I'm "African American"

[FortLaudy 10]

Thanks.

I should say, to my parent's credit, that they are doing better now financially than they had been back then. There was probably a 9 or so years period of hard financial issues. It was mostly through my high school times and beginning of college. But my dad does a trade, self employed, that makes ok money. He had stopped that trade during the rough patch, and starting it back up again eventually helped a lot. They are still far from well to do, but now don't have to scrape for every penny like during the rough patch. It was tough.

Congrats!!! It's the long tough road, and I have a hard time believing not everyone can do the same. Hard work and dedication is pretty much all it is.

[Tahoma 2,298]

I'm not saying discrimination is gone, I'm saying it aint such a good excuse anymore!

So, you are saying it's still a "good excuse" instead of "such a good excuse." What, precisely, is the distinction?

P.S. I once dumped a woman who couldn't spell, didn't use punctuation properly, and was guilty of run-on sentences. Do you think that was shallow?

[FortLaudy 10]

So, you are saying it's still a "good excuse" instead of "such a good excuse." What, precisely, is the distinction?

P.S. I once dumped a woman who couldn't spell, didn't use punctuation properly, and was guilty of run-on sentences. Do you think that was shallow?

I think it's no excuse anymore Whatsoever. One thing BY didn't mention in his list of 3 directions in life. INVENT something!!

I think you can dump someone for whatever reasons you feel fit, you have to live with that person and it's about your choices, do I think it's shallow? Not really, just a criteria you feel strongly about and a personal choice - pretty natural imo.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

P.S. I once dumped a woman who couldn't spell, didn't use punctuation properly, and was guilty of run-on sentences. Do you think that was shallow?

Shallow, hell no! As a wrathful copyeditor, I think that's a very valid reason. Also, regular use of run-on sentences is a clear indicator a scrambled brain, bad hygiene, and lack of humor.

[Tahoma 2,298]

No, I didn't miss the point. It's empirically correct that Black people are under represented in many of the successful spheres of American life and totally over represented in prisons and inner city ghettos. There are only two ways to explain that. The first is that there are blocks in the path of them achieving this type of success or second that Black people simply are not capable.

Affirmative action was set up to address these imbalances on the assumption that the first was the problem. It's not a perfect way to achieve the desired result, which obviously is genuine equality for all, but something needed to be done and has been done. Unfortunately, this has not been universally successful and it probably does need to be rethought. Obviously progress has been made but as I said, unless you believe that black people are simply incapable of achieving the same results as white people, then there are still some road blocks in the way.

Well said, MC. There are still roadblocks for Blacks in America, albeit not to the extent there were 50 years ago. Discrimination is only one of those roadblocks.

[Peikko 1,575]

Excuse me?? Please support that statment with facts.

I have known many who do, in fact, want to do just that...

Before you ask, Because they told me so!!!

What does that even mean? People do these things because they see no way out of their situation, not because they would not like to get out of their situation. Offer anyone who says such a thing a million dollars to change their lifestyle and see how many of them turn you down. The one who turns you down, who prefers a life on the street as apposed to a viable alternative, that's the person who has chosen to live such a life. I bet you don't know anyone like that, period.

[Tahoma 2,298]

I think it's no excuse anymore Whatsoever.

Excuse for what?

[Tahoma 2,298]

Shallow, hell no! As a wrathful copyeditor, I think that's a very valid reason. Also, regular use of run-on sentences is a clear indicator a scrambled brain, bad hygiene, and lack of humor.

[SMOKE 1,426]

What does that even mean? People do these things because they see no way out of their situation, not because they would not like to get out of their situation. Offer anyone who says such a thing a million dollars to change their lifestyle and see how many of them turn you down. The one who turns you down, who prefers a life on the street as apposed to a viable alternative, that's the person who has chosen to live such a life. I bet you don't know anyone like that, period.

offer anyone here a million dollars to do the same. i bet you won't get turned down then either.

[FortLaudy 10]

Excuse for what?

For not: getting an education, a job, learn a skill, invent something, start a business etc, being a contributing member of society etc.

[Ban Hammer 14,813]

Excuse me?? Please support that statment with facts.

I have known many who do, in fact, want to do just that...

Before you ask, Because they told me so!!!

just watch history channels' gangland and one will see a bunch of them.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Does anyone here seriously believe that because Affirmative Action exists, that whites are somehow getting a bad deal as a result?

If that were the case, then why do we have these statistics that show how blacks have lower than average incomes, lower than average life-expectancies and access to healthcare, lower than average levels of general education, increased likelihood of a broken home, prison and drug and alcohol abuse.

Either these realities exist because blacks are inferior (which is a truly racist view) or its because our society does not offer a level playing field.

[FortLaudy 10]

Either these realities exist because blacks are inferior (which is a truly racist view) or its because our society does not offer a level playing field.

I don't think they're inferior, they've been living humble and simple lives in Africa since forever, a hand to mouth existence, they just did not (maybe can not?) assimilate into Western society and the standards that this society creates for its own members. That's my opinion, certainly not fact.

Our society DOES offer a level playing field 100%.

[SMOKE 1,426]

Does anyone here seriously believe that because Affirmative Action exists, that whites are somehow getting a bad deal as a result?

do you remember a certain supreme court judges ruling being overturned right before they became a supreme court justice?

[Peikko 1,575]

I don't think they're inferior, they've been living humble and simple lives in Africa since forever, a hand to mouth existence, they just did not (maybe can not?) assimilate into Western society and the standards that this society creates for its own members. That's my opinion, certainly not fact.

Our society DOES offer a level playing field 100%.

Not inferior but incapable of living a 'western' life - and yet clearly the blacks that have access to a 'western' life take full advantage of it? How do you explain that?