Okay, this is my experience. I am a geriatric counselor; I visit clients, sum up the type of help they need, and then send the appropriate person.

Most of the people we subcontract are nurses aides and companions. There are some excellent ones who have burnt out on having 25 patients a day in a nursing home but are wonderful on a one to one situation, and there are others who are doing this work because, frankly, they don't know what else they can do.

I wish I had a nickel for each time I've scheduled the person I thought would be best, and immediately gotten a telephone call from a distraught son or daughter saying, "Of course, I'm not prejudiced, but Mother is very old school..." or the sort. I try to explain that this is a person I would have take care of my own mother - doesn't make a difference. One beautiful, lovely woman of color had a door slammed in her face after the man said, "We've never had a n** in our house!"

My career has made me see a side that I have never really experienced before, and there's a lot of heartbreak involved. And yes, there has been reverse discrimination in our field, too.

I don't know what the answer or solution is - I just know that there are times when I realize that my life is easier simply because of my birth. Maybe that's why, as I delve into my own genealogy, I also try to learn as much as I can about doing African-American genealogy. As my mama has said so many times, there have been blacks on this continent as long as there have been whites, and we have an obligation to try to get along!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: huh?
 

Hon I'm trying to understand what you're saying but I don't speak giberish.

-Rudey

"Age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill . . . ."

Damn. Found out again!

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White skin privilege is deeper than that and isn't so easily measured

I feel this bears repeating.

Are you sure about this (i.e got this from the US Dept of Labor's website) or is this something that you've "heard"?

Even if what he's saying isn't true, I'd like to know why underfunded schools in areas like NYC that have asian populations with lower incomes manage to send lots of kids to college (and good colleges often) than the black schools. I'm just interested.

-Rudey

Check this place out ... I'm just going to post the website since I don't know how to make the link work...

http://www.tolerance.org

It is really neat because you can take tests to determine if you do have hidden biases based on color, age, weight, sexual preference etc. I was surprised at some of my results, and it was an eye opener for me. I think we all have biases in some way or another against certain groups. Perhaps by recognizing where we are biased, we can start to make changes in ourselves and be more sensitive to others.

ETA - The link works (or did for me) and if you look on the website in the Dig Deeper section you'll see "find your hidden biases".

Because Asian families stress education and make sure that their kids do well. Often, the parents are only in lower income jobs because of a lack of English skills and/or "US Experience" (I don't know if this term is used in Stateside, but immigrants often have trouble getting work here in Canada because they lack "Canadian Experience"). Many of these immigrants are highly educated, sometimes with multiple degrees.

where did you get that from?

-Rudey

Well, I DO know that lots of immigrants ARE highly educated, but are unable to get work here because they don't have the English skills, because their credentials aren't recognized here or because they "lack Canadian experience". I've heard it from family friends and relatives who have just come to the country.

Culture, not skin color. The value placed on education is extremely high.

And parental involvement.

American culture is weak in one aspect in that kids aren't pushed enough by their parents unless they're Tiger Woods.

So the solution isn't throwing money at schools. It's not going to "create equality".

-Yedur
--French kisses to all the American girls out there.

off track
 

sooo, to go back to the topic of the thread...

why are people so afraid of discussing topics like this? why does it have to go to "reverse discrimination" and "Asians do well in this country, Blacks just don't try hard enough" and etc. etc. If you want to talk about that start another thread.

This is about the Eurocentric power structure in our society and the world. Not "fat" people. Not "ugly" people. Not little Billy from down the block and around the corner who got made fun of because he wore glasses.

if you don't want to discuss it, just don't post. how's that sound?