Are Blacks Being Oppressed in America? - A Critical Analysis

a reply to: dukeofjive696969

Do you find it a personal attack that there aren't a whole lot of blacks in western Canada?

Move to Chicago or Detroit, then.

Also, knowing Haitian culture will tell you nothing about African-American culture. So, good for you that you have Haitians in your family. Unless you've either studied this topic and/or actually lived in the hood, you don't have a clue what you're talking about and just parroting the liberal argument of blame everyone else.

a reply to: Edumakated

Thanks - glad to see some people agreeing with me and not just think this is some sort of racist propaganda. I really do disagree about "institutionalized racism" - from what I've seen, it is localized. Feel free to contradict me, though.

As for the current state of failures of the black community, it can be traced back to the war on poverty which has caused the 75% out of wedlock birthrate to become socially acceptable.

Does this have anything to do with welfare? Would you expand on this point more?

a reply to: theantediluvian

Great history lesson, but it leaves me with some questions:

1). My ancestors were Irish and German and as such experienced poverty and discrimination - would it be okay for me to blame any of my current failings on their situations?

2). What does the slow migration to the North have to do with the current demographic?

3). How did racism play a role in blacks not going to school?

4). What does any of this have to do with the current situation, as it now stands? You know, Jewish soldiers kicked the crap out of a coalition of Arab states in the Six Day War, a mere 12 years after being liberated from being killed en masse. Heck, it's only really been since after 1945 that Jews have come to such prominence in the world - for their entire history they've been blamed and oppressed. I don't agree with current Israeli policies, but I can sure recognize that fact. So, with thousands of years of being persecuted and relative freedom from such persecution since just 1945 - what is the excuse again for blacks?

If this were the year 1955, I'd agree fully that institutionalized racism were a major problem and would certainly be helping out in the civil rights movement. If you think these problems we have today are about race still, then congrads - you have been duped into what the government wants - us citizens to argue amongst each other while they continue to take over. Divide and conquer - and they're doing a damn fine job of it.

But, you and others go ahead continuing to think racism is the reason blacks stay poor, rather than a welfare system that entraps people.

a reply to: scorpio84

Is it fair to say that blacks have a good reason to fear being in trouble with the police? The answer is yes – but it has little to do with racism. While racism may play a role in the attitudes of a small minority of police, the largest reason blacks in impoverished areas have for fearing police is that they are guilty of something. Many have outstanding low-level warrants for crimes such as curfew violation, traffic fines, and unpaid child support.

So If I get harassed by cops whom targeted/profiled me specifically because of my race, and I flee fearfully from them that's just because I'm "guilty" of something...okie dokes...

I understand and agree somewhat racism shouldn't be that big an issue anymore but unfortunately it's still an issue which is why were still talking about. It's an issue as bad as Classicism, Sexism or Elitism in societies.

It's only been 40-50 years since segregation has ended and you really think racism has just dispersed itself?
Dude the racism has just gone underground. You may not personally be exposed to it but it's still a prevalent issue in the U.S and the world at large.

originally posted by: Looselungjones
a reply to: scorpio84

Nothing honest about a thread skipping the generational abuse and oppression commited on the blacks in america. Check the statistics on white crime and white on white murder.

If you read his post, he addressed this exact issue. Yes most White victims are victimized by other whites, but the volume of those victimizations is not the same, nor are White people going on about how Police are murdering them after a White guy is shot dead. Hell, most timers other white people are supportive of the cop instead of claiming brutality

originally posted by: Willtell


What you don’t consider is the degree that past racism still has on the reality of people’s lives.

It’s like the big bang

As you could see the radiation still today from it; the pernicious racism that pervaded America still has reverberations even today, even though the racial climate has improved

That is what I mean by living in the past. This business of slavery and the AA

there is not one person alive in the present who actually knew anyone who

was a slave... There are a majority of people who don't even know much of

their own families past their great grand parents... and yet the spectre of

slavery is brought up time and again to explain away apathy, lack of ambition

and the determination to do better .... and things are better than say

100 yrs ago. Plus there were white slaves too.

I didn’t say people live in the past

I didn’t say or suggest that people do or should live in the past

I said the past affects the future.

Only if you let it.

But then again you can squeeze every last drop of sympathy from a pity party.

Ophra Whinfry had a hellish and impoverished childhood. and look where she

is now. There are many. many more who didn't blame past injustices and

slavery, they just got on with it.

Many white people because of their forbears inherit wealth that a particular black person will never have access to because their forbears( having nothing to do with what today’s blacks do) were discriminated against and that caused them NOT to have the material possessions they could have left to their grandchildren.

There are few people with inherited wealth to that extent. Most of the

wealthy have made their own money, by hard work Richard Branson,

Bill Gates, Phillip Green, Paul McCartney, Donald Trump, The owner of

Tesco's started in a market stall with the slogan "stack them high and sell

them cheap" I suppose your Wallmart was very similar.


PS I've just remembered there are a LOT of rich black foot ballers

You don't hear them bitching about slavery ...

a reply to: eletheia

To add..

The Chinese built the railroads because it was too dangerous to use a slave for. The Irish were looked on as subhuman when they came here. It is kind of hard to find any group that did not have some hellish time in their history.

originally posted by: scorpio84
a reply to: Edumakated

Thanks - glad to see some people agreeing with me and not just think this is some sort of racist propaganda. I really do disagree about "institutionalized racism" - from what I've seen, it is localized. Feel free to contradict me, though.

As for the current state of failures of the black community, it can be traced back to the war on poverty which has caused the 75% out of wedlock birthrate to become socially acceptable.

Does this have anything to do with welfare? Would you expand on this point more?

I have experienced institutionalized or systematic racism. However, it is not something that I believe is a major factor in most people's lives. It is subtle things that I think many whites have a hard time acknowledging. For example, I participated in a busing program to desegregate schools. I got sent to a very wealthy white area for high school. The school tried to "track me" by putting me in remedial courses with no real knowledge of my capabilities. Fortunately, my parents weren't having it and I was put on the college / honors schedule. Like I said, I acknowledge it but don't think it is as big of a deal that many in the black community portray.

I am black. I work in the financial industry. Most of my clients are 1%er's and overwhelmingly white. In fact, I am the ONLY black person in my role at my company. If racism were such a factor, how have I managed to be so successful, particularly when it comes to dealing with people's money? Am I supposed to believe that these supposedly racist white people are going to let a black man like me view their most personal financial information and refer their friends, co-workers and family to me? It doesn't add up. Have a I lost a client because I am black? Maybe, but not in big enough numbers for me to give a damn. I am one of the best at my job

In regards to my comment about out of wedlock births. I believe that this is the single biggest factor holding back the black community. Study after study demonstrates that children born to single mothers will almost always be worse off than those with two parents. Children from single parent homes are exponentially more likely to wind up in the criminal justice system, do worse in school, fall into drugs, having children out of wedlock, etc. As such, when 3/4s of the children of a community are starting at a disadvantage such as this from birth the results are not going to be pretty.

Senator Daniel Moynihan warned of this 50 years ago at the start of LBJs war on poverty. The out of wedlock birth rate in the black community at that time was just 20% or so and it was considered a social epidemic! We are now at almost 75% because LBJs welfare policies basically encouraged poor women to not get married in exchange for welfare benefits. The unintended consequence is that it created a culture where this type of behavior is socially acceptable.

To be clear, this is not just a black issue. The pathologies associated with out of wedlock children are also present in white communities. The issue is that only 30% of whites have children out of wedlock so the impact isn't as great. Regardless, having children out of wedlock is probably the most destructive thing that a parent can do in terms of trapping themselves in poverty.

a reply to: NateTheAnimator

Racism exists but is no longer something that can be used as an excuse for not succeeding. It's there - but no longer institutionalized as it once was. 40-50 years is a long time - many, if not most, black people have never been through a time when institutionalized racism actually existed. It's time to stop making excuses for shortcomings.

a reply to: scorpio84

Excellent analysis. I'd give you a star and flag, but for some reason, I can't star your posts here. No idea why....

On topic, yes, too many are being held down by a belief that they are being held down. It's a vicious circle. Someone looks to the past, and is convinced that what happened before is happening now, and they walk around with a huge chip on their shoulder, which causes problems. Those problems are them blamed on, of course, racism.

originally posted by: Edumakated



I have experienced institutionalized or systematic racism. However, it is not something that I believe is a major factor in most people's lives. It is subtle things that I think many whites have a hard time acknowledging. For example, I participated in a busing program to desegregate schools. I got sent to a very wealthy white area for high school. The school tried to "track me" by putting me in remedial courses with no real knowledge of my capabilities. Fortunately, my parents weren't having it and I was put on the college / honors schedule. Like I said, I acknowledge it but don't think it is as big of a deal that many in the black community portray.

I am black. I work in the financial industry. Most of my clients are 1%er's and overwhelmingly white. In fact, I am the ONLY black person in my role at my company. If racism were such a factor, how have I managed to be so successful, particularly when it comes to dealing with people's money? Am I supposed to believe that these supposedly racist white people are going to let a black man like me view their most personal financial information and refer their friends, co-workers and family to me? It doesn't add up. Have a I lost a client because I am black? Maybe, but not in big enough numbers for me to give a damn. I am one of the best at my job

I believe you ^^^^ and kudos to you ... but if I was one of the

1%er's. I wish ...

I would need to think very carefully, and not because you're black, but

because of the internet con artists who have conned money from rich

people, when caught, seem to come from parts of Africa. So I seems

that 'they' are giving you (Not meaning you actually) a bad name?

I'm not sure Scorpio is still here ... but ...

Maybe my issue with all this IS merely semantic.

When I say racism obviously exists, I say that because I see it every day (along with every other type of discrimination).

I'm not making it up; I'm not following a political agenda; I'm not blinded by my own beliefs.

Does this racism rise to the level of setting police dogs on people or turning water-hoses on them full blast? No.

Do I think my Black friends and associates are going to be lynched? Well, that's not really a fair question because I live in Georgia (LOL), but still ... no, I would find that highly unlikely.

Do I think that Blacks are called well-known-and-recognized racial epithets to their faces on regular occasions? Yes, I've seen it.

I've seen Blacks to the same things to Whites, (and even though they're not really a "race") Hispanics do the same, Asians do the same, etc. etc.

I see people make decisions, sometimes micro-decisions, based on race ... every day.

And contrary to the OP and many here, I've looked at the same crime, arrest, incarceration statistics you all have, and I, with no brain damage, no political agenda, and a decent amount of statistics knowledge, simply see different scenarios than many of you do.

So, semantics or not, matter of "degrees" or not, matter of interpretation ... or not ... we are anything but in a "post-racial" world today, in my opinion.

The average black and brown person has 5000 the average white has 100,000


If racism doesn’t exist then white people are superior to colored people, right?


It’s called a head start…a big head start.


The average white person, for example, may inherit a house or even two houses from their forbears


The average non-white might inherit something, once in a while, but not much and the numbers are overweighed to the whites because when racism was acute, just up until the 60’s and past, black and brown people couldn’t accumulate much because they were denied institutionally. There were no Oprah's and Obama's before the 60's!

The original sin still has great affect


Does that mean black people should use that as an excuse…no

But statistics and history offers objective facts--and they don't lie.

originally posted by: Willtell
The average black and brown person has 5000 the average white has 100,000

Of what?

If racism doesn’t exist then white people are superior to colored people, right?

I do not understand this? You are born in America and you go to school like everyone else for 12 years then you decide your direction, more school or a good trade skill. It is a rather simple process. The problem is personal choices, if they are bad then life sucks, this goes for everyone.

It’s called a head start…a big head start.
The average white person, for example, may inherit a house or even two houses from their forbears

Hmm weird I got nothing and had to support my mother and one of my crappy sisters for 10 years, I'm doing great.

The average non-white might inherit something, once in a while, but not much and the numbers are overweighed to the whites because when racism was acute, just up until the 60’s and past, black and brown people couldn’t accumulate much because they were denied institutionally. There were no Oprah's and Obama's before the 60's!

Are Asian brown? They get a lot in inheritance, those damn Asians have this family quality thing going on that is screwing the rest of us over. Also this is 2015, what is the issue now? Why are people born in 1980 to hit 20 in 2000 failing in life?

The original sin still has great affect

I have said this before, I have a lot of successful black friends and peers at work. Everyone of them can tell you stories of racism they have experience in their past. I'm white and I can tell you stories of when I lived in Newburgh NY that is mostly black and got my butt kicked once a week and not accepted by anyone. The deal is we are all successful still, and when you look at those blacks or whites that have failed horribly in life the way they think, talk, act, and beliefs is 180 degrees different then the rest of us. They might as well be from Mars as far apart that we are. I see a lot of white people that I say in my head, boy that there is one ignorant person, well my black friends are the same when they see black people that are the same way.

originally posted by: Gryphon66

Do I think my Black friends and associates are going to be lynched? Well, that's not really a fair question because I live in Georgia (LOL), but still ... no, I would find that highly unlikely.

Do I think that Blacks are called well-known-and-recognized racial epithets to their faces on regular occasions? Yes, I've seen it.

I truly think location is the key. People are unwilling to move for a better life/start. I could name a 1000 places I would not live because the place and people suck, and would be horrible for my family. People that grow up in some racist infected town or really bad areas of their own color, black or white, just seem to not care and never try to get out of their situation. You grow up in a inner city of drugs and crime you will most likely follow in everyone's foot steps if you do not change your situation. Where I live if someone threw a racial epithet they would not have a job long, so it is location location as the realtor always says....

We may never get past racism - I would argue many of us are slightly racist (even if it isn't ill-intended). We can, however, move past fighting each other.

originally posted by: truthseeker1110
We may never get past racism - I would argue many of us are slightly racist (even if it isn't ill-intended). We can, however, move past fighting each other.

I think this is true for 90% of the planet. It is funny that where I'm at in life color means nothing and skill, attitude and performance means everything.

a reply to: Xtrozero

I think this is true for 90% of the planet. It is funny that where I'm at in life color means nothing and skill, attitude and performance means everything.

Perhaps one day, all of humanity will reach that point. Until then, it's probably best to accept that discrimination is a fact of life. Travel anywhere in the world and you'll see discrimination, so it isn't only a black/white thing.

To the OP...what a great, logical, accurate and well-written post!

I'm only going to respond to one item because you nailed them all. The reason, in my opinion that many in the black community claim racism and being "kept down" is because they can't mentally deal with the fact that they haven't succeeded where others have. In this age of no responsibility for your own actions, they do just that. "Someone else must have caused these failures because it certainly can't be me".

Liberal, black, etc...the general mentality is whatever I do is fine and if my actions cause failure or worse, it MUST be someone else's fault. Point to the white, the rich, the business owners, etc. when looking in the mirror is much more accurate. No one MAKES black people (or anyone) join gangs, steal, father children and run, etc. It is (for those who do such things) considered acceptable to them. They take no responsibility for themselves but expect to succeed.

So to make it blunt...if you live in the USA and you or the group you belong to is poor, unable to succeed, looked down upon, infested with crime, etc...the problem is likely within your group and it's values. It is not the white-boogie-man doing anything TO you. Most of the time, it is the white-boogie-man still doing things FOR you even when you don't give a crap. Take a little responsibility for yourself and your actions, what you do and how you do it...it goes a long way.

AND AGAIN...NOT ALL BLACKS!!! If the shoe fits...wear it.

originally posted by: Willtell
The average black and brown person has 5000 the average white has 100,000


If racism doesn’t exist then white people are superior to colored people, right?


It’s called a head start…a big head start.


The average white person, for example, may inherit a house or even two houses from their forbears


The average non-white might inherit something, once in a while, but not much and the numbers are overweighed to the whites because when racism was acute, just up until the 60’s and past, black and brown people couldn’t accumulate much because they were denied institutionally. There were no Oprah's and Obama's before the 60's!

The original sin still has great affect


Does that mean black people should use that as an excuse…no

But statistics and history offers objective facts--and they don't lie.

Really? I mean...really??? So you are saying that the white man has such God-like power of you, your history, what you do and don't do that you are merely a puppet for his pleasure? You can't do anything to better your situation? Nothing at all? Not work harder, get better education, move to a better location, etc. I mean...we whiteys are paying out the nose to provide this type of support to ANYONE down on their luck. Are we just wasting our time and money? How anyone can't do better than be in a bad position with all the hand-outs, school vouchers, etc. is beyond me...unless...they don't try.