Black People : Mike Brown - The conversations we should be having.
Okay so this is in response to the recent protests that took place in Missouri after the shooting of Micheal Brown. within days of the shooting there were wide spread protests as I am sure most of you will know and this has sparked a debate across america and here about the state of race relations within our societies. Most black people are outraged about the manner in which police treat black people, especially young black men who rightfully complain of always being treated as suspects and are constantly targeted by programs such as stop and frisk and the general attitude of Police towards them.
Though I understand the frustration of these protesters and their supporters throughout the world, I believe this is not the thing we should be protesting about. As black people and those who support the equality of all peoples, sympathisers of the movements against the killing of Mike Brown and Treyvon Martin, we must realise that the attitude of the police towards us, though it is frustrating, is not the thing we must be fighting against. This is not the problem itself, but merely a symptom of a much wider problem that affects us everyday of our lives, far beyond our interactions with the police.
The real Problem, worryingly is one that we devote little to non of our attention to challenging, in fact most of us do recognize it at all. The problem is that the structure of the political systems we live in is set undeniably against black people. Take at the situation in which most black people live, wherever you go. We dominate the poorest areas where there is high crime, bad infrastructure, the worst schools and very little exposure to outside places, effectively economically, if not racially segregated. The bad schools mean a high drop out rate which leaves many black people with no skills. With no skills we are then more likely to sell drugs, wherein we are then harassed and imprisoned en mass in a drug war in which we are the only victims. (The drug war has had little effect on people's ability to get drugs over 40 years and has only served to make drugs more expensive, thus more profitable, and has in the process put a million black men into american jails). The fact that we have no skills also means we are poor and often turn to crime. THE POLICE TARGET US BECAUSE STATISTICALLY WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT CRIMES!! WE SHOULD ASK WHY THAT IS AND TACKLE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEMS.
Now why would the government leave such a situation, which clearly has a viable solution unattended, why do they not improve schools and invest as much in black communities as they do in other communities? WHy not end a futile drug war and allow white people to buy drugs in shops, so they dont have to buy them off young black men who kill each other by tens of thousands every year over drug money?
Well there is no incentive, the drug war to start with, is profitable to high interests, weapons companies can sell weapons to latin american governments, america uses it to flex it's power in the region, agro-business make billions farming land that has been expropriated from drugs growers and prison companies make billions from having literally a million black inmates. All these interests donate millions to political campaigns on both sides of the political spectrum every year, they buy the politicians who then continue these appalling policies in which we are victims.
And what is our reply??? Nothing, we dont organise against them, we dont vote against them, we dont represent our own interests because most of us dont understand the problem and those of us, the black people who are educated enough to see the problem, dont see it as our problem because we are out of this situation now. All this is against us all the time, and yet we protest for days over the death of Mike Brown, As tragic as it was. The Black community needs far cited leaders, educated leaders, people who are able to organise people and money towards addressing these problems on a much bigger level than anything being done now.
How do you guys think this can best be archieved?
Though I understand the frustration of these protesters and their supporters throughout the world, I believe this is not the thing we should be protesting about. As black people and those who support the equality of all peoples, sympathisers of the movements against the killing of Mike Brown and Treyvon Martin, we must realise that the attitude of the police towards us, though it is frustrating, is not the thing we must be fighting against. This is not the problem itself, but merely a symptom of a much wider problem that affects us everyday of our lives, far beyond our interactions with the police.
The real Problem, worryingly is one that we devote little to non of our attention to challenging, in fact most of us do recognize it at all. The problem is that the structure of the political systems we live in is set undeniably against black people. Take at the situation in which most black people live, wherever you go. We dominate the poorest areas where there is high crime, bad infrastructure, the worst schools and very little exposure to outside places, effectively economically, if not racially segregated. The bad schools mean a high drop out rate which leaves many black people with no skills. With no skills we are then more likely to sell drugs, wherein we are then harassed and imprisoned en mass in a drug war in which we are the only victims. (The drug war has had little effect on people's ability to get drugs over 40 years and has only served to make drugs more expensive, thus more profitable, and has in the process put a million black men into american jails). The fact that we have no skills also means we are poor and often turn to crime. THE POLICE TARGET US BECAUSE STATISTICALLY WE ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT CRIMES!! WE SHOULD ASK WHY THAT IS AND TACKLE THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEMS.
Now why would the government leave such a situation, which clearly has a viable solution unattended, why do they not improve schools and invest as much in black communities as they do in other communities? WHy not end a futile drug war and allow white people to buy drugs in shops, so they dont have to buy them off young black men who kill each other by tens of thousands every year over drug money?
Well there is no incentive, the drug war to start with, is profitable to high interests, weapons companies can sell weapons to latin american governments, america uses it to flex it's power in the region, agro-business make billions farming land that has been expropriated from drugs growers and prison companies make billions from having literally a million black inmates. All these interests donate millions to political campaigns on both sides of the political spectrum every year, they buy the politicians who then continue these appalling policies in which we are victims.
And what is our reply??? Nothing, we dont organise against them, we dont vote against them, we dont represent our own interests because most of us dont understand the problem and those of us, the black people who are educated enough to see the problem, dont see it as our problem because we are out of this situation now. All this is against us all the time, and yet we protest for days over the death of Mike Brown, As tragic as it was. The Black community needs far cited leaders, educated leaders, people who are able to organise people and money towards addressing these problems on a much bigger level than anything being done now.
How do you guys think this can best be archieved?
Original post by Truths
Very true. I feel like media likes to focus on racist distractions to bait African American's into settling as if they are being listened to, instead of focusing on amending social & systematic injustices. I don't think this Michael Brown thing will make anything better :/
Very true. I feel like media likes to focus on racist distractions to bait African American's into settling as if they are being listened to, instead of focusing on amending social & systematic injustices. I don't think this Michael Brown thing will make anything better :/
I completely agree, the media is Part of the problem, mainstream media reports the symptoms of the problem and has the tendency of portraying black people as violent, while completely ignoring the forces that are against them.
In contrast so called "black media groups" like BET pay no attention to politics or programs that would portray the problems of African Americans in a meaningful way. Also the problem is bigger than just America, the situation is the same in england and across most African Diaspora societies.
I definitely would not want to be part of the police force in a place like the USA or the UK where you are automatically assumed by some people to be a racist and that you are part of a war on black men. I don't know why one would choose a career involving protecting individuals from crime when they will automatically be assumed to be racist and have a "general" racist attitude towards black men.
Have you even read what Michael Brown did prior to getting shot? do you honestly believe he just was standing there with his hands held up and the officer shot him without any threat from Michael Brown?
I can tell this post is full of hate towards white people. Assuming that it is only whites that buy drugs from blacks that are according to you apparently forced into the trade. Why would anyone start selling drugs from the bottom confuses me when you can make more money working at Mcdonalds.
There is just so many things inaccurate with this,I don't know where to start,where to start...I mean the political system is purposely set up against blacks? And with your assumption that schools with black majorities do not get as much funding from the government. Do your research. The schools that I am surrounded by with black majorities get millions of funding from the government as well as other failing schools. But congratulations for mentioning the war on drugs, although you tried to switch it to be a war on blacks. The war on drugs has hindered the black community the most but it has also affected everyone else who is faced with prison for smoking pot when they are a teenager.
Have you even read what Michael Brown did prior to getting shot? do you honestly believe he just was standing there with his hands held up and the officer shot him without any threat from Michael Brown?
I can tell this post is full of hate towards white people. Assuming that it is only whites that buy drugs from blacks that are according to you apparently forced into the trade. Why would anyone start selling drugs from the bottom confuses me when you can make more money working at Mcdonalds.
There is just so many things inaccurate with this,I don't know where to start,where to start...I mean the political system is purposely set up against blacks? And with your assumption that schools with black majorities do not get as much funding from the government. Do your research. The schools that I am surrounded by with black majorities get millions of funding from the government as well as other failing schools. But congratulations for mentioning the war on drugs, although you tried to switch it to be a war on blacks. The war on drugs has hindered the black community the most but it has also affected everyone else who is faced with prison for smoking pot when they are a teenager.
Original post by theike
I definitely would not want to be part of the police force in a place like the USA or the UK where you are automatically assumed by some people to be a racist and that you are part of a war on black men. I don't know why one would choose a career involving protecting individuals from crime when they will automatically be assumed to be racist and have a "general" racist attitude towards black men.
Have you even read what Michael Brown did prior to getting shot? do you honestly believe he just was standing there with his hands held up and the officer shot him without any threat from Michael Brown?
I can tell this post is full of hate towards white people. Assuming that it is only whites that buy drugs from blacks that are according to you apparently forced into the trade. Why would anyone start selling drugs from the bottom confuses me when you can make more money working at Mcdonalds.
There is just so many things inaccurate with this,I don't know where to start,where to start...I mean the political system is purposely set up against blacks? And with your assumption that schools with black majorities do not get as much funding from the government. Do your research. The schools that I am surrounded by with black majorities get millions of funding from the government as well as other failing schools. But congratulations for mentioning the war on drugs, although you tried to switch it to be a war on blacks. The war on drugs has hindered the black community the most but it has also affected everyone else who is faced with prison for smoking pot when they are a teenager.
Have you even read what Michael Brown did prior to getting shot? do you honestly believe he just was standing there with his hands held up and the officer shot him without any threat from Michael Brown?
I can tell this post is full of hate towards white people. Assuming that it is only whites that buy drugs from blacks that are according to you apparently forced into the trade. Why would anyone start selling drugs from the bottom confuses me when you can make more money working at Mcdonalds.
There is just so many things inaccurate with this,I don't know where to start,where to start...I mean the political system is purposely set up against blacks? And with your assumption that schools with black majorities do not get as much funding from the government. Do your research. The schools that I am surrounded by with black majorities get millions of funding from the government as well as other failing schools. But congratulations for mentioning the war on drugs, although you tried to switch it to be a war on blacks. The war on drugs has hindered the black community the most but it has also affected everyone else who is faced with prison for smoking pot when they are a teenager.
Okay I actually think I quite like your thinking when it comes to many of these issues, I dot think you disagree with me as much as you may be misunderstanding what I am saying. So to start with, I am not arguing the system is set up against black people, no, the system is setp up again poor people, poor white people suffer just as much from things like the drug war, not to mention latinos who face even more gangerism as a result of it, in thier neghbourhoods, as well as in thier home countries which have been set up by it. I am also willing to retract the "white people buy drugs thing and replace it with wealthier people, bcos you are right to say it isnt just white people who buy drugs. So no, this isnt a rant against whites.
It does however happen that most black people, a higher proportion than any other race are poor, and desperately so. Also, if you look at the state of schools in predominantly black areas i think you will struggle to say they get as much funding, drop out rates are far higher, they rely a lot more on supply teachers eve basic infrastructure is far worse than in other areas. unless you believe there is no way to save these kids and that somehow its black peoples fault things are like this, you must see a problem here. Then you mentioned that why do black people not get jobs at Mcdonalds, well you do need some qualifications to work at mcdonals, at least a GED if u are an adult, and because of the qualitiy of some of these schools, and the fact that many of thier parents are either selling drugs or on them, many black people just dont have any qualifications, and if you think that its easy for uneducated black people to get jobs then you dont understand the way things work, when it comes to jobs for people with no qualifications its basically white first. Also lets not ignor how profitable the drug trade is because of the drug war. If white people were in the same situation they would do the same thing, the notion that somehow black people sell drugs cos we are too lazy to get decent jobs which is flaunted by the media, is racist and untrue!
Also with regards to Mike brown, I already said I wasnt in the habit of blaming police, there is every possibility that he could have been dangerous, the solution is make sure that blacks are no longer in a situation where they are likely to become violent and criminal. However I dont think you should stand up for the police man either. Whatever the situation is, it is wrong for trained armed policemen to shoot and kill young unarmed men, whether they are black or white. Also, it does seem a bit dodgy that he shot him 6 times. there is no situation under which a trained policeman should shoot and kill an unarmed peroson 6 times, that does not sound like self defense. But it is no reason to loot shops and protest. The reason behind it.. that is cause to protest
I do not think the system is purposely set up against poor people. I think a by-product of all this government intervention is that poor people are worse off. For example, in the states, the government had introduced guaranteed student loans which means that a young adult can borrow $100,000 or more. Perhaps the intention of this was so that poor people can more easily attend college. But what it has resulted in is poor people in debt that they could never pay back and a useless degree and no work experience. I do think the government is to blame for the extra hardships that the poor have to go through, e.g. by criminalising drugs, but I do not think that more government funding will solve the problem. We need the government to stop restricting us and decriminalising drugs rather than waste taxpayers money by putting small-time dealers and users in prison. I do not think it is just wealthy people that buy drugs either. People from all incomes buy drugs, that is just the way it is. I went to a state school with a lot of people who's parents are on welfare and I used to see people smoking pot in alley ways close to the school. I also know people from wealthier backgrounds who smoke.
It depends what black people you are talking about. I have worked in retail and fast food places with a lot of black people and from my experience, it is true that just because they are all black, does not mean they are all the same (similar culture, etc. ) I definitely have noticed differences. Perhaps that is the problem. That people group blacks together and expect that they would all get along because of their similar culture.
But from the state schools that I am surrounded by, where the majority of students are black, they do get a heck of a lot of government funding. The drop-out rate is something government funding cannot control. If a kid drops out of school, he/she is not necessarily worse off. Maybe they will end using their time more wisely working or experiencing life outside education. Secondly, if someone drops out of school for a different reason then the ones I have already mentioned, then it is not the government who we should look for to take responsibility but the parents who are the only ones influential enough on their kids and to influence their actions.
It is a fact that you can make more money working at mcdonalds than starting to sell pot at the bottom of the barrel. I currently work at Mcdonalds and you do not need any qualifications! Most people that work in the Mcdonalds I work in happen to be black too. Not once in my job interview for a sales assistant or working in Mcdonalds was I ever asked about qualifications. I don't know if you were implying this but I don't think blacks are inherently lazy.
It depends what black people you are talking about. I have worked in retail and fast food places with a lot of black people and from my experience, it is true that just because they are all black, does not mean they are all the same (similar culture, etc. ) I definitely have noticed differences. Perhaps that is the problem. That people group blacks together and expect that they would all get along because of their similar culture.
But from the state schools that I am surrounded by, where the majority of students are black, they do get a heck of a lot of government funding. The drop-out rate is something government funding cannot control. If a kid drops out of school, he/she is not necessarily worse off. Maybe they will end using their time more wisely working or experiencing life outside education. Secondly, if someone drops out of school for a different reason then the ones I have already mentioned, then it is not the government who we should look for to take responsibility but the parents who are the only ones influential enough on their kids and to influence their actions.
It is a fact that you can make more money working at mcdonalds than starting to sell pot at the bottom of the barrel. I currently work at Mcdonalds and you do not need any qualifications! Most people that work in the Mcdonalds I work in happen to be black too. Not once in my job interview for a sales assistant or working in Mcdonalds was I ever asked about qualifications. I don't know if you were implying this but I don't think blacks are inherently lazy.
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