As far as I'm concerned, and this is not a flame-baiting post, but rather, an objective observation, African-Americans do not own businesses and stores even in their own communities (there are exceptions of course, but the general pattern is tight). Koreans, Vietnamese, Jews, Arabs, Hispanics, Greeks, Italians, Poles - you name it - they all own stores, shops and businesses of all kinds, both in their ethnic communities and outside of their ethnic communities. I remember when the LA Riots took place after the Rodney King beating and subsequent events, and most of the stores in the Compton/South Central area of Cali were owned by Asians, and the few black owned businesses went out of their way to mark the outside of their businesses as "black owned," to deter arson and looting. I believe there is objective information to indicate that blacks, for whatever reason, simply lack the same spirit of can do-ism in business matters that other minority groups have displayed. This hurts African-Americans more than anyone else, as they have to rely on many unscrupulous (but not always) businesses to supply their basic staples of life, and the money from that commerce does not necessarily stay in, and improve, their communities. One example of this is the very high number of cash advance and liquor stores, and lack of grocery stores with fresh produce, in predominately black neighborhoods. I don't believe I'm a racist to make this observation, and if you think I'm wrong, or that such 'objective' data doesn't exist, tell me, and tell me specifically how I'm wrong. Also, if you agree, tell me why this is the case. Is it cultural? For other reasons?
I tend to agree, and I do believe it is largely cultural. But a couple of thoughts (not criticisms) come to mind. I see comparison between nationalities and race. I see the word "minority" being used in its informal sense.
The civil rights movement was a fight against color segregation and government policy. This was King's fight. Character over color. Somehow Jesse Jackson and company got into bed with Government and has extorted many subsidies. It was a fatal turn of direction. Now an 16 year old girl can start to have babies and the government will take care of her her whole life. No need for Daddy to be around. Single mothers births went from 25% in the 60's to over 75% today. There is now a culture of dependency in the urban black community. Voting 95% democratic only reinforces it.
I think when latinos, asians, and other people come to the USA, many look for urban enterprise zone to start their business. Most people in that zone are the poor black americans. So sometimes it can help that city, but (some) black people hate the (latinos, asians) because they feel they make money from poor people. So I think it is that poor black people do not know how to get away from the poverty. No one to teach them, and so much anger to the wrong people (latinos, asians) I know it is more complicated, but this is what I see.
Leaders of the African American communities derive power by telling their supporters that the deck is stacked against them and they cannot succeed without help. From people like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Jerimiah Wright to most political leaders, the message of failure is driven home. On one hand they are told "you cannot accomplish anything because of whitey" and on the other they are offered crumbs like welfare and affirmative action. Even their culture appears to have been carefully crafted to block them from any real achievements. Ranging from a disdain for hard work, knowledge and scholastic achievements to a neutral view of crimminal activities, it is difficult to imagine a more effective (but still subtle) method of control. Asians, Latinos, etc. all have escaped this sad fate. If the blacks in this country ever figure out how far they have been sold down the river by their leaders, there'll be blood spilled.
Funny, I was just talking to a guy about that old Star Trek episode where two guys, each half black and half white, are chasing and battling each other in pure hatred across the galaxy. It's not until the end of the show that you learn the reason they hate each other: they are white on different sides.
I'll try. If you have a black inner city, anyone with the economic means has a choice and that is to leave the inner city. They are done with it, the fear, insecurity, schools, etc, the same issues other ethnic people have, they have. When we drive through or look at the inner city, these are not the same black faces living year after year, they have been replaced with other low income people by others who had the means to move out.The color of the people is the same but the people have changed, this breeds unfamiliarity. No one knows each other or trusts each other. When we ask why don't the black people own their own stores in the hood it is because they do not want to live or do business there. They have no roots nor do they wish to establish roots there, it is a barren nomadic wasteland.
Conventionally we may look at ethnicity as a bond. Little italy or China towns, but blacks are sorted by income thanks to the fed housing. One step over the line in monthly income and your out, to be replaced by the next poverty case, consequently we have disregarded the income mix that is prevalent in other ethnic communities that make those communities stable.
The effect of big government and welfare, so much so that it's generationally ingrained (in other words, there are 3rd and 4th generation blacks on welfare - they've known no other life), on the black community is most likely a huge albatross around any incentives they may have to try their hand at a start up business or such. There are some great responses here. I agree that black leaders have essentially hurt black Americans by interweaving governmental assistance in every claim, statement or defense, culturally speaking.
Is it safe to assume that everyone here believe there are no substantial genetic differences between blacks and other races and that any genetic difference is inconsequential with regard to cognitive ability and/or behavioral traits?