sealybobo
Diamond Member
- Jun 5, 2008
- 123,250
- 21,907
That's what I've been saying to my black friends on usmb. I acknowledge our house is not clean. I just tell them that the people who run my house aren't going to change until blacks clean up their house a little.As you analyze the responses to your questions, I would recommend factoring in perhaps the most crucial element of this: Sadly, race, racial discrimination, and race division have become heavily politicized in this country. What that means in a practical sense is that it has been terribly simplified, dumbed down, turned binary, and usually addressed with bumper-sticker slogans.I'd like to have a discussion about racism with you guys, from a visitor's (I'm a Chinese visiting researcher) perspective. I am genuinely curious about how Americans think about the problem of racism. I have a short list of questions as a starter. I would appreciate it a lot if you could share rational and honest opinions.
1. In your own word, how would you define racism and racial discrimination?
2. Do you agree or disagree that racial discrimination is among the top three most serious social problems nowadays in America?
3. Do you agree or disagree that more laws and regulations should be enacted to protect people from racial discrimination?
The list of questions may grow slowly. Also, feel free to discuss other related questions/issues!
Neither end of our political spectrum is going to put much effort into looking into the mirror. The hard Right will go so far as to claim that racism doesn't exist; the hard Left will scream "racism" for virtually any excuse, diluting and trivializing a terribly important word. Both ends will ignore the crimes of their "side" while focusing only on those of the other.
As with most political issues, getting either far end of our political spectrum to honestly look into the mirror and choose to clean their own house first, before pointing the finger at the other "side", is essentially wasted effort. Yet that HAS to happen for REAL reform. And unfortunately, the wings of our political spectrum are a minority - most Americans are willing to look at both sides of an issue - but they are by far more energetic, LOUD, and influential.
There are (at least) two reasonable sides to every story, but the most rabid partisans won't even admit to that.
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A. Not our fault if someone in poverty has kids they can't afford. Don't expect good schools if the entire community is living on minimum wage and welfare.
B. If your kids can't speak don't expect us to hire them. Stop being late and being polite and smiling doesn't make you a punk.
C. Not everyone is racist.
D. Besides black people do you know who else doesn't like the law? Criminals. Every other race respects the cops. You respect them first. If you are anti cop you are pro criminal. No companies will come to your neighborhoods. Think about that. You need jobs? Lower the crime rates.