I just don't believe in today's world of hyper-sensitivity towards racism that institutionalized racism exists anywhere except very small pockets. Any policy which even hints of racism is weeded out.
OK.
show me the policies.
NYC stop and frisk comes to mindThat was fairly recent wasn't it?
It is a policy which effectively has reduced crime in high crime areas. There is no racism behind the policies. So far the voters of New York (mostly black voters) have voted for people in favor of these policies and the polices have survived legal challenges to date. It is an area of debate whether the loss of freedom is worth the results, but I don't see it as proof of institutionalized racism. The policy is well known and is supported by many minorities.
I could shoot speeders in the head when I pull them over and it would effectively reduce speeding. Doesn't make it right. How in the world can you say there is no racism behind policies when they pick particular races to profile. That statement is absurd. Plus reductions in crime in NYC mirror other areas where crime has dropped without stop and frisk.
It's amazing how people can be so obtusely blind to the black experience. I'm not excusing looting or any other crime for that matter. But if you think the deck isn't stacked against black people with the amount of evidence in the justice system; with the policies banks and other financial institutions have in minority neighborhoods; with the education system etc etc there's nothing at this point that can possibly change your mind. It's so evident to me it doesn't even merit debate. But here we are.
Think to yourself why there are even black neighborhoods in the first place. You think a lot of those people wouldn't move to better neighborhoods if they could? You think there's no housing discrimination? If you can't see that stuff that's plain as day your just a putz who has no idea what he's talking about.
My background is such that I've lived with minorities of all stripes. I've heard there stories. I've been out with them and experienced it first hand. I was ten times the thug that someof my black friends ever thought about being and somehow the trouble would find them. Like some kind of magic. I keep thinking for why that is and I just can't understand it. People like Jon "whitesplain" to me that racism doesn't exist so it can't be that.
Excellent post, Jackstraw.
Bad post. All of things you describe happen for a reason, meaning there is causation. Let's start with you being 10x a thug. Give us all a break. What did you get away with due to your white skin? I personally know a lot of cops who have to patrol bad neighborhoods, many of those neighborhoods are black hoods. First off, yes they are looking for a profile, but guess what? Since everybody who lives in the neighborhood is black, that is not what they are looking for. They are looking for suspicious behavior. That is the person's fault if they fit the bill in that regard. People of all colors deal with every day. As far as the suburbs go, if I am traveling through a super ritzy hood in my beat up car, then I am taking a risk for being pulled over if I have a violation. It is not the cops fault that you have a violation!!!! If you have one they can pull you over. I am a white guy.... I got pulled over driving around at bar time for a ticky-tack b.s reason. Was the cop profiling me....of course, I was driving around at 3AM....does it change the fact that I had a violation,? NO!!!!!!! He has every right to pull me over, and if I have done something wrong, I will be in trouble.
As far as housing goes, why on earth would a bank loan money to somebody who they think cannot or even might not pay it back? That is absurd. Actually, I just read a post in this forum by a respected member who says he makes a lot of money and cannot get a loan for a house he wants to buy. I doubt he is black....if banks are racist, why did they not just loan him the money? After all, he is white and even makes alot of money! I guarantee you that if a black guy walks into a bank with 20% down, proof of a steady paycheck, and good credit history, he will get a loan, because those are the things needed for a loan!!!! It is not the bank's fault that there are many blacks who do not fit that description. You know whose fault it is? YOURS!!!!!! People like you constantly make excuses for blacks, you send them messages that of course they cannot be expected to act like everyone else...they are black...whatever that means.
Last point, the education system. I know you say you walk hand in hand with the blacks, but I have actually spent time in all kinds of urban schools including a few years in schools that are primarily black. Blacks are given the same opportunities that white and Hispanics have, but because we like to sit around and make excuses for all of the nutcases and anti-authoritarians around in our world, their schools suffer the most. If you go to a black private school where no excuses are tolerated and excellence is expected, I will show you a good school and those schools do exist. If you go to a typical inner city public school where we have to accept the fact that little Tyrone wants to kill everybody who looks at him sideways and just work with him, that is the reason the schools fail. But you have to begin to understand that little Tyrone is allowed to stay on because of people like you who always make excuses for his crazy and threatening demeanor. You have a classroom of 24 kids who are smart and ready to learn, combined with 4 or 5 kids who are basically psychotic and ruin it for everybody. And it is accepted by people like you because all you like to do is sit in your little suburban enclave and make excuses because the movie "Mississippi Burning" left a hole in your bleeding heart . Hell, you even prefaced your asinine screed with "I'm not excusing looting, but",,,,
BUT WHAT!?!?!?!?! You just did excuse it....you wrote a post giving us your perspective (as a white guy who has lots of black friends) on the black experience. If only we knew!!!!! All of the profiling!!! All of the loan denials!!! All of the teachers who didn't care!!!! Not only is your post nonsensical, it is an insult to the spirit of humanity!!!!