So instead of debating the latest offense de jour, let's see if we can't have a discussion about the road forward.
I would like to seriously and respectfully ask any African Americans in the Corral (surely we have 1 or 2) to propose a roadmap that gets us to a place where African Americans (meaning an overwhelming majority) in the US will be willing to say that racism is no longer a big deal in this country. Other minorities (Hispanics, Arabic, etc) feel free to join in for a roadmap to racial harmony for your own race/ethnicity.
As a white man in the 21st century it has been clear to me that I don't really get a voice in the road forward since I have benefitted from other white people's racism and the establishment of a government, marketplace and social strata that has protected and fostered white advancement at the expense of other races (I type that sincerely, not mocking, as I think it is an accurate statement that American society has been dominated by Anglos since it's inception).
So share with us what will it take before a black man in the U.S. can say (without getting jeered by other black people) that the U.S. has finally come clean, repented and made all black people whole (as best it can) and created a system and society where (as MLK said) a man is judged on the content of his character and not by the color of his skin.
** Please note: we aren't speaking about a society without racists, as that is impossible. Just a society where a black man can say what I said above and 90% of black people will agree.
What does it look like ?
- No more Confederate monuments ?
- All monuments of any slave holders or otherwise proven racists be taken down?
- Reparations (and if so how much)?
- Free college for all African Americans ?
- A free house for all African Americans ?
- A law stating African Americans in a job must get a higher % raise than their white colleagues ?
- Laws requiring certain size businesses must employ a certain % of African Americans ?
-Laws making it a crime to say the N word ? (Affirmative defense if you are black and/or Bill Maher)
-Laws making it illegal for someone to speak publicly, promote on websites, social media, etc anything favorable or advocating any ideology about White Nationalism, Nazism, KKK rhetoric, etc
- A law mandating for every holiday in remembrance of a white person, a corresponding holiday for a black person.
At some point I would love to live in a post racial US, and am just curious about what it would take from a minority perspective to get us there.
It is easy to complain, point fingers, accuse, vilify, blame, excuse, justify, and cry racism, bigotry, discrimination, injustice...but how does it move beyond that ?
Obviously I can do my best to live color blind, not be racist, not discriminate or show prejudice or bias, teach my kids to treat everyone the same. However what (if anything) can be done to address past wrongs ?
I didn't participate in the racial wrongs that were done, but I don't get the feeling that is acceptable to the black community. So honestly, what is the answer ?
I really don't see that much racism or hear it, but to listen to the media today you would think it is 1962 Mississippi in every city/state in the US. I look forward to the day when all of this is a distant memory but how do we get there ?
We elected a black President (a proud moment for all Americans, regardless if you liked his policies), have had numerous black Secretary of State, Attorney General, Supreme Court justices, Senators, congressmen, Astronauts, CEO's of the largest banks, Fortune 500 companies, blacks are largely our favorite music artists, actors, comedians, etc. I grew up with my favorite show being The Cosby Show, my favorite comedian being Eddie Murphy, and my favorite basketball player Michael Jordan, love Morgan Freeman and Denzel, consider MLK one if our greatest American heroes.... and I bet about 75% of white America who is 40 or younger would agree (changing out a different artist here or there).
Who leads us forward and what does it look like ?
I would like to seriously and respectfully ask any African Americans in the Corral (surely we have 1 or 2) to propose a roadmap that gets us to a place where African Americans (meaning an overwhelming majority) in the US will be willing to say that racism is no longer a big deal in this country. Other minorities (Hispanics, Arabic, etc) feel free to join in for a roadmap to racial harmony for your own race/ethnicity.
As a white man in the 21st century it has been clear to me that I don't really get a voice in the road forward since I have benefitted from other white people's racism and the establishment of a government, marketplace and social strata that has protected and fostered white advancement at the expense of other races (I type that sincerely, not mocking, as I think it is an accurate statement that American society has been dominated by Anglos since it's inception).
So share with us what will it take before a black man in the U.S. can say (without getting jeered by other black people) that the U.S. has finally come clean, repented and made all black people whole (as best it can) and created a system and society where (as MLK said) a man is judged on the content of his character and not by the color of his skin.
** Please note: we aren't speaking about a society without racists, as that is impossible. Just a society where a black man can say what I said above and 90% of black people will agree.
What does it look like ?
- No more Confederate monuments ?
- All monuments of any slave holders or otherwise proven racists be taken down?
- Reparations (and if so how much)?
- Free college for all African Americans ?
- A free house for all African Americans ?
- A law stating African Americans in a job must get a higher % raise than their white colleagues ?
- Laws requiring certain size businesses must employ a certain % of African Americans ?
-Laws making it a crime to say the N word ? (Affirmative defense if you are black and/or Bill Maher)
-Laws making it illegal for someone to speak publicly, promote on websites, social media, etc anything favorable or advocating any ideology about White Nationalism, Nazism, KKK rhetoric, etc
- A law mandating for every holiday in remembrance of a white person, a corresponding holiday for a black person.
At some point I would love to live in a post racial US, and am just curious about what it would take from a minority perspective to get us there.
It is easy to complain, point fingers, accuse, vilify, blame, excuse, justify, and cry racism, bigotry, discrimination, injustice...but how does it move beyond that ?
Obviously I can do my best to live color blind, not be racist, not discriminate or show prejudice or bias, teach my kids to treat everyone the same. However what (if anything) can be done to address past wrongs ?
I didn't participate in the racial wrongs that were done, but I don't get the feeling that is acceptable to the black community. So honestly, what is the answer ?
I really don't see that much racism or hear it, but to listen to the media today you would think it is 1962 Mississippi in every city/state in the US. I look forward to the day when all of this is a distant memory but how do we get there ?
We elected a black President (a proud moment for all Americans, regardless if you liked his policies), have had numerous black Secretary of State, Attorney General, Supreme Court justices, Senators, congressmen, Astronauts, CEO's of the largest banks, Fortune 500 companies, blacks are largely our favorite music artists, actors, comedians, etc. I grew up with my favorite show being The Cosby Show, my favorite comedian being Eddie Murphy, and my favorite basketball player Michael Jordan, love Morgan Freeman and Denzel, consider MLK one if our greatest American heroes.... and I bet about 75% of white America who is 40 or younger would agree (changing out a different artist here or there).
Who leads us forward and what does it look like ?
