I've spent time in Watts - shortly after all the really bad stuff went down. I've spent considerable time in N.O., including a fair amount of time in the seedier sections - where a vehicle I was a passenger in became a target of vandalism and theft. I've spent some time in Harlem. The grimy parts of Philly and Boston. A goodly amount of time in downtown Memphis. Detroit. And on and on. I've spent time in Mexico and C.A., including multiple VERY dangerous places. Not 'bragging' - just saying that for me, I've been immersed in some considerably 'difficult' situations. I suspect many others here have as well.

There is racism here. There is racism most places. Virtually all. It's deep in the human psyche, and is an evolutionarily-derived holdover going back umpteen millennia. Our task, as "civilization", is to try and minimize it, remove it from our individual selves, and try, as best we can, to rise above that which is in all of us. An utterly difficult task as a society.

(05-31-2021 02:06 PM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  I've spent time in Watts - shortly after all the really bad stuff went down. I've spent considerable time in N.O., including a fair amount of time in the seedier sections - where a vehicle I was a passenger in became a target of vandalism and theft. I've spent some time in Harlem. The grimy parts of Philly and Boston. A goodly amount of time in downtown Memphis. Detroit. And on and on. I've spent time in Mexico and C.A., including multiple VERY dangerous places. Not 'bragging' - just saying that for me, I've been immersed in some considerably 'difficult' situations. I suspect many others here have as well.

There is racism here. There is racism most places. Virtually all. It's deep in the human psyche, and is an evolutionarily-derived holdover going back umpteen millennia. Our task, as "civilization", is to try and minimize it, remove it from our individual selves, and try, as best we can, to rise above that which is in all of us. An utterly difficult task as a society.

It'll never be ''minimalized'' when it's used as a political tool. It sounds great, but it's never going to happen. Our history books have taught us that. Would I like it to disappear, absolutely, but it won't. The second best thing to realize it's not about race, but ideology, and needless to say, the ideological view serves no purpose in recruiting an army of simpletons.

(05-31-2021 02:27 PM)squeak Wrote:  

(05-31-2021 02:06 PM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  I've spent time in Watts - shortly after all the really bad stuff went down. I've spent considerable time in N.O., including a fair amount of time in the seedier sections - where a vehicle I was a passenger in became a target of vandalism and theft. I've spent some time in Harlem. The grimy parts of Philly and Boston. A goodly amount of time in downtown Memphis. Detroit. And on and on. I've spent time in Mexico and C.A., including multiple VERY dangerous places. Not 'bragging' - just saying that for me, I've been immersed in some considerably 'difficult' situations. I suspect many others here have as well.

There is racism here. There is racism most places. Virtually all. It's deep in the human psyche, and is an evolutionarily-derived holdover going back umpteen millennia. Our task, as "civilization", is to try and minimize it, remove it from our individual selves, and try, as best we can, to rise above that which is in all of us. An utterly difficult task as a society.

It'll never be ''minimalized'' when it's used as a political tool. It sounds great, but it's never going to happen. Our history books have taught us that. Would I like it to disappear, absolutely, but it won't. The second best thing to realize it's not about race, but ideology, and needless to say, the ideological view serves no purpose in recruiting an army of simpletons.

I mostly agree with your comments here. While it *is* about ideology - it *is* also about race because that's a (usually) visual hat onto which some ideologies can be hung/built - or maybe just as often, as a proxy for said ideologies. Another way to look at it is to imagine that if we all looked the same, how hard would it be to advance a lot of ideologies? Much harder, methinks. Tho not impossible, obviously.

Attending a high school where there were no minorities, my stint in the Army exposed me to another world outside of this area. I ask you, how can we become singular when minority leaders continue ussing "my people" and "your people" when addressing situations? How about we call them out instead of diverting blame?

(05-31-2021 03:05 PM)squeak Wrote:  Attending a high school where there were no minorities, my stint in the Army exposed me to another world outside of this area. I ask you, how can we become singular when minority leaders continue ussing "my people" and "your people" when addressing situations? How about we call them out instead of diverting blame?

Well, we can't (become singular) as we are now. But that's 'just' the result of the lingering effects of the "400 years of oppression" talking - and it's a loud and worthy voice. There are steps along any journey, and while the term "my people" is non-inclusive prima facie, at *this* point along our hypothetical(?) journey, that's a vestige that can't be ignored. As we all(?) know, a key step in getting past where we are now is in firm acknowledgement of the injustices of the past. Minorities want (and deserve) respect and recognition of the faults of said past. But how that is manifested is the huge question - that no one really has a good answer to. I would hope that in maybe another full generation, those questions you quote would not be necessary - or perhaps at least far less necessary.

(05-31-2021 03:23 PM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote:  

(05-31-2021 03:05 PM)squeak Wrote:  Attending a high school where there were no minorities, my stint in the Army exposed me to another world outside of this area. I ask you, how can we become singular when minority leaders continue ussing "my people" and "your people" when addressing situations? How about we call them out instead of diverting blame?

Well, we can't (become singular) as we are now. But that's 'just' the result of the lingering effects of the "400 years of oppression" talking - and it's a loud and worthy voice. There are steps along any journey, and while the term "my people" is non-inclusive prima facie, at *this* point along our hypothetical(?) journey, that's a vestige that can't be ignored. As we all(?) know, a key step in getting past where we are now is infirm acknowledgment of the injustices of the past. Minorities want (and deserve) respect and recognition of the faults of said past. But how that is manifested is the huge question - that no one really has a good answer to. I would hope that in maybe another full generation, those questions you quote would not be necessary - or perhaps at least far less necessary.

Well, I guess we could just ignore the actual crime stats, but shifting blame is far easier. I once posed the question, ''when looking for a neighborhood to move your family into, what's your criteria?'' Why are minority neighborhoods less tinted when our malcontents are so focused on change. Why are they not pouring into these neighborhoods? Again, placing blame and creating a boogeyman is much easier than actually doing something about it. Let's talk basketball now.