Enough with the diversity! (abuse, laws, Maine, Kansas)
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It has become increasingly popular to speak of racial and ethnic diversity as a civic strength. From multicultural festivals to pronouncements from political leaders, the message is the same: our differences make us stronger.
But a massive new study, based on detailed interviews of nearly 30,000 people across America, has concluded just the opposite. Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam -- famous for "Bowling Alone," his 2000 book on declining civic engagement -- has found that the greater the diversity in a community, the fewer people vote and the less they volunteer, the less they give to charity and work on community projects. In the most diverse communities, neighbors trust one another about half as much as they do in the most homogenous settings. The study, the largest ever on civic engagement in America, found that virtually all measures of civic health are lower in more diverse settings.
So my question is, why do people use the word diversity as one of the top 5 defining adjectives when describing a city's strengths.
Do you propose then that we build huge fences and cordon off and seperate people by their color, ethnicity and religion?
Consider for a moment a "diverse neighborhood" There is a diverse neighborhood near me and people don't walk there at night, It's the poorest part of town. Of course these people aren't going to give to charity, or build something for their neighborhood, it will just get tagged with graffiti by the next day.
That was really stupid. White guilt is a joke made up by minorities.
I disagree. Whites who treat their "whiteness" as some sort of unearned benefit are all over these forums, or at least they act that way.
I believe "white guilt" may have been an Al Sharpton invention...but I also believe that a lot of whites buy into it and mentally flog themselves and others for being born "with the advantage" of being white.
I disagree. Whites who treat their "whiteness" as some sort of unearned benefit are all over these forums, or at least they act that way.
I believe "white guilt" may have been an Al Sharpton invention...but I also believe that a lot of whites buy into it and mentally flog themselves and others for being born "with the advantage" of being white.
This so-called "white guilt" was not invented by Al Sharpton. It's a decades old sociological term that pre-dates the ignorance and blow-hardiness of talk radio.
If anything, it's what conservative author Shelby Steele refers to as "a form of self-congratulation, where whites initiate 'compassionate policies' toward people of color, to showcase their innocence to racism".
In other words, the IQ-challenged who are constantly insisting that "white guilt" be resisted, have no problem promoting, demanding, and (if they could) accepting "Black guilt".
[quote=backfist;4817129]This so-called "white guilt" was not invented by Al Sharpton. It's a decades old sociological term that pre-dates the ignorance and blow-hardiness of talk radio.
If you refer to the blowhards on Airhead America, I agree. What slop!
[quote]
Do you propose then that we build huge fences and cordon off and seperate people by their color, ethnicity and religion?
Consider for a moment a "diverse neighborhood" There is a diverse neighborhood near me and people don't walk there at night, It's the poorest part of town. Of course these people aren't going to give to charity, or build something for their neighborhood, it will just get tagged with graffiti by the next day.
In my diverse neighborhood there are a lot of million dollar houses. People walk there day and night, and I don't think I've ever seen any graffiti. I do remember when one of the city councilwoman's kids was prowling around after dark shooting windows with a BB gun.
Poverty seems to be more of a predictor for neighborhood violence than diversity. Maybe we should concern ourselves with alleviation of poverty rather than alleviation of diversity.
Your impression of the city couldn't be more incorrect. There is tension in the city in neighborhoods under change/gentrification, but it's economic not racial tension. That tension dissipates quickly after the developers move out. I live in a neighborhood that's been integrated since the 50s. I walk and commute through the city all the time and I've never felt uncomfortable other than in areas where there's a lot of drug traffic. In the suburbs other than PG county, blacks & Hispanics are distinct minorities. In the District as you go neighborhood by neighborhood you see "minorities" in local majorities. My neighborhood is about 60% black and probably about 10% Hispanic & Asian.
I could agree with this statement for places like the suburbs of Northern Virginia like Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, but if this was true for the entire area, wouldn't blacks who are in the middle and upper income spectrum (such as myself) have less of a problem from the non-blacks in other places besides these? Wouldn't the inhabitants have the decency and intelligence to differentiate normal and well to do blacks from the stereotypical ones who are just a waste a space? The fact is that for the more urban areas in the region like DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and other urban places in Montgomery, I still catch flack from the majority of the population; yes, the so-called "liberal" preps-turned-yuppies who are still sucking from the ***** of their parents' finances, take "power trips" every single time they walk outside of their homes - even when doing more leisure activities, and YES, use the all-blacks-are-like-those-on-the-11 o'clock-news-and-BET/MTV paintbrush stereotype tactic.
However...
Quote:
Originally Posted by rlchurch
Poverty seems to be more of a predictor for neighborhood violence than diversity. Maybe we should concern ourselves with alleviation of poverty rather than alleviation of diversity.
It's sad to see some of the racism here. Diveristy in and of itself is not a bad thing at all. Poverty/Moral Relativsm causes bad behavior, not race. I don't like the double standard that says whites can't also add to "diversity". Using "Diversity" as a code word for "Colored" is in my opinion backward and bigoted. It says to me that White America still doesn't consider minorites to be normal everyday people.
I could agree with this statement for places like the suburbs of Northern Virginia like Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William, but if this was true for the entire area, wouldn't blacks who are in the middle and upper income spectrum (such as myself) have less of a problem from the non-blacks in other places besides these? Wouldn't the inhabitants have the decency and intelligence to differentiate normal and well to do blacks from the stereotypical ones who are just a waste a space? The fact is that for the more urban areas in the region like DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and other urban places in Montgomery, I still catch flack from the majority of the population; yes, the so-called "liberal" preps-turned-yuppies who are still sucking from the ***** of their parents' finances, take "power trips" every single time they walk outside of their homes - even when doing more leisure activities, and YES, use the all-blacks-are-like-those-on-the-11 o'clock-news-and-BET/MTV paintbrush stereotype tactic.
I'm really not sure what your point is here? That some whites still react to you based upon racial stereotypes? I can believe that. How about 5 minutes into the relationship? Still bad? You find it happens more often in the District than Fairfax? There's certainly more of an opportunity for District residents to interact with a spectrum of blacks -- educated, economically successful blacks as well as those who are poor and uneducated.
[quote=TomDot;4752056]Why, because you can go down the street and get a falafel? Is that really more important than strong, safe neighborhoods? Yes, diverse neighborhoods also tend to have higher crime rates.
I'm not arguing against diversity. I happen to live in an extremely diverse neighborhood. I just wonder whether the whole diversity thing is a result of white people's self hate and guilt. It really is only white people whocherish the concept.[/quote]
Bolding mine...and you're RIGHT! The ethinic minorities flooding this country don't LOVE diversity...they want to live in their own country INSIDE the USA !
Some here want to embrace diverity????
Do you approve of female genital mutilation...that's plenty DIVERSE!
Now happening HERE in the good ol' USA!
Do you approve of "honor killings'....nice diversity
Happening HERE in the good ol' USA!
Do you approve of groups where the men dress like normal Americans and the women are forced to be covered head to toe in drapes? How enlightened is that...is THAT the future you want for women in the Land of the Free?
Do you approve of the fact that some minorities are hired over natural born American citizens who have been working HERE all their lives and can speak, read and understand English?
You know why they're hired? Because they will work 24/7, take abuse on the job without objecting, work for any amount of pay no matter how low.....know where THAT sends the U.S.? Right down the path to third world country status...and these DIVERSE people will lead the way.
All that but HEY, if ya get a good restaurant who cares!!!!
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