living is not really bad, but to live off one minimum wage income will be extremely hard (I lived through that when I was a kid for a short period).
so did I say that? edit: it easy to say people need to value education and not have babies at the age of 15. those problems are symptons of larger problems. and when people try to disucss the root problems then you have the division. and to discuss the root problems is when you need to have been around it or at least studied them.
Yea, I hear that all the time. Black people evidently constantly degrade success. No other race razes the local smart Kid .. . . That is what made REVENGE of the NERDS so funny . . because well . . . it was so untrue. . no one persectutes nerds in american society Except Black people . . The thing that is funny is .. that the word of Comedians are taken as Gospel God Honest Truth . .. . when their maybe some truth in it .. but it is an exaggeration. Rocket River
Thanks for your words RR. I don't know that this thread has been significantly worse than most in here with the talking AT you bit. But as this issue is personal to you I can see where it would be insulting. When a whole community is affected it's more than 'personal responsibility.'
