Has Baltimore Changed Your Feelings About Black People

[LowonLuck]

Originally Posted by bus man

Not necessarily. Criminality is not always proportionate to population distribution.

My opinion has actually gone two ways. I've met a number of black folks here who are good, decent, enjoyable people. But I've also seen more than a few "hoodrats" who have left me with a very sour image of their race.

What bothers me about the first group is that some of them tend to downplay or make excuses for the second group. In-group loyalty, I guess. But I certainly feel no kinship towards white criminals and have no desire to defend them, despite sharing the same skin pigmentation.

I have to agree with this. We whites disassociate and distance ourselves from our hood rats. We don't try to drag them through life with us.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by LowonLuck

I have to agree with this. We whites disassociate and distance ourselves from our hood rats. We don't try to drag them through life with us.

Drag along or escape? I believe you have both occurring in the black community. The 'drag along' often occurs because of extended family networks. If you are the successful one in your family, for whatever reason.. you may have to end up taking care of extended family members (both good and bad) as opposed to turning your back on them. This happens in every culture (especially in immigrant communities) but the negative effects of it are exacerbated in places like Baltimore when you have so many negative external challenges that can influence a family negatively.. no matter how hard they are trying to combat them. Many African American may want to distance themselves from "ghetto" behavior and do not condone it but unfortunately depending on your circumstances it may not be that easy.. which brings me t


Ability to escape is the other option where folks attempt to flee failing neighborhoods or poor neighborhood conditions. This could be a problem depending on where the alternative neighborhoods are and the cost to move/relocate/rent/buy in those alternative neighborhoods. I am sure some good hardworking folks WANT to leave West Baltimore but are unable to do so for a variety of reasons and thus are trapped.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by LowonLuck

I have to agree with this. We whites disassociate and distance ourselves from our hood rats. We don't try to drag them through life with us.

In addition to what Woodlands said, Whites also have the benefit of being viewed and treated as individuals in society in pretty much all contexts whereas for Blacks, that's not really the case. So the whole "I got mine, you gotta get yours," rugged individualism thing doesn't serve our collective interests well at all--and we do have collective interests.