The Race Thread

CollegeDoog said:

Might as well create one of these as I don't want to hijack other threads on the main board.

"PostGameOrangeSlices wrote:

Your lack of real-world experience is telling. If you think institutionalized racism still exists to the point that it debilitates the black community from progressing, I can't help you."

First I want to clarify I never said it prohibits the black community from progressing. You falsely represented my argument. It is a factor, however.

Institutionalized racism is quite apparent in 2013.

There's the repeal of the Voting Rights act of 1965 that establishes federal election monitors for southern states with a history of voting discrimination based on race.

Other states are trying to pass voter ID laws that disproportionally effect minorities. They justify it under the guise of stopping voter fraud, even though the last serious case of voter fraud was when every dead person in Ohio voted Kennedy. The lawmakers are fully aware of this, yet continue to push these restrictions. If that's not institutionalized racism, I don't know what is.

The George Zimmerman trial is a lightning rod in itself, but let's ignore that and instead focus on the reaction by whites. The news media was literally on the edge of its seat waiting for riots to break out after the verdict was announced. Why? Because many white people feel a need to be vindicated; to be proven right that blacks are somehow less civilized. Instead there were marches for justice, and many were disappointed. It was truly shameful watching this transpire over the summer.

Police discrimination is another example of institutionalized racism. The Seattle PD had to be sued by the Justice Department for Civil Rights violations because the use of force against minorities was so appalling. In New York City "stop and frisk" policies disproportionally target blacks. New Orleans PD went through their own Civil Rights fiasco not that long ago. How about LAPD? "Fuck the Police".

And when black leaders bring up these issues they are so often shouted down because they "just can't have enough". Well what the fuck? Who gets to define what "enough" is? White people? Asking for your rights to not be violated is too much? This is the inherent problem with so much of white America.

And for me, to have my opinions discredited because I "lack real world experience" is highly ironic coming from salty old white men who, just like me, never had to face racism in their lives. What makes you more qualified to talk about race? If you want to have a conversation on race, you can't pick and choose who gets to have that conversation.

So maybe this thread can be a place to have that conversation; not having ones opinions dismissed because of who they are.

Wouldn't that be refreshing.