Quote:
Originally Posted by Flash Walken
It's not that whites are handed things, it's that blacks are obstructed from getting them.
"lazy blacks" isn't just morally repugnant, it is idiotic. It is the conclusion a moron would come up as an answer to the problems that set the black community in the US.
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I agree, but those cartoons were suggesting both - that whites are handed everything and benefit from nepotism and blacks are obstructed. It's a gross generalization. If you go to a lot of smaller communities where black people are even a smaller minority than in large centres like L.A., you will find that many of them are fairly well off in those communities. Like anyone, black white or brown, you need to be motivated to change.
And don't take lack of motivation as laziness. Some of the least motivated people I have ever met, are also some of the hardest working when it comes to day-to-day labouring. The last thing they are is "lazy", but attitude definitely plays a roll.
Let me ask you this. If you went to a poor black neighbourhood in a place like L.A. or Chicago, and asked a group of young African American males if they wanted to go somewhere like Thompson Manitoba, Fort Nelson BC, Red Lake ON, etc..., and said hey, we'll give you a job making decent money clearing brush, but the next 40 years are going to be a sacrifice so that your children might have a chance... how many do you think would take you up on that offer (honestly)? Because that is the type of sacrifice most immigrants who move here make in order to improve their situations.
An interesting phenomenon related to the lack of economic mobility among black people in the US is that black immigrants are having a much higher success rate than native African Americans, therefore racism can't be the only thing holding African Americans back. A racist doesn't care or probably know the difference between an African American and an American of African descent. African/Caribbean immigrants in the US only make up 13% of the black American population but represent 25% of black students in universities. (And yes, I know here are some other valid reasons, such as some black immigrants sometimes bring a little bit of wealth with them to get started, nor do they have automatic dislike for white people). The division between black immigrants and African Americans is a very hot topic these days. Children of African immigrants are more likely to attend university than both native black and native white people in the US (you can see the data here if you are inclined:
http://home.uchicago.edu/~arauh/Rauh2013a.pdf ). Again, that is not to say that racism/denying opportunity isn't an issue or an impediment because it certainly is, but just that it isn't the only issue at play.
Another interesting fact is that while black people in the US are far more likely to grow up and live in poor neighbourhoods, be exposed to more crime and drugs, and have fewer opportunities as poorer communities often have inferior schools and professional networks, there is also the fact that even middle class educated and successful African Americans who can leave the communities tend to stay in those communities so you see generational gain reversals in many situations.