Yes, blaming people for such things is absurd. I absolutely agree.

The only "problem" is that risk tolerance is inherent in everything we do and never entirely unavoidable. That's what makes their argument persuasive (at least to them and their kind) on the face of it. And it's why we get guys like itt who are actually comfortable with the level of risk that is posed to them on a daily basis. They know they'd be happier if there were no risk of being mugged, but mugging levels aren't at a rate at which they have to do very much about it. Or perhaps they're not comfortable with it but they've internalised that this is the natural order and everyone should shut up and deal with it.

Road safety is probably a good analogy in this sense. We all know that drunk drivers are bad, but they aren't generally at a level where we're afraid to use the roads or drive at night.

But this is where I say the point they're missing is the differing levels of impact. If they lived in a world where someone told them they can't enjoy a drink like everyone else, or that even something as benign as wearing a hoodie might get them in trouble, then I suspect their tolerance for such things would change dramatically. They don't have to live in a world where they buy a new drink because they didn't keep an eye on the first one. They don't live in a world where walking through a nice neighbourhood is grounds for immediate criminal suspicion. And so they don't see that the risk tolerance is completely different for them than others.

How about we just keep politics out of sports totally? So no more jingoist fascist bull**** flag saluting, military pageantry, singing of the anthem, fly overs etc. Then no athletes will have an opportunity to decline celebrating allegiance to a country that treats their family members and friends like **** because of the color of their skin.

(I get the sarcasm there)In fact MLK did learn the limits of our government's tolerance for activism. When he started trying to organize working people they shot him down. Judging by what happened to MLK, the most offensive thing Kaepernick (or athletes in the NFL/NBA) could do is advocate for the labor union they enjoy as a model for other workforces.

Why is it that a black person in a white neighborhood is suspicious? Do you Suppose a white person in a black neoghborhood is suspicious?

Why do police treat black people differently from white people? Is it really because they dont like the color of their skin?

What came first? The chicken or the egg?

This. 100%.

What the NFLPA really needs to do is remember that there are 100s of other game day and full time workers who also do the work of putting on the show they get rich starring in. They can start by not flippin' crossing picket lines when other working folk strike at the stadiums. They really need to work towards a NFLWA, or even better a SWA ("S" vs all sports employers,"W" for all sport workers).

This might be a spot where my good American posters will correct me on my history knowledge, but I'm at least 60/40 that racism came first. Like, I think they invited black people over from somewhere, were a little mean to them, and only then did the black people start their misbehaving.

The reason you're considered a racist Wil is because you are using hoodie == criminal as a dog whistle for hoodie == black person. So when you say you are judging by appearances you should do a little better to camouflage that the appearance you are judging by is the appearance of their skin.

Calling you an idiot, racist, or indicating that you are stupid or poorly educated and approve of punching children in the head had nothing to do with Matt getting drunk and pissed off that I deleted a worthless OP. It's his forum he can do what he wants with it.

According to my racist cousins black people should be thankful for slavery. So there's that.

I would link to The Boondocks clip where Uncle Ruckus explains slavery but I'm not sure if the language violates rules.

This is just wrong. You want to call me a racist, I get it, go ahead, I don't care. I've given countless examples of why wearing something that hides your face makes you seem suspicious, yet you want to push a different narrative. Your argument is stupid.

Lol. People have been telling you to your face you were out of line for months. You ran this forum like a petulant child and someone finally pulled the plug on your stupid ass. This might come as a revelation to you, but if you were doing a good job I don't think you'd have gotten booted from being the mod, you moron. Alcohol had nothing to do with it!

I wanted to expand my line of thought here as I've come to a realization today. Watching some more of her videos (she had one on Oprah) made me realize where the whole "America is like a salad, not a melting pot" idea came from. I guess it was Elliot who spread this idea. I believe that idea has had a negative effect on us.

The melting pot idea is better. Assimilation is better than staying different. While my parents were immigrants, I think they would think of themselves as Koreans who happen to live in America. I, however, was born here, and I think of myself as an American who happens to be Korean. I'm as Americanized as can be (mostly), and I think it's given me a lot of advantages. Being able to relate in terms of culture has made my experience here better than the vast majority of FOBs I've met, who feel alone and isolated.

I've had trouble with her ideas since I've first heard them many years ago, but couldn't put my finger on it until now. I don't see how she gets to tell me how I should define myself. The problem with her line of thinking is there needs to be a bond that brings people together, and her ideas seem to focus on our differences instead of our similarities.

**** her and her message.

Usually the disparity does not result from animus between police and people of color, though that is always a threat to flare up. Police treat black people differently due to combination of inherent bias shared by most people in society and the enormous discretion police officers are allowed.

As to the bias, one study (citation available upon request) found that like 95% of people, when asked to imagine a drug user, imagines a black person. We know from several sources, including surveys and ER admissions data on overdosing, that blacks and whites abuse illegal drugs at the same rate. Since blacks are only 13% of the population, we know that the vast majority of drug abusers are white. So the fact that 95% of people picture a black person when asked to imagine a drug abuser is an indication of a tremendous, unfair prejudice.

Cops are people too, and have biases. When you give cops a mandate to "get the drug users" they will, like everyone else, picture black people as drug users/dealers (about the same proportion of whites are drug dealers as blacks as well,though that is not as confirmed AFAIK) and subsequently target and harass black people unfairly, often under the false but earnest belief that black people are disproportionately guilty.

It helps to know that most of the recent problems between black people and police are pursuant to the drug war and the militarization of police.

declaration of war on drugs out of nowhere by Reagan (crime was going down and rugs weren't an issue in public opinion), buttressed by Clinton again for no benevolent reason -> legal support for war on drugs included an attack by SCOTUS of rights which allowed for stop and frisk and other unconstitutional flexibility for law enforcement -> sentencing for drug crimes became harsher and inflexible and blatantly racialized (harsher sentences for crack than other forms of cocaine)-> cocaine started flowing into the country, arranged in large part by the CIA to illegally fund the Contras -> police departments were massively incentivized with federal money and military equipment to prioritize the drug war over conventional crime -> police were guided by common racial prejudices in prosecuting the drug war to target blacks resulting in the unholy mess you see today.

The key thing to remember is that the overwhelming majority of the increase in prosecutions and incarcerations over the last few decades were due to the drug war. Drug enforcement is not like other law enforcement in that, with drugs, all participants are (more or less) willing parties. It's not like a murder where someone calls the police and then they investigate it. With drugs, cops have a huge amount of discretion as to where to look and who to go after. In that use of discretion they choose to go after black people not because they are extra prejudice per say, but because they are just as prejudice as everyone else (though I would guess they are a little more so because they tend to be lower IQ and to reinforce their own prejudices constantly).

so if Kerowo got "you're fired!" ... who is running this rudderless ship?

Lol Kerowo got Trump'ed.

It's very refreshing to here a well researched and thought out response. Most of the people who post here do it strickly from their emotions and one sided views. I appreciate the opportunity to learn. I appreciate getting an answer to my question instead of reading a post from an insecure narrow minded cry baby!

The taking a knee thing is a much better move than just remaining seated during the national anthem. Still respectful, but it still sends a message.

If you think that MLK was afraid of disruption or "rocking the boat", your education has failed you badly.

What would you say to a friend who left their door unlocked every day while at work? Be careful, we don't need any more robbery apologists.

So without the context of her other videos that you sought out on your own, what is your response to the specific clip I provided?

Not taking very low effort safeguards to combat against criminal activity that may occur may make someone say "This could have been avoided by locking your door" in hindsight, but doesn't make them an apologist and it certainly doesn't mean that captain hindsight thinks the victim deserved to be robbed.

Compared to what situation? I'm not white. That's not my problem, it's yours. I'm asian, so I face different challenges than you do. I would think an Indian or a Mexican or an Iranian would face a different set of challenges.

In that particular video I think she's right. It's most likely advantageous for a person to be white in America over black. No ****. If we switched places and Koreans made up the same % of whites in the country right now it would be advantageous to be Korean over white. Who doesn't ****ing know this? It's ALWAYS advantageous to be in the majority group!!! If you are white and lived in Korea you are at a disadvantage. If you are Korean and lived in Japan you'd be at a disadvantage. Wtf, this is like high school level thinking.

Again, I don't see why white people get to define how the **** I should feel about my life. I like my life and I'm happy about who and what I am. I don't need anyone to tell me about it. You deal with your problems, have a blast, but keep it over there and don't dump it on me. If you are ashamed of your whiteness, which I think is a sad state to be in, then go ahead, but keep it to yourself.

Her line of thinking is EXTREMELY divisive and damaging. I don't think people understand the consequences of her line of thought. Concentrating on what brings us together is more important than recognizing what makes us different. We are currently going down a very dangerous path in this country when it comes to race. I pray people wake the **** up and realize how dangerous this truly is.

Without a doubt when I think of a drug user I think of white people. They do drugs like people take Advil. Perks, coke, x, weed, you name it, they do it, and they do it everywhere. Bathroom, in the park, at a party, at work. It's so prevalent it's absurd.

Racist?

The REAL Trolly got REAL Poe's Lawed.

Okay. Cool that you're fine with things the way they are. The point of that video is that we can all agree that blacks (minorities in general?) are being oppressed and when we stand by and do nothing about it, we are part of the problem. Not calling people out on their bigotry and not being able to self-examine oneself to see how they might be doing racist stuff without even realizing it, it's all leading to an unfair situation for the people being oppressed.


Now, if you think people need to "wake the **** up and realize how dangerous this truly is", you are saying one of two things and it's not a combination of both:

1.) We need to stop profiling and treating blacks and minorities in an unhealthy and unfair manner. We need to stop being prejudiced.

or...

2.) Black people need to suck it up and get their own **** together and stop bitching about being treated unfairly in this country.



Is there a third option here I'm missing that you can open my eyes to?