If there was actually more choice, as well as easy and safe public ways to get poor inner city kids to distant private schools and back home without them getting killed (or, in the south, lynched…
I’m sorry, maybe I have not been paying as good attention as I should. When was the last time a black person was “lynched” in the south?
A name and a date is what I’m looking for.
Thank you
BB,
…almost half a century of “feel good” programs have created this mess.
Agreed, and in order to reverse this “mess” there needs to be a dramatic overhaul of the entire system.
As we both know, this will not be forthcoming based upon the hate mongering perpetrated by various racists such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. There are others as well.
[/quote]
Why is it every time there is a discussion of black people, someone has to talk about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? I’m black and I don’t even know what these guys’ stance is on anything…because I don’t search them out and I find them uninteresting. Why do white people seem to focus in on them so much? You base all black people on Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Is it ok if I base my perception of all white people on Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
As far as lynchings, the last well publicized one was James Byrd who died by being dragged to death behind a pick up truck in Jasper, Texas in 1998. Now, church burnings are the “crime of choice” and according to: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002701300
The last one was February 11, 2006.
I was of course not being quite serious when I first mentioned it, but I sure as hell hope no one is dumb enough to believe that things like this have ended.
No Child Left Behind allows parents to do just what Prof. X’s parents did. It allows parents to send their children to the public school of their choice if the school they are zoned for is failing to teach its students.
Why is it every time there is a discussion of black people, someone has to talk about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? I’m black and I don’t even know what these guys’ stance is on anything…because I don’t search them out and I find them uninteresting. Why do white people seem to focus in on them so much? You base all black people on Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Is it ok if I base my perception of all white people on Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?[/quote]
This is at least in part because both of those individuals hold themselves out as “speaking for the black community,” and are given credence in that role by the media. When the media wants the “black” perspective (whether that exists is another matter), how often do we get Jesse’s or Al’s take? Without at least the perception that they are leaders in the black community, neither of them would have any sway whatsoever.
I’m not aware that Jim and Tammy Faye hold themselves out as, or are seen as, spokesmen for the “white perspective.”
However, w/r/t anyone who is Protestant, white and has serious religious convictions, they get lumped in with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson on a regular basis. I myself and white and Protestant (though not of the same sects as either Falwell or Robertson), and I can tell you they don’t speak for me or most anyone I know – definitely not to the point to which they should be held out as spokespersons for every single white Protestant who votes Republican.
Why is it every time there is a discussion of black people, someone has to talk about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? I’m black and I don’t even know what these guys’ stance is on anything…because I don’t search them out and I find them uninteresting. Why do white people seem to focus in on them so much? [/quote]
Well, the reason is quite simple. They are in fact “black leaders” who cause a tremendous amount of controversary when and if they feel that someone is slighting black people.
Now that would be all well and good if what they see as harming black people was actually harming black people. But in reality what these two racists are doing is keeping themselves in the news and thus keeping their power.
Do they actually care about black people? I have no idea. They might, but in reality they are doing far more harm than good.
My only comment is that these two are racist trouble makers. They do have quite a lot of sway with many black people. Remember the million man march?
Keep in mind I am not stating that ALL black people think the way these two trouble makers do. But…sadly…many do.
If Tammy Faye Baker had some political clout I guess you could draw some sort of comparison. Since she does not, and is in fact a laughing stock, the comparison is quite silly.
Why is it every time there is a discussion of black people, someone has to talk about Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton? I’m black and I don’t even know what these guys’ stance is on anything…because I don’t search them out and I find them uninteresting. Why do white people seem to focus in on them so much? You base all black people on Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Is it ok if I base my perception of all white people on Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
This is at least in part because both of those individuals hold themselves out as “speaking for the black community,” and are given credence in that role by the media. When the media wants the “black” perspective (whether that exists is another matter), how often do we get Jesse’s or Al’s take? Without at least the perception that they are leaders in the black community, neither of them would have any sway whatsoever.
I’m not aware that Jim and Tammy Faye hold themselves out as, or are seen as, spokesmen for the “white perspective.”
However, w/r/t anyone who is Protestant, white and has serious religious convictions, they get lumped in with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson on a regular basis. I myself and white and Protestant (though not of the same sects as either Falwell or Robertson), and I can tell you they don’t speak for me or most anyone I know – definitely not to the point to which they should be held out as spokespersons for every single white Protestant who votes Republican.
[/quote]
I wonder could either Falwell or Robertson get one million white people to march on Washington?
[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
I’m not aware that Jim and Tammy Faye hold themselves out as, or are seen as, spokesmen for the “white perspective.”
vroom wrote:
No, white people are protected from this insult, because there is nobody that speaks “for them”.
The fact that there are people that speak for other groups, but not white people, is an interesting phenomenon in itself.
Why do other groups get lumped all together under someone who speaks for them?
Is it because of the propensity to stereotype minorities that this occurs so readily?[/quote]
At least partly it is due to the fact that people hold themselves out as “spokespersons” for various minority groups because it benefits them individually to do so. It increases their own perceived influence, and raises their profile, which allows them to get more money.
I think the press justs accepts it because 1) they’re lazy and it’s much easier to ask a “spokesperson” than to do a survey and 2) because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when such people build organizations and release statements aimed at either creating a viewpoint for their supposed representative populations or claiming one already exists.
[quote]ZEB wrote:
My only comment is that these two are racist trouble makers. They do have quite a lot of sway with many black people. Remember the million man march?[/quote]
You throw that racism word around very loosely. Exactly what about the million man march is a problem?
It is a perfect analogy. Since Tammy Faye is white, she obviously speaks for all white people whenever she speaks in public…or at least many of them.
[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
I think the press justs accepts it because 1) they’re lazy and it’s much easier to ask a “spokesperson” than to do a survey and.[/quote]
[quote]
BostonBarrister wrote:
I think the press justs accepts it because 1) they’re lazy and it’s much easier to ask a “spokesperson” than to do a survey and.
Professor X wrote:
Apparently, many of you are just as lazy.[/quote]
I’m sure those of “you” to whom you’re referring are definitely “too lazy” to do a survey of any group on which they are reporting… Oh wait, no one here is a reporter, and it’s not their job.
That said, everyone should take any “spokesperson” put forth by the media with a big, huge grain of salt - both in terms of his actual credibility within the particular community and in attributing any point to the community that he claims should be attributed to the community.
We’d all be better off if the press did its job well – but, as that’s not likely to occur with regularity any time soon, just applying a little skepticism and common sense is helpful.
[quote]Professor X wrote:
BostonBarrister wrote:
I think the press justs accepts it because 1) they’re lazy and it’s much easier to ask a “spokesperson” than to do a survey and.
[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
We’d all be better off if the press did its job well – but, as that’s not likely to occur with regularity any time soon, just applying a little skepticism and common sense is helpful.
vroom wrote:
I see, the press is the new whipping child for the ills of society?[/quote]
And whom would you credit for the creation of the view that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton speak for “the black community”?
You throw that racism word around very loosely. Exactly what about the million man march is a problem?[/quote]
Thank you for asking!
I use that as an example of Jacksons power and the many black people who follow him.
Did you march? No probably not…
[quote]Keep in mind I am not stating that ALL black people think the way these two trouble makers do. But…sadly…many do.
Prove this. Prove that there are even enough for you to even hold this opinion. [/quote]
Um…the million man march. (knocks on pox’s head…hello McFly.)
[quote]It is a perfect analogy. Since Tammy Faye is white, she obviously speaks for all white people whenever she speaks in public…or at least many of them.
[/quote]
(Indignant) PROVE THIS! lol
Okay, seriously, unlike Jackson Faye would have a hard time drawing 10 people to walk across the street with her. Where as Jackson had that million man march thing going on.
That proves that many blacks look to him for leadership…
[quote]vroom wrote:
We’d all be better off if the press did its job well – but, as that’s not likely to occur with regularity any time soon, just applying a little skepticism and common sense is helpful.
I see, the press is the new whipping child for the ills of society?[/quote]
Not all of them. It’s just that they are sooooo stinking liberal.
