Originally Posted by aaronssongs

Thank you, for at least admitting that their are two sides of the equation. That's more than I've seen mentioned here before.

Originally Posted by O'Sullivan Bere

In another thread recently I laid into the 'gangsta rap' genre. IMO, it's done more to reinforce almost every negative stereotype of the black community that one can. The Klan and skinheads couldn't have done a better job. All those pointy heads have to do is quote the very music itself and say: "See, I told you so."

Take this funny but telling clip from the movie Office Space:

YouTube - office space opening rap

Whew..it's funny IMO, but look at the damage it does to the image of the black community. It forms the worst for both blacks and whites--especially black youths who idolise it and want to emulate it and white youths who form these highly damaging opinions about the black community.

I also quoted a movie quote from A Soldier's Story, where a black master sergeant recounted the following story:

You know the damage one ignorant Negro can do?

We were in France in the first war; we'd won decorations. But the white boys had told all them French gals that we had tails. Then they found this ignorant colored soldier, paid him to tie a tail to his ass and run around half-naked, making monkey sounds. Put him on the big round table in the Cafe Napoleon, put a reed in his hand, crown on his head, blanket on his shoulders, and made him eat *bananas* in front of all them Frenchies. Oh, how the white boys danced that night... passed out leaflets with that boy's picture on it. Called him Moonshine, King of the Monkeys.

And when we slit his throat, you know that fool asked us what he had done wrong?

I can't help but think that the gangsta rap people making millions on presenting these images are precisely the kinds of "ignorant Negros" the sergeant was speaking about.

Originally Posted by Pogo

Should we also cut the throats of those whites who pay the rappers who promote negative images?

Originally Posted by Pogo

Should we also cut the throats of those whites who pay the rappers who promote negative images?

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

Hell yes!
Contrary to what others think - O'Reilly on Fox has made this point many, many times.
Without question they share equal blame...as do white parents who allow their children to buy the albums.

Originally Posted by O'Sullivan Bere

I don't mean it to be taken literally but yes I'd include them too. The amount of damage they are collectively doing to race relations between blacks and whites as well as inspiring impressionable black youths to emulate this crap to the detrminent of themselves, the black community, and the country itself is despicable and they are a negative net worth.

Originally Posted by Pogo

I know you didn't mean it literally but I just wanted to point out that both whites and blacks are a party to these problems.

Originally Posted by Pogo

As of 2000, 63.2% of black families were headed by a single parent, as opposed to 26% for whites and hispanics. That seems like a fairly glaring discrepancy, and one that I don't think is explained by laziness.

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Originally Posted by Pogo

I know you didn't mean it literally but I just wanted to point out that both whites and blacks are a party to these problems.

Originally Posted by aaronssongs

I really am taken aback that you would ask me that, as if I have to prove myself to anyone, least of all, you. 5 examples? You better be thankful I'm giving you one.

I visited a local resale shop, as I was looking for a black blazer to wear to a party....after being "eyed up and down" by the policeman guard, on duty, in the midst of my shopping and trying on different jackets (I have no idea what he thought I might do...run out the store without paying for it?). I found a jacket and a shirt, and gave it to the saleswoman to ring up. The shirt wound up having a snag in the material on the sleeve, and I asked if it could be discounted because of the flaw. Well, the saleswoman worked the snag out and proceeded to ring up the merchandise...so, I guess that translated to "no".
Then out of the clear blue sky, she uttered, "This is a DKNY jacket, don't run through any bushes".
When I picked my face up off the floor, I replied that, "I don't run through any bushes", and just what did she mean. She played it off, and I stormed out of the store....only to get 20 paces, and realized that she had stuffed the jacket into a sack, instead of hanging it on a hanger...I marched right back into the store and asked firmly for a hanger for my jacket, so I wouldn't have to look like I ran through bushes...and she gave me one, and I left, and later called the store manager, to announce that I would never frequent that store again because of the insult.

Discrimination, at least, in good ol' Houston, Texas, is an everyday occurrence.

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

Agreed...now let's try to agree more...who is in better shape, or perhaps better put - who has the greatest power to stop the problems?

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

Not laziness, MORAL laziness is what I said. And those numbers don't necessarily mean slavery is the reason either.
I'm not certain what the reason is, but I don't think it's injustices of the past that play into mosto me. of this.

"Terrible things happened to my ancestors, so I think I'll be a bum" doesn't seem like a logical answer to me.


And since experience tells me these kinds of threads usually turn unpleasant, I'll make that my last comment on the subject.

Originally Posted by Scribbler1

I completely agree about the merits of discussing this. In fact, it's one HELL of a lot more important than 50% of what we USUALLY discuss. But I'm very serious about what I said. In all the years I've been on forums I can't remember ONE such thread that didn't eventually get swept up in emotionalism, and sometimes bigotry itself.

Originally Posted by iamwhatiseem

I don't know about that...remember the ones WEB and I had before?
Those threads by his own admission changed his mind about whites. Till he took part in the discussions he was admittedly a little racist against white people - however he said several times later he no longer was. (not to say I alone changed his mind, more everyone who posted)

P.S.> I do miss some of those heated debates I had with WEB..some real fire crakers...but it was real and did good.

Originally Posted by Pogo

As of 2000, 63.2% of black families were headed by a single parent, as opposed to 26% for whites and hispanics. That seems like a fairly glaring discrepancy, and one that I don't think is explained by laziness.

Joint Center:: DataBank