It’s time for white people to wake up from mass delusion

[Rob L 3,811]

Half of white Americans today say that discrimination against whites is as big a problem as discrimination against blacks.

http://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/its-time-for-white-people-to-wake-up-from-mass-delusion/

In 1962, 85 percent of white Americans told Gallup that black children had as good a chance as white kids of getting a good education. The next year, in another Gallup survey, almost half of whites said that blacks had just as good a chance as whites of getting a job.

In retrospect, we can see that these white beliefs were delusional, and in other survey questions whites blithely acknowledged racist attitudes. In 1963, 45 percent said that they would object if a family member invited a black person home to dinner.

This complacency among us white Americans has been a historical constant. Even in the last decade, almost two-thirds of white Americans have said that blacks are treated fairly by the police, and four out of five whites have said that black children have the same chance as white kids of getting a good education. In short, the history of white Americans’ attitudes toward race has always been one of self-deception.

Just as in 1963, when many well-meaning whites glanced about and couldn’t see a problem, many well-meaning whites look around today, see a black president, and declare problem solved.

That’s the backdrop for racial tensions roiling America today.

Of course, there have been advances. In 1939, 83 percent of Americans believed that blacks should be kept out of neighborhoods where white people lived. But if one lesson from that old figure is that we have made progress, another is how easy it is for a majority to “otherize” minorities in ways that in hindsight strike us all as repugnant.

In fairness, the evidence shows black delusions, too. But what is striking in looking back at historical data is that blacks didn’t exaggerate discrimination but downplayed it.

In 1962, for example, a majority of blacks said that black children had the same educational opportunities as white children, and nearly one-quarter of blacks said that they had the same job opportunities as whites. That was preposterous: History hasn’t discredited the complaints of blacks but rather has shown that they were muted.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

I also agree s lot of white people should wake up from delusion.

Darn white people .

[Boiler 45,066]

The other half think discrimination against whites is a bigger issue?

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink

[OriZ 3,157]

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink

A horse is a horse, of course, of course, and no one can talk to a horse of course

That is, of course, unless the horse is the famous Mr. Ed.

[Rob L 3,811]

The other half think discrimination against whites is a bigger issue?

Sounds like you didn't read the article

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

1963. Nice dig. Almost as relevant today as the fake moon landings.

If this were true, then there would be no black lawyers, pilots, doctors, presidents. Unfortunately, there are several successful black Americans who have persevered, overcome, and become very successful. Perhaps the issue is that there are not as many opportunities for blacks. Perhaps the issue is that not so many strive for success. Or perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between? IDK

I do know my black friends are not struggling, are not living in povertyl in fact, they are quite successful overall. They also think that cops are good people, and that all lives DO matter. Reckon it's just the crown I choose to hang with.

[Rob L 3,811]

1963. Nice dig. Almost as relevant today as the fake moon landings.

If this were true, then there would be no black lawyers, pilots, doctors, presidents. Unfortunately, there are several successful black Americans who have persevered, overcome, and become very successful. Perhaps the issue is that there are not as many opportunities for blacks. Perhaps the issue is that not so many strive for success. Or perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between? IDK

I do know my black friends are not struggling, are not living in povertyl in fact, they are quite successful overall. They also think that cops are good people, and that all lives DO matter. Reckon it's just the crown I choose to hang with.

Did you follow the link and read the article?

[Boiler 45,066]

Did you follow the link and read the article?

This is getting a bit of a fetish.

[smilesammich 10,727]

Almost as relevant today as the fake moon landings.

excuse me?

[Rob L 3,811]

This is getting a bit of a fetish.

I will take that as a no

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

I did. And agree with some of it, but not all. Perhaps it's just the area that I live in, that I don't see all the masses of whites against blacks. About 40% of the households on my street are black folks, and we all live in harmony. No one is throwing stones at one another, and no one is scared to step outside. There's a black woman I see every few days walking her two babies in a double stroller. Never seen her act one bit afraid of the 'hood, nor of me when I step out to the road to say hello to her and the babies.

Not saying there haven't been poor treatment of blacks by whites; of course there have been. But I have seen things getting better just in my time on earth. Could it be better? Absolutely. And if I see something that smacks of poor treatment or inequality, I have stepped up and said something about it. That's about all I can do at my level. Was just talking to a black lady (stranger in the airport) the other day about blm and how crazy things are getting. After talking for about 10 minutes, we were about to part ways, and she said, "We need more people like you in this crazy world. Your views on things make a lot of sense." Her words, not mine.

Did you follow the link and read the article?