What is Systemic Racism?

[johnnylightnin]

i agree the movement has grown beyond the organization. but there is an organization that benefits from the use of the hashtag.

the "narrative" is hard to nail down. if you take the most extreme examples, there's no room for individual thought -- you must repent of your whiteness and listen reverently and uncritically to the officially approved black voices. their "lived experience" is the only truth that matters.

then there are others like yourself who, i assume, are simply trying to acknowledge the problems we have and stand with their black brothers and sisters to fix those problems.

and then there are those who just rush to signal their virtue before the mob accuses them of being racist.

any time there is this much intense social pressure to join in on something, i'm generally skeptical that it can do much good before it gets taken over by people who's only principle is personal power.

Thanks Bob,

I have a lot of the same concerns that you have about the more radical elements. In any "movement" there are those who are only there for power, but the folks I know who are involved have no shot at power and are, in general, just tired of things being the way they are.

I heard a story last night of a local kid here in Shreveport/Bossier. He just graduated, was one of the top in his class, and has a full ride at Tulane starting this fall. He gets pulled over close to weekly. He drives a jacked-up truck and frequently hears, "There's no way that's your truck boy" from the cops that pull him over. They run the plates and his license and let him go. This is something my kids will never have to deal with. I can understand why this kid might act out one of these times after being pulled over YET AGAIN for driving while black.

Michael Steele shared on the Left, Right, and Center podcast last week (might be two weeks now) about how he had to sit his kids down and prepare them for being pulled over for no reason. How they have to show their hands slowly and be polite no matter how big a jack ass the guy who pulls them over might be. Just crazy to me.

Those two stories about about people who have "made it" socio-economically. They've achieved much of the American dream, yet, they still face the constant reminder that they are, in many ways, still second class citizens.

[johnnylightnin]

My contact with AA is generally in a business or professional setting. I have no time or interest in discussing BLM unless they bring it up, which they never have. Even my casual acquaintances never bring it up, so neither do I.

Why are so many young guys like you smug, little pricks that don’t know near as much as you think you do?

I admit that I assume most of my acquaintances are not that interested in BLM because they’re busy working and raising families.

You know, if you think about, that's kind of a racist statement, not to mention false. There are a lot of very successful AA in this county. Why weren't they impacted by slavery and inequality? The differences are primarily family life and education.

I will say it again, anyone can be a victim if you want to be.

This is like a bad logic master class. Here are the take-aways:

1. You've never talked to an actual black person about how they experience oppression (so, your inputs on BLM and race relations are strictly non-personal or white folks).
2. It's only okay to be a smug prick if you're nearing retirement.
3. You don't appear to know what the term "racist" means.
4. You may or may not believe that slavery and Jim Crow happened?

[glm47]

This is like a bad logic master class. Here are the take-aways:

1. You've never talked to an actual black person about how they experience oppression (so, your inputs on BLM and race relations are strictly non-personal or white folks).
2. It's only okay to be a smug prick if you're nearing retirement.
3. You don't appear to know what the term "racist" means.
4. You may or may not believe that slavery and Jim Crow happened?

You’re right. You’re the teacher.

[johnnylightnin]

You’re right. You’re the teacher.

Yeah, I’d try to deflect from your bad points too. Good call.

[arkansasbob]

Thanks Bob,

I have a lot of the same concerns that you have about the more radical elements. In any "movement" there are those who are only there for power, but the folks I know who are involved have no shot at power and are, in general, just tired of things being the way they are.

I heard a story last night of a local kid here in Shreveport/Bossier. He just graduated, was one of the top in his class, and has a full ride at Tulane starting this fall. He gets pulled over close to weekly. He drives a jacked-up truck and frequently hears, "There's no way that's your truck boy" from the cops that pull him over. They run the plates and his license and let him go. This is something my kids will never have to deal with. I can understand why this kid might act out one of these times after being pulled over YET AGAIN for driving while black.

Michael Steele shared on the Left, Right, and Center podcast last week (might be two weeks now) about how he had to sit his kids down and prepare them for being pulled over for no reason. How they have to show their hands slowly and be polite no matter how big a jack ass the guy who pulls them over might be. Just crazy to me.

Those two stories about about people who have "made it" socio-economically. They've achieved much of the American dream, yet, they still face the constant reminder that they are, in many ways, still second class citizens.

that sort of thing definitely needs to be stopped. it makes me sad that people have to live like that. it also makes me sad that there is no room to look at root causes and solutions to fix those causes, because if anyone brings up some of the necessary elements of that discussion, they are immediately dismissed (or, more likely, shouted down) as racist for even mentioning anything that falls outside the accepted narrative (in this case, by "narrative" i mean that Racism(TM) is the only possible cause for any of these problems).

[glm47]

Yeah, I’d try to deflect from your bad points too. Good call.

Says the valedictorian of deflection.

[DawgyNWindow]

Someone that stands up for what is right even at personal cost. That is the definition of a hero in my book.

There you go bringing Trump into the conversation again.

[turbodawg]

Why don’t you just go on up to the south side of Chicago and preach your message brother. Be sure to let us know how that turns out for you.

That’s kind of a run. I’m good with north Lake Charles.

You don’t think we all could do a better job of listening to each other?

Kind of a bizarre response.

[glm47]

That’s kind of a run. I’m good with north Lake Charles.

You don’t think we all could do a better job of listening to each other?

Kind of a bizarre response.

Glad to listen when there can be an honest discussion.

[turbodawg]

Man, you need something, let me know.

Does an honest discussion begin with you telling me to go to Chicago?

Let’s love our neighbors first.

[glm47]

Man, you need something, let me know.

Does an honest discussion begin with you telling me to go to Chicago?

Let’s love our neighbors first.

Do all black lives matter, or just those unjustly killed by white cops?

[turbodawg]

Do all black lives matter, or just those unjustly killed by white cops?

You tell me.

[dawg80]

Do all black lives matter, or just those unjustly killed by white cops?

Apparently those murdered in disproportionate numbers via abortion don't matter either. Saw some numbers for 2019...325,000 black babies were aborted, about 82,000 white babies. That's a 4 to 1 ratio.

Roe vs. Wade, baby! now and forever! Er, right? All my liberal friends, ain't that right?

Just asking....

[glm47]

You tell me.

They matter to me.

[johnnylightnin]

that sort of thing definitely needs to be stopped. it makes me sad that people have to live like that. it also makes me sad that there is no room to look at root causes and solutions to fix those causes, because if anyone brings up some of the necessary elements of that discussion, they are immediately dismissed (or, more likely, shouted down) as racist for even mentioning anything that falls outside the accepted narrative (in this case, by "narrative" i mean that Racism(TM) is the only possible cause for any of these problems).

Don't you think that goes both ways? Isn't this board a great example that the only issue that can't be discussed IS racism? Can you talk about the decline of the family without acknowledging that centuries of oppression based on race have led to incredible economic disparity (something like 70% of divorces site financial issues as the chief cause). Can we discuss education systems without talking about the economics of political influence? Can we talk about incarceration rates without talking about over-criminalization, for-profit prisons, and police as revenue generators?