No More Bin Laden

[Taem]

:lol: No offense, but ... I know you meant "moron" as a very loving, and embracing term of endearment. As in, "come here you big moron, and give me a hug."

Heh, I guess I said it out of exasperation more than anything, but I can go along with your statement too. I sometimes get in arguments with family members over trite issues to be sure. I'm aware that this branch-off has nothing to do with the point you were trying to make in your initial post, as more of a nit at the details than anything.

I think what lands them in jail, frankly, is that there is more policing per capita in the poorer neighborhoods. AND, there is a breakdown in social values. AND, there is a break down in the family, where many children do not have the influence of a father. And, I think the last one is pretty crucial. A father has an important role to play in properly modeling manhood for young boys, and girls. Children learn positive gender roles from their parents relationship. I mentioned my niece before, and I can trace her issues to my sister's unresolved issues with men, to my father (who was abusive), to my father's messed up parenting. Luckily for me, and my younger sister, we recognized and dealt with our inherited baggage before passing it on to our children (or, I hope so. We'll see.)

[...]If you look at the results, you have to draw inferences on how those results were achieved. It says something about the system.


Achievement gap in the United States

Here is a less controversial example; grade inflation -- I can show that the average grade received in a course has steadily increased over time. Is it lowering of the standards? Is it an increase in the capabilities of the students? Is it an increase in the capabilities of the instructor? It might be one or a combination of all three.

So, from a systemic point of view, if you are looking at the results of our system... what are your conclusions on equality, gender and race?

I agree with everything you are saying. I guess, we were never in disagreement. What I am disputing is that people of color are incarcerated more often because of the color of their skin as opposed to other factors. What I guess I would like to debate is "how" this could change. Like you, I think it's a cultural phenomena pandemic to America, but unlike you, I don't feel its all because of the poverty level, but more of a mental state of being; how do you get stuck at a certain poverty level anyhow if not culturally enraptured? We have plenty of Hispanics working for us that are extreemly intelligent, but they always be nothing more than dish washers and buss boys in this country because they can't see beyond their wall of can/can't. They already believe they have it as good as they can have it and have become content in their current position, despite the fact they are capable of so much more... It's disheartening, but I see the same thing with people of color in the states. Don't tell me its a poverty thing - its a state of mind! It [cultural way of life] "could" be overcome. So the real question to me is, why would anyone choose to live their life like this? That is the issue. Not increased patrolling in poverty stricken areas. How do you change the mindset of people to realize their potential, or as you put it, to love their children and encourage them? Do you really think patrolling poverty stricken areas less would be a good thing, because that seems to be the solution your throwing out to balance out which races become incarcerated. But again, perhaps certain segments of the population are poorer than others, however I don't think this would change the overall attitude or mindset I detect. In my opinion, it's definitely a cultural thing that transcends socio-economic wealth. Perhaps I'm WAY off base here, but that has been my personal experience. Its hard to try and see the sky as purple no matter how much people might tell me the sky is green when I still see it as blue - get the metaphor?

COMMENT: Poorly structured. Don't have time to flesh this. Work beckons. I hope the gist of what I'm trying to convey is impressed.