Quote:
Originally Posted by Bikeracer2009
I grew up in Richmond Va and at one time I live near Monument Avenue. I had some black friends growing up and did see things from their point of view. It was odd to see a statue of Arthur Ashe being installed not far from the Confederate statues. To me it was just history, to my friends it was a painful reminder of a time when their race was treated like property.
I would tell them that words had no power until you give it power over you and to ignore racism etc. It's easy for me to say. I could give examples one after another to share what I saw happen to my black friends throughout the years but I don't think it would help you understand what it's like living in your country that doesn't understand what it's like being black. I do see the crime, social services abuse and the other statistics whites point to. I can tell that a black child isn't born that way.
At some point our country has to take some crazy measures to try and fix what's going on. I don't have the answers but if getting rid of symbols that upset the black race and addressing racism openly helps get some healing then I'm all for it.
I'm not a historian or statistician so my opinions are not coming from an expert.
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Great post! As to answers, I have multiple suggestions. Around 1965 civil rights legislation advanced social integration. A big problem was not legislating for ALL new neighborhood/developments needed to have rentals and houses filled by people in the % proportion that the nearby older city and area had. If 15% Black then they ONLY get 15% of the new house. Then 70 or whatever % would be White. And then Asian and Brown and etc. The point being the '60s was a great time to REALLY integrate and blend. It did NOT happen. That was a HUGE social failure and opportunity. It haunts us today. we have white ghettos and black ghettos
in many cities. The alternative of busing cost too much and accomplished too little. Busing lead to privileged charter schools and home schooling, again too costly in resources and social stability.
I have many other solution-like to look at Europe for their better social solution. Like strong unions in Germany yet little strife between unions and managemen/owners. Germany makes better automobiles than the US. Why not give them some credit and mimic that which they do right. Their is to much ethno-centricity and jingoism clouding our eyes. .....sermon over, thank you.