Zimmerman Martin Case

[ShelbyRenee]

That's also why when the NYPD released their stop and frisk statistics and, without considering why, people immediately got into an uproar as it seemed like minorities were being targeted as they were stopped the most. You're not going to be stopping too many white males at night at Queensbridge Houses. High crime areas get significantly higher numbers of stops than low crime ones, which is obvious but not to everyone it seems.

 

[DarkA]

So there are results to studies, but no proven/measurable reason for the statistics drawn other than the speculation that it's racism?

 

[doug_hile]

Well, maybe you're right, and there is no racial profiling by US police. I hope that's the case.

But did you read the suofftopicry of the study I posted on the last page?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_and_crime_in_the_United_States

I'm also interested in opinions as to, if racism doesn't affect the culture and systems of the US, why are black people so much poorer on average, and why do so few black men raise their children?

 

[Jadey]

In the study that was suofftopicrized in my post above, it appears that (depending on the judge), all things being equal you are more likely to be incarcerated if you are black, than if you were a white man charged with the same crime.

That's why it is being touted as a big deal, because it gives statistical evidence of racism that could only be inferred, or merely suspected, before.

 

[Thekunt2]

A much better way about asking the questions vs. "You're Racist! You should feel so guiltily about the actions of people in the past that you had nothing to do with and be unable to perform daily activities due to depression! The world will never be fixed because of ignorant racists like you!"

There is no denying that the oppression African American's faced in the past contributed majorly to the situation today. I do not think that the problem today is the same as in the past and is tied in much heavier with economic and educational status. I'm willing to bet if we tried to do things to fix those issues without taking away from another part of society than we would see some serious progress in a generation.

 

[ForzaIntert]

I agree that socioeconomic factors are most likely a huge part of it. Poor people are treated like dirt the world over. They also have a different culture (or subculture) to the middle and upper classes, which exacerbates alienation.

But, if your ethnic group is largely poor, I don't think that helps the way people will generally pre-judge you in society.

 

[silkkmist]

True, but unfortunately that is the case. A plan of action that solves problems such as preventing pregnancies in young women, education, and vocational training, building factories that provide job's located in proximity of poor neighborhoods and promote those products as made in America. If there is positive actions then we can start to close the gap on racial division.

 

[Augi]

Maybe, but a thriving and proud working class is all but a distant memory in our countries. Globalization has sought out even more dirt poor people to exploit across the planet. The only way to reverse that is for people to pay more, and I fear they're too selfish and short-sighted for that

 

[SNIPERHUNTER71]

Or maybe if a certain small percentage didn't hog all the money and resources and avoid taxes while manipulating government . . . . . .

 

[RweFreem]

That sounds like you'd have to start shifting the actual way society is run though. Thre'll always be a large majority of relatively poorer people, that's the way it works. Changing rhat means changing capitalism. I feel like the chances of getting America to ignore race are a lot higher than getting them to start moving towards socialism

 

[BoPeep]

Same here. I have been around black people most of my life until the past few years.

Being around them and interaction does not lend to neither condone, challenge, or condemn. It leads to understanding, but not sympathy. Mutual respect, but not ridicule. Most of all, never from racist view

 

[MayK]

I wrote that as food for thought. I guess people don't like to think while they eat but would rather complain that there's a cockroach under the table. Of course African-Americans shouldn't assume that all whites are racist. First of all, there is no proof that they are. Second of all, it would be a crappy way to live, wondering if every white person they came into contact with(especially in a work or police related environment) was out to hurt them economically or physically. However, when we look at the statistics and deal with what we know about the system, we know that racism against minorities is something that many have to deal with in some point in their life. When it's mild, it's just words and discrimination. When it's bad, it could mean not getting that job, not getting promoted or making a lower wage. At it's worse, it could mean jail time or getting shot.

Of course poverty and geographic location will change what kinds of racism one is exposed to as a minority. However, socioeconomic and geographic factors do not explain away or alter the fact that there is racism at hand in our society. If this were the case, then middle class or wealthy African-Americans and other minorities wouldn't be exposed to racism and its effects. There is no evidence supporting such a supposition however.



Go back to the Cheerios commercial video and look at 3:41 where the little African-American girl says that it's not over yet. This is what many white people fail to understand. They think that just because there's a mixed President(yes, he's half African-American) and they see people like Denzel Washington on the big screen and countless pro athletes who are making a lot of money, that there is no reason for people to complain. However, discuss this issue with any minority and you will hear otherwise. I had a friend in high school who was driving his father's BMW in the suburbs at night. He was pulled over by some white cops who asked him if he had a record as they checked him and the car. When he said no, the cop said that they were sure they could make something up to pin on him.

So for being African-American in a nice car in a predominantly white neighborhood, the assumption that he was a young drug dealer or up to no good, not that he had a rich father who let him drive his nice car with his friends. Even Lenny Kravitz got pulled over when walking in Miami because of a depiction of a criminal being black. Sure, he should've had an ID on him, but there is something deeper happening in our country that only a blind man with a blindfold in a pitch black room could miss

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1437130/lenny-stopped-by-cops.jhtml

So no matter how rich or famous you become, if you are an African-American, there is still a chance that you will be affected by a system and society that is inherently racist. There is no excuse or amount of reasoning that will change this fact.

 

[CAROLER]

But there are those who cling onto the division. Even black leaders and politicians desire to trumpet it for their own personal gains

 

[SWimma]

The problem with the picture is that people think African-Americans, especially young men, are dangerous. They don't think of why they think this and why they would be dangerous(if in fact they were). I'm sure if you look at the statistics of what kinds of crimes are committed by minorities, you will see that they are the kinds that get the biggest media attention with the purpose of scaring the general public and propagating the Black Brute stereotype. Sure whites commit the same kinds of crimes, but it is somehow more hair-raising when a minority does it.


Yet, how many African-American's embezzle millions from corporations, destroy corporations like Enron, or steal countries? Not many I take it. Considering that the affects of that kind of crime are much deeper hitting than a gas station robbery, people need to stop buying into the myths and nonsense portrayed and start using their brains to look at the real problems.




Yet, not everyone living in the hood is up to no good.



How about instead of worrying about labels sticking, you look deeper into the real history and try to understand why things are the way they are today. You can't say, "Hey folks let's not jump on a guy for saying some pretty borderline racist stuff because he had a hard day," in one breath, and then characterize African-Americans the way you have in the other without being a bigoted myopic jerk. Sorry to be blunt, but you more so than others on this thread have a position of responsibility that is directly related to the issues brought up here in this thread. Unfortunately, you are also one of the people whose posts don't show much hope for any change in the status quo.

 

[wtfmane]

You really are getting tedious. So now African-American leaders and politicians are to blame? Your minority friends would be embarrassed(if you really ever had any) to hear the nonsense you're spouting in this thread.



I think African-American leaders and politicians want to see the day when things are fair and equal. You clearly aren't interested, but minorities just want to have the same opportunities and be treated the same as people of a lighter complexion. That shouldn't scare or bother you so much. That it does says something is wrong inside you, not them.

 

[c63corgi]

Even Al Sharpton?

 

[RavenR]

Sure.



Much easier than thinking that he may be looking for his father's house. This is the kind of assumptive processing that ends up with minorities being harassed and arrested more often. I know, you don't have to tell me. You're going to say, "But most of the time they are up to no good or are looking for trouble." Protect and serve, yeah baby!

 

[AlexisInfectious®]

Why would you post a picture of an African-American man dancing in this thread at such a time? Your department really needs to look at your posts here and determine if you are fit for duty. A for you isn't enough, you need help and counseling.

 

[trb331]

In all fairness, that .gif has a white guy dancing too.

 

[awesomeman]

Considering the tone and tenor of this thread, do you think it was appropriate to post it?



In all fairness? That's kind of the point. Posting something like that is insensitive and inappropriate at best. Yet, the poster is a public servant who's job is to be fair and impartial when looking at the law. So why did he post a video like that in a thread dealing with racial tension in our country? I can't think of a single good reason to do so, so I'll let you.