So, how would you respond?
Say you’re a black elected official, and you get racist e-mail, complete with racial slurs and references to body parts. Do you reply? If so, how?
Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board member George Dunlap sent the following to a number of people he knows, including a member of the Observer’s editorial board. (No, I wasn’t one.)
Here’s the original, racist message to Dunlap. (I’ve edited some offensive language, and deleted the sender’s e-mail address.) It comes from “Online Feedback from CMS Website”:
“Comments: Sir, I remember fondly my elementary school days at Cotswold in the ’60’s. Most of us were generally good boys and girls. We had 2 negro children in the whole school, and nobody mistreated them. They were good boys, so far as I know. None of our parents would have allowed us to use disparaging language against negroes, or colored people. This was the way things were. Then came Randolph Jr. High, then forced busing. The negroes were n-----s, and they damn well acted every bit of it. Disruptive to the extreme, pulling out their p-----s and beating them on the desk in class. Beating white children, rioting, full of slavery-blaming. Just generally ALL a bunch of god-damn n-----s. All day, every day. Whatever white Liberal speaks their PC baloney in the public forum, is just that – a turncoat liberal. And “African Americans” are just a dreadful species of naughty children. I can't change that, no matter how much you Libs tax me.”
Here’s what Dunlap asks, in an e-mail this morning (Dec. 29):
“This is a test. Each time I respond to folks like --------, they seem to not like my response and run to the media to tell them what a nasty person I am and why I should not have responded the way I did. As the new year approaches, I plan to try something new. This is the plan. When I get email that I want to respond to, like this one. I plan to send it to a number of people. If you are receiving this, it's because I want to respond to this email. Your job is to tell me in 100 words or less why I should not respond or to suggest a response for me.”
One final thought: If you think this sort of racist talk has vanished, think again. It’s not uncommon for black people in prominent jobs – or even white newspaper columnists – to get similar letters and e-mails. Charlotte – like most places in America – hides plenty of racial tension under the surface. I generally ignore them. Most of the letters arrive without a name and return address, anyway -- as though the writers were ashamed. Fancy that!
What would you tell Dunlap? Or the e-mailer? I’ll try to reach Dunlap later today and ask if he’ll share some of the advice he gets.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Respond to racism? You be the judge
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49 comments:
My advice to Mr. Dunlap and to any other individual that receives a message such as the one he received would be to delete it, silently pray for the individual who sent it and move on with your day.
I would advise to hit the delete button and don't think twice. Never start a debate with a hateful idiot. This e-mailer's whole purpose was to get a response -- and a rise -- out of Dunlap. This wasn't a 'real' opinion, it was the ranting of rude animal. I'm sorry Mr. Dunlap had to see it.
My advice is for Mr. Dunlap to forward the email to as many Charlotte residents as possible. To many of us either don't believe people still feel this way or want to sweep it under the rug with a quick delete button. More people need to be enraged, concerned, and educated about present day racism.
I would encourage Mr. Dunlap to forward emails like these to the school board and other media outlet- AND include the coward's , er, author's email address! I don't think Mr. Dunlap should respond personally though, the ignorant individual who wrote it may not COMPREHEND Mr. Dunlap's intelligent response!
My advice is for Mr. Dunlap to forward the email to as many Charlotte residents as possible. To many of us either don't believe people still feel this way or want to sweep it under the rug with a quick delete button. More people need to be enraged, concerned, and educated about present day racism.
12/29/2005 2:05 PM
I AGREE THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO DONT BELIEVE MODERN DAY RACISM EXISTS THE NEED A WAKE UP CALL TO SEE THAT ITS STILL HERE AND HAS NEVER LEFT. THIS AS An AFRICAN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT ENRAGES ME AND UPSETS ME ALL THE SAME THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR NEEDS TO BE PUT OUT THERE SO PEOPLE CAN SEE THE HATRED THAT IS GOING ON.
Delete the email, but make a copy for the records. If the email is forwarded for any reasons, I feel that person is just as responsible as the coward who wrote it. Why protect this person who wrote it? Its people like this who make things worse for someone like me...a white male. There are always going to be bad apples and the best thing to do is ignore them. Once they see their voice is not being heard and no one is responding, it will go away. If Mr Dunlap forwards junk like this to any person, you never know what can happen to him. I know at my job, if I forward any emails like that, I will not have a job too much longer.
Delete it just like you would delete any other spam/junk mail that shows up in your mailbox.
What to do with the e-mail? Realize that a portion of it, however crude the approach, is based on the truth. Work towards a solution, accept the fact that the behavior referenced has gone on unabated long enough. Stand up right now and lead the way for more decency, self dependance, and a hope for a new tomorrow for a new generation of African Americans. A group that turns their back on thug-ism, perpetual poverty, sky rocketing out of wed-lock births, endless welfare, and ignorance. Get to work Dunlap, lead the way! Quit whining about how you are being "attacked". Dr. King's legacy is otherwise so sadly tarnished. You worry about an e-mail? Tell that to those that survived the Edmund Pettis bridge.
George:
Over the past three decades I've gotten my fair share of letters similar in tone to this one. I've concluded that it's a waste of time to take them personally, or take tham as a challenge. Whatever you might say, you're not going to change the guy's heart or mind, you're not going to win a debating trophy, you're not going to do anything except spend your time and energy on something that will accomplish nothing. My policy is to save that energy for more productive uses.
The Bible says a soft answer turneth away wrath. It also saves you from wasting a lot of time and energy. If I were going to respond, I'd say something like, "Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your letter tells me a lot about you."
I don't agree with the sending of this email, or degrading anyone because of their color, but lets not be ignorant either, white kids get abused by african americans in Charlotte schools all the time and nothing is done by the schools to discourage this behavior, so much so that if I wanted my children to get a proper education I had to change my location. So you can try and disguise the truth but racism is a 2 way street.
since we're all worrying about offending... I guess the one thing that stands out in your column is that you feel it is a sin to print the "N" word..yet didn't hesitate to allow "GD" to remain... I'd be offended if I weren't laughing at the mindset of folks like you.
I feel his pain.. I'm the victim of racism on a near daily basis...course I'm white..so it doesn't count...
Mr. Dunlap should ignor the email and move on.
However, I find it interesting that the N word is a common term used in the hood (I happen to work with inner city youths). I have spent most of my life removing the word from my vocabulary but it seems to have taken on a life of its own in the urban community. This seems like a double standard if this is accepted in the black American community.
I have also found that there is much overt racism in the black community...not a one sided issue. Perhaps there are some intra-cultural issues that our black leaders should be addressing.
Well then juceas you must be blind, I am not voicing an opinion it is fact and has been experienced but I guess because statistics don't support it, then it must not be true. And as for fears the only one that matters is retaliation, I think that should be a concern for everyone.
I have very mixed feelings about what Mr. Dunlap should do. One part of me says to delete the message and move on but the other part of me says that he should fight fire with fire. People who show ignorance should not be given a free pass. We need to call people on their racism and let them know that it is not an acceptable way to act.
he's not alone, happened to me when i was a guest viewpoint columnist with the observer. Its just a fact of life. Its one of the things prominent blacks understand when they get in the game...i don't think he should just stand by and take it but know that through the brilliance of our countries founding was the ignorance of racism and therefore it will pervade as long as their is a struggle for access to capital
The truth hurts some people.As a grad of CMS the blacks caused most problems in the classroom. Take for example the melee that took place at North Meck earlier this year.I heard about it that day at lunch at work on the mid day news.The guy next to me said it first "they probally all were black" Sure enough two weeks or so later when the mug shots were released all 15 shown in the Observer were black.Do white kids cause trouble,sure they do.But not on as large a scale as black kids.My advice to black kids,if you think its not cool to do well in school and behave and learn to respect authority,then continue to enjoy your days in poverty,crime ect.Already you are now outnumbered in this country by the Mexicans,who work harder than you,listen to and respect authority better than you.They have and are making their move in the American society.Not only will you continue working for the white man,but also for Pedro.I'll take my burger well done with an order of fries and a shake darky! Maybe Dunlap should rally his brothas to make something of themselves instead of whining about what someone wrote to him!
I 2nd the prev post about whites,blacks at school and mexicans as do many others. And by the way i'll continue to say and think the word "nigger" as long as blacks continue to say it.Case in point, was at the mall last week and 6 or 7 black males all enjoyed calling each other niggas.The only difference in me saying it is I pronounce it correctly "nigger" vs/niggas.When blacks get serious about that word then others might also.
Racism, like sexism, has gotten so much more subtle these days that at times it's hard for the unaffected to realize it's there. I'm glad that someone sent the email in the sense that at least it reminds us of a problem that still exists. However, maybe it's too easy when seeing extreme examples to say "Oh, I'm not like that, so I'm not racist" and go on living a life where you give more credibility and respect, even if not consciously, to people of your own race.
"A group that turns their back on thug-ism, perpetual poverty, sky rocketing out of wed-lock births, endless welfare, and ignorance."
You're kidding, right? Capitalism is a hereditary system. If your parents have money, you're more likely to, and so on. The "American Dream" rarely happens for folks who aren't born well. So you're telling me that a group who JUST RECEIVED the same right to education and work as we have always had should be able to "turn their back" on "perpetual poverty" in 50 years?! They should just pull themselves up by their bootstraps, right?
This is the kind of subtlety of racism I referred to in my post above. Not realizing that your economy and your history (YES the effects of slavery and segregation are still being felt, surprise surprise) causes the situations you gripe about. Honestly, we're all responsible for ourselves spiritually and to a certain extent responsible for our futures, but when you are forced into poverty by your government (until 50 years ago) and even then everyone decides they don't "owe" you to make up for the years of education and careers THEY had to set their families for life, you might find it just a little harder.
"I have spent most of my life removing the word from my vocabulary but it seems to have taken on a life of its own in the urban community. This seems like a double standard if this is accepted in the black American community."
It's reappropriation. The idea is to take something that was used against you and make it yours. It gives you more control over the situation and takes the power away from the people who were using it to hurt you. Makes a ton of sense to me!
"white insecurity is almost comical."
I agree -- to the point that when anyone mentions racism, they feel the need to say "reverse racism is bad too!!! People are racist against me too!!!"
Not that I don't agree that reverse racism is a problem, but really, why is this a competition? Just because you don't want to admit that racism is a problem, and want to say it's something we all deal with, and just have to get over? That's not solving much.
"Do white kids cause trouble,sure they do.But not on as large a scale as black kids."
Do white kids grow up in poverty? Sure they do. But not on a large scale as blacks. Do white kids meet up with people who assume they're stupid and project that idea onto them in the classroom? Sure they do. But not on as large a scale as blacks. Have white kids had to make their own place in all black schools, carving a niche for themselves and standing up for themselves as people? Uh, okay, the answer to that is just NO.
It's hard, and they're kids. They're going to try and find a way to deal with it. Be it banding together in gangs or acting out when they feel unloved, or acting naturally having come from a home riddled with poverty. Listening to the music of the ones who HAVE made it still acting like drugs and crime are cool, polluting the minds of kids who might NOT make it if they believe that junk.
I mean, come on, can we stop saying blacks are bad and whites are good and look at the problems causing behavior issues and solve THOSE. I guarantee you, having a certain skin color doesn't magically make you bad. It's a complex issue involving economics and social issues in the African American community that we white folks don't have because we were never enslaved or segregated into separate and NOT equal parts of society. I mean really! Stop blaming others for things we ultimately helped cause.
I agree with an earlier post,there is no way whites in this country are going to give up the word nigger,not when blacks use it with little care torwards each other.
Reappropriation? Hardly. Use of the word NIGGA is demonstrative of the ignorance of all of those who use it. It is a disparagement to all those who had it applied to them in previous generations. This most recent generation of African-American youths are by-far the most ignorant generation. They have no appreciation for the struggle endured by previous generations, nor respect for their memory.
Poverty may be cyclical, but through education, all have an opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty. What is the percentage of African-American dropouts? Why are African-American students performing lower than their white counterparts? Money doesn't make you smarter, but initiative does. If there is no respect for education, largely because most in the family are not educated, then there is a high probability that the children will not have a healthy respect for education either.
For those of you who are curious about this point of contention, look at the percentage of African-American welfare reciepients who are high school dropouts versus the same for Caucasian. You'll find that there are more high school dropouts living in poverty than those who have a high school or college education.
Lastly, and trying to return to the original point: This is is George Dunlap, the man who is disrespectful to colleagues who do not share his viewpoint and is quoted as saying to all who don't like CMS, "you're free to move out of the district" (paraphrase). Mr. Dunlap uses race when it suits his purpose. He, too,is a bigot, but he is worse for the African-American community because he cries bloody foul where none exists. His latest stunt is to turn public opinion away from his actions and put it onto someone else. Was this e-mailer a racist bigot? Yes. But George Dunlap is no virgin when it comes to bigotry. However, this times, he can exploit bigotry for his own gain. He is a disgrace to our community, not for the color of his skin, but because of the content of his character.
"Poverty may be cyclical, but through education, all have an opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty."
YOU HAVE TO HAVE MONEY TO GET AN EDUCATION. High school diplomas generally aren't going to cut it to get you a good lifestyle, even if they WEREN'T dropping out. I've seen people bootstrap and get scholarships, but as you say in the quote below, it's unlikely due to a CYCLE of familial apathy that, in my opinion, is still economics related.
"If there is no respect for education, largely because most in the family are not educated, then there is a high probability that the children will not have a healthy respect for education either."
I agree! And this has nothing to do with being black "magically" making them uncaring towards education. There're a lot of problems in the Af Amer community, and I think most boil down to economics. Why are they economically lower than whites? I'm going to go ahead and say I highly doubt it's because "all blacks are lazy!!!11" and posit that it's probably due to the hundreds of YEARS they were denied education and careers!
Basically, why would any of this be because they are black?
I also agree, by the way, that younger folks probably aren't thinking about reappropriation of the word "nigger" when they use it, but the act remains the same whether the motivation is there or not. They're using the word that was used against them, and that's a victory. When they can be themselves with each other and joke or converse with something that was once a weapon, that's growing away from being oppressed, in my opinion.
Their use of the word Nigger, or Nigga, only continues to oppress them because it only reinforces the stereotype that they rail against. "I'm intelligent! I have potential! Judge me for who I am..." "Hey, wazzup Nigga?" Which of these statements do most people hear? That's why it is self-oppression...
Money is not a guarantee of anything. It doesn't guarantee an education. And it is hard to earn a scholarship with a D- average. If Af-Ams want to become independent, they need to do it themselves and without the help of anyone else, or it isn't earned...and we all know that we don't appreciate anything that we don't earn.
Perception often becomes reality. Have you been in a CMS high school? There are students who are there to learn, and those that are not. While there are students of both races that are there to learn, the greater number of those who do not want to learn are African-Americans. School is social, not educational, for many. Whose fault is this? If you don't take advantage of the opportunities given simply because the next step is harder to attain, then obviously, you won't succeed. But your lack of success is not because higher education is harder to attain, but because you didn't take the initial step at all. Then it is your fault you're stuck in the hole.
Not to mention, government college loans are available in almost all situations. If you want to go to college, you can, regardless of your credit. In most cases, it is easier to get "free money" if you're of minority status, in adition to the loans...but you have to want it...
"Their use of the word Nigger, or Nigga, only continues to oppress them because it only reinforces the stereotype that they rail against. "I'm intelligent! I have potential! Judge me for who I am..." "Hey, wazzup Nigga?" Which of these statements do most people hear?"
So you can only speak "proper" English and be smart? Pity for those folks who reject proper English as a language constructed mostly for white males to communicate, since blacks and women weren't reading/writing or being educated until much after the language was established. In other words, dismissing other ways of speaking is another one of those subtle forms of racism and sexism I was speaking about earlier. There's not KNOWING what's generally considered the correct way to talk (unfairly in my opinion) and then there's choosing to talk how you want to.
"Af-Ams want to become independent, they need to do it themselves and without the help of anyone else, or it isn't earned"
That's kind of like beating a person into a wheelchair and then saying "If they want to walk again, it's up to them to do the physical therapy and get better!" Yes, it'd be fine to say that if white folks and white government hadn't created the economic position they're in.
I have been in a CMS high school. Very recently in fact. Lower income kids of all races struggled due to parents who didn't speak the language, not speaking the language themselves, having to stay home to watch siblings, become involved in gangs to form a semblance of solidarity, becoming pregnant at an early age, etc. The common denominator here was their economic status, not their race. More of them were black, but then, more black kids are poor.
Kids don't make their own desire to learn, generally. It's instilled in them by their parents, and as the previous poster said (you?): "If there is no respect for education, largely because most in the family are not educated, then there is a high probability that the children will not have a healthy respect for education either. "
Basically, no education breeds low income and low income breeds no education, typically. Either someone's got to start giving away some education and mentoring these kids (I love the idea of successful black men coming and being 'big brothers' to younger, low income black students) or giving them some money (which no one wants to do) to break the cycle. Otherwise, it keeps going and adds fuel to the fire of people who say "See!! They're inferior just like we always said!!"
They could gradually break the cycle themselves, by the way, if everyone ignored the problems, but statistically, you can only expect a few to achieve the american dream of rags to riches at a time, and I don't know why we (black and white and everything else) who do live comfortably economically and don't have to deal with drugs and jail don't step in and do something now.
To the question of whether should he respond: of course not.
There are several reasons, not least of which is that it accomplishes almost nothing of value. The original writer certainly is unlikely to be influenced by much that Mr. Dunlap will say.
Mr. Dunlap has no need to defend himself against the writer in a public forum, since the public at large is not aware of such communications that Dunlap may recieve unless Dunlap himself makes them public. Publicizing such things also serves no useful prupose, since any individual represents only himself. It is ridiculous to claim that an occasional lone nut is evidence of a characteristic of the general public, so it is hardly reasonable to hold that he must publicize such things in the public interest in order to illustrate a general societal problem. And unless Dunlap chooses to make the letter from some loon public, there's nothing to defend against, unless he chooses to do so privately. And as previously noted, that is an exercise in futility.
Beyond that, Dunlap has proven in the past to be his own worst enemy in responding to such things. It hardly mkaes him appear reasonable and rational when he responds to someone who is being absurd and offensive by himself being absurd or offensive. "Fighitng fire with fire" SOUNDS reasonable, until you realize that fighting what appears to be lunacy by yourself appearing to be a lunatic really doesn't work in the end: no one really cares about the rantings of a misguided private individual, but the public, rightly, cares very much about rantings of a similar character from a public official.
A reasoned and persuasive responsee would probably be lost on the original writer, and Mr. Dunlap has not proven hi9mself to be the master of reasoned response. It is in his own best interests to let such things roll of his back.
"It is ridiculous to claim that an occasional lone nut is evidence of a characteristic of the general public, so it is hardly reasonable to hold that he must publicize such things in the public interest in order to illustrate a general societal problem."
I might've agreed, but then I read some of the comments to this post. I think more people are racist than others of us tend to think. Some even openly and unabashedly.
Mr. Dunlap, this is crazy. I would not respond to such ignorance. We need to stop this madness. I have always felt that the only way to stop racism is to start teaching your children at home. I have always taught my children that when you meet someone, you don't look at that persons skin color, ethnic background or there living enviroment. You should get to know the person for who they are. I guess you could call that looking through rose colored glasses, but if we stop looking at color and start looking at the person as a whole, I think that this world would be a better place to live. Let's face it, we can learn alot from all the different cultures in our community. No one culture is perfect. Our history shows alot of inhuman treatment of people based on color, enviroment, wealth and statis in the community. The way I see it we are repeating history. Isn't it time that we rewrite history and show the next generation how it should really go. Start teaching our children at home about the importance of treating people equally and not based on color and culture!!!!
Has no one thought that the email may be bogus?
Mr. Dunlap could use some cover for his behavior in council meetings.
What could be more appropriate than to play the sympathy card?
I'm not accusing him, but maybe a sympathizer of his looking to provide cover.
It is too obvious.
I think Mr.Dunlap is worried about the wrong things,his job is to make sure the children of Charlotte recieve the best education that the taxpayers money can buy.
Mr.Dunlap and Mrs.Leake need to both stop playing games with the lives and education of the people of their districts.
It not like they just wokeup and discovered that there are racist folks in Charlotte.
Well, Anon 5:09, I certainly wouldn't disagree that there are racists in the world, but to respond to someone who's clearly a bit over the edge as though they represented something substantial is a bit different.
It's also worth noting that racism -the belief that one race is inherently inferior to another, and behavior based on that belief- is often ascribed to matters of disagreement regarding cultural values and behaviors. In an open society we SHOULD be able to discuss the relative value of cultural characteristics. There's nothing inherently wrong about that, and there is something very wrong about pretending that such a discussion is racist.
Race as we describe it in the modern world is really nothing more than skin color and a handful of other physical characteristics. We know, scientifically and empirically that race -skin color- brings with it no intellectual, ethical or moral attributes. In other words it has nothing to do with the worth of an individual. It is simply an inherent (and very small) genetic difference related to certain physical characteristics that a person does not choose and which does not impact in any fashion an individual's ability to function. Without regard to race, all people are in fact equal, and it is simply wrong to believe otherwise.
Culture is entirely another matter. Culture is independent of race, it is a colllcetion of behaviors and values, and it is not a racial trait. That is to say that no one is born with a set of behaviors that must therefore be afforded equal value. And we know as well that all behaviors and values are not equally valuable to society. There is not a thing in the world wrong with discussing the relative merit of cultural issues, and the fact that certain cultural matters may be over or under represented among persons of one or another race does not change that merely because race is involved.
If that isn't obvious, it can readily be made so by remembering that the subjugation of blacks by the white majority was a cultural issue. The belief that blacks were and ought to remain inferior was not a racial trait: it was not something inherent in white people. It was, instead, a specifc choice of values and behaviors that was passed on as a learned behavior. It was hardly racist of blacks to discuss it, to disdain it, to speak out for change.
If there are cultural matters that predominate among black Americans or any other group, including white Americans, it ought to be fair game to discuss the impact of those cultural issues on society at large.
It is completely illegitimate to suggest that culture is a racial issue, and that therefore to it is racist to not value all cultures equally. Culture IS voluntary behavior, not inherent racial characteristic, and all behaviors are not equally valuable. If certain behaviors that occur in society at large are concentrated in one or another racial group, discussion of those behaviors cannot be foreclosed merely becuase they involve, in a very peripheral sense, race.
Yet w do that ALL the time. We say, "It's a part of my culture and if you don't want me to engage in it, you're being a racist". That's nonsense. We try to foreclose discussion of behaviors that are destructive and counter productive by yelling "racisim". And frankly, we try to shut down those discussions because we know there ARE racists out there and we fear giving them any fodder for their views. I understand the motive, but the result is that we tamper at the edges of very real problems rather than confronting them. And we do so becuase of fear. Courage is the antidote to that and more of us ought to display some.
What a delightful use of energy. God, we're all just a bunch of dumb hicks, black and white. We could be scraping in the mud for weeds to eat, and we'd still be arguing about stuff like this. One day, we will be scraping in the mud. As a society, we don't deserve any better. Is there anybody out there besides me who gets it? God, I feel like John the Baptist, screaming into the howling winds of ignorance. There's enough ignorance in this posting to fill a nation, much less a county. Until a lot of whites give up their nasty racism (be it the petty or vicious variety) and a lot of blacks give up their perpetual victimhood, we're doomed. A pox on both our houses.
Mr. Dunlap:
Let it go, man! You ain't no choir boy yourself.
A single email doesnt mean a damn thing.
It could be bogus, like when that black woman painted 'KKK' on her garage and made the front page of the Observer.
Anonymous 1:08, this is Anonymous 5:09, and I agree with you. But for instance:
"As a grad of CMS the blacks caused most problems in the classroom. Take for example the melee that took place at North Meck earlier this year.I heard about it that day at lunch at work on the mid day news.The guy next to me said it first "they probally all were black" Sure enough two weeks or so later when the mug shots were released all 15 shown in the Observer were black.Do white kids cause trouble,sure they do.But not on as large a scale as black kids.My advice to black kids,if you think its not cool to do well in school and behave and learn to respect authority,then continue to enjoy your days in poverty,crime ect.Already you are now outnumbered in this country by the Mexicans,who work harder than you,listen to and respect authority better than you.They have and are making their move in the American society.Not only will you continue working for the white man,but also for Pedro.I'll take my burger well done with an order of fries and a shake darky! "
This "problem" is, first off, really illogically explained, but that's besides the point. The point is, these kinds of rants AREN'T credited to cultural differences. They are specifically described as a function of being black. That's the issue. If you want to talk about cultural behaviors, just make sure to refer to them as such. Anyway, this is an example of racism I've seen in this thread.
And, what? "Darky"? Oh my gosh, you have to be kidding me.
Impressive, Anon, but the facts are misleading without the economics truths behind them. And that can be dangerous.
By the way, I've just started reading "Dead Man Walking." Good read so far. Has already opened my eyes to some issues minorities currently face.
"Impressive, Anon, but the facts are misleading without the economics truths behind them. And that can be dangerous."
Excusing violent behavior on the part of blacks by blaming it on "economics" is nothing more than the tired, politically-correct sing-song we've all been force-fed since the 60's.
How can you "excuse away" the violent antics (oftentimes MURDER)of multi-millionaire "affletes" like Dennis Rodman, O.J. Simpson, Mike Tyson and Rae Carruth?
Poor whites don't have a habit of attacking blacks when their own personal "economics" aren't so hot.
As black-on-white violence continues to rise, I submit that focusing on "economics" instead of personal responsibility and behavioral differences between races is even more dangerous.
GB
GB,
Liberal/Leftists have always had a problem with personal responsibility. With them, its always external forces.
Bill Jones
No one has a problem with personal responsibility. I have a problem with people deciding people are violent BECAUSE they are black, as people seem to be suggesting further up in the thread. No one said it wasn't their responsibility not to be violent. I was positing reasons OTHER than race for the difference.
Do you have a problem with that? If so, I'd check your so-called "politics" for prejudice.
I also find it funny that in your haste to generalize ("Chinese do this, Hispanics do this, Blacks do this . . . ") you've decided I'm a leftist/liberal.
I'm a conservative Christian (Southern Baptist, no less!!) who loves people, cares about their problems, wants to find CAUSES and SOLUTIONS, not straw men like skin color to blame it on so I don't have to help fix anything.
Mr. Dunlap,
You should not respond because you cannot afford to waste your energy. Our children lives are at stake. They desperately need you and other school board members to become committed to their lives and put all the other craziness aside.
If making the future better for our children is not your passion and focus, please step aside.
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