I appreciate the post and personally I would point out that it isnt so much a white or a black thing as it is a culture thing. you are correct in that most people regardless of race just want to live their lives happily and be left alone. The problem as I see it is that the minority who make some noise get the attention. Is there a problem with militarized police in this country….damn right there is but is looting stores in minority neighborhoods going to be an answer?

When the average folks like you and I start raising a stink about it THAT is when the problem will be addressed, till then minority views (regardless of race) get news because, well people watch.

In the end it is up to the individual to get an education and become a productive member of society and there are few if any racial barriers to that now days. I dont care what color you are if you act like a predator dont be surprised to find yourself treated like a predator.

Most of the points this man makes are far too vague and simplistic to make much of an impact on me. Most of the points he makes here are what white people and armchair sociologists can relate to, which is why it’s so popular. It’s on Fox News for goodness sake. Do people really think that black people haven’t thought of getting jobs and educating themselves already? We have black teachers, lawyers, athletes, doctors, soldiers, entrepreneurs, etc. The vast majority of us are contributing to society. I don’t know who created this overwhelming assumption we are stuck in the past.

I assure you, we don’t all aspire for a life of crime, but generations of systemic racial discrimination makes it an uphill battle for some.

It’s not using it as an excuse and taking the easy way out, it really is hard when dealing with the history, politics and socio-economics of it all. Imagine living in a place with an extremely poorly funded and run education system, unemployment rates through the roof, and a culture of crime that has been ingrained for some time

It’s far too easy to say, “Why don’t you just get a job!” or “get yourself an education”. I am hoping this man understands it is not that simple for someone whose livelihood, whose bread and butter, is crime.

Some quick stats:

http://www.commondreams.org/views/2010/07/26/fourteen-examples-systemic-racism-us-criminal-justice-system

I am also concerned about the white folk pointing the finger and acting holier than thou, and not acknowledging the privilege of being born white in a country founded on systemic racism. The fact is the system really was built for you therefore you benefit from it the most. I don’t know what’s so hard to grasp about that concept. You have the history, the statistics and the facts. It’s indisputable. You don’t have to be a bigoted moron to admit that. That being said- YES we all experience hardships, YES we all experience trauma, YES we all go to jail, NO I’m not saying black people deserve to act all “woe is me”.

I think this man’s main point is: stop blaming others for your own mistakes. It is easy to avoid guilt by making excuses and blaming others. Once you accept responsibility for your actions, then you will understand that not making stupid decisions leads to a better life. But I really don’t like how a lot of people are using it as a shield for their racism. I saw this posted on Facebook with this quote: “If only more “black” people would realise this. Us white people don’t have a problem with the other colours of humans, it’s their continuos actions that cause their own grief and misery.”

The ignorance bewilders me.

//end rant

Cami xx

Obama’s politics aren’t mine, as our first black president he still represents how far we as a country have come from things in history books, first hand accounts of my elders and things I witnessed with my own eyes. I’m hopeful that my grandson will see an America where the color of someone’s skin or sexuality won’t be the polarizing issues they still are today.

Vietnam and the Draft that caused mass emigration from America. those protests changed our national dialogue about how we handle domestic & foreign conflict as a country. It also affected our immigration policies from a time when we were grateful for labor to keep our country functioning to managing the fiscal burdens of mass immigration today.

Free lunches in schools required green tickets disbursed weekly and carried a huge stigma. EBT cards are the tech equivalent of school districts moving to weekly purchases of white lunch tickets and later making all lunch tickets the same color. Changing lunch tickets removed the stigma to economic hardship caused in large part to the Draft and immigrants working for lower wages than the draftees they replaced…now it’s about convenience to the benefits disbursal system.

No matter how far we go changing times demand we go farther.

Meanwhile, a white teenager was shot by a black cop and the cop wasn’t charged. It was called self defense.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/27/white-teen-gilbert-collar-killed-by-black-cop-trev/

The media, the left, Obama, and al sharpton don’t care. Hmmm.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT2v64Ykxc0 http://t.co/PcjDuE7o0c

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT2v64Ykxc0 http://t.co/PcjDuE7o0c