Racism?

[Willow]

I don't normally watch talking heads discussing sports entertainment but yesterday I was at lunch and the eatery had a TV broadcasting such an event.  The tag at the bottom of the screen that black coaches had been hired for six of seven openings.

I watched an Amazon advert in which a spokesperson first declared the low percentage of black owned businesses and then how Amazon was helping her promote more black owned business.

Why do so many not get it.  If race of any kind is considered in eligibility or preference it is a continuation of racism.  Racism to end racism simply doesn't work.

I wonder how many of the privileged white folks understand that one white person has to step down (or away) from his position to allow a black person to step in and increase the percentage?  They seem to all be looking at some other white privileged person.  How many would be willing to be one of the ones necessary to meet the goal.

I want to see everyone treated fairly but to me that means, among other things, that race is not a consideration for hiring, promotion or privilege of any sort.

There are some things that seem to sound good at first but upon considering how they must be done don't look so good at all.  

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

How dare you use common sense!?!?!  It has no place in this woke society we're stuck in. 

[Valker]

Well said. I’ve said for years that if they really wanted to end racism just remove ALL race boxes from ALL forms and policies. Stop any organization with ANY race in its name.

[f6john]

Racism is a numbers game. Why is it that every form one has to fill out to do most anything you are required to indicate your race, or sex for that matter? If someone goes missing, age, sex, race all become important. I don’t how it was before the sixties but the government has been all about the numbers for 60 years now.

I long for a day when we will hardly notice color other than the oblivious difference. I probably won’t live that long.

[Serk]

In 1911 Booker T. Washington wrote:

There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs-partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.

I guess one current example of racism is the fact that now elite whites are taking the jobs of the blacks mentioned in the above quote...

[Savago]

@Willow: I mean no disrespect and hope that this post may be read with an open mind.

Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1776: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".

Right to life and liberty.

That is exactly where the great American experiment of self-determination has historically failed for minorities (specially African Americans who were brought here as cargo and traded next as objects).

So the first question to make is: do the Republic holds a debt to some of its citizens (like the children of former slaves and the Native Americans who lost their land, culture and language)?

If you say 'No!', then, of course, any reparations policy makes no sense.

If you say 'Yes.', there is no need for further reading.

If you say 'Maybe.', then there is room for further discussion.

The people (e.g. Fox News) who oppose any kind of reparations claim that it would be unfair or some kind of reverse racism.

What I ask is: do they really mean it or is it aligned with another agenda (i.e.e keep people in poverty and fan the flames of racial divide in the USA).

Then again, there are poor (i.e. financially) white people.

One possible solution would be to have stimulus based on *financial* situation instead of race. That would help remedy injustice in the society.

No, I don't see that happening... GOPs only has a culture war agenda to sell (while protecting the interests of multi millionaires and billionaires)... and Dems are dumb as snuggle and want to keep discussing 50 types of gender.
 

[Jess from VA]

In my federal agency, race was used as a hiring quota requirement.

Having been assisted getting into schools (with lower scores and grades), passing classes, getting scholarships at the head of the line, many (but not all) could simply not perform the basic reading, writing and analysis required to perform the mission of our agency.  Journeymen like me were tasked with special tutoring (but with no credit toward my own quota goals), and ultimately journeymen had to do their work for them (which took less time and was more productive than teaching, which should have already been done).  

When it came time for evaluations, poor performance was not documented and (almost) no one was fired because no one wanted to be called a racist (not the bosses, and not the Agency leadership).  With this systemic failure a known, they kept the quotas going, hiring substandard entry level hires at public expense, and carrying them along, through promotions and careers.

Minority hires that turned out to be fully qualified were consistently promoted ahead of their peers. 

I appreciated the efforts at righting past wrongs (I really did), but I didn't appreciate having to do their (and my) work.

These policies did more to promote racial bias and hard feelings, than to alleviate past wrongs.

I'm sure this is an old story, but it bears repeating. 

[Patrick]

Don't we already have a stimulus  based on financial situations ?  I know about 5 decades of such a stimulus, its called welfare.

[Willow]

Savago, I answered no.  I did, however, read your thoughts.

A couple of points are missed.  If the slaves had not been brought here from Africa what would their descendants be experiencing or would they even be?  They were largely if not entirely prisoners of other Negro tribes.  Selling them to slave traders was financially beneficial but keeping them alive for no real purpose would not be practical.  Would they have been slaves to other Africans?

Are the descendants of slaves in the U.S. better off than the descendants of other Africans who remained in Africa?  If the average U.S. descendant of slaves is better off than if his ancestors had been left in Africa does that American black person owe reparations to the descendants of American slave holders?

Slave holders?  They were a minimum number of "whites" in the South of the U.S. and none of the "whites" in the North.  Some, a few, of the slave holders were not white at all.  If one thinks that "whites" owe reparations, which ones?   After the end of the War Between the States there were a number of people who offered to return ex-slaves to Africa.  I believe that was the beginning of Liberia.  If an ex-slave declines that offer and chose to remain in the U.S. does that ex-slave's descendants lose the eligibility for reparation?

I am all for everyone regardless of race having equal opportunity.  Does that mean everyone regardless of job or profession (or lack of employment) should get the same wage or salary?  I don't think so.  Karl Marx did but his ideas didn't play out so well.

There are many ironies involved in the thoughts of people who think racism can be solved by more racism.  Many of the folks who voted for Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris did so because they honestly feel that due to the inequity of black slaves being used in our history that it is about time we elected racial blacks to high office.  The irony of that is that none of the ancestors of Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris were slaves in America.

I had a good paying job.  I believe Savago also does.  I would not have been willing (I'm retired now) to simply step away from my employment, maybe take a job as a manual laborer, to give my job to the descendant of an ex-slave to improve the percentage.  On the other hand I would have no issue when competing for a job if another of any race was better qualified and chosen over me.

Any consideration of race in eligibility is an exercise in racism.  You don't eliminate racism by practicing more racism.

No, I do not think racially based reparations are needed or right.  I do think that one way we could improve the opportunities of the downtrodden of this country would be to disallow folks entering the U.S. from other countries and taking on well paying jobs.  

[Avanti]

I filled out a renewal forum for my drivers license two years ago. I wrote in “Human” where it asked for my race. They refused to put it on my license.

[Oss]

Slavery has been around for longer than recorded history

A conquered people could be wholly wiped out, the able made slaves or sold

In the bible a person may elect to remain property after being offered freedom  which means to me the world was a rough place then

In the last millenium arab slavers bought slaves from african tribes

The men were routinely castrated which means many many died and those with genitals who made it to slave ships were sent wherever men women and children Slavery still exists and the democratic party supports this by letting drug cartels bring people across the border. To claim otherwise is to deny the truth.  Child slavery is a worldwide problem  White and other race women and men are also slaves under the pretense of getting ahead or to this country or out of their country

Since I had the privilege of knowing so many holocaust survivors I shall point to the standard after WWII which was if you are still alive you may get reparations after that nada

That seems fair to me, the best revenge against Nazi facism is to bear many children and generations and to retell the stories,  Passover has nothing on the holocaust in my book

Stop teaching about racism and that white or any color is evil as kids do not know it until they are taught  Watch the kids in day care and in the park  Kids are smarter than many adults in this way

I am against racism, quotas, and any policy, no matter how well intentioned that enslaves people by telling them they are stupid or whatever

I am for voter id, for a strong border, for accountability and for supporting anyone who supports the Constitution in word AND deed

Flame away

[Patrick]

There are a whole lot of misconceptions regarding slavery.

New England states ended it by 1785, NYS being one of the last.

The first court trial was in Virginia about 1654-5 filed by a free black land owner. He claimed he had so much money and time invested in his black indentured servant that he could never break even and he should keep the servant for free for life. The court agreed. That then spread like wildfire overwhelming the courts.

There seems to be a lot of misconception of indentured servant vs slave. Most in this country were indentures and once that was paid off in free work to pay off the cost of passage they were released from  their contract.

Importation of slaves was outlawed by the Feds in 1808, but, many were still smuggled in ,
such as the La Amisted incident.

Is there racism in this country ? Yep, I still believe so. I grew up in the 50s and 60s. I was brought up to not be racist. We had 'minorities' work for us because they were the best at their jobs and I learned much from them. Good people. They taught me more than just how to fix a car.

One incident in high school, I sat next to a black girl in home room. We had great conversations and she was drop dead gorgeous. Nice girl. I was taken aside by the 'boys' and told that 'we' didn't do that. i pretty much told them where to go and probably lost what I thought were some friends at the time.

I hesitate to say it, but, I seem to find/see a lot of reverse racism today.  And I think its fueled by todays politics.

Once freed some ex-slaves stayed on and continued to work for their previous owners. Many also think that America is the only country to have slaves. Slavery was a way of life in other countries long before our country and continues to this day.

Liberia was mentioned. Lincoln didn't approve of slavery, but, also thought the slaves should be returned to their country. He obtained millions in gold to pay for doing so. The African country was then named Liberia for a reason. James Monroe, the countries capital named after him.

[MAD6Gun]

Well said. I’ve said for years that if they really wanted to end racism just remove ALL race boxes from ALL forms and policies. Stop any organization with ANY race in its name.

 Well said.

 I purchased a new handgun yesterday. The from 4473 for purchase changed a little since the last time I bought a firearm. While filling it out I came to the ethnicity line. I checked the box that said "white". After finishing the paperwork my dealer said I missed a box. I didn't check the "non Hispanic" box as well as the "white" box.  What? This is ridiculous. Why?

[Chrisj CMA]

This whole effort to “lift” people of color from where they are to where someone thinks they should be is racist on its face from the beginning. Case in point our lustrous new VP saying we can’t require voter ID because rural people of color cannot find the technology to get the ID. And president Biden said black and brown people don’t know how to use computers or the internet to “ get in line “ for the vaccine. Racist.

The idea that blacks cannot succeed without help from white people that others thrive without is insulting to black people.

Reparations have been paid in several forms for decades and it will never make the difference it’s designed to make. Free money from the government is in itself another form of slavery. It fosters dependence not independence.

Every effort to insure no one is denied opportunity based on race is important. Paying someone because their ancestors may or may not have been oppressed is insane.

[Jess from VA]

The D party (and their big tech and MSM and Education allies), using and constantly pushing race as an issue, is simply their way of turning people into their foot soldiers to push their agenda forward, against all logic, reason and common sense.  LGBT too.  Criminals too.  They don't do it for minority benefit, they do it for their own benefit.  The Party is everything, the Country is nothing. 

Carl Marx used common laboring people vrs business owners, but our middle class (while it still lasts) makes that not work. 

Divide and conquer.  The D party is a hate group, now funded by more wealthy people, organizations, corporations and universities than support conservatives.

The worst disease that ever infected America.   

[hubcapsc]

Reparations = All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to
                       the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the
                       State wherein they reside.

-Mike

[scooperhsd]

I'm strongly against the idea of reparations being paid to anyone. Besides, even IF we did them, the only people who should get them should be ones who actually were slaves - at this point, a very small number. Nothing for descendants.

[Skinhead]

Savago, I answered no.  I did, however, read your thoughts.

A couple of points are missed.  If the slaves had not been brought here from Africa what would their descendants be experiencing or would they even be?  They were largely if not entirely prisoners of other Negro tribes.  Selling them to slave traders was financially beneficial but keeping them alive for no real purpose would not be practical.  Would they have been slaves to other Africans?

Are the descendants of slaves in the U.S. better off than the descendants of other Africans who remained in Africa?  If the average U.S. descendant of slaves is better off than if his ancestors had been left in Africa does that American black person owe reparations to the descendants of American slave holders?

Slave holders?  They were a minimum number of "whites" in the South of the U.S. and none of the "whites" in the North.  Some, a few, of the slave holders were not white at all.  If one thinks that "whites" owe reparations, which ones?   After the end of the War Between the States there were a number of people who offered to return ex-slaves to Africa.  I believe that was the beginning of Liberia.  If an ex-slave declines that offer and chose to remain in the U.S. does that ex-slave's descendants lose the eligibility for reparation?

I am all for everyone regardless of race having equal opportunity.  Does that mean everyone regardless of job or profession (or lack of employment) should get the same wage or salary?  I don't think so.  Karl Marx did but his ideas didn't play out so well.

There are many ironies involved in the thoughts of people who think racism can be solved by more racism.  Many of the folks who voted for Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris did so because they honestly feel that due to the inequity of black slaves being used in our history that it is about time we elected racial blacks to high office.  The irony of that is that none of the ancestors of Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris were slaves in America.

I had a good paying job.  I believe Savago also does.  I would not have been willing (I'm retired now) to simply step away from my employment, maybe take a job as a manual laborer, to give my job to the descendant of an ex-slave to improve the percentage.  On the other hand I would have no issue when competing for a job if another of any race was better qualified and chosen over me.

Any consideration of race in eligibility is an exercise in racism.  You don't eliminate racism by practicing more racism.

No, I do not think racially based reparations are needed or right.  I do think that one way we could improve the opportunities of the downtrodden of this country would be to disallow folks entering the U.S. from other countries and taking on well paying jobs.  

I also answered no.  Regarding Carl's bolded comment above, I have a question for Savago, Why does it have to be obama or harris that will save the poor blacks, who for years were the victims of my "white privilege"?  Why couldn't Allen West, Ben Carson, Condelisa Rice, or Candice Owens (any of which in MHO are eminently more qualified) do the job?  The answer is simple, they are conservatives and are not intent on promoting racism as are the dems and the left.

I'm strongly against the idea of reparations being paid to anyone. Besides, even IF we did them, the only people who should get them should be ones who actually were slaves - at this point, a very small number. Nothing for descendants.

I agree.  Almost every ethnic group, has been exploited at some time in this country's history.  The Native Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Irish, Italians.  Maybe they weren't "slaves", but I believe it was the content of their character and desire to be self reliant and successful that allowed them to over come that chapter of their history.  In the case of several blacks, I think the government has done them a huge dis-service by disrupting their family structure, encouraging bad behavior by accepting it as "cultural differences", and promoting unqualified people simply based on their skin color, setting them up for failure.   Let people succeed or fail based on their ability, decision making, and determination.  End the practice of rewarding bad behavior and poor life choices base on race.

[..]

Let's not worry about current slavery. Idiots.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-that-still-have-slavery

The ignorance of voters is astounding.

https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/1038/what-other-countries-besides-the-us-participated-in-keeping-african-slaves

[Robert]

One of the first slave owners in the US was black.   

It was not the USA and its leaders that for the most part did not want to abolish slavery.

If you would read your history maybe you would come away with a different perspective.

I dont know to many here that have not worked for what they have. There are no free hand outs and most got there by their own initiative. I respect people who do this and dont rely on handouts from those that do work for my living. Money isn't free, it comes from somewhere and most of the time it comes from those who can afford it the least. I tell you what, as soon as BLM and the Dems make reparations for the damage that they have done in the name of liberty I would be open to discuss this topic. Other wise we are a society that applauds fairness in all areas, if you can prove the damage done to current generations of black or white from the policies of the past then we can talk about it.

I would also like to add that people like the Vietnam vets should claim this also since there is a proven loss of money, jobs and life from a declared limited war that took much life and lively hoods.

[Chrisj CMA]

@Savago. Ok, yes blacks were brought here to be slaves. It’s a matter of history. However many slaves that either escaped or were released went on to have success lives with children down the line that were successful.

Thousands of immigrants come here with not much more than the clothes on their backs and have to learn English, overcome racism and they somehow thrive and their kids go on to lead successful lives.

They succeed because they have a drive to succeed and a culture that doesn't encourage lawlessness. Their kids learn the value of hard work and oppression does not become a multi generational trajectory.

If anyone can’t work hard and gain what they need and what they want it’s because they don’t want it bad enough. No amount of money will change that and white people today didn’t cause some blacks to become dependent on the government. To rely on lawlessness to survive and therefore we don’t owe a debt to blacks for century old circumstances.

Instead of encouraging looting and shoplifting we should reward getting a job and following the law. At the same time punish lawlessness strongly enough that it deters those from engaging in it. People living in a culture of crime and violence will not straighten up and fly straight because they have a pocket full of cash. That’s just crazy.

[f6gal]

My idea of reparations.  One way ticket to their motherland.  If they think they would be better off, go for it.

[Bret SD]

I've always said that people who are obsessed with race are the true racists. As far as reparations go I have to say I'm in the no column, I didn't own any slaves and don't know anybody who did. Perhaps the families of the Union Soldiers who died freeing the slaves should get reparations.

My girl is Japanese, I have talked to her family on several occasions about the time they spent in the internment camps during World War II. Not only were they thrown into the camps, all of their possessions were confiscated including houses Etc. When my girlfriend's father was buying their house the neighbors had to sign off on whether it was okay to have a Japanese family move onto the street, they did sign off on it. Those very same Neighbors took them in after they were released from the camps and they worked very hard to get back to a normal life. They didn't piss and moan and complain, they just got down to work and did what they had to do.

I've seen racism from every single race since I was a little kid, living on the Southside of Chicago there were many different neighborhoods with people of many different races and nationalities. I had friends of all Races and my dad employed them as well. I've always judged people by the content of their character and I could care less what their skin color is.

[..]

My idea of reparations.  One way ticket to their motherland.  If they think they would be better off, go for it.

Those promoting it get to go first.

[G-Man]

......... white people today didn’t cause some blacks to become dependent on the government.

Oh yes they did ! ! !

White Liberal/Progressives, knee deep in union horse manure, create policies that keep entire neighborhoods dependent on gov't.  They give them enough to survive but not enough to thrive.  They remove CHOICES.  The removed school choices so children can't get ahead and have to go to school in fear, they removed after school care choices so kids are out on the streets and being influenced.  They divided the family by sending pot smokers to jail in certain neighborhoods who have to rely on overworked, underpaid public defenders.  They took money out of welfare checks if a man is living in the home.  They made abortion on demand free.  The liberal/progressive policies turned around a community where 75% of the homes had two parents into a community where 75% of the kids are living in single family homes. 

All due to white, liberal/progressive schmucks.

Keep them stupid and dependent.

[Patrick]

My idea of reparations.  One way ticket to their motherland.  If they think they would be better off, go for it.

Yep, this has been brought up here and other places several times.

I've offered to help pay for their tickets as long as they agree to never return.

I believe people in this country should thank their ancestors for the opportunity for them to be able to be  born in this country.

[JimC]

......... white people today didn’t cause some blacks to become dependent on the government.

I disagree, welfare was by design meant to help poor people. But what it did was create a whole new class of victims. Prior to welfare our country had for the most part a society of people centered around the family, and the church, when you needed help.

Since welfare, the family, in mostly poor areas, started to disintegrate. Mothers got paid more for each child they had both in welfare and food stamps. What that did was move the nucleus away from family and church, toward the hand out. Fathers started to think that they were no longer needed as the government took over their role.

It is sad, but I see no way out of the mess that the government created.

Jim   

[scooperhsd]

JimC - you just need to have the imagination to turn off the welfare, and IF you have to have welfare, put some realistic limits.

1. Government doesn't pay any more for 10 kids as they do for 2 kids. Or maybe put it on a sliding scale  - 1st kid gets X, 2nd adds 10%, 3rd adds 10 percent of 2nd kid, etc. so it very quickly goes to zero for the next kid. This might force some families to ask for private assistance....(churches and other such organizations...)
2. Same for food stamps.
3. I would much rather pay for childcare for these families so they can make a living wage working rather than living on the dole.
4. Take all incentive away from social workers that rewards them for having more "clients".

You get the idea - make living on welfare the absolute worst stigma out there.

[The emperor has no clothes]

JimC - you just need to have the imagination to turn off the welfare, and IF you have to have welfare, put some realistic limits.

1. Government doesn't pay any more for 10 kids as they do for 2 kids. Or maybe put it on a sliding scale  - 1st kid gets X, 2nd adds 10%, 3rd adds 10 percent of 2nd kid, etc. so it very quickly goes to zero for the next kid. This might force some families to ask for private assistance....(churches and other such organizations...)
2. Same for food stamps.
3. I would much rather pay for childcare for these families so they can make a living wage working rather than living on the dole.
4. Take all incentive away from social workers that rewards them for having more "clients".

You get the idea - make living on welfare the absolute worst stigma out there.

https://www.thoughtco.com/who-really-receives-welfare-4126592

[Chrisj CMA]

......... white people today didn’t cause some blacks to become dependent on the government.

I disagree, welfare was by design meant to help poor people. But what it did was create a whole new class of victims. Prior to welfare our country had for the most part a society of people centered around the family, and the church, when you needed help.

Since welfare, the family, in mostly poor areas, started to disintegrate. Mothers got paid more for each child they had both in welfare and food stamps. What that did was move the nucleus away from family and church, toward the hand out. Fathers started to think that they were no longer needed as the government took over their role.

It is sad, but I see no way out of the mess that the government created.

Jim   

I understand the dependency thing. But it also boils down to character and upbringing. My daughter went on government assistance/ food stamps and section 8 housing for a couple years but she saw it for what it was. Assistance and worked hard to get off. Now she pays her way. I have to believe when they started welfare they didn’t intend on so many making it a full time career!

[Oss]

look up senator moynahan   a liberal who realized what would happen

but he was a lone voice

Gary  WTF man return the calls I make on your phone  We need you for poker game but you are awol

[Patrick]

Many things are started with good intentions. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Once a government program is started it never seems to end, it just keeps getting fatter and those running it need to create/expand their own empires.

[3fan4life]

The sad part is that the so called "Woke" crowd has strayed so far from Dr Kings dream. The way that they have adulterated his dream probably has him rolling over in his grave:

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men - yes, black men as well as white men - would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked insufficient funds.

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt.

We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to his hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.

Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.
Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. 1963 is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.

There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.

And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, when will you be satisfied? We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.


We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their selfhood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: for whites only.

We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our Northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day down in Alabama with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, one day right down in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning: My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: Free at last. Free at last. Thank God almighty, we are free at last.

Dr. Kings I Have A Dream Speech should be required reading in any class about racism in America.

In it he lays out the problems and atrocities that were racism.

He also lays out the solution.

And it doesn't lay in dividing the races but rather in uniting them.


I truly believe that everyone should have a fair chance in life.

Whether they seize that chance and make the most of it or whether they squander it is entirely up to them.

If they should choose to squander it, then "So be it", that was their choice and they should suffer the consequences.

[3fan4life]

In 1911 Booker T. Washington wrote:

There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs-partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.

I guess one current example of racism is the fact that now elite whites are taking the jobs of the blacks mentioned in the above quote...

Booker T. Washington was a Great Man.

He worked hard and overcame adversity, True Adversity!

His homeplace is a national monument very near to my home.

I always thought when Barrack Obama was President that he should've made an official visit there.

I can't think of a better example than Booker T. Washington to hold up to the black youth of America.

He is the ultimate example of how hard work and perseverance can pay off.

I have come to believe that the powers to be on the left do not want black people to succeed.

Rather they want them to be dependent upon the government for their very existence.

Make no mistake about it, this is slavery.



 

[Patrick]

Frederick Douglass lived in Rochester NY [ as well DC when famous] .  The WOKErs in this area got all caught up in the statue tipping craze and even destroyed the one for him. These idiots have no idea who this man was.

[carolinarider09]

3fan4life stated:

"I have come to believe that the powers to be on the left do not want black people to succeed.

Rather they want them to be dependent upon the government for their very existence.

Make no mistake about it, this is slavery."


And I agree whole heartedly.  It is "divide and conquer".   It is a plan to make us look at each other as different.  We are being made to believe that we are not "Americans" but this race and that race. 

Divide and conquer is a Democrat mantra, although they will not say that but you only have to look at their actions.

[..]

3fan4life stated:

"I have come to believe that the powers to be on the left do not want black people to succeed.

Rather they want them to be dependent upon the government for their very existence.

Make no mistake about it, this is slavery."


And I agree whole heartedly.  It is "divide and conquer".   It is a plan to make us look at each other as different.  We are being made to believe that we are not "Americans" but this race and that race. 

Divide and conquer is a Democrat mantra, although they will not say that but you only have to look at their actions.

To start with tell your politicians to stop using

African-American
Polish-American
Irish-
Scottish-
Italian-

etc etc

Turn it around. American first!!!

[Romeo]

Savago, I answered no.  I did, however, read your thoughts.

A couple of points are missed.  If the slaves had not been brought here from Africa what would their descendants be experiencing or would they even be?  They were largely if not entirely prisoners of other Negro tribes.  Selling them to slave traders was financially beneficial but keeping them alive for no real purpose would not be practical.  Would they have been slaves to other Africans?

Are the descendants of slaves in the U.S. better off than the descendants of other Africans who remained in Africa?  If the average U.S. descendant of slaves is better off than if his ancestors had been left in Africa does that American black person owe reparations to the descendants of American slave holders?

Slave holders?  They were a minimum number of "whites" in the South of the U.S. and none of the "whites" in the North.  Some, a few, of the slave holders were not white at all.  If one thinks that "whites" owe reparations, which ones?   After the end of the War Between the States there were a number of people who offered to return ex-slaves to Africa.  I believe that was the beginning of Liberia.  If an ex-slave declines that offer and chose to remain in the U.S. does that ex-slave's descendants lose the eligibility for reparation?

I am all for everyone regardless of race having equal opportunity.  Does that mean everyone regardless of job or profession (or lack of employment) should get the same wage or salary?  I don't think so.  Karl Marx did but his ideas didn't play out so well.

There are many ironies involved in the thoughts of people who think racism can be solved by more racism.  Many of the folks who voted for Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris did so because they honestly feel that due to the inequity of black slaves being used in our history that it is about time we elected racial blacks to high office.  The irony of that is that none of the ancestors of Barrack Obama or Kamala Harris were slaves in America.

I had a good paying job.  I believe Savago also does.  I would not have been willing (I'm retired now) to simply step away from my employment, maybe take a job as a manual laborer, to give my job to the descendant of an ex-slave to improve the percentage.  On the other hand I would have no issue when competing for a job if another of any race was better qualified and chosen over me.

Any consideration of race in eligibility is an exercise in racism.  You don't eliminate racism by practicing more racism.

No, I do not think racially based reparations are needed or right.  I do think that one way we could improve the opportunities of the downtrodden of this country would be to disallow folks entering the U.S. from other countries and taking on well paying jobs.  

once again Car, you hit the nail squarely on the head. Thank you for your thoughtful, well informed response.

[f6gal]

White Liberal/Progressives, knee deep in union horse manure, create policies that keep entire neighborhoods dependent on gov't.  They give them enough to survive but not enough to thrive.  They remove CHOICES.  The removed school choices so children can't get ahead and have to go to school in fear, they removed after school care choices so kids are out on the streets and being influenced.  They divided the family by sending pot smokers to jail in certain neighborhoods who have to rely on overworked, underpaid public defenders.  They took money out of welfare checks if a man is living in the home.  They made abortion on demand free.  The liberal/progressive policies turned around a community where 75% of the homes had two parents into a community where 75% of the kids are living in single family homes. 

All due to white, liberal/progressive schmucks.

Keep them stupid and dependent.

^^^^
EXACTLY!!  Created dependence for political gain.  Slave mentality... cradle to grave.

[Patrick]

Yep, and many are more than willing to accept it as a way of life. Its been going on here for 60 years and being passed on for generations.