Posted on 08/15/2008 4:59:59 AM PDT by Kaslin
A few weeks ago, I was listening to a radio talk show when a black man called in to take Barack Obama to task for suggesting that black men were sloughing off their responsibility as fathers. The caller didn’t deny recent data that indicated that 80% of black babies were being born to unwed mothers. Instead, he said that this dire situation wasn’t the fault of irresponsible young men and women, but, instead, was the logical result of rampant racism in our country. He claimed that black American males simply can’t find jobs, and that’s the reason they don’t support their families.
I waited for the talk show host to set him straight, but it never happened. So I guess, as is so often the case in this cowardly, politically correct, age, I’ll have to do it myself.
First of all if I had been hosting the show, I probably would have laughed in the caller’s face. Which may very well explain why I’m not hosting a radio talk show.
The notion that in 2008, anyone can seriously suggest that it is whitey’s fault that millions of black men are abrogating their responsibility to get married and help raise their children would be laughable if the results weren’t so tragic both for the black community and for America at large.
How is it, I would have challenged the caller, that his grandparents and their grandparents managed to get married and bring up their youngsters in spite of Jim Crow laws, separate-but-definitely-unequal schools and rampant racism that kept them in menial jobs, but that all these years later, in spite of decades of Affirmative Action, government-enforced equal opportunity in the workplace and quota systems that benefit minorities, black men lack the ability to do the same? And how is it that people all over the world who are much poorer than American blacks manage to pull it off?
It’s obvious that millions of black men simply prefer shirking their responsibilities, while simultaneously insisting that they’re the victims of white society. They make a huge deal of demanding respect, of insisting they’re men and not boys, but all the while millions of them do precious little to earn anybody’s respect or to prove that they are anything but irresponsible brats.
How can I be so certain that I’m right and that the angry caller wasn’t? Simple. After all, how can it be possible that all these millions of black men are unable to support their babies, but millions of single black women somehow manage to do it?
The single largest example of “The Politics of Victimhood” in the history of the world...
Black American males with at least some public school education can't find jobs, yet 20 million English illiterate illegals can. What's wrong with this story?
One of these irresponsibles lived next door to us for a time. Unemployed and living off his girlfriend. He impregnated his live in. This was the third woman he had shared his seed with. Well, I’m sure it was more than three, but only three that took root. Little baby comes along and he is out the door two months later.
*sigh*
At least reparations wasn’t brought up. You just know that if they only had a big, fat check they would rush right home and start supporting their kids, just ask the proponents of it.
When Hispanics run this country,we’ll see how much sympathy
they have for you,Bro.
Two black people came into my business and started causing problems yesterday. I had to call the police to eject them.
And yes, they played the race card.
I mean, dig it: If the guy does NOT think of himself as a victim he has to work, to show responsibility, to change diapers, and all that. But if he's a victim he gets to hang out on the street all day hating folks.
For some people, that's a no-brainer. Let's see: work or hanging out, which shall I choose?
As long as we subsidize indolence, drug abuse, and bastardy we're going to short change the services which government is supposed to provide AND rot the hearts of a sizable portion of the populace.
Not disagreeing with most of the author's points. In fact, I agree with most of them 100%.
But on this point I have to say that monetarily, the taxpayers have been substituting for the fathers in alot of these "families".
When youve committed a felony its hard to get a job. That and you talk english so poorly no one understands, and your pants hang to your knees.
You made some very good points, all of which are causing Jesse and Al huge discomfort. These two, and many others who attempt to speak for the black community, try to use racism to offload their own guilt, lack of responsibility, and effort. There are simply too many minorities in this county who have “made it” to take the “I’m a victim” drivel seriously any more.
Thanks and bookmark
Per Walter Williams
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/williams110304.asp
Man, am I tired of hearing about his one...especially from Obama. In my mind, the fact that 320,000+ Union soldiers died is enough reparations for me. Add to that the unbalanced proportion of entitlements that go to blacks and I'd say we've more than paid enough. I'm tired of politician trolling for votes using my tax dollars as bait.
To: Black America
Keep playing the race card. Each time you do, you are alienating White, Mexican and Asian Americans more and more. And, you are not helping your candidate, B. Hussein Obama. We are sick and tired of being called racist every time we turn around and that frustration will be reflected in the voting booth.
I saw an incident like this at a local gas station. Even the other black people were rolling their eyes and defending the proprietor.
While I generally agree with Prelutsky’s arguments, I can also see some validity for the black caller’s perspectives. Let’s examine some of the reasons he thinks what he thinks -
1) Pandering by the government and the DBM to the race-baiters. Non-stop pandering to race-baiters like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan and myriad others gives them legitimacy in the eyes of those who believe their brand of racism.
2) “Black Liberation Theology” as taught by the likes of Rev. Wright.
3) Stereotypes of blacks in movies/television. Mass media entertainment is a major part of the way that blacks perceive themselves. Today, it is virtually impossible to see any film or TV show in which blacks are positively portrayed as anything but drug sellers, thugs and criminals. Too many of them have no view of life outside their little corner of the world and believe this is what they are supposed to be.
All of these influences speak volumes about the way that blacks perceive themselves. Within that perception, black men are almost never portrayed as caring, responsible husbands and fathers. Whether we want to agree with it or not, the images that blacks see about themselves influence what they believe about themselves, much the same way that Madison Avenue portrays various groups in their advertising. Too many targeted groups or individuals allow the image of their targeted group in the media to influence the way that they see themselves.
While the caller’s complaint laid the blame on whites for the poor choices too many black men make in their lives, the fact is that the influences are valid, they just don’t stem from white people trying to oppress blacks. Blacks like Jackson, Obama and Sharpton are much more adept at that than whites are. At the end of the day, it is both telling and unfortunate that the caller honestly believes what he believes about blacks and whites. His view of the world is largely incorrect and corrupted by the racists in his own ethnic group.
A co-worker of mine is African American, but has an intact marriage and college-bound kids. Nobody would guess her race by talking to her on the phone. The caboose in her family is 5 years old, but addresses men as “Mr.” and women as “Mrs.” He speaks better English than most nine year olds. While I realize the advanced speeech is is partly a function of older brothers and sisters, the advanced manners is mainly a function of involved parents.
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Good Point.
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