It was stated that Obama should not tell the truth that somehow that would hurt his creditability. I would hope that all of us were taught to tell the truth, no matter the situation. Not telling the truth just makes the situation worse. Most likely we all have been in that position somewhere in our lives.

 

One does learn from history, but to use it as a crutch to explain situations were a young man got himself into trouble for stealing, roughing up the store owner and disobeying a police officer is wrong as well. Use history to teach a lesson, not as a 'woe is me' scenario.

 

I think one of the issues in the Michael Brown case is that people are focusing on Michael Brown the person. Look, we know who he is. And we know what he did. But the real issue has nothing to do with him. The real issue is much deeper, and much more complicated. The thoughts and feelings of the black community, the distrust of police and government are the real issues, and have existed for a long time. They didn't just pop up because of Michael Brown getting shot by a police officer. Sure, that situation was the catalyst to these feelings being brought to the forefront. By continuing to focus on Michael Brown the person and whether or not the shooting was justified "and he got what he deserved", is ignoring the real issue.

I think one of the issues in the Michael Brown case is that people are focusing on Michael Brown the person. Look, we know who he is. And we know what he did. But the real issue has nothing to do with him. The real issue is much deeper, and much more complicated. The thoughts and feelings of the black community, the distrust of police and government are the real issues, and have existed for a long time. They didn't just pop up because of Michael Brown getting shot by a police officer. Sure, that situation was the catalyst to these feelings being brought to the forefront. By continuing to focus on Michael Brown the person and whether or not the shooting was justified "and he got what he deserved", is ignoring the real issue.

Actually the real issue does have to do with Michael Brown, the entire Hands Up don't shoot garbage was in direct affect of Michael Brown and proves that many of the protesters are not the least interested in the truth.

Hellbird, you didn't get his point did you? When black people are racist, they are racist. When certain white people are racist, they change policy. Paul Mooney is 73 years old. When he grew up, those racist laws were there. You say people live in past, I say you can't confront it and see how it has affected the black community and put people in a hole many struggle to get out of. It isn't just slavery. It went from slavery to jim crow to redlining to police arresting black people at greater rates than white people when they BOTH commit crimes and receive harsher sentencing. Like Mr. Mooney said, "white people do, black people talk." Also, please show me in America where white people had laws put in place against them by black policy makers.

That wasn't his point, actually he said black people can't be racist. That alone shoots holes in any other message he was trying to realy due to the fact he was wrong right off the bat.

....

 

I don't understand why improving race relations should be his responsibiltiy. When he expressed the black perspective now people get mad so what could he have truly done?

 

I never said that it should be...I said that I think most people that voted for him probably expected that he would address it.

 

I ain't mad at him...I don't always agree, but I ain't mad like some are either.

 

You are responding to my post and defending the President like I'm attacking him... I'm not attacking just discussing the situation. If you think I'm attacking him I'm sorry, didn't mean to come off like that. I don't think that I was.

B

I think one of the issues in the Michael Brown case is that people are focusing on Michael Brown the person. Look, we know who he is. And we know what he did. But the real issue has nothing to do with him. The real issue is much deeper, and much more complicated. The thoughts and feelings of the black community, the distrust of police and government are the real issues, and have existed for a long time. They didn't just pop up because of Michael Brown getting shot by a police officer. Sure, that situation was the catalyst to these feelings being brought to the forefront. By continuing to focus on Michael Brown the person and whether or not the shooting was justified "and he got what he deserved", is ignoring the real issue.

 

I agree with a lot of this...

I think a big part of the issue is that the protesters are using this incident to make a statement about bigger issues. Many of us are of the mindset to look at things on an individual case by case basis and we see a guy who made a lot of bad choices and it cost him.

 

Surely with all of the unfair treatment of blacks by the police the protesters could find one poster child who wasn't a criminal. Surely the prime examples of "Hands Up" and "I Can't Breathe" from two cases involving criminal activity which led to resisting arrest aren't the best that we can come up with.

 

I really think this is one of the main problems that reasonable white folks have with this whole thing.

I never said that it should be...I said that I think most people that voted for him probably expected that he would address it.

 

I ain't mad at him...I don't always agree, but I ain't mad like some are either.

 

You are responding to my post and defending the President like I'm attacking him... I'm not attacking just discussing the situation. If you think I'm attacking him I'm sorry, didn't mean to come off like that. I don't think that I was.

 

Duly noted.

 

I think it would be very hard for Obama to be able to address race relations openly and honestly. Look at the People magazine interview. He spoke from his perspective in that interview and people still got upset. It's a difficult conversation to have for regular folks such as ourselves let alone when you are the POTUS. One statement taken out of context or misinterpreted can cause irreparable damage.

B

 

I agree with a lot of this...

I think a big part of the issue is that the protesters are using this incident to make a statement about bigger issues. Many of us are of the mindset to look at things on an individual case by case basis and we see a guy who made a lot of bad choices and it cost him.

 

Surely with all of the unfair treatment of blacks by the police the protesters could find one poster child who wasn't a criminal. Surely the prime examples of "Hands Up" and "I Can't Breathe" from two cases involving criminal activity which led to resisting arrest aren't the best that we can come up with.

 

I really think this is one of the main problems that reasonable white folks have with this whole thing.

 

No argument there.

That wasn't his point, actually he said black people can't be racist. That alone shoots holes in any other message he was trying to realy due to the fact he was wrong right off the bat.

 

No, it definitely doesn't shoot holes in his argument. You can keep choosing to hear what you want or you can actually try to get to the lesson he is trying to say. He said by definition black people can't be racist. He was alluding to this by webster. Racism: poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race. Now, look back at our country's history and compare white people to black people. Which one was treated worse? Now, I disagree with him on black people can't be racist in the sense black people can't be racist or be violent against other races. Just because I disagree with one part of what he said, doesn't take away from the whole message with what I agree with. What you are doing is a cop out.

The fact there are black racists is irrelevant to his point. Rule vs exception.

Shouldn't be irrelevant.

B

 

I agree with a lot of this...

I think a big part of the issue is that the protesters are using this incident to make a statement about bigger issues. Many of us are of the mindset to look at things on an individual case by case basis and we see a guy who made a lot of bad choices and it cost him.

 

Surely with all of the unfair treatment of blacks by the police the protesters could find one poster child who wasn't a criminal. Surely the prime examples of "Hands Up" and "I Can't Breathe" from two cases involving criminal activity which led to resisting arrest aren't the best that we can come up with.

 

I really think this is one of the main problems that reasonable white folks have with this whole thing.

 

This is exactly where I'm hung up on all of this. Me, my family, my friends, both black white yellow brown an green.

 

We would ALL protest , loot (jk;) ect ect if there wasn't a criminal element behind both cases.

 

I tip my cap to pp92 for his continued battle. In my heart I would bet 99% of these bgp posters would protest also if these cases didnt have a criminal element.

Shouldn't be irrelevant.

 

Irrelevant to the point Rock made.

Irrelevant to the point Rock made.

What point? That it's 100% on white people to improve race relations? I disagree. The race problem isn't the fault of one side, both are culpable. It was relevant.

What point? That it's 100% on white people to improve race relations? I disagree. The race problem isn't the fault of one side, both are culpable. It was relevant.

 

Both are culpable but only one side can truly make a marked difference in race relations. That would be the one with all the power. And the money. Money and the power.

Both are culpable but only one side can truly make a marked difference in race relations. That would be the one with all the power. And the money. Money and the power.

 

It's 2014, blacks, whites, browns, yellows, greens, purples all have money and power.

 

It takes all of us working together to make the change, not just one group. That's the problem. Most think it is up to one group to make the change. Whites think it's up to blacks, blacks think it is up to whites. Until we can see it is up to all of us, nothing changes.