How did you learn what racism is?

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Usually NTs have beem more sensitive.

...Are you admitting your claim that I'm clueless is completely baseless?

I'll give you one more reply to answer why I'm clueless, after which I'm reporting you for violating forum guidelines.


Don't avert from what you've said.

Wrong. Racism is a learned behavior. If you feel uncomfortable around a group of people, it could be for any number of reasons other than race.

How do you know that the violence that happens in black communities is directed randomly? In fact most of this happens within relatively isolated social groups struggling to control some illegal market.

Also, building materials tend to get less of a priority when you are just trying to make ends meet.

The question you just asked - and asked respectfully, which I thank you for - could simply have been asked without the inclusion of the 'clueless' comment.

Ergo I'm reporting you, as calling me clueless is a personal & baseless attack. I class it as trolling.


You could simply have asked the question you just asked.

Would you want to live in a community with an extremely high crime rate? I wouldn't go as far as avoiding all black people just based on statistics, but crime is crime. I would never assume that, just because I'm not involved in crime personally, I wouldn't become a victim of it by being around it all the time. If it was a white neighborhood with a lot of crime, I'd avoid that too.

I work closely with the Criminal Courts, so I know there's a "permanent underclass."

I've known people within it, being on welfare for two generations or more. I don't know what they call it now---but when I was a kid, it was "welfare."

It's a tragedy, really. But there are many less people in the "underclass" now than there were in the 1970s.

I used to live in Gravesend, Brooklyn. The projects on 86th Street near the F train were (and probably are) pretty bad. Projects, especially those with 15-or-more story buildings, are usually hubs of drug activity. There are also some not-so-bad projects.

I've been in many places in my city. I know my city very well--including the bad areas.

I take it I'm one of the few people in this thread who admits to having been racist? I mean hell, even though I try not to be, I still catch myself expressing racist opinions sometimes. It's a difficult thing to "unlearn", especially when it's something you've had in your head since childhood.

Now, I will say this; a person's actions matter much more than their opinions on things, IMO. A person can have the best intentions in the world, but if all they do is ruin other people's lives, then they aren't really that good of a person, now are they?

If a person has good intentions, this person can be taught to channel these intentions into positive actions.

A person is not a bad person if he/she has good intentions, but doesn't get the desired results.

If you are responding to me, it's only polite to quote my post so I know. No, the Gravesend neighborhoods are not as bad as the East New York/Oceanhill/Brownsville areas. That's where the permanent underclass is most entrenched. That's where the schools are the worst, and the hopelessness most horrible. That's where the education is most fraudulent. The Nostrand projects, where I grew up, are one of the best. Still really bad, but one of the best.

Yes, there are less people trapped in these neighborhoods, and that's great. Violence is down, and people are escaping these areas. 75% of African Americans have clawed their way out of poverty, and that's wonderful. 25% is still a terrible reality, though, and it's Ferguson and East New York and plenty of other neighborhoods in California and many other states like Illinois. Why deny their misery? We've still got a long way to go.

Where did I ever say that I'm "denying their misery?"

I'm aware of what's going on in the world.

Yep...East New York is a pretty miserable area, full of housing projects and dilapidated homes. However, there has been some new construction of houses over the past 10-15 years.

Even amid the misery, though, people are sometimes living happy lives. They have their family, and they have their religion (note: I'm an atheist). They decorate their project apartments nice.

If you go anywhere in the world where there's poverty, not everybody you'll encounter is miserable. Many people adapt to their adverse environments. I would have a hard time adjusting--but these people certainly don't; they are strong people.

Once again, please quote my post if you are responding to me. Otherwise it is not polite.

posting.php?mode=quote&f=20&p=7220344

Yes, you're right, it's a matter of small differences. Real differences, but small. A slightly higher percentages of people with a depraved indifference to human life. If you are a cop, this small difference is significant. A small difference which changes a thin blue line to a thicker blue line. So that daddy comes home at night. What else do you think human beings will do? It's a human reaction. Sad, but unavoidable.

That depends entirely on how you're defining racism. The OED definition still contains the following:

"(also) a belief that the members of different racial or ethnic groups possess specific characteristics, abilities, or qualities, which can be compared and evaluated."

Anyone here believe otherwise?

I can only quote whole passages. I don't know how to quote specific lines.

I never had somebody want me to "quote" before.

Why is it polite to quote?

I tried to quote you---but Captcha wouldn't let me.

Essentially, I believe we are having a "half glass empty-half glass full" sort of discussion. We agree on the details and differ somewhat on the interpretation of those dtails.

Go into your quote page and just delete anything you want to, so that only the sentence remains.

Anyway I was not born racist nor have I ever been nor am now. I think it has to be taught.

Of course I agree with Ann.

Racism is human-created; it is not in the genetic code.