Race, class and opportunity

[fenisnad]

Kind of sad that this has only 2,000 views.

[MultiSmartass1]

Powell Hits the nail on the head when he talks about the growth of white suburbs after WWII. This was a policy decision that kept whites well fed and safe in attractive neighborhoods and blacks poor and hungry in housing project. Conscious and intentional policy. Nothing more or less. Individual action alone cannot remedy structural inequality.

[MultiSmartass1]

Racialization has always been an amalgam of both race and socio-economic class. What has different in the post-war period is that economy and class has overshadowed race in keeping black and brown people down. It hasn't negated racism but money and education has tipped the scale.

[LIONOFTHEBRAVE]

We should also remember, it is hard to get out of poverty when in poverty. I am not saying it can't be done, yet its very difficult. So when we look at Racial problems of the past and see that most African's came to America with slavery, and stepped out of slavery into poverty, its not hard to understand and see a pattern of less opportunity,and see more problems that stem from parent to child, that deal with poverty.The problem is that poverty can effect anyone, not just people with black skin.

[peymaania]

We just need to hand Detroit over to Canada!

[phnixlady]

Obama said they had some plan to make part of Detroit into a giant farm. It was several months ago. weird.

[VagianTuerous]

Personally, I hate the whole idea of suburbs. The city is structured along streeets and avenues. Very easy to follow. In the suburbs, streets become avenues, roads twist and meander when there's no reason to - perhaps an attempt to break the monotony of an insular world of generic houses lived in by generic people. There's no culture there; one gets the impression of a comfortable slaughterhouse.

[peymaania]

Which term do you prefer, VaGUYna or Mangina?

[fla0303]

suburbs weren't "constructed. " the interstate highway system was constructed in the 1950's, a much needed piece of infrastructure which enabled people to live further from where they worked(noisy cities full of smokestacks.) not enough room here to go into detail, but there were Official policies that contributed to inner city black poverty, and chief among them was the well-intentioned but disastrous welfare policies instituted in the 1960's.

[btigtime2]

Its okay to not want to live with people different than yourself. Tribalism is our most natural government for people.

[calorus]

No, it's self defeating, neanderthal and bigotted. It's no more acceptable or "okay" than any of the other instincts we would pride ourself on have conquered, such as mating through brute force (commonly referred to now as rape), survival of the fittest (the use of violence tro solve even petty arguments), social requirement to reproduce (homophobia) or the rigid definition of gender roles (sexism).

There is nothing "okay" about demonising people simply because they do no look like you.

[btigtime2]

Why the name calling?

I did not say looks different. When put in large groups, be it the Army, School, work and even church, People alway group with people who are like themselves.... Everybody, EVERYTIME. Think of all the names I can call you for not realizing a simple social behavior and the stupidity it takes to equate this internal social behavior with the external reactionary behavior of Rape, and Murder. Total and complete Apples and Oranges, (insert derogatory name here)

[btigtime2]

The Nerve of you to equate my wanting and choosing to not be around people who are different to myself as Criminal shows how asinine the whole issue of race has become.

[calorus]

There was no name calling at all. What I did, quite clearly, was to instult the trait, not any individual. It is bigoted (by definition, bigoted: blindly and obstinately attached to some creed or opinion and intolerant toward others), neanderthal (Which is actually a paraphrase of "Tribalism is our most natural government").

The other "Natural" occurences are point of fact extremely common through out human tribal prehistory, and we should be as intolerant towards racism as we are towards them.

[peymaania]

That's True, and you can see how successful this model of Tribalism is

places such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

When you cross the lines into the other

side, you're blown up and your family

is murdered. Everyone in their place

and a place for everyone...even the

Palistinians!

[blackiron60]

The individual can't be separated from the environment they grow up in - it will leave its mark on them for life, regardless of what they become.

[oldhacks]

I've been telling people this for YEARS! the suburbs were nothing more then a plan B to circumvent the civil rights movement.

[NwZ2]

a socialist communist?

You're a moron. LOL

[NwZ2]

no, not turn them *into*...only a retard would extrapolate that...but rather prop them up to the level OF the suburbs, be it in areas such as "Quality of life" or "educational opportunities", etc.

of course i'm saying this based on only YOUR response...again, only a fool would make an argument like you just did.

[QUOTEE07]

One cannot always rise above what is systematically ingrained and repeated...

[hugegiantfrogs]

lame, more anti white bullshit

[NwZ2]

oh, you mean pro everyone else "bullshit" (including poor whites)

gotcha. Go white powah!

[Craigipedia]

did you even read my comment?

The official segregation of black and white communities occurred on a systemic and official level from 1789-1965, after that the old biases and social constructs simply remained in place unchanged. He is not promoting a plan, he is not Robin Hood - stealing from the suburbs and giving to the inner city. He sees societal stratification and hopes that these obstacles can eventually be overcome... that's it.

[msscott73]

@Craigipedia your paragraph sounds like it was written by an sociologist. It was well written.

[Craigipedia]

@msscott73 haha... I'm neither Right nor Left... I'm correct

[MultiSmartass1]

@Craigipedia I agree with your point.

I would add that race and racism is really tied up with political and economic power and how the ruling class or elite maintains their hold such power.

Black people should be seen in economic terms not merely social.

I have seen poor black and hispanic neighborhoods.

Geography is destiny.

I learned that living in LA.

Powell makes excellent points when he notes that white neighborhoods like suburbs get the freeways, the schools, the good houses.

[poop121]

fascist rightist reactionary lolbertarian idiot

[NwZ2]

LOLOL lolbertarian...LOL

[Craigipedia]

he is talking about the fact that it happened years ago and the results are still here. he is promoting helping the cities reach the same attainment of the suburbs.

[wholegrainporn]

50% genetics 50% environment

[Craigipedia]

50% genetics? What does that mean?

[MysticNinjaJay]

He's saying that genetics play a factor in a person's social behavior. The school of thought is known as Sociobiology.

[walkwalkslow]

There's a serious disconnect in the minds of those who cannot fathom taking responsibility for their lives. That being said, we do not live in personal vacuums and the very act of being productive opens doors and draws people in to help us, as we help others.

Race has nothing to do with what I've written (said), and to bastardise it because a scant few extremists and those with a political motivations willingly take the focus away from this is a tragedy! It's up to you and I to rise above it.

[punyetto]

put simply geography determines destiny

[bfq3000]

it's by no means the sole factor, but it certainly helps

[phnixlady]

OK, are we talking about Race or Class? They are not the same. More white families with kids in my county were on welfare than minority families. But we are overlooked. We have 2nd highest unemployment next to- Detroit. Very poor and large county. We get no help or programs.

[Dedgurlsingblu]

Race and class aren't the same, although in the US people talk about them as if they were... they talk about allot of things like that. Where are you from?

[phnixlady]

San Bernardino County, Southern California, largest county in US, big and corrupt, many poor but spread out. Everyone says california and they think Hollywood or OC. HAHAHA Big place, dry and hard to get around, foreign businesses prevail, like a giant mad max at times. Our caucasian kids in SAN B County have terrible problems, many die early, no future, no one cares.

[Dedgurlsingblu]

I read county as country, lol, which is why I asked where you are. As for me when I think Cali, I think Oakland. I don't think there are very many programs for the poor of any race anymore, certainly this is how our racialize system negatively affects whites. Those who need help are ignored, because we paint the poor as brown, although overall there are more poor whites because whites = most the population. I actually found that the poorest folks in my area are clustered together, color varied.

[phnixlady]

We noticed since the housing crisis, some gang neighborhoods are more integrated. You hit on a point that underlies many of my efforts to spread truth. We weep at the suffering in Sudan, Palestine, Africa in general, South America, US South, cities. No water, no food, filth, disease, violence. When we fall this will be everywhere while the few wealthy turn on the alarm. What will we do to help each other? I pray we all see thru the veil and join up. Demonizing whites is part of the agenda. love

[flyhead2]

Talk about having a 'black' president drives me nuts. He is a bad president, a continuum of the corporatocracy and a dangerous bastard.

[asphyxiafeeling]

I think it's very possible that you are correct, but I think it's still important to wait and see. At like say the two-year mark of his presidency I think we can really start to form a verdict on him.

[OmarAlQaseer]

He's just a president like any other if you look past the skin color. Dennis Kucinich may actually have been a man of the people, but perhaps anything coming from the two major parties is a charade.

[Dedgurlsingblu]

I'm with you, fly, and asphyxia. Although instead of waiting, we should do stuff now. He is just a president, and just one man.

[playful316]

Hold the phone here...Ask a 14 year old black male in chicago what a role model to him is and see what he says..better yet Ask what they plan to do for a job..I think youll see influences of rap in their answers..I wasnt born into poverty nor riches,but I did not idolize Fitty Cent and want a strong pimp hand to role a blunt either..and I am a minority..I was responsible for my actions and didnt go down that route..My choice..THEIR CHOICE..

[lordblazer]

rap has very little to do with it. media plays a role though, but if that was the case then a 14 year old black male from a middle class family would have the same prospects as the 14 yr old black male in chicago's inner city. Which isn't true. You conveniently ignore this fact. Are you a first generation University student? If so then you should know better than this....

[playful316]

No,I never went to college..You have a choice to either raise above or stoop below..Just how does the media play a bigger part than the music of a culture?

[Dedgurlsingblu]

I think you are thinking "media" in terms of just news, perhaps. This includes music, television, news sources, movies, magazines etc. Also recall that the music of American Black culture is not limited to 50 cent. Hip Hop began as message music, it wasn't until it was commodified by the music industry that Hip POP developed. Even older gangster rappers had more message in their work than now. However to ship it out like fast food, the industry watered it down.

[Dedgurlsingblu]

I also agree with you that people have a choice to rise above. However, some people have not yet realized that they have a choice. It might sound crazy, but that's because we forget our situations are all different, and sometimes we forget how beneficial it can be to have the privilege of a great parent(s), or teacher, or even a random stranger that snaps us out of our stupor and moves us forward.

[phnixlady]

You are very right-I taught alternative ed forthe last 10 years. Your answer sums it up. If I asked "What is your influence" the answer would be i am going to be a sexy asz pimp with cash money and glock and women and cars and drugs ( they never say a house?) and they listen to rap and watch vids all day, which tells them these are good ! Blessings to you for your strength.

[lordblazer]

its true suburbs were for white people. African American veterans from WWII never received their G.I. Bill benefits!!!!!!!

[chewbaca1989]

Absolutely right, that said Blacks weren't integrated into the fighting units. But they did deserve to be thanked for their service.

And we can see what happens when you favor one group of folks over another and the strife it has caused since then.

[lordblazer]

yea, but sadly people forget, and think its a thin go fthe past and that all of the poor minorities are just poor because they choose to be, or they're lazy XD... To be truthful its more of a story of hopelessness, and abandonment. A lot of these places are no better than underdeveloped countries, but we conveniently ignore it and chant USA #1.. When we have cities that aren't in the first world...

[chewbaca1989]

Yea, I also see the left "help" to minorities as deconstructing the backbone of our "minority" communities.