Van Jones: Charles Barkley’s Comments Were ‘Inflammatory,’ ‘Irresponsible’ and ‘Dangerous’

[Karee 4,191]

i personally don't think it's about being black enough. i think when it comes to someone like charles barkley, who is famous and wealthy, folks disconnect from what he has to say because his personal reality is not the same as the people he's directing his comments to.

everybody knows that if you have money, more often than not, you can get out of trouble if you happen to find yourself in some. so people here charles barkley go on about personal responsibility or whatever - well personal responsibility is quite different for someone who is poor and stuck in life.

While I agree with you that there are two different justice systems in the U.S. (one for those with money and one for those without) It is still no excuse for breaking the law in the first place.

[Teddy B 17,252]

It's amazing that when it comes to race, we look towards Charles Barkley or any black person who blames a black person for their problems.

Why is it amazing to give credence to someone who preaches self responsibility?

[decocker 7,198]

While I agree with you that there are two different justice systems in the U.S. (one for those with money and one for those without) It is still no excuse for breaking the law in the first place.

well no, but obviously people are going to break the law. and that's why cops exist. it's just rich people get away with it, even rewarded for it.

they have a cop lead summer camp here every year for kids who are at risk. the entire purpose of that camp is to rebuild trust between the kids and the cops. kids who grow up in households that have constant interaction with police do not trust them and poor treatment doesn't even have to occur for trust to be nonexistant. even cops know that they need the support and trust of the public. it's only in the best interest of cops and society to get this excessive force issue taken care of. cops should not be judge/jury and executioner. i can't think of any positive result that could come from us blurring that line even more.

[Janelle2002 3,865]

I can understand why some black folks don't like what he said. He talks about personal responsibility and there being consequences for your actions. That goes against everything these race hustlers stand for. They believe in no personal responsibility and blaming race for everything that doesn't go you way.

I hope more people like Barkley speak out. Then maybe we can move forward on this issue.

This is a great point. Taking personal responsibility and have consequences for your OWN actions.

This means, don't assume I'm on welfare because I'm black. I am my own self.

I am not a thug because I am black. I am my own self.

I am not on food stamps because I am black. I am my own self.

Don't assume I have no education because I am black. I am my own self.

You can talk about personal responsibility all day long but when it comes down to it, most of society, not all, but a lot of people in the U.S. judge blacks as a group, as a race, not as the individuals that they are. Because I am black I have to take care of my personal responsibility and be responsible for other black folks actions I don't even know.

When this change, bring personal responsibility back up.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Don't put f*cking words in my mouth. I never said any such thing.

It's not about blame. It's about accepting responsibility for your your actions. Try to assault a cop and take is gun? If you end up dead, that's on you.

Did the serial shooter fire at the police? Did he try take their weapon?

You can bet if he would've swung around and pointed any of those weapons at the cops, he'd be as dead Micheal Brown, as he should be.

Based on your posts here, ALL you see is race. You are unable or unwilling to look at facts.

How can it not be about race Karee? Charles Barkley made it so. But, let me try to clear this up:

I'm black. I work and pay taxes. I don't break the law nor do I have a criminal record. So this message of personal responsibility falls on deaf ears towards me because I'm doing my job and taking personal responsibility for myself and my family. There are quite a few of us out there doing just that. I know Janelle is handling her business. This only exists within black people. Not only do we have to do right, we're responsible for anyone who looks like us. Get beat up by the cops? Blame black crime rates, because white crime doesn't exist. Black on black crime? True story. White on white crime? There is no such thing. What Sir Charles and any other black person who says this is saying, we have to fix every single person in our race in order to be accepted. There's too many hard working, educated black people just trying to make it through the day. And there are quite a few black folks who don't break the law and still get killed by the police. But let's not worry about that. Because that's not as important as black men killing each other. Like they give a damn.

My problem is when you lump us in with the degenerates. There is always going to be problem children within any group. Van Jones points this out, yet no one wants to talk about it. When a white guy goes on a rampage, we don't talk about what's wrong with you. When a white guy robs people of billions of dollars, we don't talk about how crooked you are. When there's a pedophile scandal or Penn State, no one is looking at you and saying those pesky white people.

I, nor does anyone else who does what they are supposed to do should be grouped together. So instead of saying black people, you should say some people need to get their act together. When you want to talk about race, be open about it. Because if you're just going to blame all black people for it, you might as well do what Fox News did with their panel of "diversity", hire a bunch of white people to talk about different races. It lacks context and compassion. Just like they will always find a Sir Charles or some black dude who says get to work black people, guess what Charles? You're black, What are YOU doing to help the situation since it's on all of us?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Why is it amazing to give credence to someone who preaches self responsibility?

It's called self responsibility. I'm responsible for myself, not the random people on the street that have my skin color. Because when a mass shooter kills folks and he's white, you don't see some white guy on tv saying white people need to get their act together.

[Teddy B 17,252]

It's called self responsibility. I'm responsible for myself, not the random people on the street that have my skin color. Because when a mass shooter kills folks and he's white, you don't see some white guy on tv saying white people need to get their act together.

No one thinks you're responsible for anyone else's actions. I think you like to use that as a crutch. If everyone exercises self responsibility, we wouldn't have these problems. When a white mass shooter kills folks, he is either killed in the act or arrested, tried and put in prison. that's how it works. No one riots or loots because a white man has been killed or arrested for a crime.

[decocker 7,198]

. No one riots or loots because a white man has been killed or arrested for a crime.

no, that's what college basketball is for.

[Karee 4,191]

How can it not be about race Karee? Charles Barkley made it so. But, let me try to clear this up:

I'm black. I work and pay taxes. I don't break the law nor do I have a criminal record. So this message of personal responsibility falls on deaf ears towards me because I'm doing my job and taking personal responsibility for myself and my family. There are quite a few of us out there doing just that. I know Janelle is handling her business. This only exists within black people. Not only do we have to do right, we're responsible for anyone who looks like us. Get beat up by the cops? Blame black crime rates, because white crime doesn't exist. Black on black crime? True story. White on white crime? There is no such thing. What Sir Charles and any other black person who says this is saying, we have to fix every single person in our race in order to be accepted. There's too many hard working, educated black people just trying to make it through the day. And there are quite a few black folks who don't break the law and still get killed by the police. But let's not worry about that. Because that's not as important as black men killing each other. Like they give a damn.

My problem is when you lump us in with the degenerates. There is always going to be problem children within any group. Van Jones points this out, yet no one wants to talk about it. When a white guy goes on a rampage, we don't talk about what's wrong with you. When a white guy robs people of billions of dollars, we don't talk about how crooked you are. When there's a pedophile scandal or Penn State, no one is looking at you and saying those pesky white people.

I, nor does anyone else who does what they are supposed to do should be grouped together. So instead of saying black people, you should say some people need to get their act together. When you want to talk about race, be open about it. Because if you're just going to blame all black people for it, you might as well do what Fox News did with their panel of "diversity", hire a bunch of white people to talk about different races. It lacks context and compassion. Just like they will always find a Sir Charles or some black dude who says get to work black people, guess what Charles? You're black, What are YOU doing to help the situation since it's on all of us?

No one that I can recall has ever said white crime doesn't exist. That's you saying saying that. I think the point that has been made is that blacks make up for 50% of murders yet make up 13% of the population. The ratio is similar for other violent crimes. Those are simple facts. The reason those facts are brought up is because of your constant claims that police unfairly target black people. My response and others here has been something a long the lines of stop committing so many crimes.

I'm not lumping you in with degenerates. You're doing that. As I've said 1000 times, this case had nothing to do with race. I still believe that. You keep trying to make it about race. It's this burning need you have to show black people as eternal victims. I'm not sure why that is, and frankly I don't care. Charles Barkley came forward and made a statement about all this craziness that made a lot of sense IMO.

Here's the problem with these arguments. You're trying to have things both ways. On one hand you scream for equality. Then in the same breath you think everything is about racism. YOU and people like you are doing the grouping. You're the one claiming this guy in Ferguson was killed because he was black. You can't accept the fact he had it coming. You've been brainwashed to think the world is against you because you're black. Sprinkle in a few traffic stops that you think are racially motivated, and voila!!! The entire world is out to get me and people like me because we're black. The news media and the race hustlers are more than happy to help you with you're feelings of victimhood.

It must suck living like that. Thinking everyone is against you because of your race. The reality, is that no one really cares one way or the other about your race. I sure don't.

No one thinks you're responsible for anyone else's actions. I think you like to use that as a crutch. If everyone exercises self responsibility, we wouldn't have these problems. When a white mass shooter kills folks, he is either killed in the act or arrested, tried and put in prison. that's how it works. No one riots or loots because a white man has been killed or arrested for a crime.

Bingo.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

No one thinks you're responsible for anyone else's actions. I think you like to use that as a crutch. If everyone exercises self responsibility, we wouldn't have these problems. When a white mass shooter kills folks, he is either killed in the act or arrested, tried and put in prison. that's how it works. No one riots or loots because a white man has been killed or arrested for a crime.

No, riots happen over a college game. And no one is calling them animals.

No one that I can recall has ever said white crime doesn't exist. That's you saying saying that. I think the point that has been made is that blacks make up for 50% of murders yet make up 13% of the population. The ratio is similar for other violent crimes. Those are simple facts. The reason those facts are brought up is because of your constant claims that police unfairly target black people. My response and others here has been something a long the lines of stop committing so many crimes.

I'm not lumping you in with degenerates. You're doing that. As I've said 1000 times, this case had nothing to do with race. I still believe that. You keep trying to make it about race. It's this burning need you have to show black people as eternal victims. I'm not sure why that is, and frankly I don't care. Charles Barkley came forward and made a statement about all this craziness that made a lot of sense IMO.

Here's the problem with these arguments. You're trying to have things both ways. On one hand you scream for equality. Then in the same breath you think everything is about racism. YOU and people like you are doing the grouping. You're the one claiming this guy in Ferguson was killed because he was black. You can't accept the fact he had it coming. You've been brainwashed to think the world is against you because you're black. Sprinkle in a few traffic stops that you think are racially motivated, and voila!!! The entire world is out to get me and people like me because we're black. The news media and the race hustlers are more than happy to help you with you're feelings of victimhood.

It must suck living like that. Thinking everyone is against you because of your race. The reality, is that no one really cares one way or the other about your race. I sure don't.

Bingo.

Tell me something, if you're not lumping me in with the degenerates, why is this important? What does that have to do with me? And who is responsible for the other crimes? Because unless white people don't commit crime, there should be a white on white crime comment. But there never is one. Even when a white person kills a slew of white people, there is no white on white crime.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Marvin and Su

[Teddy B 17,252]

No, riots happen over a college game. And no one is calling them animals.

Total bs Marv. Plenty of people have spoken out against the college riots and called the kids animals, myself included.

Edited December 4, 2014 by Teddy B

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Total bs Marv. Plenty of people have spoken out against the college riots and called the kids animals, myself included.

Not talking about here. I'm talking about IRL. I'm talking about panels that say you need to get right, and not have single parent homes. Folks in Ferguson were protesting about excessive force and issues with the police, they were reduced to nothing by the looters.

[lostinblue 1,989]

It's called self responsibility. I'm responsible for myself, not the random people on the street that have my skin color. Because when a mass shooter kills folks and he's white, you don't see some white guy on tv saying white people need to get their act together.

Just everyone who owns a firearm...

[Janelle2002 3,865]

No one thinks you're responsible for anyone else's actions. I think you like to use that as a crutch. If everyone exercises self responsibility, we wouldn't have these problems. When a white mass shooter kills folks, he is either killed in the act or arrested, tried and put in prison. that's how it works. No one riots or loots because a white man has been killed or arrested for a crime.

No, they wait until the Blarney Blowout or the Pumpkin Patch festival

[decocker 7,198]

Just everyone who owns a firearm...

and that's not a white exclusive category. no one ever says the 'white community' needs to stop being insane and going on shooting rampages.