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I will talk further about my family, and why I was even able to attend two Ivy League schools. I got an inheritance from an aunt that paid for my masters degree. My mom helped pay for my masters degree before that.
How did we do that?
Our family owed land in the South. They were farmers and owned their own land at a time when many Blacks were sharecropping. Sharecropping means you rent land from someone else and work on it, but pretty much all the profits go to them. It was not much different from slavery, and many Blacks continued to work like this till the 1960s and 1970s. And yes they were typically illiterate, as Blacks couldn't go to school then. Why, all you could do is work in agriculture or as a domestic.
I'm sure my grandparents worked hard. But here's a secret for you. Slaveowners sometimes left their mixed race children MONEY and LAND, and having some money from your white father gave you a step up. It often affected your family for many generations.
Indirectly because of my slave owning great great great grandfather who acknowledged his son and named him after him, my family had money and I was able to get a good education. It was passed on generationally. My first name is a common name among whites, and my last name is Jewish, so if I apply for educational programs and jobs no one will think I'm Black until they see me. I had a person tell me on an interview with my name he thought I would be white and Jewish. (I"m not white, I am what's called a crypto-Jew).
Directly because of my great great great grandfather's last name, which is why last name I'm in the process of getting Spanish citizenship. Not because I "worked" hard, it is because of the ethnicity of an ancestor of mine. Jewish.
To tell you the truth the person who admitted me into my program at Columbia is Jewish, and my last name is Jewish. Could they have been a factor in why I got in? Potentially.
I personally have received multiple privileges that the average AA, West Indian, or African will never get because my Jewish last name (unless they are also part Jewish or very wealthy).
So please don't even try to claim that all people have to do is work hard, or what happened JUST A FEW DECADES ago doesn't matter. In some cases what happened a CENTURY or TWO ago might matter, particularly when you're talking about inherited wealth.
And if you think inheritances don't matter in the US, I'm sorry but your IQ is just ROCK bottom.
Loopholes exist and people occasionally use them to get ahead, but in the US loopholes are not even a frequent (let alone the only possible) way to get ahead. I did very alright in the US without any inherited wealth just by filling positions that no other qualified person wanted (and I am not even Jewish :-). Saying that the US, in the year 2018, does not offer a decent chance (not an equal chance, but at least a decent chance) to all of its citizens, is a cop-out and a self-serving excuse. While I wish more Americans would have more interesting personalities than sheep, I have nothing negative to say about their economic enterprises or their social justice in the year 2018.
It is normal for a former colonial power to give immigration preference to its former subjects (as it is normal for the US to have different immigration rules for people from the US territories vs. other types of immigrants). I do not come from Spanish colonial empire, so if I wanted to immigrate into Spain, I would have to wait 10 years, which is not different from a Nigerian, so how do you see me as privileged over a Nigerian in that situation? Actually, from the moment I came to the US on a training visa, it took me 29 years to obtain the US citozenship (and that was not due to any delay in applications on my part - I filled out papers for every subsequent legal step as soon as I was allowed, but the procedure still took 29 years). I am not right-wing or any wing, I just think with my own head based on what I see (YOU are the one who acts as though everybody has to belong to some kind of "wing", as though people can think strictly in groups, and as though you can twist any argument to defend a criminal and welfare-depentent lifestyle. I have nothing whatsoever against the poor Blacks in the US - I have much against crime and welfare lifestyle, no matter who it is that lives that way. I never equated poor Blacks in the US with criminals and lazy leeches, you are the one who seems to be making that equation, and then defending crime and welfare lifestyle as a result of history). As for my source of information about Spain (admittedly, I don't know all that much about Spain, but I have family in, or am otherwise closely familiar with, three other former Euro countries that had colonies or non-native territories), please see my amended previous post.
Show me where I equated Blacks in the US with criminals or with welfare leeches.
I should know a lot more about Blacks in the US from going UP as ONE myself, and I have the relevant degrees in history and education.
You are not a historian, you are not Black, you're just a random person.
Oh, but here's a difference between you and a Nigerian. Are you from an European Union country? Anyone from an European Union country does not need Spanish citizenship to get legal status and work. Nigerians are outside the EU, and it is much harder for them to get legal status than an European from an European Union nation, or from anywhere in the Spanish colonial empire. The only qualifying African nation is Ecquatorial Guinea. These are not my opinions, they are Spanish law.
As a result you will see Nigerians out in the streets as prostitutes, drug dealers, selling counterfeit goods, and other seedy and low life jobs. Notice you don't see that among Nigerian immigrants in the US, which does not have these kinds of immigration preferences.
Loopholes exist and people occasionally use them to get ahead, but in the US loopholes are not even a frequent (let alone the only possible) way to get ahead. I did very alright in the US just by filling positions that no other qualified person wanted (and I am not even Jewish :-). Saying that the US, in the year 2018, does not offer a decent chance (not an equal chance, but at least a decent chance) to all of its citizens, is a cop-out and a self-serving excuse. While I wish more Americans would have more interesting personalities than sheep, I have nothing negative to say about their economic enterprises or their social justice in the year 2018.
It does not offer them an equal chance. Many will never have the chances I had.
Going to a top university has financial costs, and grants and scholarships are not guaranteed. In fact in my masters programs pretty much everyone had to pay with cash or with student loans. In short, if your parents were poor, you were likely screwed, plain and simple.
I could give many other examples.
To tell you the truth the average white person would not be able to do all I've done, though this is no problem for someone rich of any race.
But to even claim everyone has the same opportunities is just plain dishonest.
Jewish people have among the best professional networks there are. It's always nice to have Jewish ancestry.
It does not offer them an equal chance. Many will never have the chances I had.
Going to a top university has financial costs, and grants and scholarships are not guaranteed. In fact in my masters programs pretty much everyone had to pay with cash or with student loans. In short, if your parents were poor, you were likely screwed, plain and simple.
I could give many other examples.
To tell you the truth the average white person would not be able to do all I've done, though this is no problem for someone rich of any race.
But to even claim everyone has the same opportunities is just plain dishonest.
Jewish people have among the best professional networks there are. It's always nice to have Jewish ancestry.
Please read my post - I did not say equal chance or same chance (I specifically said NOT equal chance), but a DECENT chance for every citizen of the US - that DOES exist (even for non-citizen legal immigrants without inheritance or Jewishness, as exemplified by myself). It is plain dishonest to change my words for your purposes. Not everybody can become a CEO of Microsoft, but that is not necessary - the only necessity for everyone is a DECENT life. Any citizen of the US who applies himself/herself CAN become a truck driver, mail carrier, plumber, teacher, a million other middle-class jobs (is a truck driver even middle-class? But they can make over $100k per year). There are still even a lot of working-class jobs that do pay a living wage (an example is my tenant in Parkchester who spoon-feeds people that can't do it themselves and changes their diapers for a living, and still can fairly easily afford a studio for herself). Anyone who finishes high school and gets some basic on-the-job training can earn a living wage to support one person (ie, self) in the US.
Also, I am not a citizen of any EU country, but a citizen of the US (I have no other citizenship right now, I had no citizenship of any country (ie, was stateless) between the early 90s when Yugoslavia disintegrated, and a few years ago when I became a naturalized US citizen).
Please read my post - I did not say equal chance or same chance (I specifically said NOT equal chance), but a DECENT chance for every citizen of the US - that DOES exist (even for non-citizen legal immigrants without inheritance or Jewishness, as exemplified by myself). It is plain dishonest to change my words for your purposes. Not everybody can become a CEO of Microsoft, but that is not necessary - the only necessity for everyone is a DECENT life. Any citizen of the US who applies himself/herself CAN become a truck driver, mail carrier, plumber, teacher, a million other middle-class jobs (is a truck driver even middle-class? But they can make over $100k per year). There are still even a lot of working-class jobs that do pay a living wage (an example is my tenant in Parkchester who spoon-feeds people that can't do it themselves and changes their diapers for a living, and still can fairly easily afford a studio for herself). Anyone who finishes high school and gets some basic on-the-job training can earn a living wage to support one person (ie, self) in the US.
Now I will agree with you there. Anyone in the US can work for the post office, become a plumber, become a teacher(they can go to a state school), a nurse, etc. If she works hard. Criminals and addicts if they can clean themselves up can get decent jobs too.
I’ve personally known ghetto people to clean themselves up and get decent jobs, and a few who got advanced education. If a convict studies and is willing to behave the state will pay for their education. I knew a felon who got his BA from John Jay and his MPH from Columbia and the state helped him out financially because he did well in prison classes. Another felon I know got his BA from a state school in Oklahoma. Then he got a masters and PhD from Columbia and is a professor at CUNY. The state helps convicts and addicts who show a willingness to turn around because if they gain job skills they are not likely to turn to crime or hard core drugs.
So yes, it is inaccurate to say it is hopeless for people. But it’s also inaccurate to say people have the same chances or opportunities. The felons I just mentioned did not grow up in NYCHA and had no lead exposure.
Now I will agree with you there. Anyone in the US can work for the post office, become a plumber, become a teacher(they can go to a state school), a nurse, etc. If she works hard. Criminals and addicts if they can clean themselves up can get decent jobs too.
I’ve personally known ghetto people to clean themselves up and get decent jobs, and a few who got advanced education. If a convict studies and is willing to behave the state will pay for their education. I knew a felon who got his BA from John Jay and his MPH from Columbia and the state helped him out financially because he did well in prison classes. Another felon I know got his BA from a state school in Oklahoma. Then he got a masters and PhD from Columbia and is a professor at CUNY. The state helps convicts and addicts who show a willingness to turn around because if they gain job skills they are not likely to turn to crime or hard core drugs.
Right. And there is no excuse for not showing that willingness.
On unrelated subject of EU, please read the paragraph in the last mail rhat I added to the paragraph you ciited. Dude, I had it a bit harder, citizenship-wise and life-wise, than all these people you are defending who CHOSE the life of crime and welfare - not because they have no alternative, but because their choice does not require any effort. Mugging people and collecting a welfare check is fairly effortless.
Now I will agree with you there. Anyone in the US can work for the post office, become a plumber, become a teacher(they can go to a state school), a nurse, etc. If she works hard. Criminals and addicts if they can clean themselves up can get decent jobs too.
I’ve personally known ghetto people to clean themselves up and get decent jobs, and a few who got advanced education. If a convict studies and is willing to behave the state will pay for their education. I knew a felon who got his BA from John Jay and his MPH from Columbia and the state helped him out financially because he did well in prison classes. Another felon I know got his BA from a state school in Oklahoma. Then he got a masters and PhD from Columbia and is a professor at CUNY. The state helps convicts and addicts who show a willingness to turn around because if they gain job skills they are not likely to turn to crime or hard core drugs.
So yes, it is inaccurate to say it is hopeless for people. But it’s also inaccurate to say people have the same chances or opportunities. The felons I just mentioned did not grow up in NYCHA and had no lead exposure.
I had lead exposure every day of my life, at least til my middle age (probably still have it, my condo in SF is in a pre-earthquake non-renovated 19th century Victorian), but have never been a felon, and have two doctoral-level degrees. Anybody mentally competent to commit a crime is also mentally competent for a low level job.
I had lead exposure every day of my life, at least til my middle age (probably still have it, my condo in SF is in a pre-earthquake non-renovated 19th century Victorian), but have never been a felon, and have two doctoral-level degrees. Anybody mentally competent to commit a crime is also mentally competent for a low level job.
You ignored I had a smile there. I was mostly joking. Maybe you had the two felons had better genetics and were able to withstand the lead or recover from it.
Now we've finally covered that not everyone has the SAME opportunities or chances, we can look at where you LIVE, in NYC.
As a grad student, I found a cheap room and paid $650 a month, which was good for Hamilton Heights and close to Columbia were I studied.
But given that just to rent a ROOM in some parts of town is $2000k, even with free tuition at CUNY and SUNY students still have to eat, pay rent and other expenses, etc.
So getting the education required to be a teacher, for example, even if college is free, is going to be much harder if the student has to work. Getting poor grades as an undergraduate may mean that grad school will not happen.
If it possible for a poor person to work themselves up? Of course, anything is possible. But how probable is it, unless they can SOME sort of major financial help from SOMEBODY else. That could be parents or other family members, that could be the government, that could be some sort of private sponsor, etc.
Without that, it's just not happening.
You're too eager to throw people under the bus just because they don't have your education, but even people with high levels of education are struggling in places like NYC and LA. Student loan payments, plus high levels of rent can keep someone impoverished for years as employers constantly seek waves to save money and keep costs down.
I've been fortunate and I thank god for that. But I can also have empathy for people less fortunate, and understand that not everyone is going to be as lucky as me or have my opportunities. And I have no reason to hate on them or judge them.
Even on the lead exposure stuff, why I am glad you seem to be healthy and functional, lead exposure in some cases can mean death or permanent disability. I'm glad you were able to get your education and work and buy your two co-ops.
Saying stuff like "I have lead exposure and I'm fine" means you have completely no respect for SCIENCE and MEDICAL facts.
As LEAD KILLS some people and can leave someone with severe neurological damage to the point of permanently having SEIZURES and other severely neurological disorders that may PRECLUDE them from having any job.
You can be grateful for you health, and grateful for the fact you've dodged this bullet and have had opportunities some people SIMPLY cannot.
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