Racism: It still does exist

[shinerbock]

I personally think it is a laughable concept. However, I think you could probably present a reasonable case in favor of it. Reasonable enough? I doubt it, but who knows, you may convince somebody.

[Lady of Pearl]

I'm glad that some find the concept of what Marcus Garvey tried to accomplish with the Back to Africa movement laughable. That shows the extent of their experience regarding Black History- Marcus Garvey was trying to put forth the argument that Blacks will never achieve parity and equality with whites-be it in education, income or politics. So he chose to become a separatist in his beliefs from this country. I am an African American and choose to identify myself as such. Racism is very much alive and thriving in this country. Platitudes and sarcastic remarks are only a disguise of some of the true feelings that individuals have on this board to deny the experience of racism -and what happened to those fraternity members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. We should never be too comfortable with a situation like that and should denounce such racist actions. We have a long way to go in this country in terms of race relations. Most of our public schools are still segregated here in 2006. If we are segregated -and others continue to put forth racist ideas- how can we ever seek to respect and institute tolerance for different individuals!

[shinerbock]

Segregated, because white kids live in the suburbs and black kids live in the cities? Sorry, but I don't think I'm gonna start advocating government relocation so we can forcefully integrate communities.

[teena]

[Lady of Pearl]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Segregated, because white kids live in the suburbs and black kids live in the cities? Sorry, but I don't think I'm gonna start advocating government relocation so we can forcefully integrate communities.

I am speaking of the public schools,- how after Brown vs. Board of Education inner city schools and some suburban ones are still segregated and therefore are not receiving the monies allocated to suburban schools. Face it we know that racism and inequality is still alive even in our public school systems. You need to read carefully, no one is even suggesting that anyone forcefully integrate your community.

[shinerbock]

You know why many places have better school systems? Because there is more money in the community. Local taxes have helped many school systems. Inner city schools don't attract the best teachers, often because they don't wanna be in that environment. Pumping money into inner city schools is not necc going to make for better schools. It just means that kids there have better teachers to deride and more expensive things to destroy. Fixing inner city schools will never work until parenting becomes a priority in this country. Great teachers can turn kids around, but that won't happen on a wide scale. It has to start at home.

[bows&toes]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

You know why many places have better school systems? Because there is more money in the community. Local taxes have helped many school systems. Inner city schools don't attract the best teachers, often because they don't wanna be in that environment. Pumping money into inner city schools is not necc going to make for better schools. It just means that kids there have better teachers to deride and more expensive things to destroy. Fixing inner city schools will never work until parenting becomes a priority in this country. Great teachers can turn kids around, but that won't happen on a wide scale. It has to start at home.

EXACTLY

strang, how in the hell do my posts wreak of femininity? You are just grabbing for straws now, you have already proved that you have no class, lets not make it worse.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by bows&toes

EXACTLY

strang, how in the hell do my posts wreak of femininity? You are just grabbing for straws now, you have already proved that you have no class, lets not make it worse.

actually, i'm not. but hey, if you don't feel that way...do you.

you're a random screen name to me, so whatever insipid thoughts you might have on me are pretty irrelevant.

your ridiculous, and ignorant views on race are proof positive on how you feel about racial minorities. hey, be out with it, chad.

[mccoyred]

Originally Posted by shinerbock

Segregated, because white kids live in the suburbs and black kids live in the cities? Sorry, but I don't think I'm gonna start advocating government relocation so we can forcefully integrate communities.

Umm, for the last 30 years, white folks have been moving back into the cities and Blacks have been escaping to the suburbs.

Frankly, if folks want to live with their own kind, fine with me; I do!. The problem with segregation is that government spending (federal, state, local) is/can be disparate based on population demographics NOT objective factors such as tax base and geography. This practice has led to the 'seperate but unequal' facilities of the past which have filtered down to some of the inequities we see today.

[Tucker Carlson]

Originally Posted by Lady of Pearl

I am an African American and choose to identify myself as such.

shouldn't you be an un-hyphonated american. seriously we are all americans why dont we identify ourselves as such. My ancestors came over from The UK a long time ago and i dont go parading myself around saying i am a British-American. Only the first and second generations have the right say they were african americans they actually lived there, not the 5th 6th 7th and 8th generations - they never lived there.

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by Tucker Carlson

shouldn't you be an un-hyphonated american. seriously we are all americans why dont we identify ourselves as such. My ancestors came over from The UK a long time ago and i dont go parading myself around saying i am a British-American. Only the first and second generations have the right say they were african americans they actually lived there, not the 5th 6th 7th and 8th generations - they never lived there.

Lady of Pearl, like you and myself, should have the right to define herself as she sees fit. Besides it apparently being your desire, why should we all be un-hyphonated Americans? What, exactly, is the problem with this? Your ancestors came over from the UK--great. It's your choice, or not, to call yourself a British-American. Whatever you choose, AfAms are not going to sweat it. Not speaking for Lady of Pearl, but if she's an AfAm there's a high likliehood that her ancestors came here against their will, had their identities stripped, their families separated, and had a nation built upon their "free" labor.

You made it pretty clear you don't define yourself as a British-American. What makes you think LoP, or anyone else, would not demand with the same righteous intensity the right to determine what they will be called?

[shinerbock]

I think you can call yourself whatever you want. However, in a world of political correctness, the term "African-American" should not be the required way to refer to black people. Not only would it be incorrect, I would not want to refer to another American with a hyphenated term because I view everyone who is a citizen to be simply an American. Now how you choose to refer to yourself, is your own business.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by Tucker Carlson

shouldn't you be an un-hyphonated american. seriously we are all americans why dont we identify ourselves as such. My ancestors came over from The UK a long time ago and i dont go parading myself around saying i am a British-American. Only the first and second generations have the right say they were african americans they actually lived there, not the 5th 6th 7th and 8th generations - they never lived there.

she should do whatever she wants. she does define herself as an american....hence the word at the end.