We Will Never, Ever, Ever, Have a Conversation About Race in America

[VanishingPoi]

There’s a part of the speech that is profoundly difficult to even read, in light of Ferguson:

These are people going around stealing Coca Cola. People getting shot in the back of the head over a piece of pound cake! Then we all run out and are outraged, “The cops shouldn’t have shot him.” What the hell was he doing with the pound cake in his hand?
How can one not read this without thinking of the folks who have attempted to rationalize Michael Brown’s death, on the grounds that he somehow had it coming because he allegedly stole cigars from a convenience store?

I can’t help wondering if Cosby regrets having delivered that speech—if he regrets the fact that he unintentionally gave some Americans a rationale to excuse violence committed against blacks.

I thought about this during the Trayvon Martin-George Zimmerman controversy, when Fox News Channel personality Geraldo Rivera suggested that Martin’s clothing played a role in his death:

When you, when you see a kid walking…when you see a kid walking down the street, particularly a dark-skinned kid like my son Cruz, who I constantly yelled at when he was going out wearing a damn hoodie or those pants around his ankles. Take that hood off, people look at you and they — what do they think? What’s the instant identification, what’s the instant association?

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[Rajoo]

Another viewpoint here from the very conservative Pat Buchanan. Just adding to the dialog, not forming or crafting an opinion.

http://humanevents.com/2013/07/19/bl...-white-racism/

I do wonder though as to why so many black teenagers dress the way they do, listen to hip-hop, etc. Is it that they do not know this leads to a dead end or are they products of their environment. What role do the black preachers play or are they all like Jackson, Sharpton and White? (self serving demagouges)

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Another viewpoint here from the very conservative Pat Buchanan. Just adding to the dialog, not forming or crafting an opinion.

http://humanevents.com/2013/07/19/bl...-white-racism/

I do wonder though as to why so many black teenagers dress the way they do, listen to hip-hop, etc. Is it that they do not know this leads to a dead end or are they products of their environment. What role do the black preachers play or are they all like Jackson, Sharpton and White? (self serving demagouges)

While I understand his point, he's conveniently forgetting a couple hundred years of history.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by BeamOn

Another viewpoint here from the very conservative Pat Buchanan. Just adding to the dialog, not forming or crafting an opinion.

http://humanevents.com/2013/07/19/bl...-white-racism/

I do wonder though as to why so many black teenagers dress the way they do, listen to hip-hop, etc. Is it that they do not know this leads to a dead end or are they products of their environment. What role do the black preachers play or are they all like Jackson, Sharpton and White? (self serving demagouges)

1. They're teenagers.

[donquixote99]

Buchanan's piece is just a 'see how fucked up they are' exercise. Assigns blame to 'them' and makes others feel good. Fairly useless for any other purpose.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by finnbow

While I understand his point, he's conveniently forgetting a couple hundred years of history.

Right or wrong, it's a dead end for the urban black teens. When or how will they realize this.

[Rajoo]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Buchanan's piece is just a 'see how fucked up they are' exercise. Assigns blame to 'them' and makes others feel good. Fairly useless for any other purpose.

This is how the ruling class thinks or is perceived as such. What then?

[nailer]

In the early 80's I read an Atlantic Monthly article that claimed African American males were being written off. It appears that article was on target.

[finnbow]

As for the OP's "conversation about race," I'm not even sure what the phrase means other than to say that it's difficult to have one.

[BlueStreak]

Racism is a two way street, this is true. And to assume that every time a white cop shoots a black man is an act of racism is simpleminded and counterproductive, this encourages racism. However, to paint whites as hapless victims is just a bit much. As Finn pointed out, it ignores an awful lot of history and an awful lot of things that still go on to this day. Just because it isn't as overt as it was, say fifty years ago doesn't mean it no longer exists.

Buchanan is clearly attempting to establish "white victimhood" in this article. To my mind, this is just as divisive and politically motivated as anything Sharpton has ever pulled.

Dave