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First, you should take certain individuals with a grain of salt. Sadly, there is defintely a soft-core racist element here on City-Data and in life in general. Unfortunetly, no one can help that. But using racial language to lump people together happens both ways. Some people just aren't thinking straight, and letting yourself get angry over that isn't worth it. You're better than that, and you know it. Don't let the ignorant set speak for all whites either....
Second, the media is an enemy as much as it is an ally. Turn on any local news broadcast and you'll see where the flames of hatred get fanned. Also, to a great extent, many AA personalites themselves do a great disservice. Obama made a comment about more Blacks being in jail than in college. Not only was that blatant bull****, but it was disgustingly racist as well......but becuase he's "Black", it wasn't????
Third, make of this comment what you will, but my view is that "oppression" has become so intergral to AA's cultural identity that sometimes I question weither equality is truly what some want at all. Early in the elections, Obama wasn't getting much traction. It was white people who pulled him out of the pollster dungeon. Only then did "Black America" jump on the bandwagon. The truth is I do feel that for a very small minority of AAs, they believe to be "Black" and to be "Oppressed" is one and the same. Take away the latter, and essentally you rob them of their cultural and communial identity. Becuase the Africans brought here were stripped of their previous identity, being a "Slave" (and the baggae that comes with that) is the only culture they know and can identitfy with. Hence, they're reluctant to let that past go....
I do realize that there are ignorant people around and that CD has its share. I do realize that not all people are the same. I'm just amazed that if I can see it why other people can't?
Believe me...I don't get upset about stuff that I see here on CD. I just realize that some people are just plain ignorant and it can't be helped.
I do have to take issue with your comment:
"oppression" has become so intergral to AA's cultural identity that sometimes I question weither equality is truly what some want at all"
This type of view is an example of what you were discussing before. These types of statements are dangerous because it paints a negative picture of a whole group, when it only may represent a small number. This snowballs and helps to perpetuate images that are difficult to overcome.
First, you should take certain individuals with a grain of salt. Sadly, there is defintely a soft-core racist element here on City-Data and in life in general. Unfortunetly, no one can help that. But using racial language to lump people together happens both ways. Some people just aren't thinking straight, and letting yourself get angry over that isn't worth it. You're better than that, and you know it. Don't let the ignorant set speak for all whites either....
Second, the media is an enemy as much as it is an ally. Turn on any local news broadcast and you'll see where the flames of hatred get fanned. Also, to a great extent, many AA personalites themselves do a great disservice. Obama made a comment about more Blacks being in jail than in college. Not only was that blatant bull****, but it was disgustingly racist as well......but becuase he's "Black", it wasn't????
Third, make of this comment what you will, but my view is that "oppression" has become so intergral to AA's cultural identity that sometimes I question weither equality is truly what some want at all. Early in the elections, Obama wasn't getting much traction. It was white people who pulled him out of the pollster dungeon. Only then did "Black America" jump on the bandwagon. The truth is I do feel that for a very small minority of AAs, they believe to be "Black" and to be "Oppressed" is one and the same. Take away the latter, and essentally you rob them of their cultural and communial identity. Becuase the Africans brought here were stripped of their previous identity, being a "Slave" (and the baggae that comes with that) is the only culture they know and can identitfy with. Hence, they're reluctant to let that past go....
Huh?
#1. The statement Obama made was not racist no matter who said it and i'm black. It may be an over exaggeration, but somewhat true. We have more of our brothers and sisters in prison than in college (guilty and innocent - felony as well as misdomeanor). We will NEVER be robbed of our culture or our identity.
I've never read such bull in my 38 years of existance. I identify with the Civil Rights movement, I identify with ensuring my children honor their heritage and honoring the struggles of those who faught for us to recieve equality not just former slaves but those who faught to free the slaves, those who faught to ensure we obtain our Civil Rights and our dignity.
It didn't start with MLK and it will never end with him either.
If that's the case, what was "government" code for during slavery?
The same thing, of course. Before Emancipation, slaves were considered physical property and had value as things rather than people. When enough Americans realized the enormity of this evil, they laid down their lives by the hundreds of thousands to end it.
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Ironically, the end of slavery only marked a new beginning of oppression. And with no form of economic restitution to provide the newly-freed the fruits of their labor and a jump start to self-determination whatsoever it's almost hard to tell whether life was actually better post-slavery.
Because it was actually given to people who actually suffered. if a former slave is still alive, I say show him the money. Of course, if a former slave were still alive he/she would be at least 150 years old and would probably be making millions a year in endorsements and book signings.
Over $1.6 BILLION was given to the Japanese Americans (and their heirs)for their internment during WWII.
Blacks endured slavery (children ripped from the arms of their mothers, beatings, forced breeding, rapes and other brutalities) for GENERATIONS...hundreds of years.
Like I said before, I have not asked for nor do I expect to receive reparations for the sufferings of my ancestors during slavery (and the atrocities of surviving Jim Crow laws and the KKK after slavery ended) but if they vote to award reparations I will absolutely cash the check and thank my ancestors for being strong enough to survive it all
The same thing, of course. Before Emancipation, slaves were considered physical property and had value as things rather than people. When enough Americans realized the enormity of this evil, they laid down their lives by the hundreds of thousands to end it.
So you acknowledge that govt is essentially the same today as it was pre-Civil war, a "code word" for people "anteing up" for the sake of the greater good. Although I disagree with the premise that most decided to lay down their lives just for the sake of ending slavery only after being sufficiently convinced of its immorality, I will grant you it for the sake of argument.
Now if people anteing up for the greater good (your definition of govt) was necessary back then when it came to ending slavery, why wasn't the same necessary immediately post-slavery or even today when it comes to meting out economic retribution for such an enormous evil?
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It certainly is now. Ask the President.
Yeah, since the 60's at least, a full 100 years after legal emancipation.
Not physically, but I've read and heard that in the 'hoods some non-whites have been accused of "acting" or "being" white, whatever THAT means.
It only took a generation for the Irish to achive that status, according to a previous poster.
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