Nearly Half of Black Men at New York City Found Jobless
- Thread starter omcate
- Start date
Yes, I do believe there is a higher being. Call it what yu may. I choose God.
Yes, I do believe there is a higher being. Call it what you may. I choose God.
Canyonman, I think you are doing an admirable job and I hope you keep it up. I just want to mention that first, because I otherwise disagree with you, but I hope you don't take it personally because you're one of the few people on ET I like.
I find most of what you say below based on personal anecdotes, which are fine as far as they go, but we are looking at a macroscopic picture of the black community here (or trying to). From that vantage point, I think you'd have to agree that either these "reachable, touchable, realistic role models" aren't available to a great deal of blacks or that the results they are achieving have yet to make an impact on the statistics.
So I'll have to return to the fatherless households that some half of the black population grows up in and again claim it is quite likely to be a leading contributing factor in the failure of significant portions of the black community to raise their socioeconomic level.
Even if just having a father figure around for the sake of simple examples of seeing daddy go off to work (which kid didn't wanna be "just like daddy", no matter what daddy did) or getting a "well done son"; just innocent things like that, which taken alone are not much but tend to add up over time.
And of course (a biggie), there are plainly obvious benefits to having either two parents working (two incomes) or one working and the other staying home and raising the kids; something not possible in single mother households.
Anyway, the point of all this is just to highlight what I think are the leading causes of the problems afflicting the black community. Not to suggest that the government needs to get involved to "solve" these problems ('cos we all know the track record of those efforts).
There is something else that is worth mentioning. That's the effect of years influence of liberal idiots in the education system that has introduced the moral relativism approach to raising kids, which, in effect, means there are millions of kids out there unable to understand that some of the things they might do are just plain damn wrong. Not "different", but wrong. Millions of kids who not only don't have any respect for "authority", but are unable to even properly conceive the notion of authority.
Now there's something that the government can actuall do something about. Can these moronic liberal education intiatives.
I find most of what you say below based on personal anecdotes, which are fine as far as they go, but we are looking at a macroscopic picture of the black community here (or trying to). From that vantage point, I think you'd have to agree that either these "reachable, touchable, realistic role models" aren't available to a great deal of blacks or that the results they are achieving have yet to make an impact on the statistics.
So I'll have to return to the fatherless households that some half of the black population grows up in and again claim it is quite likely to be a leading contributing factor in the failure of significant portions of the black community to raise their socioeconomic level.
Even if just having a father figure around for the sake of simple examples of seeing daddy go off to work (which kid didn't wanna be "just like daddy", no matter what daddy did) or getting a "well done son"; just innocent things like that, which taken alone are not much but tend to add up over time.
And of course (a biggie), there are plainly obvious benefits to having either two parents working (two incomes) or one working and the other staying home and raising the kids; something not possible in single mother households.
Anyway, the point of all this is just to highlight what I think are the leading causes of the problems afflicting the black community. Not to suggest that the government needs to get involved to "solve" these problems ('cos we all know the track record of those efforts).
There is something else that is worth mentioning. That's the effect of years influence of liberal idiots in the education system that has introduced the moral relativism approach to raising kids, which, in effect, means there are millions of kids out there unable to understand that some of the things they might do are just plain damn wrong. Not "different", but wrong. Millions of kids who not only don't have any respect for "authority", but are unable to even properly conceive the notion of authority.
Now there's something that the government can actuall do something about. Can these moronic liberal education intiatives.
Quote from canyonman00:
I would never dismiss the importance of a father. Nor would I blame a learning skill on his presence, or absence. But having a father in the home is of little value if he too is not pushing the right buttons. The image is not of much value if the father has four or five other children all around that he is not going that extra mile for either. Can you say, mixed message?
I do personally know many single parent households that hold the attention positively of some extremely capable children. The key part of your phrase here is "guidance of responsible, mature." Success can also be achieved by just one adult with these qualifications.
Many of the households that I know do use the assistance of role models. Reachable, touchable, realistic role models. Unlike many of today's athletes, singers and other celebrity types, I welcome the challenge of being a role model for children. And unlike so many of our successful entertainers, I am reachable by the average (and less than average) person.
I challenge myself consistently and endeavor to do the right thing even when it might not be the thing that I want to do. One of the things that I pattern after is: "The true test of a man is to do the right thing even when no one is around." Profanity - very minimal. Respectful - I go out of my way there. One of the examples that I consistently show is - that I read. In the community, my peers read very infrequently. And when they do it is usually the sports section.
My personal library is consistently growing. Currently I have over 2,500 titles and I have read them all. Science, fiction, religion, race relations, personal improvement, biographies, investing, computers, I try to read about a lot of things.
And while I no longer live in the community, I do things to help improve it. I am a computer tech and every year I recycle old computers and for Christmas I make anonymous donations to families, mostly single parent households. This past year I gave away over 200 computers (laptops and desktops) doing this. Many of them put the pieces together and figured out where the machines came from.
But I am clear in my actions and activities that I am not a father figure, but a positive male figure. One who you can easily emulate while you work towards your dreams. I never try to be a kids buddy or big brother either.
One of the most rewarding things that I do is word challenge. Many of the young folks that I have worked with in the past have explained that they loved this challenge. Every time I saw them, I'd give them three words that they had to find the meaning of and use in context the next time we saw each other. Kept us all working on expanding our vocabularies.
In the ten plus years that I have done these and other things, I have impacted hundreds of lives I am sure. And for me, there lies the reward. It took no membership in a "Blacks Only" group. I did not have to contribute funds to an organization and hope that a helpful portion got through. And I ain't lookin' for no stinking trophy or plaque for the ego boost.
If you were to visit my home you would not see a case of dust gathering awards or a shelf of glad handing photos with the popular icon of the day. My pants still go on one leg at a time, even though I am my own superhero.
No trouble with your disagreement here. That's what folks do sometimes. And that too can be healthy as it could get us closer to real solutions. Now let's see if I can construct a more accurate puzzle for us both. For certain segments of the populace of African Americans, we are both right. There is no monolithic answer nor a blanket cure. There are several solutions to this multi-faceted issue. We just need to make sure that all folks get the access to the opportunities that are available.
And the role models are available and plentiful. But they don't make millions, or play in front of crowds on TV and seem to have few apparent responsibilities. The other thing that is interesting in the eyes of the masses is that they appear to be accepted by white America. They're allowed to live in the best homes and buy the most expensive stuff. That all dwarfs $45,000 a year working your butt off.
The other understanding is that even with Utopia there will be those who still will not achieve. They will claim foul and look to helping hands. And somewhere out there will be those who say, "We Must Do More!"
I find the whole issue of what the USA needs to do to let the inner city black people improve their condition to be a very difficult issue to even get a grip on.
I know that we have anti discrimination laws because african/americans do get discriminated against some times.
Then the laws goes into place and some african americans figure out how to work the system. Making it expensive and difficult to fire an unproductive a/a person. So small business people shy away from hiring them.
I remember in Washington D.C. when we used to play a match or tournament at Howard University which in the mid 80s and probably still is a pretty black neighborhood. . When we walked around the community into the stores there, the stores owned by the older people had photos of what was vibrant economic community black (at the time negro) businessmen had serving blacks prior to anti discrimnation laws. We even got to talking with one of the older guys and he told some great stories and had some interesting insights.
It was truly fascinating to me. In some ways the anti racism laws have sucked econmic vitality out of the black community.
Is this another example of why we shuould let the free market work without government interference?
I know that (I think it was David Stockman) wrote of book stating that welfare marginalised the black man in inner city neighborhoods because he was not needed to provide for his family.
I do not claim to have the answers, I just know the the answers are difficult. I am not opposed to means tested affrimative action programs. So please do not take what I wrote above as a conservative agenda. (By the way I think all programs should be means tested, I am appalled that my parents and in-laws are getting nice sized S.S. checks out of a ponzi scheme.)
I know that we have anti discrimination laws because african/americans do get discriminated against some times.
Then the laws goes into place and some african americans figure out how to work the system. Making it expensive and difficult to fire an unproductive a/a person. So small business people shy away from hiring them.
I remember in Washington D.C. when we used to play a match or tournament at Howard University which in the mid 80s and probably still is a pretty black neighborhood. . When we walked around the community into the stores there, the stores owned by the older people had photos of what was vibrant economic community black (at the time negro) businessmen had serving blacks prior to anti discrimnation laws. We even got to talking with one of the older guys and he told some great stories and had some interesting insights.
It was truly fascinating to me. In some ways the anti racism laws have sucked econmic vitality out of the black community.
Is this another example of why we shuould let the free market work without government interference?
I know that (I think it was David Stockman) wrote of book stating that welfare marginalised the black man in inner city neighborhoods because he was not needed to provide for his family.
I do not claim to have the answers, I just know the the answers are difficult. I am not opposed to means tested affrimative action programs. So please do not take what I wrote above as a conservative agenda. (By the way I think all programs should be means tested, I am appalled that my parents and in-laws are getting nice sized S.S. checks out of a ponzi scheme.)
You have to wonder if government programs actually
did more harm than good: (as usual
)
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1595.cfm
peace
axeman
did more harm than good: (as usual
)http://www.heritage.org/Research/Welfare/BG1595.cfm
peace
axeman