The Knockout game "Its a macho thing"

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I took your use of the word "freely" as a gross over-generalization, casting the net of inclusion far too wide. If that isn't the case, then I apologise.

I don't doubt that there is an element of the VJ Lower Fora that would act so, but I believe that the vast majority do not, and would rightly be offended by such actions. TOS, or no TOS, I would hope such postings would be marginalized to the point of irrelevance.

As an FYI, I do use the word monkey disparagingly - about Architects.

And it wasn't my intention to place you in the same group as those people. I was just pointing why it's so hard to have a conversation about race.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

I don't know if the n-word would flow freely, but racism exists in this place and it's often on display.

It says something sad about this forum when someone posts a story about a black person doing something terrible and the OP asks where Marvin is to explain how that could happen.

That's only happened a couple times, but it's disgusting.

Except for folks saying it to be funny, I truly believe certain folks calling Obama the "Kenyan" are using that as a substitute for what they really want to say about him.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

And that got called as baiting,

It did. But it still occurs. Marvin has somehow become the black guy on this forum who has to answer questions for "the black community" ... you know, as if he's their spokesperson. Marvin's nothing but well spoken, educated and passionate about causes that impact him and his family ... but he still has to answer questions about thugs and hate crime.

I believe some of this he brought upon himself by being so outspoken about issues and current events, but a lot of it is this backwards mentality that "the black community" is all of one mind. They act as one, they think as one, so Marvin will have the answers!

Sorry to talk about you like you aren't here, Marvin.

I sure would be annoyed and offended if every time some white female did something horrific and I had to answer questions about it, because she's one of "my people"..

Edited November 15, 2013 by Penny Lane

[B_J 2,752]

If you want to have a discussion about the root causes and how to solve them, by all means let's have it.

How important is the root cause?

To some extent, I think the root cause is unimportant. Worrying about root cause (who gets the blame) just creates more argument and prevents any progress being made in finding a solution.

There is a problem. Should we focus on who to blame or work in finding a solution?

In my opinion, the only reason to focus on root cause is to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes that created the problem. But right now, focusing on root cause only creates disagreement and prevents progress on the solution.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It did. But it still occurs. Marvin has somehow become the black guy on this forum who has to answer questions for "the black community" ... you know, as if he's their spokesperson. Marvin's nothing but well spoken, educated and passionate about causes that impact him and his family ... but he still has to answer questions about thugs and hate crime.

I believe some of this he brought upon himself by being so outspoken about issues and current events, but a lot of it is this backwards mentality that "the black community" is all of one mind. They act as one, they think as one, so Marvin will have the answers!

Sorry to talk about you like you aren't here, Marvin.

I sure would be annoyed and offended if every time some white female did something horrific and I had to answer questions about it, because she's one of "my people"..

It's self inflicted for sure. It always feels like it's me that committed the crime when it's brought here because they say us, them, black people. That's why I feel compelled to answer, to provide insight that we all aren't criminals. That as a whole, black people are just like anyone else.

I'm going to talk to Charles about linking any post that deals with black people to my email account so I can respond quicker.

[Pooky 3,839]

I sure would be annoyed and offended if every time some white female did something horrific and I had to answer questions about it, because she's one of "my people"..

Does that mean I need to answer for all the Oompa-Loompas here on VJ?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

How important is the root cause?

To some extent, I think the root cause is unimportant. Worrying about root cause (who gets the blame) just creates more argument and prevents any progress being made in finding a solution.

There is a problem. Should we focus on who to blame or work in finding a solution?

In my opinion, the only reason to focus on root cause is to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes that created the problem. But right now, focusing on root cause only creates disagreement and prevents progress on the solution.

Let me try to expound on root cause.

The bold part is where the argument will begin. Most white people don't want to admit that there is a nice amount of discrimination still out there. It hampers blacks in jobs, schools, the legal system. We've posted several links with data showing there is a clear and present bias against POC. Yet it is always ignored, or ever worse, we're told to get over it. Basically it's our fault if we fail playing a game that's rigged.

Black people need to work on themselves at home. We know the odds are against us, but instead of crying about it, try to rise above it and be better than that. It's hard when you're dealing with sub-par housing and school, when you're told at birth you matter less, when everything about you is just wrong, when you have to burden the crimes of anyone who looks like you. But it can be done.

[Ban Hammer 13,594]

Let's go:

Actually, if you could look through the deleted posts, the ones the mods remove, you'll see it's come up quite a bit. Words like monkey used to describe black people(POTUS and his family specifically), videos with the n-word in it, because according to some here, we all say it or condone it even though I've said it repeatedly I can't stand it.

it does not come up "quite a bit"

[Tanya and Barry 59]

Lost, in Branson Mo, my people can't walk around at night. We aren't safe because the folks in those parts of the woods have no problem taking us on some back road and having a friendly "one way" chat with us. My ex-workmate and his family were ran out of a Wendy's last year because they weren't the right complexion. Go to certain parts of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Boston, etc.

Guess what? I don't fear white people. I fear idiots. It doesn't matter what shade you are. But here the thing, I hate black idiots more. Why? Because unlike you, when a black person does it, the whole race suffers for it. I have to pay for those young thugs. Because of Obama, I wager my paycheck we won't have another black president within our lifetime. Because when you're black, if you're good, you're the exception, you can't represent the entire race. If you're a screw up, then you fit right in and your actions reflects all of us. No matter how many mass murderers are committed by white men, you will never be responsible for it. You can go to the gun store and buy enough ammo to level a city block, and no one will raise an eyebrow, you'd probably get a discount. I will never have the privilege of doing that because of my skin color.

I call BS. My son lives there. You would be much safer walking around in Branson than I would be in ESL or South Chicago..

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

it does not come up "quite a bit"

It happens more than you think.

It's not always as blatant as I stated. It's when folks love talking about killing TM or those like him, but remain silent when the killers are white. It's when the shooters are white, the comments are completely decent and restraint, yet if the shooters are black, the name calling and stereotypes start flying. We don't ask about the shooter's home life if they're not black. White shooters aren't called thugs or hyenas. If a white person kills 20 people, folks still worry more about Trayvon Martin than Adam Lanza, because of disproportional numbers, yet it's been shown here that statically speaking, you're more likely to get killed by someone who looks like you than a black person.

I call BS. My son lives there. You would be much safer walking around in Branson than I would be in ESL or South Chicago..

You said this already, I responded. Think this is a double post.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I'll say it for you one more time. I didn't present it as a national fact. I said what I personally see. There's quite the difference.

You know that they call that prejudice

[Penny Lane 8,159]

You know that they call that prejudice

I feel like I always have to explain things to you.

I was being overly dramatic to mirror the same attitude I see here towards black youths. I took my personal experience (though it's a small sample size) and overreacted to it, blamed an entire community, and demanded to know where the community leaders were.

I'm sorry you took it seriously.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

I feel like I always have to explain things to you.

I was being overly dramatic to mirror the same attitude I see here towards black youths. I took my personal experience (though it's a small sample size) and overreacted to it, blamed an entire community, and demanded to know where the community leaders were.

I'm sorry you took it seriously.

But my analysis is based on statistics that are in the FBI UCR. I don't take the actions of a few and label a whole group..That's racist. I deal in Fact

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

How important is the root cause?

To some extent, I think the root cause is unimportant. Worrying about root cause (who gets the blame) just creates more argument and prevents any progress being made in finding a solution.

There is a problem. Should we focus on who to blame or work in finding a solution?

In my opinion, the only reason to focus on root cause is to make sure we don't repeat the mistakes that created the problem. But right now, focusing on root cause only creates disagreement and prevents progress on the solution.

Finding the true root cause is all important.. tracing back one step at a time with all sides having consensus as it is done will get buy in for steps to solve the problem (sorry that is a lot of buzzwords, I've been in meetings a good share of the day).

If you don't have agreement on root cause then people will hide behind stats and make correlation/causation excuses in their head to agree with what they personally beleive.

Edit: That last comment was made before reading any the above replies... no direct accusations are intended.

Edited November 16, 2013 by OnMyWayID