I started this
thread some time ago and essentially took the affirmative that racism between Whites and Blacks in American needs to die out. However, in making my position known I also pointed out that the social-economic politics that were implemented even after the Civil Rights Act was signed into law were purposefully designed to "keep Blacks in their place".
Until the mid-70's, many Black families were forced to live in housing projects - ghettos - because many major cities enacted laws that prohibited Black families from moving into residential neighborhoods that were predominately White. From there, you have school zoning that "pushed" Blacks into the poorest communities, forced Black students to attend poorly funded schools with teachers who in many cases were rejects themselves. In some cases where the educators were promising individuals, they were given the toughest assignments in some of the toughest schools - schools that communities had basically given up on. Rezoning (or what is now called "redistricting") was a way to purposefully redicted education funds from one community to another. It became easy to use poor test scores as evidence that Black students weren't learning, weren't meeting standards, and when schools in Black neighborhoods were run down and desparately in need of repair, it became that much easier to justify closing them and sending students to other schools sometimes in school districts that were farther away making it more difficult for parents to get their child to the "better school" they were now mandated to bus them to.
Taking a look at some social issues, one of the largest social reforms that gained national attention was the Memphis Sanitation Strike that ultimately lead to the assasination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Most people believe this was just some run of the mill union strike where Blacks were protesting for equal pay and union membership, but the truth is the City of Memphis had purposely allow city trash collection to go uncollected for days in Black communities and would not hire enough workers to collect trash in Black neighborhoods. Black sanitation workers realized this and began to not only demand that more Blacks be hired - people who were very willing to do the work - but that Black neighborhoods stop being ignored because the trash that had begun to pill up was attracking rodents and creating health problems. Memphis wasn't the only major city that had this type of problem. It happened in cities such as Chicago, New York, LA.
Then you have the issue of equal treatment under the law where historically twice as many Black men have been detained within our prison system for lessor inclusive crimes than their White peers. Take for example the arrest for crack cocain versus powder cocain. The law cracks down harder for crack than it does powder cocain. Why? Because it became an epidemic for both (rich) Whites and (poor) Blacks, but you see more Blacks being arrested for it and given stiffer sentences for possessing an ounce of crack versus a White man getting busted for a gram of ****. Where's the justice in that?
There are so many injustices like these that have taken place against Blacks in this country - things that most Whites would be surprised to learn about. Unfortunately, people like Pat Buchannon seems to think that Black people should fall on their knees and thank White people for "all they've done for us."
As a Navy veteran, I've travelled the world and have seen a great many things. There's no other country I'd choose as my first choice to live than the United States of America. But although I've never been beaten (whipped), never starved, never been homeless, and have had the good fortune to not only graduate high school (unlike my parents before me) and attend college, I DO NOT give credit to my success in life to White privilege. That thanks goes to my parents and my grandparents and their parents and those who came before them who suffered and sacraficed greatly so that I could be where I am today, and so that my Black children can have even more opportunities than that which was afforded me. That doesn't mean that I turn my nose up at every White person whom I come into contact with. How can I turn my nose up against what is now "the other half of me"? (For those who don't know, my wife is White and we have a bi-racial daughter.) Nor does it mean that I ignore the atrocities that were committed against my people. It simply means that (at least in my house which is a multi-cultural home) we talk about race relations often and we do so honestly. It means that my two White children (my wife's biological children who are my own in every since of the word and in love) receive a thorough education in Black history - the truth - so that they can better understand why many Black people are still hurt and angry at what White society did, has done and in some cases is still doing to oppress Blacks.
There was a report that came out recently concerning the inequity of disciplinary actions taken within the Huntsville City School system that clearly illustrated that Black students were discipline X3 as often as White children who committed the same offenses. I shared that report with my two eldest White children (because my Black children are grown and had moved out long ago) and asked them to share their views concerning the report. Their assessment: The report was accurate, but the treatment of Black students was wrong because "White kids do the same things - break the dress code, talk back to teachers, skip classes, cheat on tests, etc. Teachers tend to view Black students with a harsher eye than they do White students." Their words, not mine.
So, what can we do to change the perception of Blacks in America to convince Whites that "we mean them no harm?"
First, Whites need to stop looking at Blacks as if we want to live poor.
Second, Whites need to stop circulating the belief that Blacks are the primary recipients of social entitlements, such as welfare and food stamps.
Per 2008 figures, 41% of White were on food stamps compared to 38% of Blacks.
Third, if you say education is the key, then stop denying Blacks educational opportunities. I understand the argument against Affirmative Action programs within our nation's colleges and universities, but considering that redistricting historically has been used as a tool by White politicians to make obtaining a quality education for Blacks and other minorities more difficult by diverting funding from Black communities, I see Affirmative Action in education at least as the best took Blacks and other minorities have to "level the playing field". I would love to see Black students get into more colleges based on their own merit including Ivy League school, but until we stop seeing dollar signs behind a student's transcripts and start seeing grades, ability to learn, desire and academics long before we see the color of one's skin and what their lineage is, Affirmative Actions must remain in place within our institutes of higher learning.
Fouth and finally, start seeing me and mine as PEOPLE and not this dredge on society. It is because of the actions by White politicians that have placed many Blacks into the poor economic condition they are in. True, some have ceased trying to improve their quality of life, but given what many Blacks have been up against for generations, can you honestly say you blame them? Some really don't know how to change the circumstances of their lives. That's why it is up to us - those who have done better for ourselves - to take another by they hand and teach them the way to go forward, not backwards.
So, to Pat Buchanan, I am thankful, but not to you nor to White American. My thanks goes to my parents who tried to teach me a better way. For two people who combined never had better than an 8th grade education, I'd say they did damned good.