Go read Derbyshire's piece. Then check out these articles, all linked and referenced in Derbyshire's first couple of paragraph:
Trayvon Martin tragedy brings focus to 'the talk' for black parents
Hoodie wearers say there's no reason to stereotype
Black parents live in fear after Trayvon Martin case
Trayvon Martin and ‘the Talk’ Black Parents Have With Their Teenage Sons
Darryl E. Owens: Revisiting 'The Talk' that black parents give to keep their children safe
Read them all and then tell me what Derbyshire's point is.
He should have known better -- in a dumbed down society, satire is no longer an acceptable medium.
It wasn’t satire. Though Derb may have to say it was as he struggles to get hired somewhere in the neutered, suicidally PC West.
I read all your links to the articles about black parents having “the talk” with their kids. Each reflects a naive idealism, that life should be fair and if there are misunderstandings, their kids are the victims of ill-intentioned whites.
It may surprise, but as a white family, we have had “a talk” with our son. It enumerated many of the new dangers in this world, and our hopes that he would behave discreetly so as to avoid being arrested, having his education or emotional life wrecked by unmarried sex or an unwanted pregnancy, or ruining his credit and personal reputation. It’s something every good parent should do; it’s not Mayberry anymore, and his white skin or expensive education may not protect him if he messes up.
Having raised him in the city with plenty of diverse neighbors of every walk of life, his own observations and having been mugged when he was 12 by black kids, he has developed his own cautions in the streets — yet we were proud to note that his group of friends has always included people of many races and backgrounds.
Raising kids well is hard work. Those who are unmotivated will always be looking for someone else to blame. My own experience as the “first woman” in corporate management, and in this, that and the other thing in the 60s and 70s, has taught me that the pecking order exists even among white men of privilege. No matter how much things hurt in business or social life, they may not be intended as personal.
There is no free lunch. If someone is picking on you or putting you down, no matter how unfair, it’s a sign that you need to bring your game — or else find a different game better suited to your skill level. I have experienced many gender- and now age-related incidents of discrimination by other whites. It doesn’t make me hate men, other whites or anyone at all. Something more blacks need to realize — it’s not always about skin color. It’s just the usual pecking order. One of the most wasteful emotions in life is self-pity.
All I know is that I am sick and tired of education being so poor because family life is so poor. There are two kinds of families - decent and indecent. The decent families (defined by the results) will have good family lives that will teach their children how to be decent people and decent citizens. My immediate family is decent. My niece is a breeze in terms of parenting. My nephew is the complete opposite. My poor sister and BIL have to constantly parent him. Even I have to parent him as an Aunt to reinforce our family values. He has turned the corner and is becoming a very productive citizen. We are proud.
I do know for a fact that; (1) the only way one can educate ones self is to absorb the knowledge that is in that book in front of one. That means hours and hours of homework. All the money in the world spent by governments cannot make up for the lack of hard work. Period. (2) I know for a fact that if my nephew were ever suspended from high school he would NOT be talking to his girlfriend for 6.5 hours a day. He would not be wandering the streets at all hours of the day searching for Skittles and Ice Tea. His butt would be in a sling. He would be pulling out all the weeds (however small) in his parent's yard and all the neighbors’ yards between the hours of 10-5 pm. He lives in Florida so it would be torture. (It's warm outside and weeds grow right in front of your eyes 24/7. It's freaking never ending!!!!!)
That in my mind that is the difference between a decent family and an indecent family. Period end of story.
That does not mean a person should be shot dead. It is always a tragedy to lose a child. Always. It is always a tragedy to have shot and killed someone. The tragic events become even more tragic when exploited by the President of the United States and HIS ADMINISTRATION, Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson and Spike Lee. Nothing good will come of this exploited tragedy.