How to race bait

[MajGenl.Meade]

Did we do this already?

[wesw]

sounds like a course at an American University. new England or left coast.....

[MajGenl.Meade]

I'd describe it as a rather well done summary of (1) slavery and (2) failure of society to deal adequately with all the downstream effects of same. It is inarguable that too many people are in jail in the USA - it is inarguable that blacks get the "war on drugs" numbers where whites are the principal users and don't.

Anyone care to argue with the facts given in the video? I don't.

[wesw]

sounds like a Jethro Tull song to me.....

[TPFKA@W]

I'd describe it as a rather well done summary of (1) slavery and (2) failure of society to deal adequately with all the downstream effects of same. It is inarguable that too many people are in jail in the USA - it is inarguable that blacks get the "war on drugs" numbers where whites are the principal users and don't.

Anyone care to argue with the facts given in the video? I don't.

It certainly allows ill doers to place blame on circumstances rather than their deeds which lead them through the prison doors. Why it's simply a miracle that all black folk aren't locked up and all poor whites for that matter.

[wesw]

[MajGenl.Meade]

Well that's about the honest, thoughtful debate I'd expect from wesw. But @w... you ain't no liberal, is you?

[wesw]

reminds me of another....

[MajGenl.Meade]

Well, at least you have a theme album dedicated to you

[Lord Jim]

sounds like a Jethro Tull song to me.....

That brings up something I've long wondered about...

I'd like an opinion from our resident Grammar Nazis...

The signature line from Aqua Lung:

"Eying little girls with bad intent"...

From a strict grammatical standpoint, doesn't that mean it's the, "little girls" who have "bad intent"?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Oh FFS., I thought this subject was wor4th more than crap responses

Guess again Meade

[wesw]

well I m sure al Sharpton will except any reparations check that you send him...

[Lord Jim]

Oh FFS., I thought this subject was wor4th more than crap responses

Guess again Meade

No proper answer then...

[Guinevere]

Oh FFS., I thought this subject was wor4th more than crap responses

Guess again Meade

I thought it was brutal and accurate and demonstrates how the racism in our society is so deeply and purposefully engrained, and so tied to our economic success, that even 50 years of civil rights laws havent done enough to bring true and effective equality between black and white. I thought it left out any discussion of national origin and gender discrimination, which are also tied to economic success, and I would have liked to have seen some discussion about how many Asian Americans finally seem to have broken through that barrier.

But clearly independent intellectual thought is above and beyond the skills and abilities of devotees of the Republican Party. They'd rather just make fun of anyone who actually takes on and acknowledges racism because the actual facts don't fit within their acceptable narrative.

[TPFKA@W]

My husband and I finally watched 'the Butler' the other night. It was a cold reality slap in the face. My issue is not with that historical reality but rather with the making of excuses for running with the wrong crowd and making poor choices then blaming history for one's presence behind bars. My immediate family are among the participants in this behavior. They all be pale shades of white from a working class background. They had the same opportunity I had and I don't buy this "the man keeps me down" I excuse.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Thanks, Guin and @w. As to national origin and gender discrimination, while those are significant factors I'm not sure they don't deserve (but will probably not get) 10 minutes of their own. Certainly in the intended context of this video they could not have been given sufficient weight.

Yes, it's true that individual choice of who to run with and what to do inevitably contributes to the prison problem. Those are often very restricted choices for some folks though. I shan't ever watch "Straight out of Compton" (very prejudicial of me, I'm sure) but for the urban poor black there are way less choices (I'd guess) than for the paler shades of white?

[Crackpot]

Not to mention second schances are far more prevalent to those with white skin than those with black.

[wesw]

well, the poor whites in the coastal plain of the Carolinas have almost zero job opportunities, except in the tourist season.

I don t think that Appalachia has it much better.

but country folk and hillbillies don t count in many people s book s.....

[MajGenl.Meade]

I don't think you have a clue what any of this is about, do you wesw? Did you watch the video and hear about "poor whites"?

Perhaps I am wrong. Maybe you have evidence that "country folk and hillbillies" are being incarcerated in huge numbers?

[wesw]

maybe you have evidence that urban blacks have not embraced the thug/gang/drug life and they are being jailed for jaywalking?

have you listened to gangsta rap?

bitches and hoes is ok?

slap my bitch up is ok?