So did I, which is why I was careful to include Obama and his supporters in my analysis. Obama has no bigger supporters than GE, NBC, and MSNBC. It was NBC who doctored the recording of Zimmerman's conversation with a police dispatcher to make Zimmerman sound like a racist. It was the media who repeatedly juxtaposed a photo of a 12-year old Trayvon Martin against an old mug shot of George Zimmerman.

 

Justice has not been served in the case of Zimmerman because he should never have been charged in the first place. Had the media shown the photo of Zimmerman with an obviously broken nose and the bloody photos of the back of his head as often as they showed the photo of Martin as a young child, the public outrage over the decision not to charge Zimmerman with a crime would not have occurred.

 

Whether you agree with the verdict or not, the decision by the Obama administration to continue to consider filing a federal hate crime charge against George Zimmerman, despite the results of its own FBI investigation and despite Zimmerman being acquitted in the face of a very biased state prosecutor and judge, smacks of politics more than justice.

 

The public outcry was manufactured for political reasons by selective editing of the media's "message" and the withholding of exculpatory evidence from both the public (while the public outcry was being generated) and from Zimmerman's defense team. No evidence was presented that suggested Zimmerman racially profiled Martin.

 

Martin was walking in the wet grass during a shower near apartment buildings, late at night, in a high-crime neighborhood. Do you not believe that many white people have been reported as "prowlers" for similar behavior? I live in an apartment complex and if a "child" between 5'11" (ME's measurement) and 6'2" (family's claim) walks in the rain, late at night, within a feet of my patio door and then continues on a path taking him past my neighbors' windows anddoors, I am going to report him, regardless of the color of his skin. Why so many people find it so hard to believe Zimmerman found Martin's behavior suspicious is probably the most difficult thing for me to understand about the incident.

 

To believe that is Trayvon Martin had been a volunteer neighborhood watch guy who called police about a Hispanic man behaving suspiciously in his neighborhood and subsequently shot the Hispanic man in self defense after said man broke his nose and pounded his head into the sidewalk is naive. Even if he had been charged, the reaction by race baiters like Sharpton would have been so swift, the charges would have been quickly dropped. Martin's willingness to step up to the plate to help police fight crime in his neighborhood would have been portrayed entirely differently than it was when the media believed Zimmerman was white, and then later decided that he was a "white-Hispanic."

 

As for justice, trying a 16-year old "youth" in family court for killing a 51-year old man who was guilty of nothing but standing on a sidewalk is not justice. The "flash mob" crimes that are commonly reported in local media are rarely mentioned in national headlines. How many participants in such crimes do you think are actually brought to justice? How many 16 or 17 year black "kds" who play the Knockout "game" are ever tried as adults? Most white Americans have no idea of the scale of such random black on white crimes in this country because the national media simply refuses to give it the coverage that it deserves.

 

In contrast, George Zimmerman was mistaken for a white man, was acquitted of a crime, and now must fear for his life because of the racists who would kill him on sight. If you believe that is justice, then you are naive.

 

I see racism in this country, but I see it as a two-way street. Liberal policies in this country are destroying inner city neighborhoods and politicians like Obama are stoking the fires of racism to divert attention away from the real culprits. Jobs are a great equalizer in this nation and there are too few of them available to persons of color, and talking about white racism (as opposed to racism in general) is not going to put anybody to work.

 

And herein lies the problem. I understand both sides of the story. Always have. My difficulty in discussing racism is people who only continue to see one side of the story.

 

Why is naive to believe that in my hypothetical that I presented where GZ and TM switched places? Please explain that in depth to me. All I did is switch the roles of the people involved. That's naive? How is a hypothetical naive? Please break that down for me.

 

You seem so caught up in defending racism that you are missing important points being made. You're not even trying to understand why blacks feel and act the way they do towards racism. That's half of the problem of racial relations right there.

I know of a case personally, a friend's son and his friend were attacked in Cincinnati near the bridge waiting for a ride after working a ball game, got jumped twice in the span of 30 minutes (their friend was late picking them up) by 2 separate groups of black youths. All the cops said was they likely won't find them and to consider themselves lucky.

 

My bad. I guess some blacks not named OJ do get away with crimes. Naive on my part. I'm sure at some point the guilty parties will end up dead or in jail. Just like OJ did. They always do. Guys that act like that don't mysteriously straighten up. I hate the people who accosted your friends got away. I guess I shouldn't have said justice is never served but it is served more often than not.

My humble opinion is that there are many (including some on here) who are way to quick to throw the "racist" tag, that is has been used so much and in some cases in such ridiculous ways that it has become the boy who cried wolf. I know that there are still instances of real racism that occur. I believe though that the racist card has been played so much that many (myself included) are very skeptical when racist claims are made.

 

As long as people like Al Sharpton (who has made totally false claims of racism in the past) are given a bully pulpit it will be very hard for me personally to take any claims they make seriously.

My bad. I guess some blacks not named OJ do get away with crimes. Naive on my part. I'm sure at some point the guilty parties will end up dead or in jail. Just like OJ did. They always do. Guys that act like that don't mysteriously straighten up. I hate the people who accosted your friends got away. I guess I shouldn't have said justice is never served but it is served more often than not.

Agreed. sooner or later it'll catch up with them.

And herein lies the problem. I understand both sides of the story. Always have. My difficulty in discussing racism is people who only continue to see one side of the story.

 

Why is naive to believe that in my hypothetical that I presented where GZ and TM switched places? Please explain that in depth to me. All I did is switch the roles of the people involved. That's naive? How is a hypothetical naive? Please break that down for me.

 

You seem so caught up in defending racism that you are missing important points being made. You're not even trying to understand why blacks feel and act the way they do towards racism. That's half of the problem of racial relations right there.

You opened the naivete can of worms. I have already explained why I believe that people who say that had the roles been reversed, Martin would have been charged and convicted. His behavior was suspicious, and the reason that it was suspicious had nothing to do with the color of his skin.

 

I have in no way defended racism. I recognize racism when I read it, and the "article" that you posted is a good example of it. Certainly racism exists among many white people in this country and it is prudent for black Americans to recognize that fact. My point is, and I believe that the evidence supports it, Obama and his administration have made matters worse by attempting to drive a wedges between minorities and whites. I have posted poll results and links to articles to support my positions. You have posted nothing but the opinion of a single BET columnist to support your's.

 

So because I disagree with the opinion of a BET author (an opinion that you apparently share) and opine that justice was served in the Zimmerman case by the jury's verdict, you insult me by accusing me of defending racism. Seriously? I am not surprised to see the race card played. It is politically incorrect to suggest that black racism is a serious and largely unreported problem in this country.

 

In hindsight, Zimmerman should have stayed in his vehicle but he broke no law in getting out and he broke no law in defending himself against an attacker. In this country, the justice system is charged with determining whether defendants committed the crimes with which they are charged beyond reasonable doubt. The state failed to meet that burden against Zimmerman. Defending the system for working as it was designed is not defending racism.

 

Anytime people resort to playing the race card instead of presenting evidence to support their debating points, they lose all credibility.

You opened the naivete can of worms. I have already explained why I believe that people who say that had the roles been reversed, Martin would have been charged and convicted. His behavior was suspicious, and the reason that it was suspicious had nothing to do with the color of his skin.

 

I have in no way defended racism. I recognize racism when I read it, and the "article" that you posted is a good example of it. Certainly racism exists among many white people in this country and it is prudent for black Americans to recognize that fact. My point is, and I believe that the evidence supports it, Obama and his administration have made matters worse by attempting to drive a wedges between minorities and whites. I have posted poll results and links to articles to support my positions. You have posted nothing but the opinion of a single BET columnist to support your's.

 

So because I disagree with the opinion of a BET author (an opinion that you apparently share) and opine that justice was served in the Zimmerman case by the jury's verdict, you insult me by accusing me of defending racism. Seriously? I am not surprised to see the race card played. It is politically incorrect to suggest that black racism is a serious and largely unreported problem in this country.

 

In hindsight, Zimmerman should have stayed in his vehicle but he broke no law in getting out and he broke no law in defending himself against an attacker. In this country, the justice system is charged with determining whether defendants committed the crimes with which they are charged beyond reasonable doubt. The state failed to meet that burden against Zimmerman. Defending the system for working as it was designed is not defending racism.

 

Anytime people resort to playing the race card instead of presenting evidence to support their debating points, they lose all credibility.

 

And I still say if the roles were revered and GZ was black and TM was Hispanic then GZ would still be in jail. You twisted a simple hypothetical and made it complicated. At this point I am not sure if you even understand the hypothetical as I presented it. You can choose to believe otherwise if you want which at this point it is obvious you will.

 

Your whole post again illustrates the inability of some Americans to have a discussion about race. You're insulted? Where am I trying to prove points or debate them? I'm trying to understand your points but keep getting confused. Have you read any posts in this thread besides your own after your initial post? Did you see where I said the author made some important points and where others said his magnet analogy is spot on. This is where frustration kicks in. Do you even attempt to understand what the author said and why he said or do you just read it and scream racism? What you're doing is no different than Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when they start race hustling. You see something you don't agree with and scream racism. Please show me where I said I agree with everything the author said. Please show me where I said the author was right. Please show me where I said I share his opinion. Go back and read the whole thread before you start with assumptions. You kill the whole discussion when you jump to conclusions.

 

Your evidence to support the Obama administration's divide and conquer strategy is polls? That's what you got as evidence? Hell, the author has polls and links to polls and stories that support his opinion. Polls? You kidding me? You lose all credibility when you use polls to support your opinion which you try to transform to fact. I can show you polls where people think Reagan was out to systematically destroy black people. I guess because the polls say it that was Reagan's mission while in office.

 

 

You're insulted? Please. A black dude tries to share an article written by another black guy and tries to have an open minded discussion about race relations in America. I apologize. I shouldn't have said you're defending racism. You aren't. You're just close minded when it comes to racism.

 

Great discussion.

And I still say if the roles were revered and GZ was black and TM was Hispanic then GZ would still be in jail. You twisted a simple hypothetical and made it complicated. At this point I am not sure if you even understand the hypothetical as I presented it. You can choose to believe otherwise if you want which at this point it is obvious you will.

 

Your whole post again illustrates the inability of some Americans to have a discussion about race. You're insulted? Where am I trying to prove points or debate them? I'm trying to understand your points but keep getting confused. Have you read any posts in this thread besides your own after your initial post? Did you see where I said the author made some important points and where others said his magnet analogy is spot on. This is where frustration kicks in. Do you even attempt to understand what the author said and why he said or do you just read it and scream racism? What you're doing is no different than Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson when they start race hustling. You see something you don't agree with and scream racism. Please show me where I said I agree with everything the author said. Please show me where I said the author was right. Please show me where I said I share his opinion. Go back and read the whole thread before you start with assumptions. You kill the whole discussion when you jump to conclusions.

 

Your evidence to support the Obama administration's divide and conquer strategy is polls? That's what you got as evidence? Hell, the author has polls and links to polls and stories that support his opinion. Polls? You kidding me? You lose all credibility when you use polls to support your opinion which you try to transform to fact. I can show you polls where people think Reagan was out to systematically destroy black people. I guess because the polls say it that was Reagan's mission while in office.

 

 

You're insulted? Please. A black dude tries to share an article written by another black guy and tries to have an open minded discussion about race relations in America. I apologize. I shouldn't have said you're defending racism. You aren't. You're just close minded when it comes to racism.

 

Great discussion.

The article that you posted was not particularly well written or difficult to understand. The author posted some poll results and concluded that the results of those polls shows that there is a huge problem with white racism that would not be solved until whites "examine their own racial privilege."

 

Do you think that I never experienced store employees following me when I was a kid, or that white people only remember to lock their car doors when black men approach their cars? Because our president, who led a pretty privileged life growing up in Hawaii and attending private schools, seems to believe.

 

As for the polls to which I posted links, those polls were provided to support my position that race relations have deteriorated over the past five years - a fact that I believe is indisputable. As for the evidence of racial bias shown by this administration, do you really need to be reminded? Start with the two New Black Panther Party thugs who were captured on video attempting to intimidate white voters at a Philadelphia polling place. They had already agreed to a plea bargain, but Eric Holder decided to drop all charges against them.

 

Next take the Zimmerman case. The Obama administration publicly pressured the state of Florida to intercede in a local law enforcement matter, including a public statement by President Obama that alleged that racism was involved. The Justice Department dispatched FBI agents to Florida, who interviewed at least three dozen people in search of evidence that Zimmerman was a racist. The investigation turned up no evidence. Now that Zimmerman has been acquitted, Obama and his administration are still keeping the issue on the front burner and the Justice Department, under pressure from the NCCCP and other predominately black organizations, is still contemplating filing a federal civil rights action against Zimmerman. Harvard law professor (and former OJ Dream Team member), Alan Dershowitz, says that Zimmerman is the party whose civil rights have been violated in this case. He believes that the prosecutor should be disbarred for her actions in the case. If Zimmerman had been black and acquitted of all charges against him, do you think that the Justice Department would be harassing him in this manner? Of course not.

 

I have already mentioned Obama's idiotic comment about the Boston PD proper handling of the situation involving his black professor friend. If I lock myself out of my house and a policeman witnesses me trying to break into my own home, I want him to demand that I identify myself. How about you? Would you rather that the patrol car just assume that you are not a burglar? The "Beer Summit" was an insult to all parties. Obama owed the officers involved, one of whom was black, and the entire Boston Police Department a public apology. None was forthcoming.

 

Another example of the Obama administration's racial bias is its refusal to respect a recent Supreme Court Decision on the Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department has filed suit demanding that Texas pre-clear any changes to its voting laws on the basis that Texas discriminates against voters. Obama and Holder have been very active in fighting any attempts by states to combat voter fraud. In a nation that requires citizens to show photo IDs to enter many government buildings, use a credit card, or register for school, it is hard for most Americans to understand the Obama's administration's objections to photo ID requirements for voters. When I go to the restroom, I have to prove my identity before I can return to my desk - but I should not have to prove that I am who I claim to be before casting a vote?

 

As for being closed minded to racism, you are entitled to your opinion, but nothing you have written here indicates that you are open-minded yourself. There are no legal barriers preventing black Americans from becoming as successful as any other group of Americans. Spending so much time dwelling on the relatively low percentage of whites who are true racists is an obstacle to achievement. I believe that racism is at least as prevalent among black Americans as it is among white Americans (and there is data to support that position), but the Obama administration has been focused entirely on what it considers white racism. I personally do not believe that Obama and Holder believe that white racism is the huge problem that they portray - after all both men are Ivy League graduates - but it is a wedge issue that helps Democrats keep most blacks united behind the party.

The article that you posted was not particularly well written or difficult to understand. The author posted some poll results and concluded that the results of those polls shows that there is a huge problem with white racism that would not be solved until whites "examine their own racial privilege."

 

Do you think that I never experienced store employees following me when I was a kid, or that white people only remember to lock their car doors when black men approach their cars? Because our president, who led a pretty privileged life growing up in Hawaii and attending private schools, seems to believe.

 

As for the polls to which I posted links, those polls were provided to support my position that race relations have deteriorated over the past five years - a fact that I believe is indisputable. As for the evidence of racial bias shown by this administration, do you really need to be reminded? Start with the two New Black Panther Party thugs who were captured on video attempting to intimidate white voters at a Philadelphia polling place. They had already agreed to a plea bargain, but Eric Holder decided to drop all charges against them.

 

Next take the Zimmerman case. The Obama administration publicly pressured the state of Florida to intercede in a local law enforcement matter, including a public statement by President Obama that alleged that racism was involved. The Justice Department dispatched FBI agents to Florida, who interviewed at least three dozen people in search of evidence that Zimmerman was a racist. The investigation turned up no evidence. Now that Zimmerman has been acquitted, Obama and his administration are still keeping the issue on the front burner and the Justice Department, under pressure from the NCCCP and other predominately black organizations, is still contemplating filing a federal civil rights action against Zimmerman. Harvard law professor (and former OJ Dream Team member), Alan Dershowitz, says that Zimmerman is the party whose civil rights have been violated in this case. He believes that the prosecutor should be disbarred for her actions in the case. If Zimmerman had been black and acquitted of all charges against him, do you think that the Justice Department would be harassing him in this manner? Of course not.

 

I have already mentioned Obama's idiotic comment about the Boston PD proper handling of the situation involving his black professor friend. If I lock myself out of my house and a policeman witnesses me trying to break into my own home, I want him to demand that I identify myself. How about you? Would you rather that the patrol car just assume that you are not a burglar? The "Beer Summit" was an insult to all parties. Obama owed the officers involved, one of whom was black, and the entire Boston Police Department a public apology. None was forthcoming.

 

Another example of the Obama administration's racial bias is its refusal to respect a recent Supreme Court Decision on the Voting Rights Act. The Justice Department has filed suit demanding that Texas pre-clear any changes to its voting laws on the basis that Texas discriminates against voters. Obama and Holder have been very active in fighting any attempts by states to combat voter fraud. In a nation that requires citizens to show photo IDs to enter many government buildings, use a credit card, or register for school, it is hard for most Americans to understand the Obama's administration's objections to photo ID requirements for voters. When I go to the restroom, I have to prove my identity before I can return to my desk - but I should not have to prove that I am who I claim to be before casting a vote?

 

As for being closed minded to racism, you are entitled to your opinion, but nothing you have written here indicates that you are open-minded yourself. There are no legal barriers preventing black Americans from becoming as successful as any other group of Americans. Spending so much time dwelling on the relatively low percentage of whites who are true racists is an obstacle to achievement. I believe that racism is at least as prevalent among black Americans as it is among white Americans (and there is data to support that position), but the Obama administration has been focused entirely on what it considers white racism. I personally do not believe that Obama and Holder believe that white racism is the huge problem that they portray - after all both men are Ivy League graduates - but it is a wedge issue that helps Democrats keep most blacks united behind the party.

 

 

I mentioned earlier in the thread that the article made some good points but that it didn't go as deep into the issue as I had hoped. I never once said this was Pulitzer material. Simply shared an article I found interesting.

 

You ever been followed around a store as an adult? You ever wandered around a car lot waiting for someone to acknowledge you knowing damn well they see you yet when the white couple arrives 15 minutes after you did they are at their car before they lock to help them? You ever watched someone clutch their purse when you step in the elevator? Have you ever heard someone lock their car doors when you walk by? You ever have people mistakenly assume the only reason you are in college is because of a minority scholarship? You ever have black people look at you and your wife while you are out and give you a look of disgust as if you has shamed them and their people? You ever have black people tell you that you act white? You ever have black people call you an Oreo every time they see you because of your 'white' characteristics? You ever have black people tell you that you talk white? You ever have black people accuse you of turning your back on them when you get in a position of authority and you couldn't give them what they wanted because they were black?

 

I have. Notice I left out the blatant racist experiences and that they come from both sides of the spectrum. Black and white. I'm one of the more open minded black perspectives you'll ever come across. I still can't get you to answer my most fundamental question that I have been asking you from the jump. Do you understand why blacks feel the way the writer felt when he wrote that article? It's a simple question. Understanding why people feel the way they do is what opens the door to quality discussion. How am I close minded when I am telling you I understand what you are saying? How am I close minded when I am telling you I understand how you feel?

 

I don't agree that Obama is playing divide and conquer anymore than Reagan or the Bushes did. I think Obama has made some bad decisions and has definitely bowed to pressure from the NAACP in some cases as well. I'm sure he's not the first president to bow down to pressure from a civil group. I didn't know that Holder exonerated the fellas from The New Black Panther Party. Why he would align with those dudes is beyond me but I think we all know Holder has made more questionable decisions than anyone in the Obama Administration.

 

I think the important thing to remember is that it was just 40-50 years ago that segregation and discrimination were fully functional in this country. There are still people alive who still feel that sting. It doesn't take much to set them off. Some of those people, Maxine Waters for example, will never be able to separate race from a lot of things. It doesn't mean everything she says is crap and every now and then she and others like Sharpton and Jackson may make a good point. It's unfortunate that they have created so much ill will that no one will listen to anything they say at all. I think Americans overall would be surprised at how many blacks over the age of 50 still don't trust America.

 

 

I'd bet money Obama doesn't want the justice department to file charges on GZ. He saves face just by having them look into it. He has enough problems to deal with without having the NAACP calling him out everyday because that is what would happen. He has to do and say those things and it has nothing to do with keeping the party together. It's to keep his sanity together.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that the article made some good points but that it didn't go as deep into the issue as I had hoped. I never once said this was Pulitzer material. Simply shared an article I found interesting.

 

You ever been followed around a store as an adult? You ever wandered around a car lot waiting for someone to acknowledge you knowing damn well they see you yet when the white couple arrives 15 minutes after you did they are at their car before they lock to help them? You ever watched someone clutch their purse when you step in the elevator? Have you ever heard someone lock their car doors when you walk by? You ever have people mistakenly assume the only reason you are in college is because of a minority scholarship? You ever have black people look at you and your wife while you are out and give you a look of disgust as if you has shamed them and their people? You ever have black people tell you that you act white? You ever have black people call you an Oreo every time they see you because of your 'white' characteristics? You ever have black people tell you that you talk white? You ever have black people accuse you of turning your back on them when you get in a position of authority and you couldn't give them what they wanted because they were black?

 

I have. Notice I left out the blatant racist experiences and that they come from both sides of the spectrum. Black and white. I'm one of the more open minded black perspectives you'll ever come across. I still can't get you to answer my most fundamental question that I have been asking you from the jump. Do you understand why blacks feel the way the writer felt when he wrote that article? It's a simple question. Understanding why people feel the way they do is what opens the door to quality discussion. How am I close minded when I am telling you I understand what you are saying? How am I close minded when I am telling you I understand how you feel?

 

I don't agree that Obama is playing divide and conquer anymore than Reagan or the Bushes did. I think Obama has made some bad decisions and has definitely bowed to pressure from the NAACP in some cases as well. I'm sure he's not the first president to bow down to pressure from a civil group. I didn't know that Holder exonerated the fellas from The New Black Panther Party. Why he would align with those dudes is beyond me but I think we all know Holder has made more questionable decisions than anyone in the Obama Administration.

 

I think the important thing to remember is that it was just 40-50 years ago that segregation and discrimination were fully functional in this country. There are still people alive who still feel that sting. It doesn't take much to set them off. Some of those people, Maxine Waters for example, will never be able to separate race from a lot of things. It doesn't mean everything she says is crap and every now and then she and others like Sharpton and Jackson may make a good point. It's unfortunate that they have created so much ill will that no one will listen to anything they say at all. I think Americans overall would be surprised at how many blacks over the age of 50 still don't trust America.

 

 

I'd bet money Obama doesn't want the justice department to file charges on GZ. He saves face just by having them look into it. He has enough problems to deal with without having the NAACP calling him out everyday because that is what would happen. He has to do and say those things and it has nothing to do with keeping the party together. It's to keep his sanity together.

Excellent post, PP92. I agree with some of what you are saying and disagree with much of it as well, but thank you for clarifying your opinion. We agree on more points that I thought. Obviously, as a white man I cannot say that I have experienced everything that black men do. However, I think that we share many experiences, but perceive them differently because of our respective race. Anytime somebody is walking toward my car at night and I am stationary, I lock the doors. I try to do it quickly enough for the pedestrian not to hear me, but my safety comes first, so if they get offended, so be it. The color of the pedestrian does not matter - a locked door is just insurance against being car jacked. If I hear somebody else lock a door as I pass, I don't give it a second thought.

 

I also believe that many of the things that blacks attribute to racism are actually more symptomatic of "classism." Poorly educated young white men with extensive visible tattoos experience many of the same reactions from other people as young black men do. Individual expression is fine, but one should factor in their goals in life before deciding to interview for an office job with sagging pants or extensive body art.

 

I once witnessed two young white men on trial for armed robbery. One was wearing a t-shirt that proclaimed that he was "Born Wild!" and his male accomplice was wearing short sleeves that displayed his large collection of tattoos. A female accomplice, who obviously had a much more competent lawyer, had a neat, conservative hair style and was dressed like the stereotypical "girl next door." The two young men received long prison sentences and the young lady got off with a relative slap on the wrist. Both men were represented by an incompetent public defender.

 

My point is that attitude and income go a long way toward getting treated fairly in our society. If you are broke and jobless and accused of a crime, you are very likely headed to jail for a longer period, regardless of the color of your skin. Had those two young men accused of armed robbery been black, then the public would have been outraged at the discrepancy between their sentences and the sentence of the girl whose family could afford to pay a good attorney. Had I been seated on that jury, I would have insisted on similar sentences for all three defendants (the girl's role was to leave a door open and the boys wielded the guns) but many jurors are dazzled by a slick lawyer.

 

I cannot understand why most inner city blacks continue to vote for the same liberal Democrats who have passed laws that have served to hold them hostage to their current situation. Why do blacks, as a voting bloc, not demand better results from the people whom they elect? Why are they supporting an immigration policy that ensures that the unemployment rate in the inner cities will remain sky high? Poor blacks (and all Americans, for that matter) will be squeezed between Democrats seeking new Hispanic voters and Republicans seeking cheap labor if the proposed immigration law passes. Obamacare actually provides incentives for companies to hire newly "legalized" Hispanics, who will not be subject to the law, ahead of American citizens. Where are the black leaders who should be explaining how the combination of amnesty for illegals and Obamacare will make an already dismal employment outlook in our inner cities get even worse?

 

White racism is not causing blacks to suffer persistently high unemployment rates, liberal policies are. I think that poor people living in areas areas like eastern Kentucky are facing the same predicament. When most people had to work to eat, unemployed people flocked to areas where jobs were available. Now, many poor whites find their way onto some sort of welfare program to which they are not rightfully entitled, and maybe dabble in the illegal drug trade to supplement their incomes. Eastern Kentucky seems to have an endless revolving door of drug offenders ending and leaving jail. LBJ's War on Poverty has all but destroyed the reputation that we once had for our strong work ethic.

 

There were a few brilliant people who warned people about the dangers of welfare and teen pregnancy long ago, including Drs.. Milton Friedman and Thomas Sowell.

 

Blacks continue to vote for democrats because the people who have the message you just delivered do a poor job of conveying that message to blacks. I'd argue that they don't even bother to try to convey that message. More interesting of note is that there are tons of blacks who fall more in line with the conservative mindset. Especially in terms of gay marriage and abortion. Blacks are raised and reared to be democrats and there are quite a few dropped balls by the conservatives when it comes to convincing blacks that they have their best interests at hand to make it easier for blacks to support democrats. There is a ton of stubbornness in the black community when it comes to politics. That's probably deserving of a thread all on its own.

 

I do not believe white racism is directly affecting unemployment in the black community. Maybe decades ago but not today.

 

 

I do feel that classism is the worst ism affecting our people today. I also feel that race relations are getting better as well. I meant to add that earlier. I think people are able to see past the politics and live their lives accordingly.

To PP2's point....ask Cheerio's if racism still exists.

And it's not just in America:

 

Bananas Thrown At Italy's First Black Minister - http://huff.to/1e20KJg

To PP2's point....ask Cheerio's if racism still exists.

I don't recall anybody questioning whether racism exists. I question whether the President of the United States has done more harm than good by lecturing citizens about white racism in cases where race was a non-factor. IMO, race was not (or should not have been) an issue in either the incident that culminated in the "Beer Summit" or in the Trayvon Martin killing. Obama campaigned as a uniter but has governed as a divider, IMO. No president has ever employed race and class envy as successfully, in political terms, as Obama has. That success has not resulted in any tangible results for most Americans, but it has kept him in office,.

 

Meanwhile...

 

Black Unemployment Virtually Same as Feb. 2009

 

To Obama, race is a shiny object to be dangled to divert attention away from the failure of his policies and what he recently called "phony scandals."

PP92 & Rapp. I have thoroughly enjoyed your debate. Thank You ! :thumb:

And it's not just in America:

 

Bananas Thrown At Italy's First Black Minister - Bananas Thrown At Black Italian Minister, Cecile Kyenge, During Speech

 

Oh it's definitely not limited to here. And our own history has forced us to confront racism in a way few societies have around the world. There are places like Eastern Europe and parts of Asia where the racism is so virulent that it's astounding.