alansmithee

That's the most ignorant thing I've heard in awhile. Why the hell would anyone want to be black? I guess I like being pulled over more than my white friends, or randomly questioned by police when walking. Or maybe I like the fact that there are cities that I can't go into unless I want to be stared at and harrassed. Or perhaps I like the fact that everything I ever do will always be followed by "for a black man", i.e. he's so smart...for a black man. He's so well spoken...for a black man. There's nothing more I would like than to be able to have someplace where I WOULDN'T stand out that isn't some urban shithole. I remember when I was in high school, going to the mall with my friends. The only other black people I would see were employees. And you are trying to say I want to be singled out?

And if you're the biggest non-racist you know, you must hang around exclusively with nazis and KKK members. Not feeling sorry for blacks doesn't make you a racist, being a white guy who thinks you know about being black in America does. You don't have any idea what it's like. When you spout your garbage, you only show ths more.

I assume you were talking about your posts, which then yes I would agree they are ignorant hogwash. And it's not about a background making or breaking you. But when you are a minority, it helps to have some sort of support structure based upon shared triumphs and culture. This was denied blacks in America.

I'm sure I know more about whites than you about blacks. For your information, my mother was white. As far as that side of my family goes, we can trace back to the first pilgrims that landed. It's also why I understand even more than some the value of haing a history, and what exactly it's loss can do. If I were to visit England and claim that my ancestors came from there, at best I would be laughed at because my skin's to dark and my hair's to curly. And I have no doubts that if it were allowed, the vote to return to slavery would be a toss-up. But one thing against slavery is the fact that it's extremely cost-ineffective, especially with the increased mechanization of so many jobs traditionally done by slaves. It's much cheaper to pay slave wages, and have workers have to buy their own food and housing.

And again, you fail to understand how affirmative action programs are designed. It's not about individuals, it's about making sure that on the average, blacks are given equal opportunities. For instance, if my kid wants to go to college, I'm sure I will be able to pay for it. But what about the kid who has a parent who wasn't given a job because he or she was black? Who will pay for that child's education? And since you can't isolate racism, there must be countermesures until there's some true semblance of equality. This is what you are failing to recognize. I really don't care about racism, what I care about is the economic inbalances created by racism both past and present.

And the rest of what you were saying, I have no idea what you're talking about. Sure, there are some whites who aren't total racists. But that doesn't mean that they don't notice race, or that they see blacks as equals.

Why the hell would you want your child to have the same chance of getting into college as mine? Only a fool would want that. Your child's skin will (presumably) be white, that already puts him ahead of any offspring I might have. I don't know where you get this crazy, deluded, bizzaro-world idea that being black offers some sort of benefit.

It's not about individuals. If you are really as "colorblind" as you say, you are probably doing all you can. What needs change is at the institutional level. What needs to be done is have a generation (or two, or however many it takes) of blacks being educated at an equal or higher level than whites, and then not being denied opportunities based on the color of their skin. It's as simple as that. Lots of this needs to come from within the black community, but what also needs to stop is this belief by some whites that blacks are getting unfair entitlements. These people don't complain when some black guy is dragged behind a truck, or when cops pull blacks over because of their skin color, or when you can't catch a cab with dark skin. But let them think a white guy isn't getting everything his skin color has always entitled him to in the past, and they are up in arms!

And as for feeling equal, I don't care. Personally, I will always feel superior to any whites who has the same things I do, or have the same relative jobs. Because whatever I do in America, I know I did it with a handicap. It's like running a race-sure, we may finish at the same time...but I had a 50 lb. weight on my back.

And MLK was an Uncle Tom not necessarily because of what he desired for blacks, but because of his means. He was like a lapdog, and an object of pity (and made blacks in the civil rights movements objects of pity). White people didn't change things because they felt they were correcting wrongs, or that blacks were equal and deserved better treatement (otherwise this discussion woudn't be occuring now). The surface changes came out of feeling sorry for blacks, much like you would feel for a beaten dog. They didn't identify with blacks as equal humans, but as some lesser creatures. And much of this stems from MLK.

No, I'm not saying I don't want anything. What I was saying is that because you say you had a couple of black friends, you somehow know more about black issues than black people. You're not to blame personally, but your attitude is to blame. And it's not racism, racism implys some feeling of superiority, or some threat of abusive or discriminatory behavior. And I find your last statement very telling. Because the way I see it, you were born with your sheet attached. And I'm always wearing my colors, it would be extremely difficult for me to take them off.