Walrus wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:16 pm
Grandma wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:54 pm
I appreciate your explanation in regards to if/when you choose to be afraid of Black people and when you don't and I feel it's a somewhat reasonable response. Until you say race has nothing to do with it.
I am convinced that in most cases if a White person was walking in downtown Lawrence at 2:00am and all of a sudden 4 Black guys came out of an alley and started followed that White person, my guess is that White person's internal fear meter would be different than if it was 4 White guys but hey, maybe I'm wrong.
I've gotta run for the night, but I'll try to address your other questions tomorrow. This one though is especially important. It's a very important question to ask. I would agree with you that if a white man was in this situation where 4 black strangers came out of an alley, he would most likely feel nervous. This isn't comparable to being next to Allen Fieldhouse as I mentioned, as that location is about as safe as it gets. Being on an alley in some place at night could be very dangerous, although most the time it's not. But here is something you should consider. Someone who is a close friend to my mother, she is a black woman who is essentially retired after working a pretty nice career. She is in her 50s or 60s now I believe. She told my mother on several occasions that when she walks alone in Kansas City, she get nervous when she's walking and a black male stranger is approaching her. She said in her own words, "I am less scared if a white person is walking towards me on these streets." What does that say when a black woman says this? She obviously isn't racist, as she is black. No, it's because she's basing her fear on probabilities and past numbers. Yes, it's unfair that other black men who are not dangerous will be viewed as suspicious. It's really sad, and it's not now I want the world to be. But you know what? It is. There is a problem with black crime, and until we start discussing the causes of it in an honest way, nothing will change. Defund the welfare state, stop promoting "systemic racism" messages, stop promoting messages that whites are privileged -- these are a few of many things we need to do. Start showing them how they can succeed and that their race is not the reason for their success or failures.
Here I go - again.
I'm confused that you don't know if a friend of your mothers is in her 50s or 60s but perhaps you have never met her in person or are just bad at guessing people's ages. Doesn't really matter I suppose.
A Black woman may not be "racist" per se against other Black people but she sure can not like them and have misguided (yes - and also accurate) assumptions and fears. Not saying that she shouldn't be in fear in certain situations and we are all different people with different thoughts, feelings, experiences, but I don't fear people simply because they are Black and walking down the street.
Let me ask you this. It seems when she walks alone in KC she fears Black people more than White people.
Ok, but what if she was walking alone on a rural street in Bumblefuck Mississippi and she saw a pickup truck with a confederate flag, a gun rack on the back of it, and 3 white guys in the "cab" and two in the "bed", slowly following her compared to 4 Black guys in a Honda driving at the normal speed limit?
You say there is a problem with Black crime. Fuck yeah there is but ALL "crime" is a problem. No matter who is committing it. Right? The primary suspect who shot my White best friend in his Gold Coast apartment is White. Plenty of White people commit crimes too. Do we ignore and/or minimize White crime because there is an "abundance" of Black crime?
Now I am going to be a bit harsh.
You stated in the post above that "until we start discussing the causes of it in an honest way, nothing will change".
Yet when I have tried to have discussions with you - you refuse to accept FACTUAL things that I have told you in regards to listening to and having deep conversations with people ranging from kids living in poverty on the south and west sides of Chicago to Black Ivy League educated CEOs of major companies and many people in-between. Both Black AND White people who I respect.
You brush them off as if their opinions, feelings, experiences, don't matter and you know better than they do. You don't.
Then you say, "Defund the welfare state, stop promoting "systemic racism" messages, stop promoting messages that whites are privileged -- these are a few of many things we need to do. Start showing them how they can succeed and that their race is not the reason for their success or failures".
Defund the welfare state? REALLY?
Of course some people abuse and milk the "system" but some are truly in dire need. Is your attitude - fuck 'em?
Let me ask you this.
It seems are you upset that our Government want's to help people in need because you feel they take advantage of it and it doesn't give them an incentive to want to better themselves - at least financially.
On almost a daily basis I can walk by the Fourth Pres Church on Michigan Avenue and see them give a free meal to the homeless. They provide clothing to the homeless. Is your attitude - fuck the Church for helping and enabling these people? Just like the Government, the Church provides resources to these people beyond just "handouts" but the fact is some people can't work.
MANY people have legitimate reasons why. Should we just assassinate those people and be done with them?
Do you feel it's right that a predominately Black school in a Black neighborhood doesn't get the same state, local, and federal funding as a predominantly White School in a White neighborhood? I don't.
If you don't, do you "speak up" about it. If not, why not?
Do you feel it's right that I can walk in to Northwestern Hospital and get some of the best care in the city because I can afford to pay $2200 a month to live nearby and I have a great job with great health insurance while a Black person who works 16 hour days and can't afford health insurance has to go to a shithole Hospital in their neighborhood and get shitty care?
You say, "Stop promoting "systemic racism” messages. Stop promoting messages that whites are privileged".
I don’t know what you mean by “promoting” but it sure as the nose on my face exists and needs to be a MAJOR part of the “discussion” that you feel needs to be had - to address the issue/s.
You have said on this site that you don’t believe systemic racism exists. I have offered if you are ever in Chicago to go see places and speak with people and show you how it does in fact exist.
In many ways Whites are in fact more "privileged" than Black people.
I agree with you 100% that “WE” (YOU included) should "Start showing them how they can succeed “ but my guess is YOU don’t really give a damn if they succeed or not - unless it directly affects you. Am I right or wrong?
Forgetting you and I, do you not realize there is a large percentage of people in this country who do NOT want Black people to succeed?
For you to say, " their race is not the reason for their success or failures”, that may be primarily true but in the total picture it’s not 100% true - is it?
