I consider myself pretty much on top of the blogging world and all that goes on around it. But today I learned about something that I did not know existed.
I got up this morning and noticed that my site pages were moving a little slow. Usually this means extra traffic. So I checked my site meter only to find that I had already had more hits before 9:00 o-clock in the morning than I do in an entire day. A further check revealed that all these hits were coming from a site called Instapundit. It seems that my man Glenn Reynolds will just post a link on his site, and his disciples will all drill on that site and basically do a bum rush on the site that Reynolds is linking. I think they call it an "Instalanche" or some shit. Which according to Wkipedia is a portmanteau for Instapundit avalanche. And quite a few of them were in the fields today. Just call Glenn Reynolds the Jimmy Buffet of the blogosphere, and call these people, "Parrot Heads". Or, as they call him, the "Godfather". Now black folks, if that's not some blasphemy for your ass I don't know what is. We all know the real Godfather's name is James and not Glenn.
But seriously, I thought it was all kind of ironic, since Reynolds (along with house Negro Lashawn Barber) was the person that pushed me over the edge to start a blog. I caught him on CSPAN one morning while I was having breakfast, and he was going on about how easy it was to start a blog and how essential it was to share your thoughts if you were a person with strong opinions. He was a person who also happens to be a member of my profession, which gave him a certain amount of credibility from where I sat. So a blogging I went, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Now with all due respect to Mr. Reynolds, and his Instalanche people, ( I wonder what they call themselves. I mean doesn't every group have a name? Think Kossacks for example) I think it would be nice if they maybe read some of the shit on the blog that they bum rush before they start making stupid ass comments about the host and the blog itself. Just read the comments below from my post on Jena ("With friends like these") and you will see where I am coming from. Unbelievable.
Now these folks are right of center, and I think Reynolds is a big supporter and cheerleader for the Iraq war. --Which just goes to show you, that anybody can be hoodwinked-- So I guess that would explain the tone of his peeps who were bum rushing the fields, and making stupid ass comments about shit. Memo to white people; the quickest way to end a meaningful dialogue with me is to start talking about Jessie Jackson, and Rev. Al and how they represent black people. This just shows me that you have no fucking clue and you are basically stuck in a time and place long ago. You get your talking points about black people from the MSM, and you therefore have no credibility. At this point in our conversation, you will sound just like the grownups in a Charlie Brown cartoon.
The Instalanche people obviously represent a group of people in A-merry-ca, like most folks on the right, who think we are past racial problems in this country, and all the racial problems black folks think they have are perceived and not real. Self induced as a cop out to not face up to what they really have to do to make it in A-merry-ca. An excuse not to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Never mind the fact that most regulars to this site are probably doing better than they (The Instalanche people) are. And most of the people who come here are quite capable of living the A-merry-can dream thank you very much. It's just that we refuse to see injustice and not speak on it. It's just that we understand that real power in this country is still held by just a few people. And that in order to make this a truly great country, A-merry-ca will have to be honest about her racial problems and confront them.
The Instalanche people seemed to enjoy the fact that I was ripping the left, (which is why I suspect Reynolds linked me in the first place) and it gave them great joy to tell me that the left doesn't care about black people. But sorry, the only reason I even get frustrated with the left is because I actually think there is hope for them. Because most people who call themselves progressives can at least be embarrassed into doing the right thing; or, at least, they genuinely want to try and work with us (Black People) on common goals and causes. Not you folks on the right. In your world, it's you against them. The only reason you even care about us is because you figure that if you get more black support, you will take political power from the left. So sorry, I am not buying the party of Lincoln, big tent bull shit! Let me put it to you like this: I will never ever be in a tent with a right wing republican. Never! Because we have nothing in common. The America of your dreams with a big fucking wall around it, church every Sunday morning, and a gun rack in every pickup truck, is not my America, so save your breath for the type of black person-insert your house Negro here- who can't see through your bullshit, or who wants to use you to get ahead.
Now I might hang out in the tent with some progressives, but please believe that I will be keeping an eye on their asses too. Because at the end of the day, if your convictions are driven by your politics and not your condition---such as your race-- then I have no fucking use for you, because you can get up in the morning and switch parties. My black ass, on the other hand, can't get up tomorrow and suddenly decide that I am going to be a white man. (Well, unless I am Michael Jackson) So for better or for worse, I am going to stick this black thing out, and I am going to do everything in my powers to make sure I have all the same rights that you do; and, that I am treated equally under the law, even by motherfuckers who hate me.
That is it right there.
ReplyDelete"But sorry, the only reason I even get frustrated with the left is because I actually think there is hope for them. Because most people who call themselves progressives can at least be embarrassed into doing the right thing; or, at least, they genuinely want to try and work with us (Black People) on common goals and causes."
We keep trying because we see the potential. At some point though, they will get it (so we can work it out), or we will get it (and put them in the same ineducable class as their right wing buddies).
A couple of things. First off, we basically wrote the same exact thing to two different people. A "celeb" of sorts actually tried to diss Black History Month and BET under the premise that things were all good now, so we can all hold hands. I disagreed.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, you're totally on point with left or right thing. Imagine me trying to switch political beliefs all of a sudden. Think how Ward and Condi and them are still treated like the "Roll Out the Barrel" crew.
Third, Michael Jackson isn't treated like he's white either. He's treated like a freak show, and he's a reflection of his own society. Hmmm ...
Good post, seriously ...
I tried to find the link from Instapundit, but gave up. I saw his last links about the Jena 6 case
ReplyDeleteand now this case has become about Mychal Bell, Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson. Also, putting much distance between the incidents at the school and the assault. Instapundit can move the right blogoshpere without challenge. I would want to comment on his site in public to let him know that with all the facts, he knows nothing.
As another commenter mentioned, it would have been to my satisfaction if no white bloggers or the media had made any comments or reported on the incident. Most black people understand what this is about. The black blogoshpere and media's support and actions are getting results where it matters.
Consider your "Instalanche" a compliment, FN. Reynolds links to good Web-writing, and his regular readers -- who lack a collective noun like "Kossacks" -- tend to follow them.
ReplyDeleteBut be careful with the generalizations. We are not all Republicans.
He has more links up on the Jena 6 today.
Field:
ReplyDeleteI think you are missing that Republicans are diverse as well, not as much as Democrats. You statements about "rednecks" is pretty stereotypical.
Republicans have:
-Religious conservatives (evangelists)
-Fiscal/economic conservatives
-Foreign Policy Hawks
-Nationalists (nation-centric anti-internationalists)
-Libertarians (because it is the only major party that to represent them)
-Military
-Neocons (who are basically big spending religion-based utopianist, similar to leftist but who are hawkish on foreign policy).
I have actually said I wish the Republican party would split and get rid of the religious fanatics and the nationalist (who are often closet racists) and stuck with the rest I would vote Republican (as a black man) 95% of the time.
Reality is you seem to only be concerned with race. Okay. Well you act like there are not racist in the Democratic Party. I'm sure if you sat down with Jesse Jackson he would tell you there are plenty of racist, the difference is how it manifests.
Liberal racist are paternalistic, they feel it is their burden as white people to pat you on the head and give you handouts because they know "you just can't compete in this world without their help" and they want to elevate the guilt they feel as white people.
Republican racist are more like..."get the hell away from me, get your own, get out of my way, and don't use my money".
What I see is both are bad, but the racist in the Republican party stay out of our way. The democrats are all up in organizations, etc calling shots...or do you not think Jesse answers to Democrats and the NAACP is not worried about their white liberal limo donors. Please.
I fully believe liberal white racist will undercut any gains black people try to make that are independent of their supervision or control because they have no faith in the ability of blacks to do anything for themselves. They tell us all the time we have no control over our lives...it is racism, it is the economy, it is this, it is that.
Reality is that is a load of B.S. and they do it for a reason. To keep us voting there way and give us some crumbs. When is the last time a liberal white talked to you about economic development in the hood, when is the last time they called about the fact that the majority of poor in this country are single-parent homes (for obvious reasons that a moron can figure out) and we need to do more to address out of wedlock (or just no father being present) births? When is the last time a liberal white person addressed the high black drop out rate that in a information economy is bound to doom people to poverty, when did they address illegal immigration and the ethnic cleansing of blacks in Cali and how a flow of cheap labor into bread and butter labor markets have undercut black wages and pushed them out (and screw that picking fruit crap, illegals do all kinds of stuff blacks used to do that payed a lot more money like construction, low end manufacturing, landscaping, janitorial work...any jobs is better than no job).
To be honest, no party is perfect, to me I would rather someone come to me like a man and let me know "hey I don't care about you get your own" then to come to me smiling like an angel when they are a devil.
** I liked how you said "put a wall around American".
Field tell me this.
How long do you think America would be liberal if we opened the border to anyone who wanted to come here from anywhere?
What countries can you think of that have been historically stable and wealthy that have no majority ethnic group? Think about that long and hard. Then get back to me about people's fear of unregulated large scale immigration.
I will tell you the one's I know.
Switzerland, Belgium and that is it. Belgium is on the verge of breaking up. Switzerland is so devolved down to the local level it can barely be considered a nation-state, people get along because they are fairly politically autonomous...hell they don't even have a head of state. That wont' work in America.
If you find some place though let me know.
Field:
ReplyDelete"How long do you think America would be liberal if we opened the border to anyone who wanted to come here from anywhere?"
Sorry I mean livable, not liberal.
Oh and it make it clear if I was not clear above, I hate Bush, I had neocons, I think they are not conservatives and are just a mirror image of liberals...they all want big spending and big government because they all believe if they have enough power they can create utopia based on their moral norms...no thanks. How about...give me as much tax money back as possible, stick to doing what I can't do for myself, and get the hell out of my business.
Yeah...I like that better.
Also I would say your arguments would be stronger if you back them up empirically. Some of the best bloggers are ones who use numbers to illustrate their beliefs.
I find conservatives do this a lot, liberals hardly ever (but for economists like Marginal Revolutions). This is why most liberals lose debates on the net to conservatives. Liberals talk about how they "feel" and what they "think" is right. Conservatives bust out the stats...point by point and liberals typically get mad and start cursing/name calling.
That is usually how it goes down.
One reason why I lean more toward Republicans than Democrats (although I have voted for both) if the dollars and cents of it don't make sense then I can't get with it.
An example...I have heard on many blogs..."Reagan and then Bush Jr cut taxes on the rich...he is for the wealthy and the corporate interests".
Uhm...no dumb ass, he really didn't.
That statement is completely wrong. Under Reagan, marginal tax rates were lowered, but deductions were eliminated, and the end result was that the richest Americans actually paid more taxes. High marginal tax rates mean nothing if people avoid paying them because the tax code is riddled with loopholes. Alan Greenspan support a tax cut and advised Bush to do so as well.
Liberals also say "oh the gap between rich and poor is getting bigger see it is because of Republicans.."
Two things they never consider something that Marginal Revolutions found:
1) The gap is not racial/ethnic/sex per se it is educational achievement. that gap has been increasing since the 1970's as we have turned to an information economy.
2) They ignores the effects of immigration, a very important reason for increasing inequality. It's obvious that, by increasing the ratio of labor to capital, those with money (capital) will benefit. But immigration is championed by liberals, not conservatives, so that is a no-no to talk about that we import an underclass...that pretty much stays an underclass (if you look at Cali and how 2nd and 3rd generation Hispanics live on average).
http://www.marginalrevolution.com/
marginalrevolution/2007/05/education_and_i.html
Now Field black people can control dropping out of school can't they, they can control going to college or going to a trade school (they can take out a student loan like anyone, in fact if you are poor it is easier than if you are middle class and debt for school is better than debt for bling bling and rent to own spinner rims right)?
Black folks can limit their reproduction till they finish education can't they like everyone else? Do you have kids Field? If not...why can you control yourself enough to use birth control but you have such low standards for the poor.
Here is the dollars and "sense"...
"a higher proportion of children in poverty come from single parent homes (Dowd 1997: 20). In 2003 also, the Census Bureau reported 42.3% of children who are being raised by single mothers were below poverty (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/histpov/hstpov10.html).
snip
In a consumer society like the United States, it is becoming more and more important to have a second income for all households (Kinnear 1999: 17). This has particularly harsh repercussions for the single parent family which cannot gain a second income. It comes as no surprise that single parent families have less income than two parent families. Still, it may come as a surprise that the single parent family makes less than one-third as much as the two parent family (McLanahan and Sandefur 1994: 79-81), and the poverty rate for single parent homes is 6 times that of two parent homes (Renwick 1998: 3). Considering the statistic that one-third of those in the work force will be single parents at some point in their life, we find that poverty has an effect on more households than one might imagine (Dowd 1997: 21)."
Now a liberal black person will say that we need a big government plant to fix this? My question is...why do we need to spend big money to try to clean up something that is not broken.
Black people have 100% control over dropping out of school and 100% control over procreation.
That is a choice. If make bad decisions (decisions we think are bad) then why do we need to create a program to clean it up.
Hell, wish there was a government program to clean up my messes...I always had to do it by myself or with someone help from family...that is about it.
Now Field, I can agree with you racism is real. However even if the current levels of racism did not change for the next 20 years, just stayed the same, are you saying poor black people have no control over their situation and can not get out of poverty with some limited behavior modification?
If not, then why are most blacks middle class and already doing these things right now as we speak? Are racist sneaking into black girls bedrooms and impregnating them? Are racist making black males drop out or not hold employment. You know there is employment because if there was none Hispanics would not be risking life and limb to live in the hood right next to blacks and they go to work every day...often 6-7 days a week.
No jobs in the hood you say?
Maybe. Do you live in the neighorhood you work in? I don't and I doubt you do.
Most poor blacks live where? Inner-city right? Are there usually buses at least? if so, then why can't they commute to work? What about car pools? I'm sure you have seen Hispanics 20 deep in a pick up going to work...blacks can't organize car pools?
The issue with everything I say is that blacks have strong control over it all and the fact I pointed that out pisses off liberal blacks and some whites because what it says is that blacks don't need white liberals and blacks have control and the all powerful Godlike white male boogey man is not the primary reason in 2007 they live like they do.
If they really wanted to improve their lives most of them could, so government programs are going to have limited effect, because it would only help those who are upwardly mobile...the other people are fundamentally dysfunctional and need psychological help more than anything else...
Field...watch the liberals on your site call names and not respond to my specific points...point by point..but talk about how they feel, talk about the white man and his racism...I fully expect it as it is common and predictable and you wonder why nothing changes your answer is right there.
Instawho? Instawhat? That guy is a garden variety reight wing Republican who tries to be slick by hiding behind the "I'm an independent libertarian" label. Let me respectfully suggest that he and his followers are not worth your time or attention, Field. I'm too busy celebrating the fact that there will be a good outcome for those young men in Jena, and it will be brought about largely because of the actions of the black blogosphere and black media. Understand- I don't think there's anything wrong with pointing out that most of the more prominent liberal blogs ignored this story in the course of recognizing that when our interests don't dovetail with theirs, we are often on our own. I'm not mad about that if we can we can produce the outcomes we desire on our own.
ReplyDeleteThe response of white AND black conservatives to Jena has pretty much been "Robert Bailey is a troublemaker", "Mychal Bell has priors", and "JesseandAl, JesseandAl, JesseandAl". They are irrelevant. We don't have to pay attention to them. Let's not let them misdirect our attention from the goal. However, we can take a respite every now and then, sit back and watch them jumping through hoops, smile, and revel in the fact that they are irrelevant, at least in this case.
And to the commenter above- of course Bush is a conservative. In fact, he's been the most successful conservative President in our lifetime. He's done things that Reagan could only dream of. What we are seeing in this country today is the result of the most conservative President in our lifetime taking the country a fair piece down the road toward the natural conclusion of political conservatism. Yeah, he's a conservative. Saying he's not is just indulging in the sniveling cop out of saying that conservatism can't fail- it can only be failed. Bullshit.
Sory for the off topic comment. Couldn't see a contact address?
ReplyDeleteCould the comments dialog box be set for fullscreen. I find it hard to read at high res.
cheerz burp
"How long do you think America would be liberal if we opened the border to anyone who wanted to come here from anywhere?"
ReplyDeleteSorry I mean livable, not liberal."
I understand. How long? Oh, I don't know, as long as the rest of the world will be here. Think about this; before your friends in the majority slaughtered natives and took this country, how well off was it then? See anon. it's all relative. What's good to you, might not be good to the next guy. I have visited Belguim quite recently, and I happen to think it's a great country. London is one of my favorite cities in the world because of its diversity. So I really fail to see your point.
You seem to be calling for a more homogeneous country, as if that would make us beter. I don't know, what did that do for the people in India? Or, for that matter, the Russians? I say encourage talentted and hard working people to come to this country from all over, as long as they can contribute our society. Besides, who would cut your grass, watch your kids, or pick your fruits were it not for immigrants?
And I love how you throw out the old straw man about immigrants talking the jobs of Af. Am. That is a bunch of crock and you know it. Just a wedge issue thrown out there by the repubs to dilute black and brown voting strength.
"Also I would say your arguments would be stronger if you back them up empirically. Some of the best bloggers are ones who use numbers to illustrate their beliefs."
You are kidding right? Why should I back up what I say empirically?Let's think about this for a minute; you do know what that words mean right? I mean as a black man living in A-merry-ca,the shit I talk about and live is not theory, I am LIVING it. I don't need a freaking experiment or some information feeding data to tell me what I know is messed up in this country. You make a racist assumption which is typical (and yes, even if you are black, you can make a racist assumption) that black people can't reason logically without using emotions. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I use logic every day in my chosen line of work---one which is based primarily on logical reasoning-when I write about my thoughts and my passions on this blog, I write about what moves me, and the crap I see taking place every day.If you need empirical data about the shit I talk about, google will be glad to have you spend some time on their search engine. I don't need empirical data to tell me that some ignorant and racist SOB lumps me with every bad black person that was ever born. I don't need empirical data to tell me that the reason I am stopped in a little white suburban town outside of Philly is because of the color of my skin, and the type of whip I happen to drive. Give me a break!
Your rant about blacks working harder and taking more responsibility for their actions is an old one; but true. We SHOULD workl harder, and take more responsibility for our own actions. If you read this blog before assuming I don't address these things, you would find countless posts about these very subjects. And I am not alone. Most black bloggers and others who are speaking about our issues in a public forum, are addressing these issues every day.
I am sure you mean well, but your comments are typical. It's the same old same old, that I hear from black conservatives, and white people on the right on a daily basis. Yet, you do nothing about it. You still pass laws that make it harder for young blacks to get a proper education by making it harder to get student loans. You make it harder for blacks to start their own businesses in urban areas by refusing to give tax breaks and make it easier to get small business credits. You make it harder for poor people of color--and whites as well---to participate in the political process, by refusing to clamp down on illegal campaign contributions. You make it harder for former felons who have rehabilitated themselves to vote, because you think they will vote democratic. You support a war that will cost our country a trillion dollars when that money could have been used to improve the infrastructure of our urban areas, and pay teachers higher salaries and give the more talented ones incentives to teach in at risk urban areas. You support the NRA, and oppose sensible gun legislation that would not violate the 2nd amendment but would give large urban areas the right to restrict access to certain automatic weapons. You support an unfair tax structure that sends more money to suburban schools and neglect inner city ones...and I could go on. How is that for backing up my position with facts for you?
And finally, like all the other people on the right, you miss the entire point with Jena. For the...oh I don't know, hundreth time. THIS IS NOT ABOUT MESSERS BELL AND BAILEY. It's about all the crap that people of color who live in that parish and many others like it in Louisiana have to put up with due to an unequal justice system that is supposed to serve all the people.
Hope that helped. Sorry if there is any bad spelling. I am trying to watch my "iggles" and blog at the same time.
A couple comments.
ReplyDeleteI thought blogging was about what you think and feel? Empirical data doesn't seem to fit (Mark Twain and all?
The Jena thing kinda passes me by. I think it's something you have to live to understand, though I'm trying.
Lastly, this could well be the best blog on the net. Good work field.
cheerz burp
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteRepublican racist are more like..."get the hell away from me, get your own, get out of my way, and don't use my money".
EXCUSE ME, are you twenty years old or an alien?
That statement is completely wrong. Under Reagan, marginal tax rates were lowered, but deductions were eliminated, and the end result was that the richest Americans actually paid more taxes. High marginal tax rates mean nothing if people avoid paying them because the tax code is riddled with loopholes. Alan Greenspan support a tax cut and advised Bush to do so as well.
My income was considered working class and I know I paid more taxes while having more deduction and exemptions. Do most people calculate there actual tax rate, instead of having some instant economist tell you how much your taxes were cut? I had a $3 per week tax cut, until I had to ante up at the end of the year. NO TAX CUT FOR ME.
FN,
I don't understand why many post as anonymous when it is extremely easy to use a pseudonym. You know, I might curse out the wrong person. It seems that anonymous' use anonymous when they want to trash your post or give you a history lesson.
You make it harder for blacks to start their own businesses in urban areas by refusing to give tax breaks and make it easier to get small business credits.
ReplyDeleteHere in the urban area known as Los Angeles, it's the democrats that dictate local laws. I believe that most urban areas are under democrat rule.
You make it harder for poor people of color--and whites as well---to participate in the political process, by refusing to clamp down on illegal campaign contributions.
Both parties profit at the hands of illegal contributions. Hsu anyone?
You support a war that will cost our country a trillion dollars when that money could have been used to improve the infrastructure of our urban areas
As proven in Minneapolis, it's the decision making of the local politicians and not the issue of enough money. Here in Los Angeles, Henry Waxman is using your tax dollars to help build a playground at Skirball Cultural Center, a private charity in Los Angeles that reported $885 million in gross receipts last year.
and pay teachers higher salaries and give the more talented ones incentives to teach in at risk urban areas.
More money is being spent on education than ever before, once again, lack of money is not the problem. It's holding people (teachers/administrators) responsible, if your mechanic was doing a crappy job on your car would you go back?
You support the NRA, and oppose sensible gun legislation that would not violate the 2nd amendment but would give large urban areas the right to restrict access to certain automatic weapons.
Guns don't kill, people kill. If someone has such hate in their heart they will kill no matter the weapon. Switzerland I believe, hands out automatic weapons to all adult males, why don't they have the same murder rate?
One clarification -- I think that the reason that Glenn linked to you is because he was already covering Jena. He had three posts that I recall about it before your post condemning the silence on the white left.
ReplyDeleteI find it discouraging that Glenn does what what you were complaining about Kos not doing, and your response to it is... to attack Glenn.
FN,
ReplyDeleteI crack up when you say this:
for better or for worse, I am going to stick this black thing out,
Like we have a choice......
Even those of us delusional enough to think that we DO, deep down know they are delusional.
"Jason Negro" is classic.
But, for your next House Negro of the MONTH, might I suggest to you the Uncle Remus U.S. Attorney, that, if he had done his damn job with regards to Jena, we wouldn't be in this position now. Instead he couldn't see how ' nooses in a tree constituted any sort of threat'.
His name is Donald Washington, and he was shinning and grinning during that CNN Special.
N:
ReplyDeleteApparently, you're a much more patient person than I am, at least when it comes to idi-, um, jacka-, um, bigo-, hmmm, you know what? I'm just going to leave the end word of that sentence alone, because I really don't have anything good to say about the members of the current bum rush.
I have made an honest and sincere effort to objectively read their views, but I keep having to stop anytime they mention some previously definitively debunked hypothesis as fact or make some stupid generalization.Consequently, it's taking me 15 minutes to read a paragraph that normally takes 15 seconds! [I keep trying to give the benefit of the doubt and google the data that they give, only to discover that yes, I was right, they are full of shit] As I don't like banging my head against brick walls I'm just going to move on...
So yeah, apparently, you are way more patient that I am when it comes to dealing with this bunch.
Sorry, above should be to "FN:." Damn cut and paste.
ReplyDelete"I find it discouraging that Glenn does what what you were complaining about Kos not doing, and your response to it is... to attack Glenn".
ReplyDelete"Glenn's" only real purpose was to attack the white left, but yeah...go on and be discouraged.
Steve Gilliard used to call this moron "Instacracker". For obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteYou've hit the Big time, Field. Don't forget your friends, okay?
"Because at the end of the day, if your convictions are driven by your politics and not your condition---such as your race-- then I have no fucking use for you, because you can get up in the morning and switch parties. My black ass, on the other hand, can't get up tomorrow and suddenly decide that I am going to be a white man."
ReplyDeleteoooo-weee, FN, that statement was so tight! That very statement elicitied all kinds of emotion (hate to be predictable, anonymous) in me! Profound!
I simply must address just a few of the many fallacies spewed by "anonymous", though, before I go to bed 'high' off of the realness of that statement made by my boy, FN . . .
Ruby Payne, a well known educator, researched poverty and reported her research (uh-uh - here we go with that empirical data) in a book called "The Framework of Poverty". Her research showed that there are two kinds of poverty (generational and situational). The black people (having babies, dropping out of school) to which you refer are in generational poverty. They have been born into poverty and their family has been in this condition for at least 2 generations.
Let's see, you say these people have a choice. I say they DO choose. I ask what would your choices look like if you were given the same set of circumstances?
Since I am the Principal (you know, one of those people who should be held MORE accountable -) of an inner-city high school, and the students who attend my school live in the poorest zip code in the state of Tennessee, I believe that I may know something about this topic of poor black people not choosing to be educated.
When my students wake up in the morning, and their mother has to go to work (cause they do have jobs - just don't make enough money to leave their position in poverty - who makes the decision about minimum wage again???) and the baby is sick. Momma can't stay at home because she would lose one of the three jobs she is working to make ends meet - who stays at home? That's right. The student who attends my school. They are old enough, and right now, FOOD, Mr. Anonymous, is more important than education. Helping my momma by watching my younger brother or sister so that she can keep a job and I won't have to move again, Mr. Anonymous, is much more important. My education is compromised by my present condition. If the child doesn't get food (the mother pays for this with that job), the child won't even live to make a decision about education.
Then, why did the Momma ALLOW herself to be in this condition?? I don't know. Let's ask the one who raped her, but because she is a product of generational poverty, she does NOT have the resources nor does she know about the resources available to her that will help her deal MENTALLY with this abuse - she has not gotten help. So, she is 27 years old before she realizes it wasn't her fault and she does not have to continue to allow men to use her the way that they have.
See, I grew up nice and protected in a house with my dad and my mom -not by my choice, but by some strange 'happenstance' (Christians call it the Grace of God)that selected my parents for me. My parents insisted that I attend college, and demanded excellence. But, when my little sister got sick, my mother or my grandmother could take care of her. My folks didn't have to miss work! And I certainly did not have to miss school. Ruby Payne points out that one of the characteristics of middle class is accomplishment via education - In other words, that's a middle class viewpoint - not the viewpoint of one in poverty!
I contend, Mr. Anonymous,that ALL poor black people (remember to avoid generalizations!) are not in their condition because they choose to remain there - who would CHOOSE to remain poor???
I believe there are those who are in the condition they are in because of poor choices - even me, with my liberal ass, can figure that out; however, what do you do with children who only know what they have seen at home?? If I am a product of generational poverty, Mr. Anonymous, what I have seen is generational poverty. And, no matter how much I preach it, they are not ALL going to get it in their head that they can ALL go to college and "be somebody, someday".
There are so many stories similar to this one that illustrate the fact that many poor blacks are NOT ignoring education - they are just CHOOSING survival. . . and they are all NOT having babies, either.
Goodnight.
Well, I read this site and instapundit and volokh everyday ... I'm in law and philadelphia, so go figure.
ReplyDeleteJena seems to be a case of over-charging ... and a pretty big one at that. But I don't doubt that the 6 would probably still be facing a serious charge or two without the help of an overly aggressive prosecutor. You blogged about the kid who slapped girls behinds in school before and was brought up under a sex offender statue ... bad charge there too, but hey, ya got to pick your battles.
Look FN, as I stated, they do this because they (the wingnuts) have psychologocal need to do so. At it's root it ain't paranoia or fear, or racism, or fascism or Christian fervor of Neo-con superjew self-righteousness. It's the need to have an enemy, always, lest you don't know what the hell to do with yourself. You don;t wan to be in the position of questioning the fundamental pillars of your world. We black folks, and indeed many white liberals, may see America as something good deep down beneath a layer of lies and rot. They don't see it that way, and frankly, it's possible we're dead wrong.
ReplyDeleteMany times I do think America is GREAT...the the best on this planet, despite the bullshit and murder. Maybe here I find common ground with Reynolds' troopers. The problem is, it's easier in their minds to attack, to spin, to rage rather than face the ugliest truth of all: under that layer of greatness, there's a magma of ugliness, sickness, hatred, ignorance, greed and yeah--the realization that it's only a few whiteboys who hold the keys to the kingdom, and everybody else is just getting enough crumbs to keep them busy.
That's what separates me from them, and me from Booker Rising, et al and the other spooks who gain prominence on the right. I know what's there, underfoot, under the good stuff, like in that flick "Silent Hill." They on the other hand, are in denial, like the poor souls in the movie.
Join me one night as I invade these rightie blogs. I usually start from my blog onto Tigerhawk, and old Princeton roommate. He and I joke about the wingnuts he attracts, but of course he loves them like errant children.
PS the CHIPS (child healthcare insurance) program's set to expire soon. Even GOP guvs like Ah-nold don't want Dubya to veto the enhancements and extension of this sccessful program in this, the one Western nation with robber baron vs third notions of healthcare for the uninsured. But he will, because his head is up his ass, and his handlers seek no common ground among Americans. It is a crime to veto that bill. And yet we can;t account for billions wasted by contractors and the military itself in Iraq? Sad statement. Too bad poor kids can't vote. But they will when they turn 18 and y'all had better hope Diebold tricks out those machines again.
ReplyDeleteChris, great minds think alike. I posted on CHIP while you were commenting I think.
ReplyDeleteWow lisa, your comments were profound. Attracting commenters like you makes me feal like I hit the big time for real.
Let's see if anon. responds. He (or she) hasn't yet. Looks like they might have been just doing a "drive by". Just talking shit they can't back up and then moving on.
Field, getting trolled is considered a badge of honor in blog land.
ReplyDeleteAnd you got SUPERTROLLED! :)
Good work!
Now you know why the ol' perfesser has so many alternate nicknames --
ReplyDeleteInsta-putz
Insta-cracker
Insta-shit-for-brains
and many other variations . . .