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The same way a law-abiding White person should navigate the environment one lives in.
Well. A law abiding white person is in the majority and has the backing of the state by virtue of power. A law abiding black person is still not a full citizen and will never be given the benifit of the doubt.
I’m in a weird place politically. I personally think progressivism is trash and overall doesn’t work. I’m not a fan of the alt right or any sort of group think narratives encouraged by the right. I think most conservative politicians are fairly bland and have nothing interesting to say. Same for liberal politicians. And I find there really isn’t a difference between the 2 parties with each party having interchangeable ideas whenever it’s politically convenient. I also think political partisanship is fairly toxic, doesn’t actually lead to anything great, and is basically political junk food.
Take the worst aspect of political junk food. Identity politics and novelty acts. Liberals do it a ton. They love their LGBTQZ political speakers and politicians. And love to advertise it. But conservatives are just as guilty. Enter the black conservative.
As a black man who has identified as a conservative. I often wonder who is black conservative political commentary actually for? I mean one person may naively think it’s for black people. But they don’t have anything compelling or interesting to say about black people. Or have any real messaging that’s new or insightful. Worst of all it’s mostly a critical idea but end game just seem to be “hey switch parties”. So that black people can just be ignored by Republicans like they’re currently ignored by democrats. It’s really no different honestly.
Biggest talking point is “stay in school, get a job, don’t join a gang, and take care of your family”. Yes this is the big talking point black people really need to hear. And the only people who ever tell black people they need to listen to black conservative commentators are white conservatives.
So what do they think. That black people aren’t ware of these things. As if black community is this bizzaro dimension where every encourages everyone to drop out school, join a gang, and abandon their children. News flash this preachy posturing is probably mode prevalent in the black community than probably any other community. Every preached and school teacher says this.
So I’m convinced that black conservatism and it’s talking point isn’t really meant for black peoples. It’s just a political vehicle to get black people to switch parties. And that’s kind of why it lacks any real substance. It isn’t really that radical since both parties are basically interchangeable at this point and will mostly attack problems in the same exact ways.
If all black people need to do is stay in school and get a great job. Then great. They don’t need to change parties to do that. They can do that no matter who is in office. That’s not a political movement that’s a self help guide.
As much as I hate police the mass problem of police brutality is solvable. Just move to a nice neighborhood and keep a low profile. I’m a 41 year old black man and I’ve never been stopped by the police once in my entire life. Mostly because I just avoid the situation entirely. That could be a personality thing, but whatever. Police are mostly useless and avoiding them is pretty easy when you leave the hood. I live in Philly and I know plenty of neighborhoods that are safe and I barely see police. And are inexpensive. If you can avoid police interactions in a city like Philly you can probably avoid them anywhere. Except Atlanta. But they typically just like to give our tickets and usually don’t shoot you.
Overall black conservatism sucks because its not really solving any problems. Or it’s not addressing any problems that could reasonably be solved by the political process. The reason why Democrats have failed with black people because you can politically strong arm your way into black prosperity. Since black prosperity really isn’t a political issue at all. And Republicans probably have even less of a clue. They have an issue doing anything meaningful for their existing base besides Sloganism.
The big difference for me between the two parties is taxes. One party will cost me good healthcare and about $40k more per year in taxes, not including what they want to do with capital gains.People will say I am wealthy and that won't impact my life significantly, but it does have a big impact on our lifestyle, and I see it becoming a real issue impacting my personal freedom.
As a black conservative I largely agree with your criticisms of the black conservative mainstream spokespeople. Of the pop culture iconic ones--I think I tend to agree with Larry Elder more than any of the others.
But within the legislature, a lot of my criticisms rest on their lack of concrete solutions that would uniquely benefit the black community. People like Tim Wise and Mia Love really do nothing for me as it pertains to doing and/or speaking about something related to AAs. Don't get me wrong though--they are far better than the trough of black democrats who play as pets to the Democrat mainstream. They do a major disservice to AAs and stifle just about any progress that can potentially uplift our communities.
i mean this sincerely, what could politicians actually do policy wise to benefit black people (that hasn't already been done)?
No he’s not. The best president black people could have would end the war on drugs. Hiring a bunch of cabinet members who is black is just political novelty’s. Same thing Democrats do. The president has zero impact on black people’s ability to succeed. And I don’t want this thread to be used for more Trump worship because he really isn’t that great. He fails on so many levels and the sooner we stop talking about him the better
Exactly this, ending the war on drugs would have saved breonna taylor and george flloyd.
Yet you have no proof of this. What we do have proof of is 54 unarmed people were shot by police last year, most were resisting arrest and it happened to whites more than any other group. ~15 unarmed black men were shot last year yet you make up this absurd story about how blacks should fear cops? It's dishonest.
You should have read the link provided....all the way to the end.
I have no problem with differing political philosophies. One of the issues I have is how those philosophies are used, and who is brought out front to say them, to satisfy an end narrative.
For example, conservative whites love Black conservatives For two reasons. First Black conservatives say what conservative white folk want to hear. A Thomas Sowell, who I do think, is a very intelligent man. But he does say things that conservatives love, such as "modern Black culture, not systematic racism, are the source of all problems in the Black community." Sowell is an economist. Economists use examples in their argument that can be measured. Conservative whites dismiss the fact that Sowell is an economist, using a term, culture, that cannot, on its face, be measured.
Second, white conservatives see Black conservatives saying things they, themselves, can't say. For example, if a white called Dr. Martin Luther King a Marxist, they would be railed through the coals as racist. However, a evangelical preacher named Voddie Baucham can openly say that; as well as call social justice "cultural Marxism," and whites would "be off the hook."
Well. A law abiding white person is in the majority and has the backing of the state by virtue of power. A law abiding black person is still not a full citizen and will never be given the benifit of the doubt.
This is partly perception by others, and partly our own responsibility collectively as black people.
As a small percentage of the population, we commit a lot of crime. We kill our own much more than white folk do. 60%-70% of black households have a single parent. I think it's slooowly getting better - but we have to own what we do.
Both parties have a lot in common when in power. The only difference is the Democrat party is for more government and over the private sector and the Republicans are more for the private sector.
I don't understand why Blacks keep voting over 90% Democrat when that party has failed them in economy, schools and security. They keep voting the same expecting a different result.
You can't say Trump is against their liberties or rights when they turn around and vote by over 90% for the Grandfather of mass incarceration of black people that broke up many black families because he put a half breed on the ticket. If Obama let them down big time, what do they expect from Biden? He has a record since 1973 and is NOT pro-black.
1. No black conservatism isn’t a particular sort of conservatism. However it is interesting to discuss how conservatism applies to the black experience in America. This is what black conservatives are so awful at illustrating. It’s also kind of the basis of my issue with them. They’re devoid of any meaningful ideas in regard to conservatism. It’s all about talking points which is tiring. I do broadly kind of like Walter E Williams and some of his nuanced stands regarding economics.l and how it applies the the black community. But there isn’t nearly enough of this. And with Walter E Williams dead and Thomas Sowell really really old there is just an overall lack of intellectualism and philosophy is black conservative thought.
2. I actually don’t think many popular black conservatives really are all that conservative. I think a lot of them are just party parrots. And many of them don’t actually talk about policies or issues. I should write it as black “conservative”
IMHO the problem with "black conservatives" is that they don't really offer much for African-Americans. At least liberalism offers a seat at the table. When it comes to conservatism in America, a lot of it, is lip service. It as argument to say that the liberals don't do anything for them, but they don't offer anything. Following the rules and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps don't even work for White America...
Exactly this, ending the war on drugs would have saved breonna taylor and george flloyd.
Bingo
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