Are Cities dominated by African Americans more violent? (upper-class, homes)
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I agree with the above post about this being a disaster waiting to happen.
Facts are Facts.......Whatever they may state, noone can disagree the blacks do have a major problem. I agree it does stem from years racism, poverty and poor education. But in recent years there are more and more Affluent Blacks (I refrain from African American, because they arent African......they are American with African descent). You know why there are more and more affluent blacks? They didnt sit around blaming everyone for their problems. They got an education, worked hard, and deserve what they got. I admire Bill Cosby for his lectures on the problems with black Americans. He's right!
There have been programs in inner cities for years, to prevent violence, drugs, etc. and to promote education, work programs, etc. In some cases they have worked, but more often than not they have failed. Why? I guess if we knew the answer than there wouldnt be a problem!
As far as the question of are citys dominated by blacks more violent? To answer that question just look at Detroit & New Orleans as prime examples.
What can be done? I think the blacks need to quit blaming the whites, the whites quiting blaming the blacks, and so on and so on. Quit blaming each other and start listening to each others issues and maybe just one day something positive can happen.
Otherwise this countries on the way to having another civil war, this time it'll be race related. And IMO, NOONE WILL WIN!!!
EDIT: I hope what I have written is not looked at as hijacking the thread because that was not my intention. It is just to somehow give a perspective on why the cities are more violent. Thanks!
Honestly, I don't think 'blacks' have a problem the same way I don't think 'whites' or Mexicans have a problem. It's all about your own issues you're presented with, and how you choose to deal with them. I actually can't blame a lot of people for my problems, as I'm sure a lot of 'my people' can't. All in all, I just don't like being grouped in with the bad seeds (I think that applies to any race)
Bill Cosby is a perfect example of what African-Americans should aspire to become. Far too many sit around in the ghettos dealing drugs and killing cops (as seen in Philadelphia in recent weeks) under the guise of "the white man keeps us down." NO, we don't! YOU are just too lazy to bring yourselves up the socioeconomic ladder. With how generous many colleges are nowadays, a poor urban black could apply to a college and receive nearly a full ride. A Bachelor's Degree could then be their ticket out of poverty and into the middle-class. Then again, I suppose it's just much easier to gather on street corners blasting hip-hop music, wearing baggy jeans, and deal dope. I know MANY black success stories; those who feel that urban ghetto blacks are "victims of society" or something truly need to wake up. Skin color does NOT determine the limit to one's potential---motivation and ambition do.
Just because it's 'possible' for urban ghetto blacks to rise out of poverty does not mean it's easy.
A poor urban black could apply for college and receive nearly a full ride? If it were only so easy.
Yes, I took some offense to the 'it must be easier to stand on street corners listening to hip-hop music' and such. There are poverty-stricken folks that try hard to get out of their situation. And believe me when I say the environment likes to convince otherwise
The local drug dealer shows you the 'easy' way to do it, society says you should go to school (which is probably already subpar, HOPEFULLY make it into college, and then maybe, just maybe you could taste the American dream? Someone who has never had the 'pleasure' of trying to do it the right way should not comment b/c it is something they most likely wouldn't understand.
Yes, inner city blacks should want to be successful, but even if it's unlikely doesn't even surprise given the circumstances
Won't call you stupid. It's just my way of saying poverty is not racist
people are. I am more concerned with an areas economic status than it's
racial demographics.
Last edited by da jammer; 11-20-2007 at 12:07 PM..
Reason: orphaned
Just because it's 'possible' for urban ghetto blacks to rise out of poverty does not mean it's easy.
A poor urban black could apply for college and receive nearly a full ride? If it were only so easy.
Yes, I took some offense to the 'it must be easier to stand on street corners listening to hip-hop music' and such. There are poverty-stricken folks that try hard to get out of their situation. And believe me when I say the environment likes to convince otherwise
The local drug dealer shows you the 'easy' way to do it, society says you should go to school (which is probably already subpar, HOPEFULLY make it into college, and then maybe, just maybe you could taste the American dream? Someone who has never had the 'pleasure' of trying to do it the right way should not comment b/c it is something they most likely wouldn't understand.
Yes, inner city blacks should want to be successful, but even if it's unlikely doesn't even surprise given the circumstances
Perhaps I should have been more tasteful in my word usage, and I apologize for the offense I commited. However, I'll stand by my comment that with affirtmative action, need-based aid, minority-oriented scholarships, etc. a dilligent young African-American student COULD climb from the depths of the poor inner-city and into the American middle-class using the Bachelor's Degree they'll earn at a college to obtain a middle-class career opportunity. I hear all the time about there being "barriers" to minorities being able to attend college, but that is mostly overblown and overexaggerated. If and when more African-American youths from the inner-cities see value in obtaining an education, you'll see the urban black underclass disappear in roughly two generations. As long as drug dealing and "gangsta rap" continues to be so prevalent and supported in our inner-cities, there won't be much incentive to make their own lives better.
I'll be the first to admit I'm very ignorant about this issue overall growing up in a solidly middle-class, blue-collar, heavily-Irish-American city where my only experiences with the few African-Americans we DO have is often seeing them on the receiving end of Federal assistance programs, but by and large I just try to see a silver lining wherever possible. I know a college degree doesn't necessarily guarantee one a great job as our nation heads into another recession in 2008 (Thanks in many ways to President Bush, but that's a bit off-topic), but it will DEFINITELY be a ticket out of poverty, as I can't name one person holding a Bachelor's Degree who has an entry-level job paying under $25,000 annually. I used to be vehemently opposed to affirmative action, deeming it unfair to give unfair advantages to minority students while my own student loan debt continues to mushroom, but as I become more exposed to just how much of our nation's poor are African-Americans, I am most certainly warming up to the idea of helping many of them get back onto their feet with the help of an education.
I'll admit for a change that my rose-colored glasses are having a hard time cutting through these tough realities though. I might be able to see my city revitalized during the course of my lifetime, but seeing an end to urban African-Americans dominated by poverty seems to be much more "out-of-reach" for me to comprehend, as not only do more of these folks have to further their educations, but they have to start seeing a value in wanting to learn, which will be nearly impossible with how deeply-entrenched they tend to be in terms of gangs, gangsa rap, drugs, etc.
I'm sorry, but I can't say I follow your logic. If anything, I'd say many African nations have much harder and more dilligent workers than many European nations due to their many years of being taken advantage of during the era of European Imperialism. Just look at France, where employees already work shorter hours than Americans do, receive more vacation time than we do, and are STILL demanding less work. Americans, overall, are some of the hardest working souls as a culture, yet the United States is a terribly violent nation.
^Is absolutely possible, but it's hard. I wouldn't say it is over-exaggerated or overblown at all...what I will say is that the problems facing inner city folks shouldn't be used as an excuse.
Also, gangsta rap has its origins in the inner city, but it, like hip-hop, is no longer only defined by the inner city. There is a huge suburban white youth population that have a developed taste for such music
I agree that there must be an instilled need to want to learn (even though a lot of inner-city schools offer horrible educations). There must be a need to want to do better the good way, not the hood way
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can't. All in all, I just don't like being grouped in with the bad seeds (I think that applies to any race)
