I can't imagine why, especially for a guy like you. At least with a "thug" I know I have the hardware available to give me a fighting chance. I don't have that kind of firepower in my bank account to defend myself against suits, who can take away yours, mine and everybody else's comfortable lives just by moving a few numbers around. At least with "thugs" you can see the threat coming.

Good points, I'll admit. Now you have me thinking quite a bit deeper about it.

I've been unable to locate a poll indicating what percentage of the African-American vote Obama is expected to receive. Does anyone have that info?

 

Obama enjoys an overwhelming 90% of support from African-American adults, the poll found, while Republican Sen. John McCain garners just 7%. McCain, meanwhile, gets 51% support from white adults while Obama takes 39%.

Among all adults, the poll found, Obama enjoys a lead of six percentage points over McCain, 48% to 42%.

Link

 

If 90% of Caucasian Americans supported McCain, would they be labeled racist?

Heck, while I'm a suit myself, I'm leary of people in suits too :thumb:They can hurt you, just in another way. But I'm not as leary of suits because I understand the way they think and act, and thus am better able to defend myself from them. And for the record, I never said all suits are great people. If because of what you know about suits or if past bad experiences with suits causes you to be leery of them, I'd say that's a perfectly normal and understandable reaction on your part.

 

And I view profiling and stereotyping to be the same thing. If not, how are they different?

 

I also judge people on their actions, once I get to know them. But until them, I sometimes have to make snap assessments of situations. And while you may not think that makes me educated or or you may think that makes me scared all the time, its what I do. Heck, its called risk assessment and I was taught it in the Marines.

 

As for growing up on the streets in the inner city, perhaps if you crossed the street you'd have been eaten alive. I'll trust you on that. Then again, do you think there could be plenty of young people still alive today if they had crossed the street to avoid trouble? What you call scared, I call using your head to avoid trouble. I don't need the "I'm a tough guy" stuff. Outgrew that years and years ago. But I knew several guys that thought they were tough guys that unfortunately are no longer alive because it.

I never said I was leary of suits. I was mearly pointing out that just because of the way a person dresses doesn't necessarily mean they are good or bad.

 

Making a snap judgment can be a bad thing also. If I had done that with the gentleman I work with, that I mentioned earlier, then I would probably not have gotten to know him.

 

I also was in the Marines so I know about risk assessment also. I never said anything about your education. You brought it up in your previous post. But you did question my genetic make up. Saying I would be consider weak by some. That is ok. I've been called worst.

 

You might not need what you call that tough guy attitude. It is known where I'm from as being able to survive on the streets.

 

If 90% of Caucasian Americans supported McCain, would they be labeled racist?

 

Without a doubt....

I know lots of Caucasians who tell me that they're supporting McCain. They're not racists. Maybe misguided, but certainly not racists.

I never said I was leary of suits. I was mearly pointing out that just because of the way a person dresses doesn't necessarily mean they are good or bad.

 

Making a snap judgment can be a bad thing also. If I had done that with the gentleman I work with, that I mentioned earlier, then I would probably not have gotten to know him.

 

I also was in the Marines so I know about risk assessment also. I never said anything about your education. You brought it up in your previous post. But you did question my genetic make up. Saying I would be consider weak by some. That is ok. I've been called worst.

 

You might not need what you call that tough guy attitude. It is known where I'm from as being able to survive on the streets.

 

I brought up my education so you and the other posters not familiar with me knew that I was not some uneducated person (that some would call a redneck) yet I was leery of young adults wearing baggies, hats going every which way but straight, etc, etc.

 

As for me questioning your genetic make up, I'd have thought you'd understand the context that such comment was made.

 

As for surviving on the street, I'll take your word on it. Not been there; glad that I wasn't. Don't feel the least bit bad that I wasn't. Don't feel that I needed to be in order feel confident in my abilities. Don't feel the need to do the tough guy thing to feel confident in my abilities either. The baddest people I ever experienced in my life, in the Corps and out, were the ones that went out of their way to not act like a tough guy and did their best to avoid trouble. Then again, some of the softest people that I ever dealt with were the ones that tried their hardest to act the toughest. But your experiences may have been different.

 

 

Bottom line, right or wrong, is that people get and will get judged by the way they act and dress. Some will be improperly judged, no doubt. That may stink, but that's life in America. Encouraging kids to dress and act in ways that frankly hurts them in getting a good job isn't helping them. Perhaps to you that is selling out, I don't know. But you learned, like I did, in the Corps that you must conform to the system; fight it and life is miserable. Conform and life is good. And there is a dang good reason for that.

There is a difference between racsim and prejudice. The article failed to explore that difference and so has everyone in this thread.

I personally do not have race bias. I recognize when there is prejudice against or in favor of a certain group of people, but I do not have a say in that.

I brought up my education so you and the other posters not familiar with me knew that I was not some uneducated person (that some would call a redneck) yet I was leery of young adults wearing baggies, hats going every which way but straight, etc, etc.

 

As for me questioning your genetic make up, I'd have thought you'd understand the context that such comment was made.

 

As for surviving on the street, I'll take your word on it. Not been there; glad that I wasn't. Don't feel the least bit bad that I wasn't. Don't feel that I needed to be in order feel confident in my abilities. Don't feel the need to do the tough guy thing to feel confident in my abilities either. The baddest people I ever experienced in my life, in the Corps and out, were the ones that went out of their way to not act like a tough guy and did their best to avoid trouble. Then again, some of the softest people that I ever dealt with were the ones that tried their hardest to act the toughest. But your experiences may have been different.

 

 

Bottom line, right or wrong, is that people get and will get judged by the way they act and dress. Some will be improperly judged, no doubt. That may stink, but that's life in America. Encouraging kids to dress and act in ways that frankly hurts them in getting a good job isn't helping them. Perhaps to you that is selling out, I don't know. But you learned, like I did, in the Corps that you must conform to the system; fight it and life is miserable. Conform and life is good. And there is a dang good reason for that.

The reason this kind of touched a nerve is the genetic make up of black people had been questioned in the past. Our brains had been compared to that of monkeys in a bogus study done many years ago. It had also been said as recently as the 1940's that black people didn't have the mental capacity to do complicated tasks.

 

It is not about being or acting bad. It's about knowing your surroundings and acting accordingly. And I agree with you about some who act bad and are soft. I work with another guy who always acts that way but when you confront him he always back down.

 

 

SEMPER FI!

I've been unable to locate a poll indicating what percentage of the African-American vote Obama is expected to receive. Does anyone have that info?

 

Don't know but democrats usually get about 90%, don't they?

The reason this kind of touched a nerve is the genetic make up of black people had been questioned in the past. Our brains had been compared to that of monkeys in a bogus study done many years ago. It had also been said as recently as the 1940's that black people didn't have the mental capacity to do complicated tasks.

 

It is not about being or acting bad. It's about knowing your surroundings and acting accordingly. And I agree with you about some who act bad and are soft. I work with another guy who always acts that way but when you confront him he always back down.

 

 

SEMPER FI!

 

 

Please trust me when I tell you that I never once for a NY second meant anything like that or come close to feeling that way. I work with some African American lawyers who are very, very sharp. The partner in charge of our Dayton, Ohio office is African American and is brilliant.

 

And I don't know anyone that feels that way, or at least has expressed those sentiments to me. Hopefully you'll agree that such attitudes have changed dramatically. While I understand, I guess, the reason you reacted the way you did, in some ways I think African Americans have to move beyond the way they were treated decades ago. I know that's probably easier said than done. But, America today is a whole new ball game. Yes there are still racists in all races present in America. In some areas it may be more than 3 out of 10; in other areas less. But I think the more that African Americans talk about the way they were treated decades ago, the more it actually hurts them as the Baby Boomers and younger don't feel that they had anything to do with the mistreatment of blacks in the 40's and so forth.

 

I can only look at the issue from my life experiences. Until I went to Centre, I never had a teammate or classmate that was an African American. My African American teammates at Centre were great people. My law school African American classmates in lawschool were great people. My fellow Marines that were African American were great Marines (we were all green). The lawyers I've worked with that are African American are very good lawyers and nice people. The recent African American players on Highlands football team that I've got to know are nice kids. One of the best coaches I've ever seen and one of the most inspirational people that I know (Nick Jackson) is an African American. As a result, I have a very positive impression of African Americans.

 

Take care and Semper Fi to you also. LN

Obama enjoys an overwhelming 90% of support from African-American adults, the poll found, while Republican Sen. John McCain garners just 7%. McCain, meanwhile, gets 51% support from white adults while Obama takes 39%.

Among all adults, the poll found, Obama enjoys a lead of six percentage points over McCain, 48% to 42%.

Link

 

If 90% of Caucasian Americans supported McCain, would they be labeled racist?

 

As per my post above, it doesn't sound like he's getting much more than the democrats usuallly get.

If, as Jumper Dad indicates, 90% of the African-American population supports Obama and if, as 75center indicates, the Dems usually get that percentage of the vote, do we then deduce that racial prejudices play no part in Obama's popularity? Does the 3 in 10 include African-Americans or only white? If so, doesn't this water down the numbers?

 

My point is I feel that racial prejudices may actually work more in favor of Mr. Obama than against him.

If, as Jumper Dad indicates, 90% of the African-American population supports Obama and if, as 75center indicates, the Dems usually get that percentage of the vote, do we then deduce that racial prejudices play no part in Obama's popularity? Does the 3 in 10 include African-Americans or only white? If so, doesn't this water down the numbers?

 

My point is I feel that racial prejudices may actually work more in favor of Mr. Obama than against him.

 

I think it definitely does help Obama....I was listening to the Sean Hannity show last week and he was talking to a couple African-American republicans who said they were torn between casting a historic vote and what they felt was for the better of the country.

African-American republicans who said they were torn between casting a historic vote and what they felt was for the better of the country.

 

I think I can fully empathize with them. This election can be compared to Jackie Robinson integrating baseball or the students at University of Alabama. Someone has to be first before it becomes commonplace. This, for minorities, is a huge step forward and could open more doors than anything in decades. Yet, if I'm an African American and I don't believe in Obama's policies, do I vote my conscience? Can I pass on an opportunity to elevate my race to a measure of equality never before obtained that could move racial relations to a realm that Dr. King could only dream of? I would have a very hard time with this decision and I don't think I could honestly find fault with either decision.