I live in an integrated neighborhood in the Deep South (as deep as you can get). So i found this thread intellectually challenging and of great interest. Thanks to all who contributed . There seems to be, mostly anyway, agreement that one's social behavior is influenced by culture to a far greater extent than racial genetics. If we accept that, then we acknowledge that very strong correlations between race and behavior in some populations are not due to cause and effect; yet practically speaking, this is a correlation that proves so terribly damaging to relationships between the races. Thus if a black man approaches me, whom i do not know, and asks to rake my yard for money, I am inclined not to hire him, because i have learned both from experience and statistics that he is more likely to be slacker than is some other person of a different race. Upon talking to that person, however, if they evidence some degree of mental acuity and a modicum of education and manners, I may, in fact, change my mind and hire the person. This is in spite of knowing intellectually that race is not related to behavior as cause and effect. The point here is that even though race does not cause antisocial behavior, from the standpoint of everyday interaction between the races, it might as well. It seems to me that the only way this unsatisfactory situation can be rectified is for the Black man to come to the realization that it is their culture, not their skin color, that is creating their difficulties. So, I would argue not from a moral position, where i am clearly wrong, but from a practical position, where my personal everyday experience has proven me to be right, that there exists today a rational as well as an irrational racism. Both exist in the confines of everyday personal interaction and thus between the cracks of our individual constitutional protections. The White, Hispanic and Asian racism toward the Black man is statistically rational, though morally reprehensible. The Blackman's racism, on the other hand, is irrational and self-defeating, because it is based, at best, on the false assumption that their situation is caused by external factors that they can do little about. And most destructive and self-defeating is the idea that the White man is (present tense) at the root of their problems and actively conspires against them. (Note: "man" in the context here means mankind, not its sexual connotation.) P.S. I am cheered by the prospects of Mr. Barack Obama being my next President. Ironically, much closer to being an African American then the millions of Americans who, rather curiously, want to be referred to as "African American."
I'm white. I wouldn't have a problem if someone white came up to me and said "Life's not fair" I'd tell them tough shit, to suck it up, get over it and move on. I'm not quite sure I could say that to a black man. Point being, a degree of unfairness. WTF, I ain't got time to get out my micrometer. The world is varying degrees of white black rich poor ignorant and educated, go find out where you belong..
I really liked your post, especially this quote. I lived in Africa for a few years and it was interesting to me that so many very poor Africans are able to speak and write English far better than many of their black urban American counterparts despite it being a second language for them. Sure there's an accent, but by golly you can understand them without having to go to the urban slang dictionary for a translation. I also have noticed a difference between urban blacks and rural blacks. Basically, in those places where the gangsta culture is not paramount seems to be where one can encounter black Americans whose behavior, language, and aspirations are "normal." My best friend in the Army was a black guy from the boonies in Florida; my worst enemies were two urban black guys from Jersey who hated everyone who wasn't black, wore the doorags (sp?), and thought rap music was the highest form of art ever created. Not claiming to be an expert on this issue, just relaying my experience.
Case in point. My neighborhood in Chicago is very diverse and as such has a large contingent of African's. Cab drivers. Literally. A bunch of guy's looking like Eddie Murphy in Coming To America. Well these African cabbies-easy marks late at night with a wad of cash from driving-were absolutely terrified of the American blacks in our neighborhood. Not a lot of soul brothering between the immigrants and the ex-cons of East Edgewater/Rogers Park. I was blown away when riding in the immigrant cab that the radio station of choice was 'NPR. An ironic aside today: 5 women were murdered by a black gunman in a robbery at a Lane Bryant in suburban Chicago.
Heroin wasn't invented until 1874, and wasn't publicly marketed until 1898. You must be referring to opium- a much weaker drug, used by humans since biblical times, and from which heroin is made.
Where'd you hear that? Whitey prints that shit in the paper to piss off the rednecks. Pissing off the rednecks is a media sport.
taking into account the lack of formal education in the african american comunities, I just realize that this is maybe the reason why we are becoming a third world society.
Correcto-mundo, I was indeed thinking of opium in my broad brush opinion that most culture/civilisation has been based around getting high or very drunk, to the extent that using culture as proof of supposed racial features, makes something of a mockery of what "culture" actually is.