Racism is on the rise again in the UK - Don's view is easy to find. The real problem is that this view itself is labelled racist. I've seen little fairness in organisations over the years - promotions are rarely on merit and we rarely question the merit of promotion systems. I'd generally prefer something more rotational. I'd guess the truth is we are all scrabbling about in unfairness and some kind of genetic-based traps in leadership. The key thing in the UK is that we have encouraged immigration without addressing the problems this brings for those who need social housing and access to resources to help them improve. It's hard, and I think wrong to deny the voice of those who bear the brunt of the problems and brand them racist - indeed we are likely to see an upsurge in voting for racist parties here because no one will listen to the victims of playing politics rather than addressing problems. One obvious route would be to build more decent, affordable homes and access to social help that really works. Instead, we are lying and sweeping the issues under the carpet, no doubt hoping for a global upswing in the production of plastic dross and toys for rich people. There are bunkers all over the world in which some will hide from nuclear holocaust, to emerge after the cull - even game theory estimations of emerging in sufficient numbers to beat off what is left of the opposition. There is a cultural stagnation - we are trapped in very ancient attitudes, just when we need to recognise we can move on to peace by changing our notions of prosperity.
On 29 Mar, 06:28, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > IF one in fact wishes to have a fuller understanding of Obama' early > years and work, it is well documented. Otherwise, well...... > > On Mar 28, 5:20 am, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Don, > > When you typo, Copy your post then go to More options, remove your > > post, then re-reply, paste, fix the error and re-send. > > > You bring out some interesting views and I would have to agree there > > has to be some changes made in how government treats discrimination. > > I guess affirmative action was a way of answering the cry "we don't > > have any opportunities". I've seen many times what you are referring > > to as less qualified people are promoted or offered positions based on > > race or gender. I find it appalling that they don't see any problem > > in the "reverse discrimination" in taking that action. In a sense > > they are condoning discrimination but somehow it doesn't appear that > > way. If a person of color is refused a position based on their color, > > then it is discrimination but if a white person is refused a position > > based on their color it is affirmative action. It is hard to pinpoint > > the problems concerning cultural stagnation, it's like generational > > welfare, a vicious cycle of going nowhere. We live in a technological > > world of exposure and access, so it is not like people are trapped > > without knowledge of the outside world, yet some cities seem like > > another planet altogether. > > > > On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 1:11 AM, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 11:37 PM, ornamentalmind > > > > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > >> It is my understanding that the 'slums of Chicago' are much better due > > > >> to such community involvement. > > > > > Maybe. Not sure about that since I don't live there. Evidence from > > > > crime and unemployment stats can be misleading, I know, but they seem > > > > to hint at continued problems. I understand there's been some > > > > improvement in the schools but I think this has less to do with > > > > 'community involvement' and more to do with changes in the public > > > > school system focusing on accountability and responsibility. If Obama > > > > was a part of this I applaud his efforts and success. However, from > > > > what I remember hearing about his work, it had more to do with > > > > Affirmative Action policies and enriching the Trinity United Church Of > > > > Christ and his buddy Bill Ayers with some rich dead dude's endowment > > > > money. > > > > > If they found a way to make parents care about their kids I'd love to > > > > hear about it. That's the root cause of most of our social and > > > > education problems and no one has come up with an answer to that one. > > > > Orn, we're on opposite sides of the political spectrum so I know we'll > > > > disagree on just about everything. If I thought I had the answers I'd > > > > post them here. I think it might be a good start at ending > > > > discrimination if we removed deliberate discrimination from our laws. > > > > Believe it or not, I do believe in fairness. I work for the state of > > > > Texas. I have seen time and time again good employees being passed > > > > over for promotion or raises in order to advance a 'person of color' > > > > or a woman. Some are patient and get a promotion later and some get > > > > mad and find a job in the private sector where merit is considered > > > > over color and gender. We lose a good employee for no good reason. > > > > It's a damn shame really. > > > > > Yes, in case you didn't guess, I'm a person of parlor. And male. In > > > > my city of Houston I am a minority. Maybe I should form a club and > > > > lobby for city benefits. Nah. > > > > > dj > > > > >> On Mar 27, 8:50 pm, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >>> I am color blind but I'm not culture blind. I'd like to say it's just > > > >>> a class issue and the problem is poverty rather then race or > > > >>> 'immigrant' related. The evidence, as you suggest Slip, is contrary > > > >>> to this theory however. At some point America stopped trying to > > > >>> assimilate and instead embraced 'diversity.' I believe black leaders > > > >>> like Al Sharpton, Jesse 'cut his balls off' Jackson and Quan L X hurt > > > >>> their race much more then they help. They stoke the flames of racial > > > >>> hatred and resentment rather then focus on root causes and come up > > > >>> with viable solutions. I see a similar thing occurring now with > > > >>> politicians and some media whores stoking resentment between 'Wall > > > >>> Street' and 'Main Street.' Granted, not the same, but there are > > > >>> parallels. > > > > >>> All the time wasted vilifying 'the Man' and trying to keep criminals > > > >>> out of jail and crying discrimination could be spent mentoring > > > >>> children and giving them self confidence, self awareness and help them > > > >>> develop a sense of personal responsibility. It's the soft bigotry of > > > >>> low expectations that destroys these kids and keeps many dependent for > > > >>> the rest of their lives. People are being raised to think of > > > >>> themselves as victims. It should be no surprise that many of these > > > >>> kids grow up to be malcontents and scofflaws. They are being used. > > > >>> Obama built his career as a 'community organizer' in the slums of > > > >>> Chicago. You only need to look at those neighborhoods today to see > > > >>> how effective he has been. That is to say; not at all. Perhaps it is > > > >>> time to realize what he has been doing doesn't work and try something > > > >>> new. It's time for change. End the racism that is Affirmative > > > >>> Action. > > > > >>> Yes, We Can! > > > > >>> dj > > > > >>> On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 6:41 PM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > >>> > That is quite a long time ago and I'm sure as memory would have it, > > > >>> > the Oakland area was something to behold and I must say that I have > > > >>> > seen many a "Kewl" town go to waste as the rift raft moved in. I > > > >>> > rarely go to areas of my early youth in NY when I go visit family > > > >>> > and > > > >>> > friends, but I remember last time I did it was a far cry from what I > > > >>> > remembered when living there. The area has become so deplorable > > > >>> > that > > > >>> > I oft wonder how people find it viable for habitation. I guess in a > > > >>> > sense it is all relative as many are foreigners that come from dirt > > > >>> > floor dwellings without running water and so perceive the lifestyle > > > >>> > as > > > >>> > heaven on earth. It is hard not to sound racist but commentary is > > > >>> > securely founded upon observation and you can make your own > > > >>> > determination. > > > >>> > But for Oakland and the Oakland black community I find it an > > > >>> > absurdity > > > >>> > and a insult to the National Black Community who have struggled > > > >>> > through adversity and have not only prospered but have given, in > > > >>> > many > > > >>> > forms, a great deal to our society and nation. > > > >>> > The problem here is that even if there is a problem with the Oakland > > > >>> > police department, these people are using the wrong platform on > > > >>> > which > > > >>> > to air their grievances. SO because the community feels oppressed > > > >>> > by > > > >>> > the police department, this career criminal gets lauded as a hero? > > > >>> > I understand that police in general can at times overreact but the > > > >>> > fact is that thousands of police are physically assaulted every year > > > >>> > by suspects and in routine stops which result in an overly adamant > > > >>> > citizen going berserk. > > > > >>> > I just find this kind of news very saddening because I am always > > > >>> > hoping that we are moving along in the progression of peaceful > > > >>> > coexistence. We are humans capable of getting along with what may > > > >>> > appear as oppositional. You can't put a lion in with a lamb and > > > >>> > expect that they can somehow work it out. These people are > > > >>> > obviously > > > >>> > under some kind of duress but as I said earlier, how much time are > > > >>> > they expending to create an environment that is conducive to > > > >>> > peaceful > > > >>> > living? > > > > >>> > Are we going to make it? > > > > >>> > On Mar 27, 2:02 pm, iam deheretic <[email protected]> wrote: > > > >>> >> Wow.. I left the Oakland, - Alameda area in 1974, I wonder if it > > > >>> >> has even > > > >>> >> changed,, that is unreal.. In its own right it was a kewl town.. > > > >>> >> but it > > > >>> >> seems at first glance,, but I do know that there had been massive > > > >>> >> rebuilding in the down town area.. Strange even for me. > > > > >>> >> Allan > > > > >>> >> On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 3:53 PM, Slip Disc <[email protected]> > > > >>> >> wrote: > > > > >>> >> > This video I watched earlier brought about an awareness that > > > >>> >> > people > > > >>> >> > are still wallowing in a lifestyle that to me seems decades old. > > > >>> >> > I > > > >>> >> > asked myself, Could it Be? But nonetheless the reality shows > > > >>> >> > how > > > >>> >> > people, who are living in a microcosm, can remain so stagnated > > > >>> >> > in a > > > >>> >> > swirling eddy of nowhereness while the world around them flowers. > > > >>> >> > It's like discovering a lost tribe in some remote jungle. > > > >>> >> > ----deleted-- > > > >>> >> > The person claims racist terrorism by the police but does not > > > >>> >> > reflect > > > >>> >> > on any level of lawlessness among the citizens of Oakland. > > > >>> >> > Mixon was > > > >>> >> > a criminal in violation of parole, carrying a gun, still accused > > > >>> >> > of > > > >>> >> > raping a minor. What is wrong with these people? Could it be > > > >>> >> > that > > > >>> >> > there is still this decades old racist attitude towards black > > > >>> >> > people > > > >>> >> > in Oakland, because I have never seen anything like it anywhere > > > >>> >> > else > > > >>> >> > I've been. > > > > >>> >> > Maybe I'm wrong, what's your opinion? > > > > >>> >> -- > > > >>> >> ( > > > >>> >> ) > > > >>> >> I_D Allan- Hide quoted text - > > > > >>> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
