Gang culture and racism

[DesignFox]

I'm no fan of Al Sharpton either.

Gr. Don't get me started....

[lordlundar]

Hmm, I just had another idea. Similar lines though.

We ship them all to Nigeria and Inform their government that they are scam artists. The Nigerian Government is doing some wonderful things with the 419ers lately.

[Boozy]

Sharpton, like many blacks locally, resent those who have succeeded in making it in a "white man's world." To them, getting out of the ghetto is the same as 'selling out their people.' I fail how to see that, and why is trying to provide a better life for one's family considered "selling out?"

I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with Sharpton here, but I understand what he means by "selling out", so maybe I can shed some light on the situation.

When he says "white man's world", he's talking about the suburbs, which in most cities are predominantly white (while many inner cities are predominantly black.) Sharpton believes that if a black man from the inner city gets an education and starts making money, he should make an effort to live in the neighbourhood he grew up in, so that his education and money can be of benefit to the black community.

Many black men and women who "make good" do not return to the ghetto in which they grew up. Instead, they decide they want to live the life they see on TV; manicured lawns, BMW's in the driveway, shopping malls. This is a world that rich, white people created, as there is profit to be had in a culture of consumerism and greed.

Essentially, Sharpton believes that the inner cities remain poor, uneducated, and crime-ridden because they lose the benefit of their best and brightest.

Let me put this another way: What if every American with a college education and a bit of money decided to move to Canada? How long would it take for the entire US to become a cesspool of crime and poverty? Meanwhile, with it's newfound wealth of talent Canada would grow smarter, richer, and powerful. The longer this continued, the less likely the US would ever catch up. Eventually, people would start saying, "Well, of course Bob is going to get the hell out of the US. Who could blame him? Canada provides a better place for him and his family."

I respect that every individual has a choice. No one should feel obliged to sacrifice their safety, financial well-being, or quality of life to help the community they grew up in. But inner city black communities, despite dealing with problems caused by the minority who are in gangs, are generally more tightly-knit than your typical suburban dwellers. Among the good citizens of these neighbourhoods, there is a definite "it takes a village" mentality. I would imagine there is a sense of both pride and betrayal when someone leaves and becomes successful in the "white man's world."

I hope that makes sense.

[protege]

Essentially, Sharpton believes that the inner cities remain poor, uneducated, and crime-ridden because they lose the benefit of their best and brightest.

Locally though, it seems that the inner city folks *tolerate* that crap. They see calling the cops as a bad thing...yet turn around and bitch about the crime? How the hell does that work

I know a woman who got her degree, and moved back to the inner city. She takes quite a bit of crap from people. They call her an "Oreo" (black on the outside, white on the inside) because she chose to better herself. She came home to be with her family. Apparently, she was supposed to drop out of school and live on the street. With that attitude, it's no wonder *why* those who can get out of the ghetto don't want to go back!

[Lace Neil Singer]

Also a lot of black people seem to be woefully misinformed about the slave trade; they think that if it wasn't for evil whitey, the slave trade would never have happened. Bullshit; it was going on for centuries before the white man even got involved; the only difference is that the whites transported slaves accross the sea, whereas black slavery was just kept between the borders.

Also, there is no-one alive today who owned slaves, or was a slave. So why keep on about it? My family on my father's side is Jewish; I might as well be bugging Lordlundar for reparations.

[protege]

Also, there is no-one alive today who owned slaves, or was a slave. So why keep on about it?

Because it's an easy cop-out. It's easier to blame a bunch of dead people...instead of working to better oneself. In other words, they use it as a crutch.

[AFPheonix]

Or maybe it's a big reason why so many more of their race are in a lower economic status than white people.
Especially since there are many people still alive that experienced Jim Crow and segregation.
I would dare to say most if not all of us were alive for Rodney King getting the shit kicked out of him.

[Boozy]

The oppression of blacks didn't end when slavery was abolished. AFPheonix has a good point; there are people alive today who remember getting spit on and called slurs when they tried to go to a desegregated school. Rosa Parks only died a few years ago. Racism is not a thing of the past.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Never said it was, just that there are some black people who are up on their cross seeing racism as their exclusive suffering, or like I said, claiming "evil whitey" created slavery when it was in fact black people in Africa who did.

[AFPheonix]

That's fine, but to say that that it hasn't had an impact on blacks today in the US is disingenuous. It does simply because many are starting from the bottom. We'll be in a period of adjustment for a long time as blacks climb the ladder out of poverty and become equalized.

[powerboy]

Al Sharpton, is one of the biggest racist's to ever walk this earth. You ever notice that the most of the black race will bitch about slavery, but yet - there were black owners of slaves, also.

[Slytovhand]

So.. the problem isn't anything to do with skin colour (apart from racism from other elements of the community), but socio-economic standing - the sort that happens in most parts of the world - when someone has talent and ability, and decides to move away and make something of themselves and in doing so, choose not to go back to where they grew up.

Btw - slavery is still alive and well in the world today... thousands of women are kidnapped and sent overseas to work in brothels every year... including into first world countries (there is a movie called The Jammed all about this - based on true events that would have happened only a couple of K's from where I'm currently sitting!).

[Lace Neil Singer]

I was referring specifically to the main slave trade; what you're describing used to be called "white slavery" til the PC brigade stepped on that phrase.

[BlaqueKatt]

Btw - slavery is still alive and well in the world today... thousands of women are kidnapped and sent overseas to work in brothels every year...

they aren't even sending them overseas anymore

CA
OH
NY
OK
PA

and these are all within the last 6 months-ages range from 12 to 16, kidnapped and sent to truck stops. The NY one was a NY cop that took the 13 year-old girl. According to the FBI task force on the problem, Toledo Ohio is the main hub. Last December, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced that more than 500 people have been arrested on child prostitution-related charges—and more than 200 children rescued—since a large-scale federal investigation called Innocence Lost began in 2003. A similar FBI sting operation in Oklahoma, code-named Stormy Nights, has so far resulted in the conviction of 14 traffickers.

[anriana]

I was referring specifically to the main slave trade; what you're describing used to be called "white slavery" til the PC brigade stepped on that phrase.

Not sure if you're referring to the post above yours or not, but human trafficking/modern slavery involves people of all races/ethnicities so it wouldn't make sense to call it white slavery.