Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 18 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 1 month ago by
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- Since Hurricane Katrina, I have heard a lot of talk about how the reaction time was slow and was the cause of many more deaths that could have been prevented. I agree with this, but I am amazed at the reason people believe is behind the slow response. I have heard many black Americans (both on TV and in person) say it is because the Government and George W. Bush want to weed out the poor black population in the South. That is absurd. It is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. Do black Americans actually believe this? Do people actually believe that the government sits around plotting and planning how to get rid of Black America? Why? Why do so many black Americans quickly blame the goverment whenever anything bad happens to the population? I know that in the past there have been horrible things done to the culture as a whole. This is 2005. Things have changed so much even in the last 10 years. I know some vey intelligent black people who suddenly lose all common sense when somethng like this happens. I do not understand.
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Name : Andy, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 30, City : Columbus, State : OH Country : United Kingdom,I judge present occurrences by past occurrences. I judge this nation and its Caucasian inhabitants by its/their past deeds. I've read extensively about the Tuskegee Experiment that took place in the South. Land of 'good ole' boys', the Confederate flag and 'Strange Fruit' (hope I don't have to explain what 'Strange Fruit' is, although I wouldn't be surprised if I had to). How black men were allowed to fester in their own syphillis-riddled bodies, all the while being told they were being given drugs to treat them that turned out to be placebos. All in an attempt to see the 'effects' the disease would have on these poor souls. That's just one of many atrocities committed against my people. So yes, I do believe Bush has a great disdain for African-American people in general and the African-American poor in particular. This country and most of its Caucasian inhabitants have a great disdain for African-American people and would love nothing better than to rid itself of us. Finally, countless numbers of African Americans have been murdered in this country and the government did nothing. That was an indication that the government wanted us all dead.User Detail :
Name : Rhonda-P-Outlaw19469, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 43, City : Laurelton, State : NY Country : United States, Occupation : Account Representative, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,The American response to the tsunami that struck Indonesia and India was quite rapid, with the U.S. government providing relief measures within 24 hours after the devastation. The American response to Hurricane Katrina seemed painstakingly slow. After all, the Gulf Coast blacks are not President Bush's constituents,as most did not vote for him. The vast majority of American blacks solidly voted for the Democratic ticket. The President has no reason to help rescue those who would have never supported the Republican Party in the first place.User Detail :
Name : Sherry19470, Gender : F, Race : Black/African American, Age : 24, City : Bakersfield, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,By now, for a large population of 'African-Americans', blaming whites and the government for anything which goes wrong in their lives is a knee-jerk response. In this case, it's also a lot more politically satisfying than blaming an incompetent, corrupt black mayor who is a cum laude graduate of the 'Marion Barry/Coleman Young School of Racial Politics and Graft.'User Detail :
Name : Ann L. Lowenstein, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Animist, Age : 37, City : K.C., State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,The government has been trying to destroy African Americans since 1865 and has never really stopped. There have been times when the assault has been slowed, but it has never really stopped. With Hurricane Katrina many saw the major problem as looting - not people dying, stranded and starving. The fact that some people believe property is more important than human life is insane. Then their were the rumors of murders and shooting - this was the focus, yet more people drowned, starved or died from heat stroke than were killed, beaten or raped during this tragedy. The good ole' system wants to demonize an entire group of people because of the color of their skin.I know you don't want to hear this and might not care or even want to begin to consider that perhaps the way you view the world is a bit backward, but if you can take an objective look you'll see that the crimes committed against black people did not stop in 1965, 1985, 1995 or 2005. Police shoot us even when we are not guilty of anything and are unarmed, and they never get charged. We get longer jail sentences than others for identical crimes. Since slavery we have never been compensated or given a chance to compete on a level playing field. They gave us affirmative action only to have it include white women, who get the lion's share of the benefits. The only area where we can compete on a semi-level playing field is sports, and they have drafted legislation to prevent that at the high school and college level. So the next time you feel black people are whining, look at it from our point of view and ask: Why do they give us a reason to whine? Why do they legislate in that manner? Why do they get shot 41 times on their front porch? Why are they violated in police stations with broomsticks? Why, when they say something's racist, are they made to look foolish, regardless of how true it is?
We see things a bit different because we have experience with this governemnt, which allows us to see through the smoke screen/spin/ fluff/ bull.
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Name : Jim, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : African Methodist Episcopalian, Age : 32, City : jones, State : OH Country : United States, Occupation : Tax accountant, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I am not black, I am white. (Lily-white, in fact; you should see me dance...) I, too, was shocked and appalled at the insinuation that 'in this day and age,' ANYONE would be denied aid because of race. The thought is so horrifying to me--and, I'm sure, to most other whites who have heard these accusations--that we immediately become outraged and defensive. But we have to remember that not everyone has been raised that way, raised to think that, in this great country, 'things like that don't happen anymore!' We have to keep in mind that this is a really naive way of thinking, especially when, as previous posters pointed out, terrible things were done to blacks a mere generation ago. And they are still happening today. Whether or not this is the case with Katrina, I have no idea, because I wasn't there. Neither were any of you. That's definitely something to keep in mind, don't you think? No one should be jumping to any conclusions.User Detail :
Name : Sabie19473, Gender : F, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 23, City : Greenville, State : SC Country : United States, Social class : Lower middle class,Here's a heads-up for ya sweetie-pie: Indonesians don't vote Republican either. What happened in the Gulf Coast was first and foremost a fine example of good old-fashioned Bureaucratic blundering. UNLIKE International relief procedures, there were no clear chains-of-command because responsibilities were shuffled around extensively after 9/11 and nothing was really ever finalized. Literally NO ONE knew who to turn to or who was in charge. Add to this the lacadasical attitude of the Governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans - oh yeah, and the complete corruption of the Guv and Hizzoner - and you have a perfect recipie for EXACTLY THE KIND OF MASS-SCALE SCREW-UP WHICH HAPPENED. No one knew what the hell was going on, no one had clear authority, and after the large number of witch-burnings perpetrated by the US press and African-American 'leaders' like Jesse and Al over the last several years, NO ONE wanted to take responsibility and maybe make an honest mistake for which they'd be crucified later. No matter what Al and Jesse and all the other little hate-mongers claim to the contrary, the US Government DID NOT see this as an opportunity to mass-execute a lot of minorities who don't agree with them politically. I realize 'bureaucratic fuck-up' is a lot less emotionally satisfying to you members of the 'eternal victim' set than 'deep dark evil racist conspiricy,' but hey, them's the breaks.User Detail :
Name : Ann L. Lowenstein, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Animist, Age : 37, City : K.C., State : MO Country : United States, Occupation : Administrative Assistant, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I watched the Katrina coverage very closely and two things stood out above all else. First of all it seemed like such a long period passed before sufficient help got to the victoms. Cameras managed to get in and take shots but where was the water? Where was the food? where was the help of the many aide agencies and organizations here in the US? Also, I heard about all of the donations from Australia and Japan and other countries before I heard of any type of plan from president Bush. Now, more than a week later there still doesnt seem to be the type of national unity that the country witnessed after 9-11 for example. Yes they are two very different events and it is difficult to compare them but when entire cities are left homeless and in danger of starving to death after a natural tragedy one would expect a similar response. The response was nowhere near that of 9-11 and for many people one fo the most obvious differences was that thee vasy majority of the people affected by katrina were poor and black. It is impossible to ignore that difference and for many African Americans, whethor or not they were directly affected, the situation helps to further the doubt many people have in their minds about the Prsident's agenda and the state of race relations in the U.S. in general. Yes, we have made progress as a society but there are always situations that make one wonder just how much progress has been made.User Detail :
Name : Janice, City : Chicago, State : IL Country : United States,You have clearly not experienced a lifetime of suspicion and avoidance because of the color of your skin. If you were a man of color, you would notice all the little old ladies walking down the street passing you who firmly grasp their pocketbooks close to themselves the moment they see you. You would notice other, mostly white folks, step aside a bit when you pass. You would notice white guys getting the jobs you are perfectly qualified for again and again. A lifetime of disregardful treatment would help you understand why. I do. I'm white and I really don't believe there's so much a conspiracy as there is an insipid, underlying distrust and suspicion along with a sense of superiority on the part of many whites toward blacks in particular. This is especially true in the United States. I see such vast differences in Canada.User Detail :
Name : Rachel, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 36, City : Niagara-on-the-Lake, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Homemaker, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I was wondering if the 'judging' you do is reserved only for caucasian people or does that work for all races as well?User Detail :
Name : MG19486, Gender : F, Age : 30, City : St Augustine, State : FL Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,yep u right bro, us negroes done gone crazy, aint got no sense, and gone buckwild. do i prove yo point?User Detail :
Name : jed, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 45, City : tampa, State : FL Country : United States, Occupation : manager, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,'I judge present occurrences by past occurrences. I judge this nation and its Caucasian inhabitants by its/their past deeds.' Rhonda, how do statements like this help accomplish anything except perpetuate hatred? How can you hold any one white person accountable for all of the persecution African-Americans have endured when you don't him or her? I am descended from many brave Americans who fought against the South during the Civil War. Yet I'm also descended from a Confederate soldier. Am I to blame for every evil act perpetrated against African-Americans? Even though I know for a fact that my Southern ancestors never owned slaves? If I said 'I judge all African-Americans based on the past deeds of a few?' which is basically what you are saying about Caucasians, what would that make me? Who are you to 'judge' me? This is God's domain. 'This country and most of its Caucasian inhabitants have a great disdain for African-American people...' The only disdain I've ever felt toward any African -American is when he uses his race as excuse for every single bad thing that happens to an African- American in this country, when he hates people because their skin is not as dark as his own. I also feel disdain for anyone of any race, who blames everyone else for his own misfortune. Surely the color of one's skin, has been the cause of a lot of injustice and suffering in the US. No one can deny this. But your hateful philosophy will never help heal, it only feeds animosity that still exists and breeds it where it did not exist before.User Detail :
Name : Tina, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Lutheran, Age : 37, City : Louisville, State : KY Country : United States, Occupation : self-employed, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Upper class,this comment is incredibly naive. I know from the way that white people get so uncomfortable when the issue of race pops up that caucasians are sick of feeling guilty for what atrocticies their race has committed but ignorance is no way to forget the past and the present. it was only in the 1960-70s that the government released drugs into the black american ghettos to stiffle the black panther movement. Beforehand there were no drugs on the american streets and look what chaos that has caused. Africans are dying by the millions of aids because of the dodgy out-of-date drugs that the US gave them which transmitted the virus. U say that so much has changed in 10 years - how can that be so when the people who commit the race crimes are still alive and haven't altered their thinking? the US government has agendas that it would never dream of making public. does bush care that a few thousand black people get killed? no. if it was a rich white area, see how fast he would get his act together. u, andy, would have no conception of what a day is like in a black man's shoes so dont presume we are less intelligent when we dare to question the US government's motives. U have blind trust in the government. trust is earned. how have the US government earned afro-american trust? oh, they gave them ownership of their own body. big whoop.User Detail :
Name : Corinne-P, Gender : F, City : London, State : CA Country : United Kingdom,I am a survivor of Hurricane Katrina and now live in New Orleans again. If there was a government conspiracy to get rid of black people, then why was Lakeview, a neighborhood populated mostly by white, upper middle class people also flooded? It makes me sick when I hear these conspiracy theories. Especially from people who were not here in New Orleans during and after Katrina. I was. People here have lost everything--black, white, Latino. I was upset by the slow response as well, and actually had to flee the city because I was in an unsafe situation and there were no police or anyone I could call for help. I was in Wal-mart when it was looted. People in New Orleans need to come together, not be driven apart by conspiracy theories. I'm not a fan of Bush, but I don't believe he would kill Americans on purpose not matter what color they were.User Detail :
Name : Michele, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Pagan, Age : 33, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,
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