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You are missing the point, again. Focusing solely on a divisive issue NO AMERICAN WAS ALIVE COULD DO ANYTHING ABOUT, continually grandstanding that issue, and then, in a very real way, aggrandizing those who were the core of that issue, is hypocritical at best.
Leave the .001% out of it: the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY understand how horrible slavery was, is, and for will ever be. It is a blight on our nations past, although, it was an inherited practice from every colonizing nation in the contiguous. Then, we INVENTED MODERN WAR AND DEATH to end it, and, in effect, ended the true Republic because so began the acquiesance of states rights and so began the scope of federal government creep.
Threads like this may allay your white guilt. I have none. You know my heritage. I was also the 'token' in my neighborhood, along with my brother. We were the oddballs, because ethnicity (and no, I'm not referring to white.... we were the token white guys). That's why both of us became very successful in certain sports. After 8, I was never bothered, except by him (different genetics, I'm 5 10 160, he's 63, 240... and at 16, he was that size. One helluva linebacker till his ACL's popped, on the same play).
Just because you 'feel' 'empathize' more... doesn't make it, or you, in the right. It just means you are deflecting other aspects of life.
Kind of like Sally Struthers and feed the children from south park.... while she is a glutinous mess.
Actually, slavery for that era was morally acceptable for many. It is probably unjust to judge people from the past with our modern perspective. What I do not accept is the concept that this legacy did not alter the lives of the future generations.
And there is nothing wrong with empathy. Did you know that lack of empathy is the hallmark of one of the most destructive personality disorders in the planet: Narcissistic Personality. Most evil people in history probably had this personality disorder.
I didn't say that. What I DID say was that the CAUSE of African slavery in America was the AFRICANS who captured, enslaved, and sold other Africans into the Atlantic slave trade. NO source for African slaves = NO African slavery in America.
How do you not understand that?
Nice try to get out of your fallacious statements in a debate.
Nice try to get out of your fallacious statements in a debate.
It's not a fallacious statement. The CAUSE of African slavery in America was the AFRICANS who captured, enslaved, and sold other Africans into the Atlantic slave trade. NO source for African slaves = NO African slavery in America.
Need proof? Go up to any parent and DEMAND that they sell you their child.
The issue of race always points to the white population at fault. I didn't come from a supervlineage. I grew up poor, I'm white, and I have been oppressed by more than one race. But its not taken seriously, the topic of racial issues toward the white race because every person who makes a thread like this auto generates race issues to be the white mans fault and I'm sick of hearing that dilapidated claim, let alone trying to originate the core issue of why a particular race fears authority, some would find that offensive I think lol.
I tried to get this video off my FB that some teacher posted - and I dont know how- as it was not on you tube- but she basically said this :
IGNORANCE-- ignorant people teaching their kids ignorant things and how to hate and be afraid- There are not 5 races or peoples- there is one race, the human race! People have taken that ignorance and made political and economic divisions to profit from it. and so forth
I wish I could copy and post -- but I agree
This prompted me to think about the letter that University of California head (and former Governor (AZ) and DHS Secretary) Janet Napolitano sent to deans at the 10 campuses (one of which is my alma mater) last year. The letter encouraged (didn't require) students and faculty to purge mundane, potentially offensive words and phrases -- 'microaggressions' -- from their vocabularies. Among the phrases:
'There is only one race, the human race'
'America is the land of opportunity'
'America is a melting pot'
'I believe the most qualified person should get the job'
When the first slaves were brought to the New Wold, John Woolman, a 16th century Quaker said from this point on morality will be associated with whiteness and not Christianity. That's why over 100 years later a slave woman and her daughter were impregnated by the same man who owned them, and he is still today known as a Founding Father.
By the same tokken, during the 19th century when the KKK infiltrated Law enforcement and Politics, Law and order were associated with whiteness and not Justice. When morality and Justice become abstract concepts and not badges that certain people wear it will be the end of racism.
Interesting insights, thanks & respect, I appreciate. It seems as if Mr. Woolman called it pretty accurately. The values of the dominant culture invariably reflect its power structure; they become the norm. He seems to be predicting, going forward, the values will be defined by the dominant cultures' whiteness & not by its Christianity.
I re-read my post and can see where it might have came across the wrong way. I do not agree in any shape, form, or fashion that the things said were right. That's horrible and even moreso because a child who had not yet learned that racism exists now has the seed planted, and it does help to shape a child's mindset in a negative manner. It's appalling to know that some people still do this.
My point was more broad and not really intended to talk about the specific situation with a child. In general, there are times where I think a white person's intentions can me misconstrued by someone looking for the next opportunity to blame a white person for being racist based off experience with other people. (I probably should have clarified that)
I think you're right in that it could be a reason that some black people are quick to the draw. If this is what you experience it is going to shape your perception. I do think that people should be able to differentiate between some people being racist and not the general population and that it still warrants judgment before throwing the race card (not this situation in particular). That's not something to be taken lightly.
I also agree with residinghere that there is an inbalance between the number of whites that experience racism than the number of blacks. I do sometimes wonder though, if the way we perceive people can attribute to the number of experiences we have. Do blacks brush off something that could be taken as racism as easily as whites, considering their previous history with it?
I simply wanted to clarify that any instance of racism on either side is a difficult experience to go through. I also wanted to add that it shouldn't be used as future notions of how other white people will act.
But I do see your point and agree with you.
Okay, so we're closer than I initially thought. Thanks for clarifying.
I do think our experiences inform our understanding of the world. If we grow up being bitten by the pitbull living two doors down, we're going to have a reaction to pitbulls for the rest of our lives. We can try not to, but the reality is, we'll see a pitbull and have some physical reaction and a response that's not very open and friendly to pitbulls. It's human nature.
So now I've come full circle and seeing where some of the reactions we've gotten may be difficult to deal with, but may, in some instances, be worth understanding.
This has been a good exchange. Thanks to both you, nlambert, and residinghere, for keeping it civil and respectful, despite some of the other things being posted.
It's not a fallacious statement. The CAUSE of African slavery in America was the AFRICANS who captured, enslaved, and sold other Africans into the Atlantic slave trade. NO source for African slaves = NO African slavery in America.
Need proof? Go up to any parent and DEMAND that they sell you their child.
Like an attorney working on technicalities to let the murderer be acquitted! There was inside people who kidnapped the the tribal people for forced work. Still the masters waited on those ports and treated them like cows,after all they said they had no souls. The inhumane treatment alone, from many, not all, I am sure are in hell today. Open Slavery ended somewhat, but the mistreatment still continues. I have seen it with my own eyes when I was young... I thank God we we raised different and never saw color and always celebrated diversity. Can we not stop the nasty mis treatment of other humans. Other Americans??
It's the same reason that race is an issue virtually everywhere on the planet where different races co-exist. There is both a gap in intelligence and a difference in the way certain races are hard wired. Granted, these are small gaps and differences; however, they're large enough to create a scenario in which it's impossible for racial equality to truly exist without it being forced by government.
Yes, this is generalizing, and I'm painting with a large brush. With that being said, when using the law of averages, this is just the way things are, and people need to accept it until nature or science decides to level the playing field. At this time, there is simply no way to change thousands of years of evolution. It sucks, but that is reality.
I just have to say that I'm really getting tired of seeing this posted. It's so passive aggressive.
If you truly believe it's a small gap, as you go on to say, then why mention it at all?
These studies, as far as I'm concerned, point to other factors among black people, and I think eventually better research will include those factors in such studies.
Posting this is like patting someone on the head and saying, "I'm sorry - you're just not as bright as we are", which, in itself, seems not very bright. And quite frankly, I don't believe it to be true anyway.
I'm respectfully asking my fellow posters here to please stop.
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