An Interesting Take on BLM

[kandrathe]

From “brute” to “thug:” The demonization and criminalization of unarmed Black male victims in America

That was surprisingly one of the most racist articles I've ever read. Do you honestly believe President Barack Obama was secretly a racist? Perhaps calling criminals thugs is because they were committing thuggery?!?

Over the last several years, the term “thug” has become a way to describe Black males who reject or do not rise to the standard of White America.

Firstly, this is a mixed America, so that lingo about a White America has to go, but second, anyone committing criminal acts could be consider a thug, and since you've shown over and over again with statistics, kandrathe, how blacks are committing more crimes per their white counterparts, then it makes sense they will be getting called thugs more often. This is hardly a case for demonization, and more a case of calling the kettle black (no pun intended whatsoever). This entire article tries desperately to point a finger at anything inflammatory to make it's point, going back in time to the era of slavery, to a time after when blacks in cartoons were made fun of, to showcasing contemporary instances in which blacks were victimized in America, and tries to tie it all together to current politicians and a pervading mentality against blacks in America...

This has been status quo for so long, it's what everyone is trying to fix, but it isn't the real issue! You can walk down the street and ask almost any American about their view on blacks (or any other race or sub-culture for that matter) and most Americans don't give a damn! They don't! This belief system is a false doctrine preached by our politicians who don't have an answer for the dilemma of racial disparities in education and the criminal justice system, but it does little to solve the real issues. And what are the real issues faced by this sub-culture? As I keep saying, what the girl says in the video I posted is profound, and without doubt hits the nail right on the head. I'd elaborate but, I'm so tired right now and have to get up for work in 4-hours and only writing this now because I'm on fire, lol!

There is no magic wand that will remove the bias against POC from the social systems. The original video proposal was that as a POC you just need to buckle down, stay in school, get good grades, not submit to peer pressure, refrain from pre-marital sex, get in a good college, do well, get a good job, and have a happy life. Evidently, she did it (in Canada) and so can you. .

Unless you have no support system. It really helps when your two supportive parents make choices that put you in a good school, in a good neighborhood, then keep you on the rails towards that magical happy future. I offered as anecdotal corroboration of my friend and coworker who emigrated from Africa, and has found himself on a path to a middle class life. His perspective is a bit different in that he befriended many Americans who are still poor and suffering. He can contrast the advantages he had versus what he sees in his friends opportunities.

I believe my evidence shows minorities are arrested and incarcerated for crimes at higher rates. I've argued that much of that discrepancy is in having greater scrutiny by law enforcement, and less opportunity in defense. Also, that adjusting for poverty, all people commit crimes at the same rate. Or, poor people commit more crimes.

What I am trying to show you is that the above scenario is the exception to the rule in the lives of POC in America. Statistically, immigrant families who are economically positioned above poverty, do better than American POC whose families have struggled in poverty for generations. They are traditionally poor. Some of that is in perpetuating the family traditions that keep them poor. But, much of it is the entrenched bias and inadequacy of social systems in providing a path to improving their lot.

As to the article on judges, it is interesting you used the individual anecdotal evidence as the basis of your argument, while I saw it as outliers to the common opinion of the hundred they interviewed. The general opinion was they saw bias throughout the judicial system, and most felt compelled to address it however they could in trial, which is a later stage of justice system. Many , about half, extended their concern about bias toward the prejudice in the lives of people that brought them to running afoul of the law. In general, it supports my claim that even from these judges perspective, race bias is multi- systemic problem in American life.

The brute to thug article while occasionally over the top, is a pretty honest article on the positioning of race politically in the USA. I had to roll my eyes a bit on notions of micro-insults... no they are insults, or slurs, or just rude. Do I think Obama is a racist? No. But, his choice of the word "thug" in describing that situation fed the narrative of race bias. It is often hard to smith language that identifies "the other" without also sounding biased against them. As in how "The Donald" uses "the" as a prefix for racial, ethnic and religious groups. It emphasizes the gap between him, and them.