pamiam Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 188 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/29/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 hey, mathqueen, how do you like CA after Texas? do you see any differences in race relations there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathqueen Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 55 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 962 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 1 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/26/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/16/1975 Share Posted January 10, 2008 hey, mathqueen, how do you like CA after Texas? do you see any differences in race relations there? The Bay Area where we lived before was SO different. I had never seen so many different cultures in my life!!! We hardly ever got a second look, although that is where the two incidents I mentioned earlier in this thread occured. Now we live in the central valley area, which is very similar to Texas (so I love it!). We hardly get looked at twice here either. It wasn't much of an issue in Texas where we lived because it was a big, military city. There are places in Texas, like where my mother retired to, that I would never take him to because we would both get shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.08 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 Its a false comparison. Just 40 years ago a good number of African Americans could not even vote. Many of them were bared a lot of opportunity in terms of education and careers simply because of the color of their skin. Regardless of what one thinks of reparations, and I personally think the notion is absurd, there certainly is an argument to be made for society having a vested interest in their success and thus far they have hardly had a generation to get there. To be honest with you this whole poor white people thing going on in this thread is absurd to say the least. I grew up fairly poor. No one ever gave me anything. I worked my way up to where we are now. That said, I am a white male. Just because of my gender and the color of my skin, as a demographic I am statistically paid more than women or any other race or ethnicity. I statistically get more career opportunities. People don't care if I move into their neighborhoods. Virtually everyone in government looks like me and is the same sex. I am not profiled and so on and so forth. There are advantages to being white in this country. That said, does the black community need to take responsibility? Yes, of course. However, its not like I am getting the shaft for being a white male. In fact, I get all the perks compared to any other demographic. What you say is true, forrest. Black people belong here and I'm all for black Americans grabbing their fair share of the American pie before they are marginalized by yet another minority, one that is largely here illegally. Yeah, being white is an advantage but, just ask Obama or Dr. Rice, or Colin Powell, or Oprah, being black is no longer a barrier to advancement. And, if a barrier pops up, they just need to hurtle it and move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorningGlory Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 1,022 Topics Per Day: 0.16 Content Count: 39,193 Content Per Day: 6.08 Reputation: 9,977 Days Won: 78 Joined: 10/01/2006 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 hey, mathqueen, how do you like CA after Texas? do you see any differences in race relations there? The Bay Area where we lived before was SO different. I had never seen so many different cultures in my life!!! We hardly ever got a second look, although that is where the two incidents I mentioned earlier in this thread occured. Now we live in the central valley area, which is very similar to Texas (so I love it!). We hardly get looked at twice here either. It wasn't much of an issue in Texas where we lived because it was a big, military city. There are places in Texas, like where my mother retired to, that I would never take him to because we would both get shot. No one here in Houston would give a biracial couple a second look......I see them every day. Maybe out in bubba land but not in the cities. It's nobody's business anyway. I know a Hispanic guy who is engaged to a Vietnamese girl (she's a doctor at UTMB). Talk about an unusual couple! But they don't get many looks at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kari21 Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 140 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 1,846 Content Per Day: 0.29 Reputation: 10 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/04/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/05/1987 Share Posted January 10, 2008 Just 40 years ago a good number of African Americans could not even vote Not COULD not, WOULD not. They received the right to vote in 1870. Amendment XV to the U.S. Constitution - Passed by Congress February 26, 1869. Ratified February 3, 1870. "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." To be honest with you this whole poor white people thing going on in this thread is absurd to say the least. How did you get that idea out of this thread? It seems to me that you feel we should just put up with reverse discrimination BECAUSE we are white. And just because we are white, that automatically makes us all guilty of "keeping African-Americans down." Just because of my gender and the color of my skin, as a demographic I am statistically paid more than women or any other race or ethnicity. I statistically get more career opportunities. Which I'm sure you really raise a fuss about with your boss, right? However, its not like I am getting the shaft for being a white male. In fact, I get all the perks compared to any other demographic. Then be a true crusader and turn all the "perks" down. Somehow, I doubt you will. Get off the white guilt train. I didn't own any slaves, I doubt you did either. If children are to pay for the sins of their fathers, we would still be kicking the stuffing out of the Germans for Hitler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
O'Dannyboy Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 156 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,454 Content Per Day: 0.48 Reputation: 4 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/22/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 07/02/1969 Author Share Posted January 10, 2008 As I said. A few random acts of racism are not an excuse for failure. These days most peoples success or failure is determined primarily by their own choices and will. Ones skin color is hardly even a factor these days. It's definitely not something that can't be overcome. I admit that those few acts of discrimination many people experience can be disheartening, but it's not anything that has to be tolerated and certainly not often enough to actually prevent anyone from being successful. The entitlement culture is self perpetuating. If many people could stop assuming everyone is discriminating they might find actually find advancement comes a lot easier. It's all in their attitude. If the expect to fail, generally they will fail. If they expect to succeed then more times than naught they will succeed. As I said. They become their own problem by expecting unfavorable results before they have given their all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LadyC Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 i totally agree with you danny. we ALL face prejudice or discrimination in one form or another... whether it's skin colour, or weight, or because we're just ugly as sin... or because of our faith, or because of who we marry, or because of a trouble-making relative, or because of our past, you name it. we all face it. skin colour doesn't hold anyone back, attitude does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forrestkc Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 114 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 4,015 Content Per Day: 0.60 Reputation: 8 Days Won: 1 Joined: 12/15/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 As I said. A few random acts of racism are not an excuse for failure. These days most peoples success or failure is determined primarily by their own choices and will. Ones skin color is hardly even a factor these days. It's definitely not something that can't be overcome. I admit that those few acts of discrimination many people experience can be disheartening, but it's not anything that has to be tolerated and certainly not often enough to actually prevent anyone from being successful. The entitlement culture is self perpetuating. If many people could stop assuming everyone is discriminating they might find actually find advancement comes a lot easier. It's all in their attitude. If the expect to fail, generally they will fail. If they expect to succeed then more times than naught they will succeed. As I said. They become their own problem by expecting unfavorable results before they have given their all. I used to have pretty much the same view that you are espousing here. I used to think that I grew up poor, my mother worked 2 and 3 jobs to raise us, no one ever gave us anything, no one ever gave me anything, and I got where I am through hard work, tough choices, and determination. So if I could do it, anyone could. I still largely believe that. I still believe that it takes hard work, tough choices, and determination to succeed in life regardless of who you are other than some trust fund kid. Where one starts in life definitely helps ones outcome, but even starting at the bottom, one can certainly succeed. However, I came to a realization after a while too. You see, I live in a major city that is about 30% black. Yet, the companies I have worked in, and they are white collar professional environments, without exception were almost entirely white. Blacks making up about 1% of the workforce in these companies, yet making up 30% of the cities population. Now part of this is definitely due to lower percentage of African Americans possessing the skills, education, and experience to qualify for those positions. This is largely due to problems of higher crime, higher incidence of children born to single mothers, higher poverty, and poorer quality of schools in many African American communities. In the end, that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marnie Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 811 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 7,338 Content Per Day: 1.08 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 2 Joined: 10/06/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 I hold to the position that there should be no affirmative action, and there should be no laws in place that force any person to hire anyone they don't wish to. If I start a business with my money, I shouldn't be forced by the government to hire someone. I believe we should do away with all anti-descrimination laws, and let the chips fall where they may. If someone hates blacks, they shouldn't have to hire them. If a black employer hates whites, he shouldn't have to hire them. If a non-Christian hates Christians, he shouldn't have to hire them. If a Christian doesn't want to hire non-believers, they shouldn't have to hire them. The only exception would be when it comes to government agencies doing the hiring because that is at tax payers expense, but when it comes to individuals, we should be free to hire who we choose for whatever reason we choose, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pamiam Posted January 10, 2008 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 0 Topic Count: 3 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 188 Content Per Day: 0.03 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 12/29/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted January 10, 2008 As I said. A few random acts of racism are not an excuse for failure. These days most peoples success or failure is determined primarily by their own choices and will. Ones skin color is hardly even a factor these days. It's definitely not something that can't be overcome. I admit that those few acts of discrimination many people experience can be disheartening, but it's not anything that has to be tolerated and certainly not often enough to actually prevent anyone from being successful. The entitlement culture is self perpetuating. If many people could stop assuming everyone is discriminating they might find actually find advancement comes a lot easier. It's all in their attitude. If the expect to fail, generally they will fail. If they expect to succeed then more times than naught they will succeed. As I said. They become their own problem by expecting unfavorable results before they have given their all. I used to have pretty much the same view that you are espousing here. I used to think that I grew up poor, my mother worked 2 and 3 jobs to raise us, no one ever gave us anything, no one ever gave me anything, and I got where I am through hard work, tough choices, and determination. So if I could do it, anyone could. I still largely believe that. I still believe that it takes hard work, tough choices, and determination to succeed in life regardless of who you are other than some trust fund kid. Where one starts in life definitely helps ones outcome, but even starting at the bottom, one can certainly succeed. However, I came to a realization after a while too. You see, I live in a major city that is about 30% black. Yet, the companies I have worked in, and they are white collar professional environments, without exception were almost entirely white. Blacks making up about 1% of the workforce in these companies, yet making up 30% of the cities population. Now part of this is definitely due to lower percentage of African Americans possessing the skills, education, and experience to qualify for those positions. This is largely due to problems of higher crime, higher incidence of children born to single mothers, higher poverty, and poorer quality of schools in many African American communities. In the end, that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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